Ygraine Pendragon

Ygraine Pendragon (née de Bois), sister of Tristan, Vivienne and Agravaine, was the queen of Camelot through her marriage to the king, Uther Pendragon, but died at the birth of her son, Arthur Pendragon. She is portrayed by actress Alice Patten.

Biography
She and Uther were friends with the sorceress Nimueh. Ygraine was unable to bear children. After discovering his queen, Ygraine, is unable to have children, Uther sends Gaius to the Isle of the Blessed to ask the sorceress, Nimueh, for advice. Nimueh agreed, and she uses magic to allow Ygraine to conceive an heir and Arthur Pendragon was conceived and born. Unfortunately, Nimueh doesn't know that by using magic to create a life, another life has to end in order to protect the natural balance of the world. As a result, Ygraine dies in childbirth. Because of the loss of his beloved wife, a grief-stricken Uther turns on Nimueh, accusing her of treason and banishing her from Camelot and began the Great Purge, ordering the executions of hundreds of sorcerers, good and evil. the Knights of Camelot hunted down and killed anyone using magic in Camelot.

After Death
When Ygraine died in childbirth, 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. Twenty-two years later, reincarnated by Nimueh, he returned, crashed a feast, and challanged Arthur to a duel.

Apparitions


Morgause made her appear when Arthur wished for her to, and Ygraine told Arthur about his past, although the fact that this apparition claimed that Uther went to Nimueh with full awareness that Ygraine's life would be sacrificed for Arthur to live makes the nature of the apparition suspect at best. Arthur returned to Camelot and nearly slaughtered his father, but Merlin told him that Morgause was lying. Arthur currently believes that Uther was not to blame for Ygraine's death, even though he actually is. (The Sins of the Father)

When Morgana used a Mandrake Root to make Uther go mad, he hallucinated Ygraine calling to him for help from inside a well, and then with children he had drowned in the Great Purge, traumatising him. (The Tears of Uther Pendragon)

Personality
Through hints in the series, it can be assumed that Ygraine was a much loved Queen when she was alive. She was probably more friendly and tolerant with the sorcerers than her husband was, because of the statement that Morgause says that Ygraine was a woman with much honour; Morgause also claims that she knew her very well. When Arthur finally met Ygraine, she told him that she was very proud of him and that she would willingly give her life for him again.

Interestingly, when Morgause summoned her spirit to speak with Arthur, Ygraine claimed that Uther knowingly sacrificed her to get a son. Whether Ygraine honestly believes this or not is unknown since Morgause was using the knowledge of Arthur's birth in a plot to get him to kill Uther Pendragon.

Appearances

 * Series 2
 * The Sins of the Father (first appearance) (appears as a ghost or spirit)


 * Series 3
 * The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part One (appears as a hulcination)
 * The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part Two (appears as a hulcination)

Historicity
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.