Prince Rabadash
Encyclopedia
Prince Rabadash is a human character and the main antagonist
in C. S. Lewis's
fantasy
novel The Horse and His Boy
. Rabadash is the heir to the throne of Calormen
, being the eldest son of the Tisroc
. In The Horse and His Boy
, he attempts to conquer Archenland
, the neighbouring country of Narnia
, but is thwarted by King Edmund
and Queen Lucy
of Narnia, with help from a boy named Shasta
.
Rabadash goes to war because he is unsuccessful in courting Queen Susan
of Narnia. We learn from the books that he and his retinue visited Susan at Cair Paravel
, where he impressed the Queen. On Susan's return visit to Tashbaan, the capital of Calormen, accompanied by her brother King Edmund
, she learns that Rabadash is a proud and cruel man, and fears (correctly) that he intends to take her by force if necessary. Susan, Edmund and their followers escape from Tashbaan. Rabadash, spoiled, angry, and with an injured pride to nurse, acquires permission from his father to lead a small force of cavalry to Narnia, in order to abduct Susan when she returns to Cair Paravel. This is to be preceded by surprising and capturing Anvard, the capital of Archenland, which, if successful, will also give Calormen a forward base from which to later invade Narnia itself. The Tisroc does not publicly support Rabadash's move, reasoning that it would be diplomatically inconvenient to order an unprovoked attack on a neighbouring country, and also seeing that Rabadash's hot-headedness and ambition are dangerous. The Tisroc would rather see Rabadash expend them abroad than on plotting to seize the throne from him, as has happened to previous Tisrocs.
Rabadash takes his force of cavalry into Archenland. But King Lune and the knights of his house are warned of the invasion by Shasta, and escape into Anvard. Rabadash, rather than recognising that his plan has failed, lays siege to the castle. Shasta meanwhile crosses the mountains into Narnia, where, on hearing his news, Edmund and Lucy lead an expeditionary force to Anvard. Rabadash's army, outnumbered and taken by surprise, is badly defeated, and he himself is taken prisoner to be brought before Lune's judgment.
At the end of The Horse and His Boy
, Aslan gives the captured Rabadash a chance to repent and accept the mercy of Lune, who has decided to release him on certain conditions. When Rabadash refuses and begins ranting about the god Tash
avenging his indignity, Aslan transforms him into a donkey
. Aslan then decrees that Rabadash must return to the temple of Tash in Tashbaan and stand before the altar at the time of the autumn feast, when literally thousands of his subjects will be watching. If this is done, he will regain his former person. However, he must live within a ten-mile radius of the vicinity of the temple. If he were to risk leaving that vicinity, he would risk being transformed into a donkey a second time, with no hope of ever changing back. Because he cannot leave Tashbaan, his reign upon assuming the throne is described as incredibly peaceful; he could not make war himself, and feared that any Tarkaan who won glory in war might try to overthrow him. He was called 'Rabadash the Peacemaker' to his face by his subjects. However, his people never forgot his transformation and embarrassment. So they called him 'Rabadash the Ridiculous' behind his back and after his death, with people perceived as being foolish being called 'a second Rabadash'.
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in C. S. Lewis's
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is a novel by C. S. Lewis. It was published in 1954, making it the fifth of seven books published in Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia. The books in this series are sometimes ordered chronologically in relation to the events in the books as opposed to the dates of their...
. Rabadash is the heir to the throne of Calormen
Calormen
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Calormen is a large country to the southeast of Narnia. Lewis derived its name from the Latin calor, meaning "heat". When used as an adjective Lewis spelled the name with an 'e' at the end . Narnia and Calormen are separated by a large desert...
, being the eldest son of the Tisroc
Tisroc
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, a Tisroc is a ruler of Calormen. His position is most like that of a Pharaoh, in that he is an absolute monarch, and is believed to be descended from the Calormen god Tash. Whenever a Calormen citizen speaks of the Tisroc, he adds "may he live for ever," and...
. In The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is a novel by C. S. Lewis. It was published in 1954, making it the fifth of seven books published in Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia. The books in this series are sometimes ordered chronologically in relation to the events in the books as opposed to the dates of their...
