Any books that shows us out right that Mordred could actually be a good, or at least capable ruler?
Hi! I’m gonna suggest medlit as well as retellings for you.
Medieval Literature
The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth
Modred is present here for only a little while, but he comes in hot. He’s considered “boldest of men” in his audacity against Arthur. He marries Queen Guanhumara [Guinevere]. Modred's army is huge in part because he welcomes Christians & Pagans to his ranks. He's skilled at war & although Arthur overwhelms him tp retreat repeatedly, he's quick to return the attack each time. In the end, he makes a final push to "either conquer or die." So a decidedly brave & savvy Modred if not a successful one.
Vulgate
Mordred has the most depth here of any medieval story simply because this gives him the most page time of all. He's very clever in his wording when he joins Agravain to tell Arthur of Guenevere's infidelity. He says, "We’ve concealed this from you as long as we could; but now the truth must be known, and we must tell it; and by hiding it from you for so long, we’ve been deceitful and disloyal to you. Now we’re doing our duty." Mordred's quick tongue continues to aid him even after all his brothers but Gawain had died. He ends up with Arthur's entire treasury plus an army of soldiers oath-bound to him. After falling in love with Guenevere, Mordred's people encourage her to marry him, saying, "We know of no knight more worthy to rule an empire or a kingdom, for he is a valiant man and a good and courageous knight." It's stated that many nobles "invested" in Mordred & provided him even more wealth as they believed in his cause. He also got Saxony to pay tribute, which Arthur had failed to do.
La Tavola Ritonda | Italian Name Guide
Mordarette [Mordred] is first shown to be really competent as King ArtĂą [Arthur] makes him a viceroy, messenger, & army commander alongside his cousin Ivano [Yvain] in the same way Calvano [Gawain] was in the Vulgate. After that, while ArtĂą & Calvano have run off to battle Lancelotto [Lancelot], Mordarette is left behind as "viceroy & king." He took that to heart & attempts to marry Ginevara [Guinevere]. It's stated that Mordarette's people "Swore to stay by him and never abandon him because of King Mordarette's great joyfulness and courtesy."
Alliterative Morte Arthure
Iconic. This is the prime example I think of when I consider capable ruler Mordred. Arthur has gone all around the world wielding Excalibur to battle & acquire more & more territory. He leaves Mordred behind to essentially rule in his place, even though Mordred begs to come & win himself honor. Arthur leaves & is gone so long that Mordred just… assumed the kingship. He & Guinevere marry, have children, & Guinevere shows Mordred where to find Arthur’s other sword, Clarent. Eventually it comes to blows but Mordred's following is exceedingly loyal as it's been so long that Arthur's return feels like an invasion! Mordred had appointed all new dukes & earls that were loyal to him, & filled out his army with Pagans that Arthur had previously shunned. The ending battle is epic & really showcases what a great fighter Mordred is. He leads his men by example.
Retellings
Mordred: A Tragedy by Henry Newbolt
Mordred play of all time. After Mordred reveals to Agravaine that he’s Arthur’s son, he manages to get all 4 of his elder brothers to support his claim to the throne. He speaks of freedom & truth—he really thinks he’s doing the right thing, & successfully canvasses his case to many. He rides this mindset all the way to the end with an army equal to Arthur’s, they each lose the same number of folks on each side, despite Mordred jumping between them to try & prevent the charge. Incredible piece of literature. Wish I could see it on stage.
Arthur The Bear of Britain by Edward Frankland
The oldest Welsh-inspired retelling I have & likely a huge inspiration for much of what came after. Medraut is just a year younger than his uncle Arthur, not as big or strong as Arthur, Kai, Bedwyr, or Gwalchmai, but he's cunning, & a skilled harper who uses music for political gain. He falls in love with Gwenhyvar & fantasizes about what a better husband he would be to her, & in turn, a better guardian of the land. (This book has by far the most Gwenhyvar of all the Welsh-inspired retellings on the list, so that's a huge bonus.) Medraut has contrasting ideas about how to handle the Saxons & Engels, as he sees they have integrated into society & had children with Britons, so he reckons to fight them is to fight themselves. Arthur disagrees & wants to see them all slaughtered or expelled. This causes a rift that worsens throughout the story & culminates in their split, with Medraut amassing an army efficiently as Arthur can combat him.
