WMerlin is a mythological figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as an enchanter or wizard. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historical and legendary figures, was introduced by the 12th-century British author Geoffrey of Monmouth and the translator John of Cornwall. Geoffrey appears to have combined existing stories of Myrddin Wyllt, a North Brythonic prophet and madman with no connection to Arthur, with tales of the Romano-British war leader Ambrosius Aurelianus to form the composite figure called Merlinus Ambrosius . Geoffrey's rendering of the character became immediately popular, especially in Wales. Later writers in France and elsewhere expanded the account to produce a fuller image, creating one of the most important figures in the imagination and literature of the Middle Ages.
WAmbrosius Aurelianus was a war leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas. He also appeared independently in the legends of the Britons, beginning with the 9th-century Historia Brittonum. Eventually he was transformed into the uncle of King Arthur, the brother of Arthur's father Uther Pendragon, as a ruler who precedes and predeceases them both. He also appears as a young prophet who meets the tyrant Vortigern; in this guise, he was later transformed into the wizard Merlin.
WThe Beguiling of Merlin is a painting by the British Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones that was created between 1872 and 1877.
WThe Book of Merlyn is an Arthurian fantasy book by British writer T. H. White. It is the conclusion of The Once and Future King, but it was published separately and posthumously.
WThe Boy Merlin is a Thames Television fantasy show from 1979, starring Ian Rowlands in the title role, about the magician Merlin. It was inspired by a one-off drama of the same name, broadcast in 1978.
WCamelot is a fantasy historical drama television series created by Michael Hirst and Chris Chibnall for Starz. An Irish-Canadian co-production, the series is based on the Arthurian legend, and stars and ensemble cast led by Joseph Fiennes, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Eva Green.
WThe Coming of the King: The First Book of Merlin is a 1988 historical fantasy novel by Nikolai Tolstoy drawing upon Arthurian legend and more broadly, Celtic and Germanic mythology. The novel is the first in an as-yet unfinished trilogy.
WThe Crystal Cave is a 1970 fantasy novel by Mary Stewart. The first in a quintet of novels covering the Arthurian legend, it is followed by The Hollow Hills.
WCyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer is an anonymous Middle Welsh poem of uncertain date consisting of 136 stanzas, mostly in englyn form. Myrddin, the legendary 6th-century North British bard and warrior, is depicted as being encouraged by his sister Gwenddydd to utter a series of prophecies detailing the future history of the kings of Gwynedd, leading up to an apocalyptic ending. The mood of the poem has been described as "one of despair and of loss of faith and trust in this world".
WL'Enchanteur is a 1984 novel by the French writer René Barjavel. It tells the story of the Knights of the Round Table and the quest for the Holy Grail from the perspective of Merlin and his relationship with Viviane. Barjavel had studied the material on the Grail legend extensively. He added several new concepts to the backstory of the grail, placing its origin to the time of Adam and Eve. According to the novel, Eve used the cup to collect Adam's blood from the wound created when his rib was removed.
WGwenddydd, also known as Gwendydd and Ganieda, is a character from Welsh legend. She first appears in the early Welsh Myrddin poems and in the 12th-century Latin Vita Merlini by Geoffrey of Monmouth, where she is represented as being a figure in the Old North of Britain, the sister of Myrddin or Merlin, and a prophet in her own right. Geoffrey also makes her the wife of the northern king Rhydderch Hael. She was remembered in Welsh traditions recorded in the 16th century by Elis Gruffydd, and even as late as the 18th century. Since the late 19th century she has occasionally appeared as Merlin's sister or lover in Arthurian fiction, poetry and drama by writers such as Laurence Binyon, John Cowper Powys, John Arden, Margaretta D'Arcy and Stephen R. Lawhead.
WThe Hollow Hills is a novel by Mary Stewart. It is the second in a quintet of novels covering the Arthurian Legends. This book is preceded by The Crystal Cave and succeeded by The Last Enchantment. The Hollow Hills was written in 1970 and published in 1973.
