#llacheu

March to Camelot: Burial

From time to time, I've investigated into the etymologies of the various names of the Arthurian legends, because a good chunk of Arthurian Material is poetry. So for a bit of fun, I try to tease out the meanings of the characters' names

Then I remembered that, in a number modern stories, writers use "Pendragon" as a dynastic/family name for Arthur and his relatives, even though Pendragon is actually an epithet that only two characters in the entirety of the Matter of Britain are known to bear that title - neither of which is Arthur - and it's mostly a kenning for "War Leader".

So let's humor ourselves and see what happens when you turn Pendragon into a last name and see what that technically means for certain characters.

The following comes from my personal interpretations from learning through online dictionaries. So forewarning, these are my speculations.

First, the "official" Pendragons from medieval sources:

Uther Pendragon: "The Dreaded War Leader", "The Horrifying War Leader" (From the Brythonic Uthr "Awesome, Terrible")

Gwen Pendragon: "The Beautiful War Leader" "The Holy War Leader" (From the Brythonic feminine Gwenn "White, Blessed")

Next are the presumptive Pendragons:

Arthur Pendragon: "The Bear(like) War Leader" (From the Pan-European Arkhtos, "Bear")

Morgan(a) Pendragon: "The Sea-born War Leader" (From the Bretonnic Morigenos, "from/of the Sea")

Mordred Pendragon: "The Moderating War Leader" "The Restrained War Leader" (From the Latin Moderatus, "Managed, Controlled")

Amhar Pendragon: "The Disgraceful War Leader" "The Harmful War Leader" (From either the Brythonic Amarch "Disrespect" or Amharu, "to impair, to disrupt")

Gwydre Pendragon: "The Glass-like War Leader" "The Glazing War Leader" (From the Brythonic Gwydr "Glass")

Llacheu Pendragon: "The Striking War Leader" "The Brilliant War Leader" (From either the Brythonic Llach "Lash" or Llachar "Bright, Shining")

Duran Pendragon: "The Enduring War Leader" (From the Latin Durans "Hard, Lasting")

Archfedd Pendragon: "The Compelling War Leader" "The Commanding War Leader" (From the Brythonic words Erchi "Request, Ask" + Gwedd "Appearance")

Hi there!

Llacheu is a character in the second book of Helen Hollick's trilogy, Pendragon's Banner. I haven't come across him anywhere else either!

His later iteration, Loholt, shows up in The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell and Exiled From Camelot by Cherith Baldry, but Llacheu himself just that once in Pendragon's Banner.

Amr /Amhar - Amr Mawr/Amhar Mawr "Amr the Great"

(Source: Preface to Le Morte D'Arthur by John Rhys)

2. Loholt/Llacheu - Loholt the Generous (Llacheu Hael?)

(Source: Lanzelet, by Ulrich von Zatzikhoven)

Alternatively, Llacheu, Awesome in Songs

(Source: Arthur in Medieval Welsh Literature, by Oliver James Padel)

3. Melora - Knight of the Blue Arms. Alternatively, Knight of the Blue Surcoat (Mhelora Gorlassar?)

[......]

(Source: Arthur in Medieval Welsh Literature, By Oliver James Padel)

The lost glories of Llacheu in Welsh poetry....

Also Llacheu being etymological close to word "llachar" means that "Loholt Pendragon" may translate as "Shining Chief Warrior" or "Brilliant Chief Warrior"

Hmm.

A story about a "Queen Guenevere" that's found nowhere else in Arthuriana. Who is said to be Percival's Ancestor, a concept also found nowhere else.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this is a random welsh folktale that somehow got inserted into the Post Vulgate. I suspect this because it lines up with a few things I know from the welsh canon:

Four sons = Amr, Gwydre, Llacheu, and Duran

Daughter who wants to marry one of her father's warriors = Archfedd daughter of Arthur from Bonedd y Saint, who married the warrior Llawfrodedd and bore two children, Efadier and Gwrial.

The Knight = Llawfrodedd Farchog, one of Arthur's warriors, who is said to have a knife that's one of the 13 Treasures of Britain.

(Source: Vulgate Cycle - Lancelot pt. II)

(Source: Parzival, by Wolfram von Eschenbach)