List of Blackadder characters
This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom Blackadder. "Blackadder" was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowan Atkinson as the central character Edmund Blackadder, and Tony Robinson as his sidekick Baldrick, together with numerous other actors in one-off parts. Main characters. Baldrick. Baldrick is the name of several characters throughout the series. Each one serves as Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil to the lead character. Baldrick is the only character besides Blackadder  himself to appear in all instalments of the series, and can arguably be seen as Blackadder's best friend despite Blackadder's apparent contempt for him. Melchett. Melchett (Stephen Fry) is a family line. There were two main Melchetts: Lord Melchett and General Melchett. Melchett shared the trademark bellow "Baaah!" with Fry's earlier portrayal of Wellington, which would be delivered at random intervals for no apparent reason. In a BBC Four interview broadcast on 17 August 2007, Fry goes into some depth on the "odd history" of Melchett's "Baaah!", explaining that it began as early as his work  in student productions of Shakespeare at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he would produce strange noises in order to amuse the audience. He also notes that Melchett's "Baaah!" can be found (although in a more subtle form) in his other acting work such as "Peter's Friends". In April 2020, Fry reprised his role as (a descendant of) Lord Melchett for "The Big Night In", a telethon held during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a skit which he held a video call with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who made a surprise appearance. Lord Percy Percy. Lord Percy Percy (Tim McInnerny ) is the name given to a pair of related characters. The Lord Percy of "Blackadder II" is the descendant of that seen in "The Black Adder". The character derives his name from the factual Percy family. Unlike the first two Blackadders and Baldricks, the two Lord Percys are almost identical; both are portrayed as dim-witted, gullible and foppish. In the first series, Percy is Duke of Northumberland, while in the second he is heir to the title. The title of Duke of Northumberland was not in fact held by a real person surnamed Percy until 1766, when Hugh Percy , born Hugh Smithson, was awarded the title, although the title of the Earl of Northumberland was granted to a Percy in 1377. Darling. Introduced in its fourth iteration, "Blackadder Goes Forth", Captain Kevin Darling (Tim McInnerny) is main character Captain Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson)'s intellectual peer and bitter rival (just like Melchett was in season 2); while Blackadder reluctantly serves in World War I trenches, Darling is safely stationed some distance from the front line. Darling is the sycophantic adjutant to Stephen Fry's General Melchett. The character was originally conceived as "Captain Cartwright"; writers Ben Elton and Richard  Curtis were simply unable to think of a more amusing name for him. Eventually however, Stephen Fry suggested "Darling" would be a more comedic alternative; the series makes use of a recurring joke where his name is used or referred to for comedic effect. Awards and decorations. In the series, Captain Darling is seen wearing the following ribbons: Although Darling only features as a main character for one series of the original "Blackadder" run, several of his ancestors and descendants are also portrayed by McInnerny, in keeping with the series' ongoing motif of identical descendants. The "Blackadder" feature-length special   (1999) introduced descendant character Archdeacon Darling, on better terms with the contemporary Blackadder. The time travel narrative of the special also allowed writers to introduce more historical Darlings to the series' chronology: the Duke of Darling, aide to the Duke of Wellington (Fry), and the Duc de Darling, assistant to Napoleon I (Simon Russell Beale). The final Darling, however, is also a Blackadder and was portrayed by Atkinson in BBC promotional materials in 2002; the name Sir Osmond Darling-Blackadder suggests an unknown familial union between Blackadders and Darlings at some point in their histories. George. George (Hugh Laurie) appears  in "Blackadder the Third" as "Prince George", Prince Regent of England and a bit of a loud mouthed idiot; Lt. The Hon. George Colthurst St Barleigh, an overexcited and keen young lieutenant in "Blackadder Goes Forth"; and "Lt. The Hon. George Bufton-Tufton" in "". Bob. Bob is a pseudonym used by two characters, both female, both pretending to be male and both played by Gabrielle Glaister. Lord Flashheart. Lord Flashheart (Rik Mayall) is the name of two characters. The first Lord Flashheart appeared in a scene of the first episode of the of "Blackadder". His descendant, Squadron Commander the Lord  Flashheart, appeared as a major character in the fourth series in an episode called "Private Plane". In the credits of this episode the name Flashheart is spelled Flasheart. Lord Flashheart