LANVAL OF AVALON: A
LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY IN MARIE DE FRANCVE’S ARTHURIAN LAI?
According
to THE NEW ARTHURIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA, Marie de France was “a French poet who may
have lived in England and who dedicated her Lais to a king presumed to be Henry
II of England. She wrote during the
second half, and before the last decade, of the twelve century… “
Only
two of Marie’s lais are Arthurian in nature.
Of these, the longer and more famous, is “Lanval”. This poem may be summarized as follows (from
the Wikipedia article):
“Lanval”
is one of the Lais of Marie de France. Written in Anglo-Norman, it tells the
story of a knight at King Arthur’s court who is overlooked by the king, wooed
by a fairy lady, given all manner of gifts by her, and subsequently refuses the
advances of Queen Guinevere. The plot is complicated by Lanval’s promise not to
reveal the identity of his mistress, which he breaks when Guinevere accuses him
of having “no desire for women”. Before Arthur, Guinevere accuses Lanval of
shaming her, and Arthur, in an extended judicial scene, demands that he reveal
his mistress. Despite the broken promise, the fairy lover eventually appears to
justify Lanval, and to take him with her to Avalon.
For
Arthurian scholars, the question has always been: Who is Lanval? The name is found only once in the Vulgate
MERLIN, and the lai or its source was not adapted until the early fourteenth
century (see the entry for “Lanval” in THE ARTHURIAN NAME DICTIONARY). The poem’s protagonist has often been
associated with Lancelot, and some authorities have guessed that the Fairy
Lover of Avalon may be none other than Morgan le Fay. But beyond this little progress has been made
in shedding light on the origin of the name Lanval and why he was ultimately
placed in Avalon.
I
would make the case for Lanval not being a mythical figure or even an actual
hero of Arthur’s time, but instead a contemporary of Marie de France. We might compare him in this regard with
Fergus of Galloway (d. 1161), who was made into an Arthurian era hero by the
romance writer Guilluame de Clerc.
Lanval
is recorded as a spelling variant of Lanvallay, Breton Lanvalae, a commune in
the Cotes-d’Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France. Other spelling variants include Lanvelay,
Lanvalay, Lanvalai, Lanvalei. There were
‘de Lanvallays’ who came over to England with William the Conqueror. In MAGNA CARTA ANCESTRY: A STUDY IN COLONIAL
AND MEDIEVAL FAMILIES, 2nd Edition, 2011, by Douglas Richardson, we learn of
one William de Lanvallay, who succeeded his father as a minor in 1204 and died
shortly before 3 October 1217. This
William held land in Kingstone, Somerset – a fact which we will examine more
closely in a moment. He was
excommunicated by the pope in 1215 for joining a confederacy of barons against
King John, the son of Henry II. As a
consequence, he lost his Somerset property.
When he returned to obedience to the king in 1216, his lands were
restored. His most noteworthy
accomplishment appears to have been his inclusion among the 25 barons elected
to guarantee the observance of Magna Carta, signed by John on 15 June 1215.
De
Lanvallay’s ownership of land at Kingstone supplies us with an unexpected
explanation of why Lanval was so intimately involved with the Fairy Lover of
Avalon. From ANGLO-SAXON GLASTONBURY:
CHURCH AND ENDOWMENT by Lesley Abrams (Boydell and Brewer, 1996), and THE
CHRONICLE OF GLASTONBURY ABBEY: AN EDITION, TRANSLATION AND STUDY OF JOHN OF
GLASTONBURY’S ‘CRONICA SIVE ANTIQUITATES GLASTONIENSIS ECCLESIE’ by James P.
Carley (Boydell and Brewer, 1985), we learn that land at Kingstone was granted
to Glastonbury as early as the 10th century.
Some of this land was still in the abbey’s hands in 1066 (at least 8
hides worth), but was lost to the count of Mortain before 1086.
Glastonbury
was first overtly identified with King Arthur’s Avalon during the reign of
Marie de France’s probable patron Henry II (1133-1189). According to the story told by Gerald of
Wales in both his LIBER DE INSTRUCTIONE PRINCIPIS (c. 1193) and SPECULUM
ECCLESIAE (c. 1215), King Henry “disclosed to the monks [of Glastonbury Abbey]
some evidence from his own books where the body was to be found” and “strenuous
efforts were made in Glastonbury Abbey to locate what must have been the
splendid tomb of King Arthur. It was the
king himself who put them to this…”
There
are, of course, problems with the chronology of William de Lanvallay. These are best expressed in Chapter 6 of UNTITLED ENGLISH NOBILITY
(http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3L-O.htm#_Toc351361220
):
LANVALAY
Successful
reconstruction of the following family is complicated by the duplication of the
names William, Ranulf and Geoffrey, and the indication in the records, at least
in the case of William and Geoffrey, of more than one individual with the same
name at the same time. The following is
an attempt to reconcile the information available, but is not necessarily the
final answer to the reconstruction of the family.
