Spiral Castle
Encyclopedia
Spiral Castle was at one time the seat of power for the fictional land of Prydain
. During the period of time covered by Lloyd Alexander
's Chronicles of Prydain, it had become one of many strongholds under the influence of Arawn
Death-Lord, personally administered by Queen Achren
.
The earliest story featuring Spiral Castle is "The Sword" from The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain
. It was the home of Rhitta
, High King
of Prydain and possessor of the sword Dyrnwyn, the land's most powerful weapon. The beginning of his reign saw much prosperity in the land, but through a few careless actions the king's guilty conscience quickly led him to personal tragedy. He became haunted by his crimes and paranoid of any threat to his rule.
To heighten security during the civil war that quickly engulfed the land, he had a vast labyrinth
of tunnels dug beneath the castle as a final hiding place should the castle's defenses be overrun. It was because of these tunnels that the castle became called Spiral Castle. A few chambers were placed in the lower tunnels, and Rhitta would spend each night in a different one. His behavior became so unpredictable that no one besides the guards who watched over him knew where he was from one night to the next.
It was in one of these chambers that Rhitta met his death. Visited one night by the ghost of a shepherd he had killed unjustly, he tried to protect himself with the sword Dyrnwyn. However, Dyrnwyn could only be drawn by those "of noble worth" for purposes of good; as he was no longer worthy to draw the sword, when he tried doing so lightning from the sword killed him and all his guards instantly. A minor cave-in prevented others from discovering their bodies, and after Rhitta's disappearance Spiral Castle's importance to Prydain diminished.
Many years later, as told in The Book of Three, control of Spiral Castle had passed to Achren. Prince Gwydion
and his companion Taran
were captured by Arawn's forces and on Achren's orders they were taken to see her in her stronghold. Taran was imprisoned in the castle's dungeon, and there he met the Princess Eilonwy
, Achren's ward, who was familiar with most of the castle's tunnels. She agreed to help Taran escape.
While Taran followed Eilonwy through the castle's tunnels, a section of floor collapsed and dropped Taran into a lower, buried, tunnel. Eilonwy followed him down, and eventually they discovered the chamber where King Rhitta met his end. In this chamber Taran discovered a small tunnel leading directly to the outside, in the face of a hill below the castle walls. He took a sword from the room and made his way out, followed by Eilonwy carrying the sword Dyrnwyn.
Removing Dyrnwyn proved to be Spiral Castle's undoing, for the sword's powers had affected the castle in such a way that it could no longer stand in the sword's absence. As Eilonwy left the tunnel with the sword, the castle collapsed, killing all its occupants in the process. Only the arch of the gate remained standing, and in only a matter of years the castle's ruins were overgrown with grass.
Prydain
Prydain is the modern Welsh name for Britain.-Medieval:Prydain is the medieval Welsh term for the island of Britain . More specifically, Prydain may refer to the Brittonic parts of the island; that is, the parts south of Caledonia...
. During the period of time covered by Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Chudley Alexander was a widely influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books...
's Chronicles of Prydain, it had become one of many strongholds under the influence of Arawn
Arawn
In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd...
Death-Lord, personally administered by Queen Achren
Achren
Achren is a fictional character and villainess in the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain, written by Lloyd Alexander.-Profile:In the novels, Achren was once Queen of Prydain, and ruled many years as a harsh and vengeful tyrant, both as ruler and then as the Death-lord Arawn's consort...
.
The earliest story featuring Spiral Castle is "The Sword" from The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain
The Foundling and Other Tales from Prydain
The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain is a collection of six short stories by Lloyd Alexander. Although first published in 1973, after the five novels that comprise The Chronicles of Prydain, these short stories take place before the events of the books that preceded them...
. It was the home of Rhitta
Rhitta
Rhitta was once High King of Prydain, the mythical kingdom in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. He is never mentioned in the original five novels, but the story of his downfall is included in the lesser-known sixth installment, The Foundling and Other Tales from...
, High King
High king
A high king is a king who holds a position of seniority over a group of other kings, without the title of Emperor; compare King of Kings.Rulers who have been termed "high king" include:...
of Prydain and possessor of the sword Dyrnwyn, the land's most powerful weapon. The beginning of his reign saw much prosperity in the land, but through a few careless actions the king's guilty conscience quickly led him to personal tragedy. He became haunted by his crimes and paranoid of any threat to his rule.
To heighten security during the civil war that quickly engulfed the land, he had a vast labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
of tunnels dug beneath the castle as a final hiding place should the castle's defenses be overrun. It was because of these tunnels that the castle became called Spiral Castle. A few chambers were placed in the lower tunnels, and Rhitta would spend each night in a different one. His behavior became so unpredictable that no one besides the guards who watched over him knew where he was from one night to the next.
It was in one of these chambers that Rhitta met his death. Visited one night by the ghost of a shepherd he had killed unjustly, he tried to protect himself with the sword Dyrnwyn. However, Dyrnwyn could only be drawn by those "of noble worth" for purposes of good; as he was no longer worthy to draw the sword, when he tried doing so lightning from the sword killed him and all his guards instantly. A minor cave-in prevented others from discovering their bodies, and after Rhitta's disappearance Spiral Castle's importance to Prydain diminished.
Many years later, as told in The Book of Three, control of Spiral Castle had passed to Achren. Prince Gwydion
Gwydion
Gwydion fab Dôn is a magician, hero and trickster of Welsh mythology, appearing most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, which focuses largely on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes...
and his companion Taran
Taran (character)
Taran is a fictional character in The Chronicles of Prydain series, as well as in the film and game named after the second novel, The Black Cauldron.-Profile:...
were captured by Arawn's forces and on Achren's orders they were taken to see her in her stronghold. Taran was imprisoned in the castle's dungeon, and there he met the Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy
Princess Eilonwy is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain and wife of High King Taran in the Chronicles of Prydain and also appears in Disney's 1985 animated film The Black Cauldron...
, Achren's ward, who was familiar with most of the castle's tunnels. She agreed to help Taran escape.
While Taran followed Eilonwy through the castle's tunnels, a section of floor collapsed and dropped Taran into a lower, buried, tunnel. Eilonwy followed him down, and eventually they discovered the chamber where King Rhitta met his end. In this chamber Taran discovered a small tunnel leading directly to the outside, in the face of a hill below the castle walls. He took a sword from the room and made his way out, followed by Eilonwy carrying the sword Dyrnwyn.
Removing Dyrnwyn proved to be Spiral Castle's undoing, for the sword's powers had affected the castle in such a way that it could no longer stand in the sword's absence. As Eilonwy left the tunnel with the sword, the castle collapsed, killing all its occupants in the process. Only the arch of the gate remained standing, and in only a matter of years the castle's ruins were overgrown with grass.
See also
- Glastonbury Tor: Mythology
- Chronicles of Prydain