Idylls of the King · Character
King Mark
The Cornish king whose jealousy of Tristram curdles a marriage and poisons the peace of the West.
supporting
Also known as Mark The Cornish King
First appearance: The Last Tournament
As a supporting figure in Idylls of the King, King Mark is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Sends a cloth of gold as tribute, but Arthur condemns him as a craven and refuses to knight him.
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Mark rules Cornwall and holds Isolt as his queen, but his suspicion of Tristram turns the household into a watchtower of spies and grudges. He is the wronged husband who becomes the wrong-doer, letting private jealousy…
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The fuller portrait of King Mark sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See King Mark in The Last TournamentCharacter Web
9 connectionsA slice of how King Mark sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Love Triangles and Deceit
- Love and Tragedy
- Protagonist
+4 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this excerpt, the emotional and psychological peak occurs when Guinevere’s flight to Almesbury crystallizes…
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King Mark appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for King Mark unlock in the free preview.
See King Mark in The Last Tournament