[Two
possible brothers]:
1. WILLIAM [I] de Lanvalay (-before
1185). “Manasse Biset dapifero, Henrico
de Oilleo, W[illelmo] de Lanvaleio…” witnessed the charter dated [Jan 1158]
under which King Henry II confirmed the donation to the nuns of Neasham, Durham
made by “Emma de Teisa”[333]. The Rotuli
de Dominabus of 1185 records that “Clementia de Sancto Claro” held “Haiam” from
“Willelmo de Lanvalei”[334]. m GUNNORA
de Saint-Clair, daughter of HUBERT de Saint-Clair & his wife Clementia —
([1140/50]-before 1185). Domesday
Descendants names “Gunnora daughter and heiress of Hubert de St Clair” as the
wife of William de Lanvallay, but does not cite a specific source reference for
this information[335]. The primary
source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not yet been
identified. Her birth date is estimated
on the assumption that the age of her mother is accurately stated in the Rotuli
de Dominabus of 1185. William [I] &
his wife had [three] children:
a) WILLIAM [II] de Lanvalay of Walkern,
Northamptonshire ([1168/73]-[20 Jun 1207/1209]). The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records
“Willelmus de Lanvalle…in custodia domini Regis” and holds all his land, of
unknown value, in “Hundredum de Lexedene” in Essex and “in Hallingeburia” in
Essex[336]. King John confirmed “villam
de Bromeleg cum advocatione ecclesie”, donated by “Willelmus de Lanval…in
maritagium cum Gunnora sorore ipsius Willelmi de Lunval”, to “Willelmo de Bello
Campo” by charter dated 20 Jun 1207[337].
The Testa de Nevill lists knights who held land in Northamptonshire, dated
to [1208/09], including “heres Willelmi de Lanvelay tenet Wakerle”[338]. m HAWISE de Bocland, daughter of HUGH de
Bocland & his wife Matilda — (-before 19 Jul 1233). Her parentage and marriage are shown in The
Complete Peerage[339]. The primary source
which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. Bracton records a claim, dated 1232, by
“Johannes de Burgo et Hawisia uxor eius” against “Willelmum de Bello Campo”
claiming the return of “manerium de Brumlegha…hereditatem ipsius Hawisie” which
had not been transferred to her after the death of “Gunnoram de Lanualay
quondam uxorem suam” and which “Hawisia de Lamualay quondam uxor Willelmi de
Lanualay…avie ipsius Hawisie” was granted as “dotem…de dono ipsius Willelmi
quondam viri sui”[340]. Christine de
Mandeville Countess of Essex granted her lands in Westley, Cambridgeshire to
Geoffrey de Lanvalay and his mother Hawise by charter dated 1227[341]. William [II] & his wife had [two]
children:
i) WILLIAM [IV] de Lanvalay ([after
1190]-[1214/18 May 1216]). The Testa de
Nevill lists knights who held land in Northamptonshire, dated to [1208/09],
including “heres Willelmi de Lanvelay tenet Wakerle”[342]. Although he is not named in this record, it
must refer to William [IV] who was presumably still a minor at the time. William Reedy, in the introduction to his
collection of Basset charters, states that Alan Basset paid a fine to marry his
daughter to the son and heir of William de Lanvalay in [1212/14][343]. The Patent Roll 1217 records an order to
“baillivis suis in quorum bailliis Willelmus de Lanvalay terras habuit” in
respect of the lands “que fuerunt Willelmi de Lanvalay”[344], which is
consistent with the recent death of William [IV]. The Testa de Nevill includes a list of
landholdings in Somerset, dated 1219, which includes “filia et heres Willelmi
de Lamvale est in custodia H. de Burgo justiciarii…et terra sua de Kingestan
valet x.l…”, in Kent “in hundred de Schamele dominus H. de Burgo habet
custodiam cuiusdam puelle que est heres Willelmi de Lanvalai cum maneriis de
Chauk et de Henneherst…”, and in Essex “terra…in hundredo de
Lexeden”[345]. m ([1212/14]) [MATILDA]
Basset, daughter of ALAN Basset of Wycombe & his second wife Aline de Gai. William Reedy, in the introduction to his
collection of Basset charters, states that Alan Basset paid a fine to marry his
daughter to the son and heir of William de Lanvalay in [1212/14][346]. Her name is suggested by two orders: firstly,
King Henry III ordered the sheriff of Northamptonshire “to place in respite the
demand of 29s that he makes from Matilda de Lanvallay for her assets in
Wakerley”, dated [Apr] 1223[347], and secondly the king ordered the sheriff of
Northamptonshire “to place in respite the demand for 29s that he makes by summons
of the Exchequer from Matilda de Lanvallay”, dated 11 May 1226[348]. The references to Northamptonshire suggest a
connection with the family of William [IV].
