Igraine's first husband was Gorlois. Her second husband was Uther Pendragon.
According to most sources, King Arthur was born of King Uther Pendragon and Igraine, who was wife of the Duke of Cornwall before she married Pendragon. Uther, consumed with obsession/love/lust (whatever you believe), rallied his army and attacked Cornwall. In the course of the battle, Cornwall was killed, and Igraine and Pendragon married, bearing Arthur. However, threat of Saxon attack moved Pendragon to foster out his child. Arthur grew up never knowing of his royal birth. Until, of course, he first laid eyes on glimmering Excalibur.
King Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine.
Uther Pendragon, the King of England, was deeply in love with Igraine of Cornwall. Uther's assistant, Merlin, a magician, promised that they would be married if Uther gave Merlin a son. So, Uther and Igraine fell in love and had Arthur who was sent to live with Sir Ector for safety and because Uther was going to die.
In the first surviving mention of Igraine, Merlin disguises Uther Pendragon as Gorlois, Igraine's husband before Uther so Uther can enter the Igraine's castle and force her to fall in love with him. Geoffrey of Monmouth The first surviving mention is in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, where she enters the story as the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. King Uther Pendragon falls in love with her and attempts to force his attentions on her at his court. She informs her husband who departs with her to Cornwall without asking leave. This sudden departure gives Uther Pendragon an excuse to make war on Gorlois. Gorlois conducts the war from the castle of Dimilioc but places his wife in safety in the castle of Tintagel. Disguised as Gorlois by Merlin, Uther Pendragon is able to enter Tintagel to satisfy his lust. He manages to rape Igraine by deceit - Igraine believes that she is lying with her husband and becomes pregnant with Arthur. Her husband Gorlois dies in battle that same night. Geoffrey does not say, and later accounts disagree, as to whether Gorlois died before or after Arthur was begotten (something that might be important in determining whether or not a child could be made legitimate by a later marriage to its true father). Uther Pendragon later marries Igraine. According to Geoffrey, Igraine also bore a daughter Anna to Uther Pendragon, this Anna later becoming the mother of Gawain and Mordred. Yet Geoffrey also refers to King Hoel of Brittany as Arthur's nephew and presents a prophecy that to Uther's daughter will be born a line of seven kings, something true if Howel is Anna's son, but not true if only Gawain or Mordred are Anna's sons. There is confusion here, especially as Welsh genealogies name an Anna as Howel's mother but one not connected to Uther Pendragon.
Igraine
Igraine's first husband was Gorlois. Her second husband was Uther Pendragon.
According to most sources, King Arthur was born of King Uther Pendragon and Igraine, who was wife of the Duke of Cornwall before she married Pendragon. Uther, consumed with obsession/love/lust (whatever you believe), rallied his army and attacked Cornwall. In the course of the battle, Cornwall was killed, and Igraine and Pendragon married, bearing Arthur. However, threat of Saxon attack moved Pendragon to foster out his child. Arthur grew up never knowing of his royal birth. Until, of course, he first laid eyes on glimmering Excalibur.
King Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine.
Merlin gave him a drug that transformed Uther into Gorlois's likeness. Uther then lied to Igraine about how he'd slipped from the seige to see she was safe
Uther Pendragon, the King of England, was deeply in love with Igraine of Cornwall. Uther's assistant, Merlin, a magician, promised that they would be married if Uther gave Merlin a son. So, Uther and Igraine fell in love and had Arthur who was sent to live with Sir Ector for safety and because Uther was going to die.
King Uther Pendragon and Lady Igraine of Cornwall
Igraine (Ygraine) of Cornwall. She was seduced by Uther Pendragon disguised as her husband Gorlois.
Igraine (Ygraine) of Cornwall. She was seduced by Uther Pendragon disguised as her husband Gorlois.
Arthur's father was King Uther Pendragon and his mother was Igraine. Igraine was the queen of the Cornish king, but Uther was enamoured of her and fooled her into thinking he was her husband by the use of Merlin's magic, and she conceived Arthur.
In the first surviving mention of Igraine, Merlin disguises Uther Pendragon as Gorlois, Igraine's husband before Uther so Uther can enter the Igraine's castle and force her to fall in love with him. Geoffrey of Monmouth The first surviving mention is in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, where she enters the story as the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. King Uther Pendragon falls in love with her and attempts to force his attentions on her at his court. She informs her husband who departs with her to Cornwall without asking leave. This sudden departure gives Uther Pendragon an excuse to make war on Gorlois. Gorlois conducts the war from the castle of Dimilioc but places his wife in safety in the castle of Tintagel. Disguised as Gorlois by Merlin, Uther Pendragon is able to enter Tintagel to satisfy his lust. He manages to rape Igraine by deceit - Igraine believes that she is lying with her husband and becomes pregnant with Arthur. Her husband Gorlois dies in battle that same night. Geoffrey does not say, and later accounts disagree, as to whether Gorlois died before or after Arthur was begotten (something that might be important in determining whether or not a child could be made legitimate by a later marriage to its true father). Uther Pendragon later marries Igraine. According to Geoffrey, Igraine also bore a daughter Anna to Uther Pendragon, this Anna later becoming the mother of Gawain and Mordred. Yet Geoffrey also refers to King Hoel of Brittany as Arthur's nephew and presents a prophecy that to Uther's daughter will be born a line of seven kings, something true if Howel is Anna's son, but not true if only Gawain or Mordred are Anna's sons. There is confusion here, especially as Welsh genealogies name an Anna as Howel's mother but one not connected to Uther Pendragon.
He was the illegitimate son of Igraine of Cornwall - a nobleman's wife - and King Uther Pendragon, but he was raised by a manor lord.