Isolde

Variant of Iseult used in the thirteenth century by Gottfried von Strassburg, and in the nineteenth century by Richard Wagner.

1. Isolde

   In Gottfried’s Tristan, the Queen of Ireland, wife of King Gurmun of Ireland, and mother to Tristan’s lover Isolde.

   She cleverly convinced her husband to make peace with Cornwall and to give their daughter to King Mark. She concocted the fateful potion, intended for Mark and Isolde, which bound Tristan and Isolde in love.

   In most other versions, her character is unnamed.

   
   

2. Isolde

   God-daughter of Tristan.

   She was the daughter of Genes, the seafarer who brought Isolde of Cornwall to the mortally wounded Tristan’s bedside. Isolde told Isolde of the White Hands that Isolde of Cornwall was coming, which sparked the jealousy that led to Tristan’s premature death.

   
   

3. Isolde

   The daughter of Tristan and Isolde in the Italian I Due Tristani.

   She was born along with Tristan the Younger during Tristan and Isolde’s sojourn at the Castle of Tears. Raised by foster-parents, she grew into a beauty. Palamedes, who had loved her mother, tried to abduct her and was slain by Palante, Tristan’s cousin, in the process.

   She later married King Juan of Castille, whom her brother served.

   
   

4. Isolde the Dark

   Tristan’s wife in the Icelandic Saga af Tristan ok Ísodd, essentially the same character as Isolde of the White Hands.

   The sister of Earls Siguròr and Hríngr of Spain, she was offered to Tristan when he conquered the kingdom. They had a son named Kanelgras (Kalegras) who eventually became king of England. Like Isolde of the White Hands in the traditional legend, Isolde the Dark was jealous of Tristan’s love for her namesake in England.

   Tristan was eventually wounded in combat, and he sent to England for the other Isolde (an experienced healer), telling the shipmaster to fly white sails during the return voyage if she was on board, and black sails if she was not. Isolde the Dark, seeing the ship returning with white sails, lied to Tristan and said they were black. Tristan died immediately from sorrow.