No other individual named Matilda has yet been identified in his family,
which suggests that the debtor may have been his widow of whose name no record
has been found. William [IV] & his
wife had one child:
(1) HAWISE de Lanvalay ([1213/16]-after
1235). The Testa de Nevill includes a
list of landholdings in Somerset, dated 1219, which includes “filia et heres
Willelmi de Lamvale est in custodia H. de Burgo justiciarii…et terra sua de
Kingestan valet x.l…”, in Kent “in hundred de Schamele dominus H. de Burgo
habet custodiam cuiusdam puelle que est heres Willelmi de Lanvalai cum maneriis
de Chauk et de Henneherst…”, and in Essex “terra…in hundredo de
Lexeden”[349]. The Pipe Roll 1223
includes land of “Huberto de Burgo cum herede Willelmi de Lanvalet…in
Schaftebir” [Shaftesbury] in Dorset[350].
King Henry III ordered the sheriff of Dorset “to take into the king´s
hands the lands of Emedeswurth and Morden which Peter Russell holds of the fee
of William de Lanvallay”, dated [Mar] 1224[351]. Bracton records a claim, dated 1232, by
“Johannes de Burgo et Hawisia uxor eius” against “Willelmum de Bello Campo”
claiming the return of “manerium de Brumlegha…hereditatem ipsius Hawisie” which
had not been transferred to her after the death of “Gunnoram de Lanualay
quondam uxorem suam” and which “Hawisia de Lamualay quondam uxor Willelmi de
Lanualay…avie ipsius Hawisie” was granted as “dotem…de dono ipsius Willelmi
quondam viri sui”[352]. A charter dated
1235 records a dispute a claim “Johannem de Burgo et Hawisiam uxorem eius”
against the abbot of Colchester relating to revenue from “molendino de
Nordmilne” and the agreed settlement which refers to “Johannes et Hauuisia et
heredes ipsius Hauuisie”, the latter being unnamed[353]. A writ dated 1 Dec “3 Edw I”, after the death
of “John de Burgo the elder”, names “Sir John de Burgo the younger…aged 40 and
more is his next heir”, records “Hallingebyri…manor…held of the king in chief
of tyhe barony of Launvaly…of the inheritance of Hawis his wife”, and names
“Sir Hubert de Burgo father of Sir John de Burgo the elder”[354]. m (before 1232) JOHN de Burgh, son of HUBERT
de Burgh Earl of Kent & his first wife Beatrice de Warenne (-before 1 Dec
1274).
…
b) WILLIAM [III] de Lanvalay (-after 29
Sep 1223). An order dated 3 Sep 1199
relates to land of “Willo de Lanuallai et Rad de Lanualai” in Huntingdonshire
and Berkshire[373]. His parentage is
confirmed by the Testa de Nevill which lists landholdings in Berkshire, dated
1212, including “Willelmus de Lanvalei tenet c solidatas terre in Blacgrave
sine servicio nominato quam Rex Henricus pater dedit Radulfo avo suo”[374]. The Pipe Roll 1223 includes “Willelmus de
Lanval” among those owing “de prestito Pictavie” in Essex and Hertfordshire,
and land of “Ricardo Walensi…in Estbir cum filia et herede Radulfi de Lanvalet.
Et Willelmo de Lanvalet…in Blakegrave…” in Berkshire[375].
The chronology for the various Williams
therefore extends roughly from the mid 12th century to the first quarter of the
13th. This period overlaps both that of
Marie de France, author of Lanval, and Henry II, who not only had dealings with
at least one of the de Lanvallays, but who chose to identify Glastonbury with
Avalon (doubtless for political reasons that have been stated elsewhere). Furthermore, Kingstone, in possession of the
de Lanvallays, had a long history with Glastonbury/Avalon.
It
is for these reasons that I would identify Marie’s Lanval with one of the
William de Lanvallays. It is likely that the lai is a symbolic representation
of the life of one of these de Lanvallays, or is a symbolic commemoration of an
important event in the life of one of these men. As “going to Avalon” in Lanval’s case means
dying and being taken to the Otherworld that is Glastonbury, we must select a
William who had died before the last decade of the 12th century or thereabouts
– which is the usual terminus for Marie’s writing of the lai.
I
think we are dealing with the Magna Carta episode here. Lanval’s rejection of the queen’s advances
leads to the loss of his Fairy Lover; she will not come to him anymore. The barons become involved in the judicial proceedings,
and the hero is not declared innocent until the Fairy Lover makes an appearance
and offers testimony on his behalf. This
sounds suspiciously like William de Lanvallay’s loss of the Somerset lands when
he joined the barons in opposition to the king.
Once he had reconciled with the king, his lands – with their ancient tie
to Glastonbury/Avalon – were restored to him. William died the year following,
a passing which may have been depicted by Marie as Lanval’s journey to Avalon.
Whether
that is the ‘secret code’ lurking within Marie’s lai is impossible to say with
any certainty. But it is the only
episode in a life of a de Lanvallay that has a demonstrable connection to
“Avalon”.