The Queen's Knight by Marvin Borowsky
Mordred is a warlord & the major opponent of Arthur as he rises to power. Many fear Mordred because of his military prowess & successful campaigns. He's formidable & clever. Later in the book, after a peace agreement, he basically goes sleeper agent & pretends to be chill for many years biding his time until he can land the final blow against Arthur & be king. Fascinating character & I love the writing style. Content warning for pederasty between Mordred/youth.
The Great Captains by Henry Treece
Medrodus or Medrawt is the "younger brother" of Artorius, the Count of Britain, who doesn't receive the legendary sword Caliburn from Uther. Medrodus is by rights entitled to the role that Artorius has won for himself, but ends up his confidant & a general alongside Cei & Bedwyr. After being initiated into the Celtic way of life, Medrawt, as he's then known by, slowly learns of war from his superiors & wrestles with his conflicted feelings about Artos's position, believing him both capable & incompetent, cruel & kind as a leader. His harbored doubts fester over the years until Medrawt at last makes his move with the skills & allies he accumulated in that time. The "brothers" eventually clash as is expected but nothing can prepare you for the ending. Content warning for incest between Artos/Gwenhwyfar.
The Green Man by Henry Treece
Treece loved Arthurian legend so much, that 10 years after The Great Captains, in the year of his death, he published his final book The Green Man, which tells the whole story over again but differently. Medraut is a son of King Lot of Orkney & nephew of Arthur the Bear. Instead of Roman, he's Pictish. But Medraut's once again subordinate to Arthur, distrusted by Kei & Bedwyr One Hand, & harbors a dislike for Arthur's leadership. I don't know whether I like this one better than The Great Captains, but it shakes things up, as Gwenhwyvar is Medraut's aunt by blood, his mother's sister, so Arthur is his uncle by marriage. This changes the dynamic considerably as the animosity between them stems from seeing Arthur as an outsider, rather than competition as in the first book. Medraut is on his same routine here making allies behind everyone's backs & plotting. He's a pro.
The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart
Mordred is shockingly normal considering the circumstances of his birth. His first impression of Arthur is when he's picking out a new puppy from the litter descended from Cavall. Arthur accepts him as his son immediately, but Mordred is haunted by the prophecy which dictates he'll inevitably be Arthur's "bane." Despite his legitimate respect & even love for his father, things spiral out of control, & Mordred is forced to take up arms against Arthur. Devastating resolution I fear I'll never recover.
The Book of Mordred & The Last Knight of Albion by Peter Hanratty
Mordred is introspective & philosophical. He's not incompetent as a fighter, but certainly of a stronger mind than body. The first book follows him from childhood as his worldview is shaped & corrupted by his treatment from Arthur's inability to handle his own son. The second book follows young Percival in the aftermath of Camlann. Mordred is in it but not as much of a focus, although Percival is determined to track him down & finish what the other knights of the Round Table started. Getting an outside perspective of Mordred is interesting. These books are a great example of unreliable narration.
A Camelot Triptych by Norris J. Lacy
Mordred in the third story in the triptych but all three together really paints an interesting picture of him as a person. He's a tortured soul who believes he meant well & ultimately became the evil thing everyone always believed him to be. The final portion is Mordred raving right before the battle of Camlann where he expresses his feelings regarding Arthur's tyranny & that he intends to martyr himself to save his country from it. Written by the guy who was head editor of the Vulgate so you know it's good.
That's what I got for ya!
There are definitely other examples I could squeeze in here. But these are the books I found most compelling and followed the story through to the conclusion so we get to actually see Mordred as a leader. This list offers a variety of interpretations, some drawing more heavily on on Welsh mythology while others pull lore exclusively from the French Vulgate. Honorable mention to Phyllis Ann Karr's Idylls of the Queen, which doesn't show Mordred as a competent leader, but sets up his motivations in a fascinating way. It's also just a damn good book.
Hope you find some stories among these that resonate with you. Many Mordreds to choose from! I'd love to hear from anyone who reads these and enjoyed them. Take care. :^)