WThe Kid Who Would Be King is a 2019 fantasy action-adventure film written and directed by Joe Cornish. A British/American venture, the film stars Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Tom Taylor, Dean Chaumoo, Rhianna Doris, Angus Imrie, Rebecca Ferguson, and Patrick Stewart. The plot follows a young boy who finds King Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur, and must then use it to stop an ancient enchantress from destroying the world.
WThe Lady of the Lake is a name or a title used by several fairy-like enchantresses in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. They play pivotal roles in many stories, including providing Arthur with the sword Excalibur, eliminating Merlin, raising Lancelot after the death of his father, and helping to take the dying Arthur to Avalon. Different sorceresses known as the Lady of the Lake appear concurrently as separate characters in some versions of the legend since at least the Post-Vulgate Cycle and consequently the seminal Le Morte d'Arthur, with the latter describing them as a hierarchical group, while some texts also give this title to either Morgan or her sister.
WThe Lancelot-Grail, also known as the Vulgate Cycle or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is an early 13th-century Arthurian literary cycle consisting of interconnected prose episodes of chivalric romance in Old French. The cycle of unknown authorship, presenting itself as a chronicle of actual events, retells the legend of King Arthur by focusing on the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere as well as the quest for the Holy Grail, expanding on the works of Robert de Boron and Chrétien de Troyes and influencing the Prose Tristan. After its completion around 1230–1235, the Lancelot–Grail was soon followed by its major rewrite known as the Post-Vulgate Cycle. Together, the two cycles constituted a highly influential and most widespread form of Arthurian romance literature during their time and also contributed the most to the later English compilation Le Morte d'Arthur that formed the basis for the legend's modern canon.
WThe Last Enchantment is a 1979 fantasy novel by Mary Stewart. It is the third in a quintet of novels covering the Arthurian legend, preceded by The Hollow Hills and succeeded by The Wicked Day.
WMary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga: The Crystal Cave (1970), The Hollow Hills (1973), and The Last Enchantment (1979). The omnibus was published in 1980 by William Morrow and Company. In 1983, Stewart published a fourth instalment in the series: The Wicked Day.
WMerlin - Bard Of The Unseen is the 11th studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Kayak. This concept-album is a new version of side 1 of their 1981 album Merlin, with nine new songs added.
WMerlin is the last of the operas of Isaac Albéniz. It is in three acts, set to a libretto written in English by Francis Money-Coutts, 5th Baron Latymer.
WMerlin is the eighth studio album by Dutch band Kayak. The first half of the original LP is a concept fantasy story about Merlin the Magician. The second half of the LP is a collection of individual songs.
WMerlin is a three-part 1998 television miniseries which originally aired on NBC that retells the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin.
WMerlin is a musical based on a concept by popular illusionist Doug Henning and Barbara De Angelis, written by Richard Levinson and William Link, with music written by Elmer Bernstein and lyrics by Don Black.
WMerlin is a partly lost epic poem, in which Robert de Boron reworked Geoffrey of Monmouth's material on the legendary Merlin, writing in Old French in the late 12th or early 13th century. It tells of the origin and early life of Merlin, his role in the birth of Arthur, and how Arthur became King of Britain. It emphasises Merlin's power to prophesy and connection to the Holy Grail. Merlin introduced several motifs that became popular in medieval and later Arthuriana, ensuring him a lasting place in the legend of King Arthur. Merlin's story is related to Roberts's two other reputed Grail poems. Its medieval prose retelling and its continuations, collectively the Prose Merlin, were inserted into the Vulgate and the Post-Vulgate cycles of chivalric romances in the early 13th century.
WMerlin is a British fantasy-adventure drama television programme, loosely based on the Arthurian legends regarding the close relations of Merlin and King Arthur. Created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, Julian Murphy for the BBC, it was broadcast for five series on BBC One, between 20 September 2008 to 24 December 2012. The programme starred Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath and John Hurt.
