King Anguish of Ireland is a mythological character in the stories of King Arthur

King Arthur

King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...

. He is the father of Iseult

Iseult

Iseult is the name of several characters in the Arthurian story of Tristan and Iseult. The most prominent is Iseult of Ireland, wife of Mark of Cornwall and adulterous lover of Sir Tristan. Her mother, the Queen of Ireland, is also named Iseult...

, and one of Arthur's early enemies in the chronicles. After Arthur defeats him he acknowledges Arthur's supremacy, but later becomes embroiled in a conflict with King Mark of Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

. After Mark refuses to pay Anguish seven years back pay for his vassalage, Anguish sends out Sir Marhaus to get the pay from him. The story is part of the saga of Tristan and Iseult

Tristan and Iseult

The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult...

.

Sources

• L'Morte D'Arthur, Sir Thomas Mallory at sacred texts http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/index.htm or at wikisource s:Le Morte d'Arthur
• Bendith Y Mamau: The encyclopaedia of the Celts: http://www.isle-of-skye.org.uk/celtic-encyclopaedia/celt_b2.htm