TRISTRAM. Tristan was the son of Blanchefleur of Cornwall and Rivalen of Lyonesse. He was born in Brittany four days after his mother learned of her husband's death, and because she had borne him in sadness, she called him Tristan, "child of sadness." While serving his uncle, King Mark, Tristan slew the Morholt of Ireland in battle and left the tip of his sword in the Morholt's side. Upon his return to Cornwall, King Mark sent him in quest of the damsel with hair of gold. Again the quest took him to Ireland, where he slew a terrible dragon that was ravaging the countryside, during which battle he was gravely wounded. Only the queen and her daughter Iseult could cure him of the wounds suffered in that battle. As he lay in the bath, Iseult matched his sword with the piece taken from the Morholt's side. She rushed toward him and raised the sword to kill him, but when she saw how beautiful he was, she could not. Her father betrothed her to King Mark, and she set out for Cornwall with Tristan as her escort. On the ship, they accidentally drank the magic potion, which Iseult's mother had prepared for the wedding night, and fell irrevocably in love.

The first literary version of the story was composed c. 1150, possibly in Anglo-Norman. The Welsh poet Thomas made it a story of courtly love about 1160. A German version appeared about 1175, written by Eilhart von Oberge, and a French one by Beroul appeared in 1200. The most famous version is by Gottfried von Strassburg (fl. 1210).

Tristram is among love's martyrs, PF 288-292. The poet calls himself a second Tristram, Rosemounde 20. [Isaude: Rosemounde]

Tristram, the English variant, occurs once, initially, PF 290; and once medially, Rosemounde 20.