Land of the Grail, Waste Land
The Grail Kingdom is often depicted as a mystical and otherwordly realm associated with the Grail Castle, where the Holy Grail, a sacred and elusive object of great significance, were kept. The Grail Kingdom is sometimes referred to as the Land of the Grail or the Waste Land.
The Grail Quest, undertaken by knights such as Sir Galahad, Sir Percivale, and Sir Lancelot, typically involves a journey to find this enigmatic kingdom and achieve the spriritual and moral purity required to behold the Grail.
The Grail Kingdom is sometimes linked to the Fisher King or Maimed King, a wounded king who serves as the guardian of the Grail. The Fisher King is often associated with infertility and a barren landscape, symbolizing a kingdom in decline or suffering. The healing of the Fisher King and the restoration of the Grail Kingdom are central themes in the Grail quest narratives.
The land was called Terre Salvaesche by Wolfram, and the Strange Land, or Listenois, by the Vulgate romances. In the Vulgate sources, it became the Waste Land when the Fisher King or Maimed King received his wound.
See also
Munsalvæsche | The Legend of King Arthur
Sources
Parzival | Wolfram von Eschenbach, 1200–1210
Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal | 1215-1230
Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal | 1220-1235