Tantalis
The Empress of Greece and Constantinople, wife of Emperor Alexander, and mother of Alexander of Greece and Alis.
Introduction#
Tantalis was the Empress of Greece and Constantinople in Chrétien de Troyes’ Cligés. She was the wife of Emperor Alexander, the mother of Alexander of Greece and Alis, and the grandmother of Cligés.
Title | Empress of Greece and Constantinople
The Imperial Family#
Although her role in the romance is brief, Tantalis occupies an important place within the genealogy of the imperial family that forms the background to the story.
In Cligés, Tantalis belongs to the ruling house of Greece and Constantinople. Through her marriage to Emperor Alexander, she became the mother of two princes: the elder Alexander, who travelled to Arthur’s court to seek knighthood, and the younger Alis, who later became emperor.
As the grandmother of Cligés, Tantalis links the Byzantine imperial family with Arthur’s world through her son’s marriage to Soredamors, Gawain’s sister.
Alexander’s Departure#
Chrétien records that Tantalis was deeply grieved when her eldest son departed for Britain in search of honour at King Arthur’s court. Her sorrow provides one of the few personal glimpses of the empress, reflecting both a mother’s affection and the uncertainty of sending a son on a distant and dangerous journey.
What the Romance Tells Us#
Beyond her name, family relationships, and grief at Alexander’s departure, Chrétien tells us little about Tantalis. The romance does not reveal whether she survived her husband or lived to help raise her grandson.
Her later life therefore remains unknown.
Sources#
Cligés | Chrétien de Troyes, late 12th century
