Image of Joan of Arc

Medieval Age

This roughly 1000-year period begins with the literary depictions of King Arthur in the Matter of Britain, often set in the 5th or 6th century, and extends to the Robin Hood legends, generally associated with the late 12th or early 13th century, during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. Across Europe and beyond, the Middle Ages encompassed the Crusades, Viking invasions, Chinese dynasties, the Chinese invention of movable type, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, Genghis Khan’s conquests, and the spread of Buddhism. Later, it saw the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War, and concluded with Gutenberg’s printing press and Columbus’s arrival in the Americas.
Era Medieval Age (500 – 1490s)
Alternative Names Middle Ages
Total Entries 162
Articles
Middle Ages – Wikipedia
Matter of Britain – Wikipedia
Robin Hood – Wikipedia
Description This roughly 1000-year period begins with the literary depictions of King Arthur in the Matter of Britain, often set in the 5th or 6th century, and extends to the Robin Hood legends, generally associated with the late 12th or early 13th century, during the reign of Richard the Lionheart. Across Europe and beyond, the Middle Ages encompassed the Crusades, Viking invasions, Chinese dynasties, the Chinese invention of movable type, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, Genghis Khan’s conquests, and the spread of Buddhism. Later, it saw the Black Death, the Hundred Years’ War, and concluded with Gutenberg’s printing press and Columbus’s arrival in the Americas.

In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and transitioned into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: classical antiquity, the medieval period, and the modern period. The medieval period is itself subdivided into the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages. ~ Middle Ages – Wikipedia
Jeanne d'Arc frontispeace for Le Figaro Illustré no. 157 (April 1903) | Albert Lynch
Jeanne d’Arc frontispeace for Le Figaro Illustré no. 157 (April 1903) | Albert Lynch

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Abe no Seimei

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Abe no Seimei (February 21, 921 AD – October 31, 1005), also known as Doujimaru, was a Japanese onmyōji, a court official and specialist of Onmyōdō, during the middle of the Heian period. In addition […]

Entry Abe no Seimei
Description 

Abe no Seimei (February 21, 921 AD – October 31, 1005), also known as Doujimaru, was a Japanese onmyōji, a court official and specialist of Onmyōdō, during the middle of the Heian period. In addition […]

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Aladdin

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Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

Entry Aladdin
Description 

Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

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Alan-a-Dale

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Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled Allen-a-Dale, Allan-a-Dale, Allin-a-Dale, Allan A’Dayle etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a […]

Entry Alan-a-Dale
Description 

Alan-a-Dale (first recorded as Allen a Dale; variously spelled Allen-a-Dale, Allan-a-Dale, Allin-a-Dale, Allan A’Dayle etc.) is a figure in the Robin Hood legend. According to the stories, he was a wandering minstrel who became a […]

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Ali Baba

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“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

Entry Ali Baba
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“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

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Alice of the Winged People

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When Alice was a child, her father, Bawala, brought her to the small town of Namara. While playing, she fell into a well that led into a subterranean world. There, she was found by the […]

Entry Alice of the Winged People
Description 

When Alice was a child, her father, Bawala, brought her to the small town of Namara. While playing, she fell into a well that led into a subterranean world. There, she was found by the […]

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Arthur a Bland

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Arthur a Bland is, in English folklore, a member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men, though his chief appearance is in the ballad in which he joins the band. Arthur a Bland appears in one ballad […]

Entry Arthur a Bland
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Arthur a Bland is, in English folklore, a member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men, though his chief appearance is in the ballad in which he joins the band. Arthur a Bland appears in one ballad […]

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Arthur of Camelot

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King Arthur is a legendary warrior and ruler of the British kingdom of Camelot. As a boy, he demonstrated his right to become the king by pulling the sword Durendal from a stone. Throughout his […]

Entry Arthur of Camelot
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King Arthur is a legendary warrior and ruler of the British kingdom of Camelot. As a boy, he demonstrated his right to become the king by pulling the sword Durendal from a stone. Throughout his […]

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Athel

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Athel was the prince and champion of the small and primitive Thuringian tribe. In the year 782, as a mere lad, Athel held his own in a duel against the hero Roland, but before their […]

Entry Athel
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Athel was the prince and champion of the small and primitive Thuringian tribe. In the year 782, as a mere lad, Athel held his own in a duel against the hero Roland, but before their […]

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Bake-danuki

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Bake-danuki are a kind of yōkai (supernatural beings) found in the classics and in the folklore and legends of various places in Japan, commonly associated with the Japanese raccoon dog or tanuki. Although the tanuki […]

Entry Bake-danuki
Description 

Bake-danuki are a kind of yōkai (supernatural beings) found in the classics and in the folklore and legends of various places in Japan, commonly associated with the Japanese raccoon dog or tanuki. Although the tanuki […]

