The Kingmaking - Helen Hollick (Guest Blog)

My biggest gripe with most Arthurian-themed stories is Guenevere. She tends to be clingy, needy, wimpy. So I was really excited to read Helen Hollick's portrayal. Her Gwenhwyfar is a real scrapper, smart, strong, and capable of standing up to Arthur (and anyone).

Please welcome Helen as she talks about her take on Gwen!

My blog is 'hoyden' themed, and I find myself drawn to strong-willed (even tomboy-ish) female characters. I'd love to hear your thoughts on writing such a strong and independent female character, especially when most portrayals of Gwenhwyfar take such an opposite approach.

The usual Medieval Arthurian stories did not interest me. I disliked the round tables, Holy Grails, and knights clonking around in armour. Arthur was such a useless King; after fighting hard for the title of King he disappears in search of the Holy Grail abandoning his Kingdom and his wife. Did he not foresee that she would have an affair? I’m sorry but I also disliked prim Lancelot.

I wanted no knights or a Holy Grail in my story. No magic. No Lancelot. No Merlin. Instead, I used the early Welsh legends of Arthur and Gwenhwyfar (a Welsh spelling of Guinevere). These were so much more exciting than the Medieval stories. This Arthur was more plausible. This Arthur was real. And so was this version of Gwenhwyfar!

If Arthur existed, he would have lived circa 450 -550 A.D., between the going of the Romans and the coming of the Anglo Saxon invaders, when government was in utter chaos. Arthur was probably a War Lord, the son of a Romano British nobleman – and he would have lived and fought for what he considered his by right. The contemporary records do not portray him as a chivalric king nor even a Christian. The Church was still developing in the Dark Ages, and many people remained Pagan.

In these early stories we hear of Arthur stealing cattle from a monastery, of kicking a woman, and being condemned as a non-Christian. He had three sons, a wife, Gwenhwyfar, and close companions Bedwyr (Bedevere) and Cei (Kay).

I wanted to make my Arthur an earthy, capable and realistic King, a war lord and leader who would fight hard to gain a kingdom and as hard to keep it. Arthur was a rough, tough man who was honourable in his own way – his honour and loyalty did not belong to God but to the men who served him. His honour was to his kingdom. And his loyalty was to the woman he loved, Gwenhwyfar.

I wanted her to be a heroine. I saw her as feisty, capable, honourable – and loyal. No man of worth would have allowed himself to be so openly cuckolded – and no woman worth her salt would not fight back if she had a rogue of a husband like Arthur!

Yes, he strays from her sometimes and their love and partnership has some enormous ups and downs, but ultimately Arthur loves his wife. He has mistresses, but when a man faces death in battle so often, is that not being realistic? He loved only Gwenhwyfar. He would die for her – and only her.

From the opening scene when Arthur sees two riders galloping on their horses we realise Gwenhwyfar is a “tomboy” - in my story she was the only daughter among nine brothers after all!

Cunedda, the Lion Lord of Gwynedd existed, as did his sons. At some time in the mid fifth century he transferred from what is now Scotland to North Wales and founded Gwynedd. I wanted to use him in my novel as he was a factual figure. Then while looking through some genealogies (admittedly not very reliable ones) I found that he may have had a daughter – Gwen.

I wanted her to be brave and strong – but to also have her doubts and fears. She would always be loyal to Arthur – but not always easy on him. When they argue she sometimes draws a sword . And she knows perfectly well how to use it.

I suppose in all honesty I created my Gwenhwyfar as an opposite to those early medieval tales. I hated that character and I wanted my Gwenhwyfar to be as real, as alive – and as loved - as Arthur.

I hope I have succeeded.

I can't speak for anyone else, Helen, but I was enchanted by this version of Gwenhwfar and by her relationship with Arthur. It all rang so true - including the clashes of their two very strong wills. Congratulations!