is boisterous and an arrogant womaniser, attractive to all the women he meets. He is extremely popular among his peers and becomes the centre of attention whenever he enters a room, usually by bursting through a door in a spectacular fashion. The two Flashhearts are stereotypes of a certain kind of hero (the Elizabethan swashbuckler and the World War I flying ace), slanted to emphasise the negative qualities associated with  such characters such as narcissism, sexism and promiscuity. His catchphrases are "Woof!" and "Let's do-oo-ooooo it!", while suggestively thrusting his pelvis. He commonly uses sexual innuendo in ordinary conversation, for example, "Am I pleased to see you, or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?" Rik Mayall later recalled, "I was surprised when they asked me. Very honouring that they asked me. 'Alright,' I said, 'I'll do it, as long as I get more laughs than Rowan.' " The writing for Lord Flashheart seems to have been at least in part inspired by the fictional  character created by George MacDonald Fraser, Harry Flashman. The character of Robin Hood in "", also played by Mayall, is essentially another version of Flashheart, with the same personality and mannerisms, indicating a possible blood-relation to him. In Ben Elton's 2016 sitcom "Upstart Crow", Tim Downie's character Christopher Marlowe resembles Flashheart. Queenie. "Queenie" (Miranda Richardson) is a caricature of the historical figure Queen Elizabeth I of England featured in "Blackadder II". Though she is only twice referred to as "Queenie" in the series, this name is commonly used by the general public. In contrast to the usual regal  and austere depiction of Elizabeth I, Miranda Richardson's portrayal is childish, spoiled and silly, possessing a fiery temper. Amanda Barrie's portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1964 film "Carry On Cleo" as a childish seductress has been suggested as an inspiration for Richardson's interpretation of Elizabeth I. It has been remarked that Queenie closely resembles the character Violet Elizabeth Bott featured in the "Just William" books of Richmal Crompton. In "Blackadder's Christmas Carol" Richardson appears as Queenie and the future Queen Asphyxia. In "Blackadder: Back & Forth" she appears as present day Lady Elizabeth and Queenie. Queenie's  immature behaviour is expressed in her desire to "get squiffy and seduce nobles" (and extort extravagant presents from them on pain of death). A naughty schoolgirl at heart, Queenie loves to party, play games and get drunk. If anyone fails to laugh at her jokes, they risk execution, but, to her followers' bemusement and frustration, she sometimes tires of their toadying and welcomes a more cynical approach – which is why she prefers Edmund Blackadder to Lord Melchett. Richardson appears in later series as characters not explicitly stated as being descendants of Elizabeth I (but may share common ancestors with her ). In the fifth episode of Blackadder the Third, she plays Amy Hardwood, the seemingly-delicate wealthy industrialist's daughter, whom the Prince Regent courts to get out of serious debt with her dowry, later revealed as a highwayman, the "Shadow"; and in the episode General Hospital of the fourth series, she plays Nurse Mary Fletcher-Brown who enjoys a fling with Blackadder, before being falsely accused of being a German spy. Non-recurring major characters. Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. Prince Ludwig the Indestructible (Hugh Laurie) appears in "Chains", the final episode of "Blackadder II", as a German master of disguise  who kidnaps Lord Blackadder and Lord Melchett, in 1566 and imprisons them in his dungeon under the watch of German guards and a Spanish inquisitorial co-conspirator. Though his initial plans to infiltrate Richmond Palace and kill Queen Elizabeth I are foiled by Blackadder and Melchett, he resurfaces moments later, disguised as the Queen, and murders the entire main cast. From a real-world point of view, this is part of Hugh Laurie's continuous set of appearances in "Blackadder", but the last of those in which he is only credited as a guest actor, as he would later join  the main cast for "Blackadder the Third" and "Blackadder Goes Forth"; possibly, they all share a common ancestor (considering that Lt. George had relatives on both sides of the war, this possibility is not out of the question). King Richard IV of England. King Richard IV (Brian Blessed) is the father of Prince Harry and Prince Edmund Plantagenet ("The Black Adder") and features in the first series. The character is very loosely based on the historical figure Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, one of the Princes in the Tower who disappeared in 1483 (as the real-life Richard  would have been approximately twelve if still alive in 1485). In the alternate chronology of "The Black Adder", King Richard III of England (played by Peter Cook) is introduced as being a "kind and thoughtful man" who cherishes his nephews (the two princes) placed into his care, in contrast to the common historical portrait of Richard III as a usurper