, he attempts to conquer Archenland
Archenland
In C. S. Lewis's fantasy novels the Chronicles of Narnia, Archenland is a nation to the south of Narnia, and to the north of both nations' occasional enemy, Calormen. Its borders are formed by mountains to the north and by the River Winding Arrow to the south...
, the neighbouring country of Narnia
Narnia (country)
In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series of novels, Narnia is the country around which the books revolve. It is one of several lands in the Narnian world.-Geography:...
, but is thwarted by King Edmund
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
and Queen Lucy
Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Of all the Pevensie children, Lucy is the closest to Aslan...
of Narnia, with help from a boy named Shasta
Shasta (Narnia)
Shasta, later known as Cor of Archenland, is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. He is the principal character in the fifth book published in the series, The Horse and His Boy, which is the third book chronologically...
.
Rabadash goes to war because he is unsuccessful in courting Queen Susan
Susan Pevensie
Susan Pevensie is a fictional character in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. Susan is the elder sister and the second eldest Pevensie child. She appears in three of the seven books—as a child in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, and as an adult in The Horse and His Boy...
of Narnia. We learn from the books that he and his retinue visited Susan at Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel
Cair Paravel is the fictional castle where the Kings and Queens of Narnia rule in The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the location of the four thrones of High King Peter the Magnificent, Queen Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, and Queen Lucy The Valiant....
, where he impressed the Queen. On Susan's return visit to Tashbaan, the capital of Calormen, accompanied by her brother King Edmund
Edmund Pevensie
Edmund "Ed" Pevensie is a major fictional character in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. He is a principal character in three of the seven books , and a lesser character in two others .In the live-action films, The...
, she learns that Rabadash is a proud and cruel man, and fears (correctly) that he intends to take her by force if necessary. Susan, Edmund and their followers escape from Tashbaan. Rabadash, spoiled, angry, and with an injured pride to nurse, acquires permission from his father to lead a small force of cavalry to Narnia, in order to abduct Susan when she returns to Cair Paravel. This is to be preceded by surprising and capturing Anvard, the capital of Archenland, which, if successful, will also give Calormen a forward base from which to later invade Narnia itself. The Tisroc does not publicly support Rabadash's move, reasoning that it would be diplomatically inconvenient to order an unprovoked attack on a neighbouring country, and also seeing that Rabadash's hot-headedness and ambition are dangerous. The Tisroc would rather see Rabadash expend them abroad than on plotting to seize the throne from him, as has happened to previous Tisrocs.
Rabadash takes his force of cavalry into Archenland. But King Lune and the knights of his house are warned of the invasion by Shasta, and escape into Anvard. Rabadash, rather than recognising that his plan has failed, lays siege to the castle. Shasta meanwhile crosses the mountains into Narnia, where, on hearing his news, Edmund and Lucy lead an expeditionary force to Anvard. Rabadash's army, outnumbered and taken by surprise, is badly defeated, and he himself is taken prisoner to be brought before Lune's judgment.
At the end of The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is a novel by C. S. Lewis. It was published in 1954, making it the fifth of seven books published in Lewis' series The Chronicles of Narnia. The books in this series are sometimes ordered chronologically in relation to the events in the books as opposed to the dates of their...
, Aslan gives the captured Rabadash a chance to repent and accept the mercy of Lune, who has decided to release him on certain conditions. When Rabadash refuses and begins ranting about the god Tash
Tash (Narnia)
Tash is a fictional character found in C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. He is an antagonist in the novels The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle....
avenging his indignity, Aslan transforms him into a donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
. Aslan then decrees that Rabadash must return to the temple of Tash in Tashbaan and stand before the altar at the time of the autumn feast, when literally thousands of his subjects will be watching. If this is done, he will regain his former person. However, he must live within a ten-mile radius of the vicinity of the temple. If he were to risk leaving that vicinity, he would risk being transformed into a donkey a second time, with no hope of ever changing back. Because he cannot leave Tashbaan, his reign upon assuming the throne is described as incredibly peaceful; he could not make war himself, and feared that any Tarkaan who won glory in war might try to overthrow him. He was called 'Rabadash the Peacemaker' to his face by his subjects. However, his people never forgot his transformation and embarrassment. So they called him 'Rabadash the Ridiculous' behind his back and after his death, with people perceived as being foolish being called 'a second Rabadash'.