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Bakeneko

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The bakeneko is a type of Japanese yōkai, or supernatural entity; more specifically, it is a kaibyō, or supernatural cat. It is often confused with the nekomata, another cat-like yōkai. The distinction between them is […]

Entry Bakeneko
Description 

The bakeneko is a type of Japanese yōkai, or supernatural entity; more specifically, it is a kaibyō, or supernatural cat. It is often confused with the nekomata, another cat-like yōkai. The distinction between them is […]

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Barghest

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Sir Giles of Clewsby was an evil knight and enemy of King Arthur. Through the magic of the sorcerer Black Barton he could transform into the Barghest, a “fearful night-beast.” Those who were bitten by […]

Entry Barghest
Description 

Sir Giles of Clewsby was an evil knight and enemy of King Arthur. Through the magic of the sorcerer Black Barton he could transform into the Barghest, a “fearful night-beast.” Those who were bitten by […]

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Bean Nighe

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The bean-nighe (Scottish Gaelic for “washerwoman” or “laundress”) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore, regarded as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. Also known as the Washing Woman or Washer […]

Entry Bean Nighe
Description 

The bean-nighe (Scottish Gaelic for “washerwoman” or “laundress”) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore, regarded as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. Also known as the Washing Woman or Washer […]

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Benkei

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Saitō Musashibō Benkei (西塔武蔵坊弁慶, 1155–1189), popularly known by the mononym Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei) who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185). Benkei led a varied life, first becoming […]

Entry Benkei
Description 

Saitō Musashibō Benkei (西塔武蔵坊弁慶, 1155–1189), popularly known by the mononym Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei) who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185). Benkei led a varied life, first becoming […]

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Beowulf

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Beowulf was a great warrior of the Geats, living in the 6th century. He came to the aid of Hrothgar, King of the Danes, when the monster known as Grendel plagued his great hall, Heorot. […]

Entry Beowulf
Description 

Beowulf was a great warrior of the Geats, living in the 6th century. He came to the aid of Hrothgar, King of the Danes, when the monster known as Grendel plagued his great hall, Heorot. […]

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Bishop of Hereford

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The Bishop of Hereford is a character in the Robin Hood legend. He is typically portrayed as a wealthy and greedy clergyman who is robbed by Robin and his Merry Men. The character first appears […]

Entry Bishop of Hereford
Description 

The Bishop of Hereford is a character in the Robin Hood legend. He is typically portrayed as a wealthy and greedy clergyman who is robbed by Robin and his Merry Men. The character first appears […]

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Black Arrow (Literary)

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The Black Arrow tells the story of Richard (Dick) Shelton during the Wars of the Roses: how he becomes a knight, rescues his lady Joanna Sedley, and obtains justice for the murder of his father, […]

Entry Black Arrow (Literary)
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The Black Arrow tells the story of Richard (Dick) Shelton during the Wars of the Roses: how he becomes a knight, rescues his lady Joanna Sedley, and obtains justice for the murder of his father, […]

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Black Barton

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Black Barton was an evil sorcerer who aided Sir Giles of Clewsby against King Arthur by transforming him into the Barghest. He drew up a plot to capture and curse the Silver Knight and force […]

Entry Black Barton
Description 

Black Barton was an evil sorcerer who aided Sir Giles of Clewsby against King Arthur by transforming him into the Barghest. He drew up a plot to capture and curse the Silver Knight and force […]

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Cassim

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“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

Entry Cassim
Description 

“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

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City of Brass (Arabian Nights)

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A story about a party headed by an Emeer Moosa and a Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad in search of a legendary City of Brass, told within a story told within another story, which includes an efreet of […]

Entry City of Brass (Arabian Nights)
Description 

A story about a party headed by an Emeer Moosa and a Sheikh Abd-Es-Samad in search of a legendary City of Brass, told within a story told within another story, which includes an efreet of […]

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Claude Frollo

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In his youth, Claude Frollo was a highly knowledgeable but morose young man, orphaned along with his infant brother, Jehan, when their parents died of the plague. His studies led him to become the Archdeacon […]

Entry Claude Frollo
Description 

In his youth, Claude Frollo was a highly knowledgeable but morose young man, orphaned along with his infant brother, Jehan, when their parents died of the plague. His studies led him to become the Archdeacon […]

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David of Doncaster

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David of Doncaster is a member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men in English folklore. Doncaster is a town near Barnsdale, where early ballads placed Robin Hood. He appears in one ballad, Robin Hood and the […]