WMerlin and the War of the Dragons is a 2008 fantasy film produced by The Asylum, based loosely on the legends of King Arthur. It was filmed entirely on location in Wales.
WThe Lost Years is a work of literature by T. A. Barron, published by Penguin Group USA. It tells the tale of the legendary wizard Merlin's youth. Though the character Merlin is world-famous as an ancient wizard, this story of his lost youth is original to the author. The book is the first in the 12-book Merlin Saga, and was originally published as The Lost Years of Merlin, book one of the Lost Years of Merlin 5-book epic.
WMerlin Book 2: The Seven Songs is a work of literature by T. A. Barron, published by Penguin. The Seven Songs is the second book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Seven Songs of Merlin, book two of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series. These books chronicle the childhood of Merlin.
WThe Raging Fires is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron originally published by Penguin in 1998. The Raging Fires is the third book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Fires of Merlin, book three of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series providing a childhood story for the legendary Merlin, wizard of Arthurian legend.
WThe Mirror of Fate is a 1999 fantasy novel by T. A. Barron published by Penguin. The Mirror of Fate is the fourth book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Mirror of Merlin, book four of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series providing a childhood story for the legendary Merlin, wizard of Arthurian legend.
WA Wizard's Wings is a children's fantasy novel by T. A. Barron. A Wizard's Wings is the fifth book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Wings of Merlin, book five of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series providing a childhood story for the legendary Merlin, wizard of Arthurian legend.
WMerlin's Apprentice is a 2006 miniseries. It is a sequel to the hit 1998 television miniseries Merlin with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson reprising their roles as Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, albeit slightly different versions of their characters.
WMerlin's Cave is a cave located beneath Tintagel Castle, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south-west of Boscastle, Cornwall, England. It is 100 metres (330 ft) long, passing completely through Tintagel Island from Tintagel Haven on the east to West Cove on the west. It is a sea cave formed by marine erosion along a thrust plane between slate and volcanic rocks. The cave fills with water at high tide, but has a sandy floor and is explorable at low tide.
WMerlin's Ring is a fantasy novel by American writer H. Warner Munn, the third in a series of three based on Arthurian legend. Originally intended for publication by Ballantine Books in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, it actually saw print only after the series was discontinued. It was first published in paperback by Ballantine Books in June 1974. It was reprinted by Ballantine twice, in September 1975 and August 1981, before going out of print. In December 2005 a trade paperback edition was issued by Cold Spring Press. The novel was nominated for the 1975 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
WMerlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders is a 1996 American film written and directed by Kenneth J. Berton. In spite of what the title might imply, this is more of a horror film than a child-friendly fantasy.
WMerlin's Wood; or, The Vision of Magic is a short novel by British writer Robert Holdstock, first published in the United Kingdom in 1994. The novel is considered part of the Mythago Wood cycle, but takes place in Brittany, France instead of Herefordshire, England. The work has all new characters and focuses on the mythical birthplace and burial site of Merlin, the magical wood Brocéliande. Brocéliande is a smaller version of Ryhope wood where British myth predominates.
WMorgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgan[n]a, Morgain[a/e], Morg[a]ne, Morgant[e], Morge[i]n, and Morgue[in] among other names and spellings, is a powerful enchantress in the Arthurian legend. Early appearances of Morgan do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a goddess, a fay, a witch, or a sorceress, generally benevolent and related to King Arthur as his magical saviour and protector. Her prominence increased over time, as did her moral ambivalence, and in some texts there is an evolutionary transformation of her to an antagonist, particularly as portrayed in cyclical prose such as the Lancelot-Grail and the Post-Vulgate Cycle. A significant aspect in many of Morgan's medieval and later iterations is the unpredictable duality of her nature, with potential for both good and evil.
WMr. Merlin is an American sitcom that ran for one season, from 1981 to 1982, about Merlin the wizard, who is immortal, living in modern-day San Francisco, and disguised as Max Merlin, a mechanic. Mr. Merlin was produced by Larry Rosen and Larry Tucker, working as the Larry Larry Company, in association with Columbia Pictures Television.
