
One passage foreshadows Lyonesse’s sinking: In Lord Tennyson's epic Idylls of the King, Lyonesse is the location where Arthur and Mordred fought their final battle. The sinking itself is not mentioned in Arthurian legend, although some say that Lyonesse sunk when Tristan left for King Mark’s court.

In most variations, the sinking of Lyonesse occurs well after the stories of Tristan, Iseult, and King Mark take place. Iseult with King Mark, Edward Burne-Jones, 19 th Century ( Wikimedia Commons ) Tristan does so, and he and King Mark make amends. King Mark agrees to forgive Tristan, on the condition that Tristan return Iseult to him. While Tristan should be sent immediately to the gallows for adultery, King Mark harbors an affection for him, as his nephew. Eventually the pair is discovered and King Mark is devastated. Tristan and Iseult both love King Mark, but their love for one another is stronger. Iseult eventually arrives in Cornwall and marries King Mark, but the love potion is very powerful, and Tristan and Iseult cannot deny their love for one another.

On the return trip from Ireland, however, the pair are exposed to a love potion and fall madly in love with one another. Tristan loyally follows his uncle’s orders, and journeys to Ireland. When Tristan is grown, Mark sends him to Ireland to retrieve the fair maiden Iseult and bring her to Cornwall, as she and King Mark are set to marry. ‘The End of the Song’ by Edmund Leighton, 1902 ( Wikimedia Commons )Īs the years pass by, Tristan is very loyal to his uncle, as he raised him as his own son. Tristan, a young boy from Lyonesse who has been orphaned, it taken in by his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall, which borders Lyonesse. While the story of Tristan and Iseult can vary based upon who is telling it, the plot follows a common theme. It is said that the story was possibly the inspiration for the romance of Lancelot and Guinevere, as both stories push the boundaries of love, family, loyalty, adultery, and betrayal. It is an Arthurian tale, inspired by Celtic legend.

The story of Tristan and Iseult is a tragic story of love and loss. The story of Lyonesse most logically begins with Tristan and Iseult. With such a legendary location, it can be difficult to ascertain where the legend ends and reality begins. While Lyonesse is mostly referred to in stories of legend and myth, there is some belief that it represents a very real city that sunk into the sea many years ago. However, the legendary tale of Tristan and Iseult shows that Lyonesse is known for more than sinking into the ocean, and that it had a legendary presence while it remained above ground. The mythical land of Lyonesse is now referred to as the “Lost Land of Lyonesse,” as it is ultimately said to have sunk into the sea. In Arthurian legend, Lyonesse is the home country of Tristan, from the legendary story of Tristan and Iseult.