Entry David of Doncaster
Description 

David of Doncaster is a member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men in English folklore. Doncaster is a town near Barnsdale, where early ballads placed Robin Hood. He appears in one ballad, Robin Hood and the […]

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Deathless Druid

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The Deathless Druid was a wizard who forged the enchanted armor of the Silver Knight. Alias Deathless Druid Real Names/Alt Names (possibly) Merlin (see “Notes” section) Characteristics Hero, Magician, Standard Universe, Ghost, Magic Caster, Medieval […]

Entry Deathless Druid
Description 

The Deathless Druid was a wizard who forged the enchanted armor of the Silver Knight. Alias Deathless Druid Real Names/Alt Names (possibly) Merlin (see “Notes” section) Characteristics Hero, Magician, Standard Universe, Ghost, Magic Caster, Medieval […]

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Demon Omatsu

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Originating from a 14th-century legend, the samurai Shirosaburo suffers treachery at the hands of the beauty Kishin (lit. devil) Omatsu who he carries on his back across a swiftly flowing river. Shirosaburo is based on […]

Entry Demon Omatsu
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Originating from a 14th-century legend, the samurai Shirosaburo suffers treachery at the hands of the beauty Kishin (lit. devil) Omatsu who he carries on his back across a swiftly flowing river. Shirosaburo is based on […]

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Dragon (Beowulf)

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The final act of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf includes Beowulf’s fight with a dragon, the third monster he encounters in the epic. On his return from Heorot, where he killed Grendel and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf […]

Entry Dragon (Beowulf)
Description 

The final act of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf includes Beowulf’s fight with a dragon, the third monster he encounters in the epic. On his return from Heorot, where he killed Grendel and Grendel’s mother, Beowulf […]

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Duban

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Duban or Douban (Arabic: “golden jackal” or “wolves”), who appears in “The Tale of the Vizier and the Sage Duban”, is a man of extraordinary talent with the ability to read Arabic, Greek, Persian, Turkish, […]

Entry Duban
Description 

Duban or Douban (Arabic: “golden jackal” or “wolves”), who appears in “The Tale of the Vizier and the Sage Duban”, is a man of extraordinary talent with the ability to read Arabic, Greek, Persian, Turkish, […]

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Dunyazad

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Dunyazad is the younger sister of Queen Scheherazade. In the story cycle, it is she who—at Scheherazade’s instruction—initiates the tactic of cliffhanger storytelling to prevent her sister’s execution by Shahryar. Dunyazad, brought to her sister’s […]

Entry Dunyazad
Description 

Dunyazad is the younger sister of Queen Scheherazade. In the story cycle, it is she who—at Scheherazade’s instruction—initiates the tactic of cliffhanger storytelling to prevent her sister’s execution by Shahryar. Dunyazad, brought to her sister’s […]

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Esméralda

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Esméralda’s birth-name was Agnes. She is the illegitimate daughter of Paquette Guybertaut, nicknamed ‘la Chantefleurie’, an orphaned minstrel’s daughter who lives in Rheims. Paquette has become a prostitute after being seduced by a young nobleman, […]

Entry Esméralda
Description 

Esméralda’s birth-name was Agnes. She is the illegitimate daughter of Paquette Guybertaut, nicknamed ‘la Chantefleurie’, an orphaned minstrel’s daughter who lives in Rheims. Paquette has become a prostitute after being seduced by a young nobleman, […]

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Fisherman (Arabian Nights)

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In “The Fisherman and the Jinni”, the second top-level story told by Sheherazade in the One Thousand and One Nights, an old, poor fisherman casts his net exactly four times a day. One day his […]

Entry Fisherman (Arabian Nights)
Description 

In “The Fisherman and the Jinni”, the second top-level story told by Sheherazade in the One Thousand and One Nights, an old, poor fisherman casts his net exactly four times a day. One day his […]

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Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier

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Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier is a beautiful and wealthy socialite engaged to Phoebus. Phoebus’s attentions to Esméralda make her insecure and jealous, and she and her friends respond by treating Esméralda with contempt and spite. Fleur-de-Lys […]

Entry Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier
Description 

Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier is a beautiful and wealthy socialite engaged to Phoebus. Phoebus’s attentions to Esméralda make her insecure and jealous, and she and her friends respond by treating Esméralda with contempt and spite. Fleur-de-Lys […]

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Foxfire

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In the play Honcho Nijushiko, or Twenty-four Examples of Filial Piety (1766), “Princess Yaegaki learned of her lover’s danger but was prevented from warning him by an icy lake outside her father’s castle that she […]

Entry Foxfire
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In the play Honcho Nijushiko, or Twenty-four Examples of Filial Piety (1766), “Princess Yaegaki learned of her lover’s danger but was prevented from warning him by an icy lake outside her father’s castle that she […]

