Feirefiz
Encyclopedia
Feirefiz is a character in Wolfram von Eschenbach
's Arthurian poem Parzival
. He is the pagan
half-brother of Parzival
, the story's hero. He is the child of their father Gahmuret
's first marriage to the Moorish
queen Belacane, and equals his brother in knightly ability. Because his father was white and his mother black (in the older, Europe
an sense of the word, referring to various non-white
peoples), Feirefiz's skin consists of black and white patches. His appearance is compared to that of a magpie
or a parchment with writing on it, though he is considered very handsome.
While serving the "Baruch" of "Baldac" (Baghdad
), Gahmuret defends Belacane, queen of the heathen nation of Zazamanc, from her enemies. The two marry, and she soon becomes pregnant with Feirefiz. Belacane won't allow her husband to participate in tournament
s, so he leaves one night and travels to Spain
to seek knightly combat in secret. Before he can go back, he learns that his brother, the king of Anjou
, has died, leaving him to inherit the kingdom. Returning to Europe, he marries Herzeloyde of Waleis (probably Wales
), and she bears him Parzival. He dies soon after.
Later, Feirefiz travels to Europe with a huge Saracen
army to seek his father. He meets Parzival and the two fight. Though Feirefiz proves himself to be Parzival's only equal, Parzival thinks of his wife Condwiramurs, which inspires him to break his sword across Feirefiz' helmet. Feirefiz won't fight an unarmed man, so he puts an end to the duel, asserting that Parzival would have won the battle had his sword held out for one more blow. They identify themselves, and after realizing they are brothers, they embrace and go off to a feast with King Arthur and his court. While there, the Grail servant Cundrie arrives to take Parzival to the Grail Castle
of Munsalvaesche, and Parzival invites Feirefiz to join him.
Parzival heals the Fisher King
Anfortas and becomes the new Grail King. It is revealed that Feirefiz cannot see the Holy Grail because he is not a Christian
. He agrees to be baptized if it will help him in love, and as soon as he renounces his heathen god Jupiter
, he can see the Grail. He marries the Grail bearer Repanse de Schoye, and after celebrating Parzival's coronation, Feirefiz and his new wife return to his lands in the east. Repanse gives birth to Prester John
, and they preach Christianity
through their kingdom.
Feirefiz represents Wolfram's belief that the Saracens were not wicked or even responsible for their lack of belief in Christ
, an attitude that was not common in medieval Europe. Wolfram's cosmology included the non-believers as brothers who had not yet been reached by the word of Christianity.
Wolfram von Eschenbach
Wolfram von Eschenbach was a German knight and poet, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of his time. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry.-Life:...
's Arthurian poem Parzival
Parzival
Parzival is a major medieval German romance by the poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, in the Middle High German language. The poem, commonly dated to the first quarter of the 13th century, is itself largely based on Chrétien de Troyes’s Perceval, the Story of the Grail and mainly centers on the Arthurian...
. He is the pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
half-brother of Parzival
Percival
Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. In Welsh literature his story is allotted to the historical Peredur...
, the story's hero. He is the child of their father Gahmuret
Gahmuret
Gahmuret was the fictional French king of Anjou and Zazamanc and the hero of the first two books of Wolfram von Eschenbach's epic poem, Parzival...
's first marriage to the Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
queen Belacane, and equals his brother in knightly ability. Because his father was white and his mother black (in the older, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an sense of the word, referring to various non-white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
peoples), Feirefiz's skin consists of black and white patches. His appearance is compared to that of a magpie
Magpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
or a parchment with writing on it, though he is considered very handsome.
While serving the "Baruch" of "Baldac" (Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
), Gahmuret defends Belacane, queen of the heathen nation of Zazamanc, from her enemies. The two marry, and she soon becomes pregnant with Feirefiz. Belacane won't allow her husband to participate in tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
s, so he leaves one night and travels to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to seek knightly combat in secret. Before he can go back, he learns that his brother, the king of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
, has died, leaving him to inherit the kingdom. Returning to Europe, he marries Herzeloyde of Waleis (probably Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
), and she bears him Parzival. He dies soon after.
Later, Feirefiz travels to Europe with a huge Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
army to seek his father. He meets Parzival and the two fight. Though Feirefiz proves himself to be Parzival's only equal, Parzival thinks of his wife Condwiramurs, which inspires him to break his sword across Feirefiz' helmet. Feirefiz won't fight an unarmed man, so he puts an end to the duel, asserting that Parzival would have won the battle had his sword held out for one more blow. They identify themselves, and after realizing they are brothers, they embrace and go off to a feast with King Arthur and his court. While there, the Grail servant Cundrie arrives to take Parzival to the Grail Castle
Corbenic
Corbenic , Carboneck , or Corbin is the name of the castle of the Holy Grail in the Lancelot-Grail cycle and Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur...
of Munsalvaesche, and Parzival invites Feirefiz to join him.
Parzival heals the Fisher King
Fisher King
The Fisher King, or the Wounded King, figures in Arthurian legend as the latest in a line charged with keeping the Holy Grail. Versions of his story vary widely, but he is always wounded in the legs or groin, and incapable of moving on his own...
Anfortas and becomes the new Grail King. It is revealed that Feirefiz cannot see the Holy Grail because he is not a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. He agrees to be baptized if it will help him in love, and as soon as he renounces his heathen god Jupiter
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....
, he can see the Grail. He marries the Grail bearer Repanse de Schoye, and after celebrating Parzival's coronation, Feirefiz and his new wife return to his lands in the east. Repanse gives birth to Prester John
Prester John
The legends of Prester John were popular in Europe from the 12th through the 17th centuries, and told of a Christian patriarch and king said to rule over a Christian nation lost amidst the Muslims and pagans in the Orient. Written accounts of this kingdom are variegated collections of medieval...
, and they preach Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
through their kingdom.
Feirefiz represents Wolfram's belief that the Saracens were not wicked or even responsible for their lack of belief in Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
, an attitude that was not common in medieval Europe. Wolfram's cosmology included the non-believers as brothers who had not yet been reached by the word of Christianity.