who likely murdered the princes. Richard, Duke of York grew into "a big strong boy" (the fate of his elder brother, Edward V of England, is left unmentioned), and becomes his uncle's favourite, reflected by his being seated at  the side of the king at the banquet on the eve of the Battle of Bosworth Field, which is a victory for the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. Richard is crowned King Richard IV of England after Richard III is accidentally killed by Edmund, and though he by far favours Harry over Edmund, he is genuinely-saddened by Edmund's imminent death in the final episode. As he drinks a toast to his dying son's honour, he and the entire royal court are killed after Lord Percy poisons the entire vat of wine in an  exaggerated attempt to kill the Black Seal, a group of assassins led by Edmund's arch-enemy. Gertrude of Flanders. Gertrude of Flanders (Elspet Gray) is the wife of King Richard of England, Scotland and Ireland and mother of Princes Harry and Edmund. In attitude, Gertrude is mostly distant and absent-minded. She had an affair with a Scottish laird, which may have resulted in Edmund's birth. She often gives Edmund unwanted advice and embarrasses him. Her character's name is never spoken in dialogue in "Blackadder", but appears in the credits. She is also a skilled practitioner of  witchcraft, which she uses to help Edmund escape execution. But she, along with her royal family, is killed in the series' finale, after drinking wine poisoned by Lord Percy. Nursie. Nursie (Patsy Byrne), real name "Bernard", appears in all six episodes of "Blackadder II" and two of the "Blackadder" specials; "Blackadder's Christmas Carol" and "". Once Queenie's childhood nurse, by the time of her appearances in "Blackadder II", Nursie is either senile or otherwise irreversibly stupid, but remains at court at the side of the Queen for unknown reasons (possibly being kept-on as a Lady's companion, 'though  her continued presence at "Queenie's" side reinforces her portrayal as 'childish'), as the Queen repeatedly treats Nursie with contempt. Nursie frequently embarrasses both the Queen and herself by openly recounting tales of the Queen's childhood, prompting Queenie's standard reply of "Shut up, Nursie." She is also known for her complete non sequiturs in conversation. Lord Blackadder describes her as "a sad, insane old woman with an udder fixation." In the series' finale, she is killed by Prince Ludwig the Indestructible along with the entire main cast. In "Blackadder's Christmas Carol", a vision of the future depicts  her as the silliest of Queen Asphyxia XIX's triple husbandoid. Byrne later said that she was sometimes asked – in reference to a scene in the final episode of "Blackadder II" – whether she kept the cow costume in her wardrobe. The real life basis for Nursie was Queen Elizabeth's real governesses, Kat Ashley, Margaret Bryan and Blanche Parry. Harry, Prince of Wales. Prince Henry "Harry" Plantagenet, Earl of March (1460–1498) (Robert East) was in "The Black Adder" (series 1). His Royal titles were the Prince of Wales, Earl of March, Captain of the Guard, Grand Warden of the Northern  and Eastern Marches, Chief Lunatic of the Duchy of Gloucester, Viceroy of Wales, Sheriff of Nottingham, Marquess of the Midlands, Lord Po-Maker-In-Ordinary, and Harbinger of the Doomed Rat. A member of the House of York, Harry is the first son of King Richard IV of England (Brian Blessed) and Queen consort Gertrude of Flanders (Elspet Gray) and great-nephew of Richard III (Peter Cook). He has a younger brother (possibly his half-brother), Prince Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh (Rowan Atkinson). The first portrayal of Prince Harry in the "Blackadder" story world was in the pilot episode which  was shot in 1983 but never broadcast. In this episode, which is set sometime during the Elizabethan Era, Harry's character is one of two sons of the King and Queen of England. Although monarchs are not explicitly named, Harry may be intended as a fictional offspring of Queen Elizabeth I. This version of the character was played by the actor Robert Bathurst. Prince Harry made his first televised appearance (played by Robert East) in episode 1 of "The Black Adder", entitled "The Foretelling", in which the events of the first series are set up by rewriting a period of  English history and telling the story of a fictional ruling monarch who succeeds Richard III after the Battle of Bosworth Field. Mrs Miggins. Mrs Miggins (Helen Atkinson-Wood) plays a supporting role in "Blackadder the Third". In "Blackadder II", Mrs Miggins is referred to as a pie shop owner, but never appears. In the third series, Mrs Miggins plays a major role and appears in all episodes. She now owns a coffee shop that Blackadder visits regularly. In the final episode, she runs off with Blackadder's Scottish cousin, MacAdder. Mrs Miggins is also briefly referenced in the final episode  of "Blackadder Goes Forth", when George suggests they could pass the time by singing along to musical hits, one of them being "Whoops Mrs Miggins, you're sitting on my artichokes!"