Ygraine Pendragon

Queen **Ygraine Pendragon** (née **de Bois**) was Queen of Camelot and wife of King Uther Pendragon, but died giving birth to their son, Arthur Pendragon. She unknowingly became the stepmother of Uther's secret daughter Morgana Pendragon.

## Biography

### Early Life

Ygraine was a memeber for the House of de Bois, the youngest child and only daughter of her family. She grew up with her two older brothers, Agravaine and Tristan who were both close to her and protective of her.

The de Bois had ruled over Camelot for generations, being the descendants of the founder of Camelot, the legendary King Bruta. Even during Roman rule, the de Bois still ruled over Camelot and it flourished.

### Becoming Queen

Uther, the son of the late Roman Emperor Constantine III, took intrest in Camelot, who had been ruled by the noble and rich House of de Bois.

When Uther was twenty he gained supporters in Gaul and Camelot, and conquered the latter, overthrowing the House of de Bois.

He spared members of the House of de Bois in turn for Lady Ygraine de Bois' hand in marriage. Lady Ygraine was smitten with the smart, young king, even though he overthrew her father. Uther took the crown under the title of "Uther Pendragon" after the dragon-shaped comet.

A year after he took Camelot, King Uther and Lady Ygraine married. Lady Ygraine was sixteen at the time of their wedding. A traditional jousting tournament was held in Camelot before Uther's marriage to Ygraine.

### Queen of Camelot

Ygraine and Uther were friends with the High Priestess Nimueh. After discovering Ygraine was unable to have children, Uther sent Gaius to ask Nimueh to help them. Nimueh agreed and used magic to allow Ygraine to conceive a child, thus producing a son and heir, Arthur Pendragon. Although Nimueh knew that by using magic to create a life, another life had to be taken in exchange, she claimed that she did not foresee that Ygraine's life would be the price.

Ygraine died in childbirth and because of the loss of his beloved wife, a grief-stricken Uther turned on Nimueh, accusing her of treason and banishing her from Camelot. He then began The Great Purge, ordering the execution of hundreds of magic users, both good and evil.

### After Death

After Ygraine died in childbirth, her brother, Tristan, blamed Uther for her death and challenged him to a duel to the death. Uther won the duel but, before he died, Tristan swore that he would rise from the dead and have his revenge. Now having lost two siblings to the Pendragons, Ygraine's second brother, Agravaine, hated both Uther and Arthur and began to foster a grudge that would last throughout the rest of his life.

### Personality

Ygraine was a much loved queen when she was alive. She was more tolerant with magic-users than her husband ended up being and she was known to be a woman of honour.

Ygraine was not adverse to magical beings,. Ygraine also seemed selfless, devoted, and loving towards her family.

## Trivia

* Ygraine is a feminine name of Irish origin. The meaning of the name is "graceful".
	+ Other spellings for Ygraine include Ygraina, Ygrainah, Ygrayn, Ygrayna, Ygraynah, Ygrayne, Igraine, Igraina, Igrainah, Igrayn, Igrayna, Igraynah, and Igrayne.
* Her surname De Bois means "of the woods" in French.

## In the Legends

**Ygraine** is classically portrayed as the wife of Gorlois prior to her marriage to Uther. With Gorlois, she has three daughters: Elaine, Anna-Morgause, and Morgan le Fey. Through Anna-Morgause, the Igraine of legend is the grandmother of Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth, Agravain, and Mordred, and, through Gawain, the great-grandmother of Florence, Lovell, and Gingalain.