King Anguish of Ireland ( cy, Ing o Iwerddon) is a mythological character in the stories of
King Arthur. He is the father of
Iseult, and one of Arthur's early enemies in the chronicles. After Arthur defeats him he acknowledges Arthur's supremacy, but later becomes embroiled in a conflict with
King Mark
Mark of Cornwall ( la, Marcus, kw, Margh, cy, March, br, Marc'h) was a sixth-century King of Kernow (Cornwall), possibly identical with King Conomor. He is best known for his appearance in Arthurian legend as the uncle of Tristan and the husb ...
of
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
. After Mark refuses to pay Anguish seven years back pay for his vassalage, Anguish sends out Sir
Marhaus to get the pay from him. The story is part of the saga of
Tristan and Iseult
Tristan and Iseult, also known as Tristan and Isolde and other names, is a medieval chivalric romance told in numerous variations since the 12th century. Based on a Celtic legend and possibly other sources, the tale is a tragedy about the illic ...
.
''Anguish'' is generally connected to the Irish name
''Aengus'' or ''Óengus''. Anguish of Ireland has been linked to the historical King of Munster
Óengus mac Nad Froích
Óengus mac Nad Froích (430-489) was an Eoganachta and the first Christian King of Munster. He was the son of Nad Froich mac Cuirc by Faochan, a British lady (called daughter of the King of Britain). In Geoffrey Keating's ''History of Ireland'' ...
, who lived in the middle of the fifth century.
References
Sources
*''L'Morte D'Arthur'', Sir Thomas Malory at sacred text
or at wikisource
s:Le Morte d'Arthur
*Bendith Y Mamau: ''The encyclopaedia of the Celts''
Arthurian characters
Legendary Irish kings
Celtic mythology
Tristan and Iseult
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