Kahedin
Encyclopedia
Sir Kahedin is brother to Iseult of Brittany and the son of King Hoel
of Brittany in Arthurian
legend. The story of his affair with Brangaine
, the handmaiden of Iseult of Ireland is significantly mentioned in the Tristan and Iseult
legend.
Kahedin first meets Brangaine in the Hall of Images, where he was previously sent to deliver a message to Iseult of Ireland regarding the arrival of her lover, Sir Tristan
. He conveys the message and Iseult and Tristan spend the night in a wooden cabin. Meanwhile, Kahedin prepares to spend the night with Brangaine after receiving favourable advances from her. When they go to bed, however, Kahedin plunges into a deep sleep and wakes up the following morning to realise that some sorcery must have been carried out. Out of courtesy, he ignores the happenings of the previous night and the two couples spend the day together. The same trick is carried out again that night; on the third night, Iseult manages to convince her maid to surrender to Kahedin to stop his humiliation. In some versions, Camille, another of the Queen's handmaidens, is chosen by Kahedin over Brangaine. She also refuses the knight, wishing to preserve her honour. Iseult then assists by providing Kahedin with a "magic pillow" after which he falls into a deep slumber. Kahedin wakes up the next morning to be taunted by Camille and the ladies of the household; he travels with Tristan without revealing to him the incident of the previous night.
In the Prose Tristan
, Kahedin remains Tristan's close companion even after his sister has been abandoned in Brittany. Like various other knights he falls in love with the Irish Iseult and eventually dies pining for her.
Hoel
Hoel or Howel is a legendary king of Brittany and one of the oldest characters associated with Arthurian legend. He is the son of King Budic of Brittany, and serves as one of King Arthur's vassals and loyal allies...
of Brittany in Arthurian
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
legend. The story of his affair with Brangaine
Brangaine
Brangaine is the handmaid and confidante of Iseult of Ireland in the story of Tristan and Iseult...
, the handmaiden of Iseult of Ireland is significantly mentioned in the Tristan and Iseult
Tristan and Iseult
The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult...
legend.
Kahedin first meets Brangaine in the Hall of Images, where he was previously sent to deliver a message to Iseult of Ireland regarding the arrival of her lover, Sir Tristan
Tristan
Tristan is one of the main characters of the Tristan and Iseult story, a Cornish hero and one of the Knights of the Round Table featuring in the Matter of Britain...
. He conveys the message and Iseult and Tristan spend the night in a wooden cabin. Meanwhile, Kahedin prepares to spend the night with Brangaine after receiving favourable advances from her. When they go to bed, however, Kahedin plunges into a deep sleep and wakes up the following morning to realise that some sorcery must have been carried out. Out of courtesy, he ignores the happenings of the previous night and the two couples spend the day together. The same trick is carried out again that night; on the third night, Iseult manages to convince her maid to surrender to Kahedin to stop his humiliation. In some versions, Camille, another of the Queen's handmaidens, is chosen by Kahedin over Brangaine. She also refuses the knight, wishing to preserve her honour. Iseult then assists by providing Kahedin with a "magic pillow" after which he falls into a deep slumber. Kahedin wakes up the next morning to be taunted by Camille and the ladies of the household; he travels with Tristan without revealing to him the incident of the previous night.
In the Prose Tristan
Prose Tristan
The Prose Tristan is an adaptation of the Tristan and Iseult story into a long prose romance, and the first to tie the subject entirely into the arc of the Arthurian legend...
, Kahedin remains Tristan's close companion even after his sister has been abandoned in Brittany. Like various other knights he falls in love with the Irish Iseult and eventually dies pining for her.