WThe Post-Vulgate Cycle, also known as the Post-Vulgate Arthuriad, the Post-Vulgate Roman du Graal or the Pseudo-Robert de Boron Cycle, is one of the major Old French prose cycles of Arthurian literature from the early 13th century. It is considered essentially a shortened rewriting of the earlier Vulgate Cycle, with much left out but also much added, including characters and scenes from the Prose Tristan.
WThe Prophetiæ Merlini is a Latin work of Geoffrey of Monmouth circulated, perhaps as a libellus or short work, from about 1130, and by 1135. Another name is Libellus Merlini.
WShrek the Third is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film directed by Chris Miller and co-directed by Raman Hui. It is the third installment in the Shrek film series and serves as the sequel to 2001's Shrek and 2004's Shrek 2. The film stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Rupert Everett, Julie Andrews, and John Cleese reprising their voice roles from the previous films, along with new additions such as Justin Timberlake as Arthur Pendragon and Eric Idle as Merlin. In the plot, Prince Charming is plotting to overthrow Shrek and Fiona, who have inherited the throne following King Harold's death. Shrek, who believes an ogre does not fit in to be king and does not want to rule the kingdom, attempts to convince Fiona's underachieving, 16-year-old cousin Artie to reign instead.
WSiege of the Saxons is a 1963 British adventure film directed by Nathan H. Juran and released by Columbia Pictures. Starring Janette Scott and Ronald Lewis, the film is set in the time of King Arthur but as with many Arthurian themed films, the sets and style are from medieval England. The plot is also heavily influenced by Robin Hood.
WThe Sorcerer's Apprentice is a 2010 American action-fantasy film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Jon Turteltaub, and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the team behind the National Treasure franchise. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, and Monica Bellucci.
WThe Sword in the Stone is a 1963 American animated musical-fantasy-comedy film produced by Walt Disney and released by Buena Vista Distribution. The 18th Disney animated feature film, it is based on T. H. White's novel of the same name, published in 1938 as a single novel, then republished in 1958 as the first book of the Arthurian tetralogy The Once and Future King. Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, the film features the voices of Rickie Sorensen, Karl Swenson, Junius Matthews, Sebastian Cabot, Norman Alden, and Martha Wentworth.
WThe Sword in the Stone is a novel by British writer T. H. White, published in 1938 as a stand-alone work, but later became the first part of a tetralogy, The Once and Future King. A fantasy of the boyhood of King Arthur, it is a sui generis work which combines elements of legend, history, fantasy and comedy. Walt Disney Productions adapted the story to an animated film, and the BBC adapted it to radio. Time included the novel in its list of the 100 Best Young-Adult Books of All Time.
WTrollhunters: Tales of Arcadia is an American computer-animated fantasy television series created for Netflix by Guillermo del Toro, and produced by DreamWorks Animation and Double Dare You Productions. It follows the story of James “Jim” Lake Jr., a teenage boy who finds a mysterious amulet and stumbles across a secret realm inhabited by trolls and other magical creatures. Soon afterward, he and his friends are charged with protecting our world from the dangerous monsters that lurk in the shadows of their small suburban town.
WVortigern, also spelled Vortiger, Vortigan, Voertigern and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, known perhaps as a king of the Britons or at least connoted as such in the writings of Bede. His existence is nonetheless contested by scholars and information about him is obscure.
WWizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin is a children's book created and published by The Templar Company plc in the UK, and published by Candlewick Press in America in 2005. The book is marketed as having been written by Merlin, and is the third book in the 'Ology series.
WWizards: Tales of Arcadia is an American computer-animated fantasy limited series created by Guillermo del Toro, and produced by DreamWorks Animation Television and Double Dare You Productions.
WYoung Merlin is a video game released for the Super NES in 1994. The game follows a young Merlin as he enlists the help of the Lady of the Lake to help him defeat the evil Shadow King.