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Friar Tuck

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Friar Tuck is one of the legendary Merry Men, the band of heroic outlaws in the folklore of Robin Hood. The figure of the jovial friar was common in the May Games festivals of England […]

Entry Friar Tuck
Description 

Friar Tuck is one of the legendary Merry Men, the band of heroic outlaws in the folklore of Robin Hood. The figure of the jovial friar was common in the May Games festivals of England […]

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Fujiwara no Hidesato

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Fujiwara no Hidesato was a Japanese aristocrat, courtier, folk hero and samurai lord of the tenth century in the Heian period. He is famous for his military exploits and courage, and is regarded as the […]

Entry Fujiwara no Hidesato
Description 

Fujiwara no Hidesato was a Japanese aristocrat, courtier, folk hero and samurai lord of the tenth century in the Heian period. He is famous for his military exploits and courage, and is regarded as the […]

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Galahad

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Sir Galahad is a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. In his origin story, King Pelles, the Grail King, knows that his daughter, Elaine of Corbenic, is destined to give birth to the greatest knight […]

Entry Galahad
Description 

Sir Galahad is a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. In his origin story, King Pelles, the Grail King, knows that his daughter, Elaine of Corbenic, is destined to give birth to the greatest knight […]

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Genghis Khan

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Genghis Khan, born Temüjin c. 1162, died August 25, 1227, was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came […]

Entry Genghis Khan
Description 

Genghis Khan, born Temüjin c. 1162, died August 25, 1227, was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came […]

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Genie (Arabian Nights)

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Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

Entry Genie (Arabian Nights)
Description 

Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

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Giant (Arabian Nights)

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Sinbad sets sail again from Basra. But by ill chance, he and his companions are cast up on an island where they are captured by a “huge creature in the likeness of a man, black […]

Entry Giant (Arabian Nights)
Description 

Sinbad sets sail again from Basra. But by ill chance, he and his companions are cast up on an island where they are captured by a “huge creature in the likeness of a man, black […]

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Gilbert with the White Hand

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Gilbert Whitehand (also Gilbert with the White Hand) is in English folklore a less prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. He was present in “A Gest of Robyn Hode”, an early Robin Hood ballad […]

Entry Gilbert with the White Hand
Description 

Gilbert Whitehand (also Gilbert with the White Hand) is in English folklore a less prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. He was present in “A Gest of Robyn Hode”, an early Robin Hood ballad […]

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Golden Knight

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Sir Richard of Warwick, also known as the Golden Knight, was a loyal servant of King Richard, The Lionheart. One day, he saw a vision of a warrior woman who sprang from the flames of […]

Entry Golden Knight
Description 

Sir Richard of Warwick, also known as the Golden Knight, was a loyal servant of King Richard, The Lionheart. One day, he saw a vision of a warrior woman who sprang from the flames of […]

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Gosho no Goromaru

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Gosho no Gorōmaru (御所 五郎丸) was a Japanese samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura Shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He is best known for saving the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo […]

Entry Gosho no Goromaru
Description 

Gosho no Gorōmaru (御所 五郎丸) was a Japanese samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura Shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He is best known for saving the shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo […]

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Grendel

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Grendel is a character in the poem Beowulf, preserved in the Nowell Codex. Grendel, being cursed as the descendant of the Biblical Cain, is “harrowed” by the sounds of singing that come every night from […]

Entry Grendel
Description 

Grendel is a character in the poem Beowulf, preserved in the Nowell Codex. Grendel, being cursed as the descendant of the Biblical Cain, is “harrowed” by the sounds of singing that come every night from […]

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Grendel’s Mother

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Grendel’s mother (Old English: Grendles mōdor) is one of three antagonists in the anonymous Old English poem Beowulf (c. 700–1000 AD), the other two being Grendel and the dragon. Each antagonist reflects different negative aspects […]

Entry Grendel’s Mother
Description 

Grendel’s mother (Old English: Grendles mōdor) is one of three antagonists in the anonymous Old English poem Beowulf (c. 700–1000 AD), the other two being Grendel and the dragon. Each antagonist reflects different negative aspects […]

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Grim Reaper (Folklore)

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Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim’s death by coming to collect […]

Entry Grim Reaper (Folklore)
Description 

Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character known as the Grim Reaper (usually depicted as a berobed skeleton wielding a scythe) causes the victim’s death by coming to collect […]

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Gulnare (Arabian Nights)

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A beautiful slave girl in the Arabian Nights tale The Story of Gulnare of the Sea, purchased by a King, remains silent for years. When she finally speaks to the King, to confirm her pregnancy […]

Entry Gulnare (Arabian Nights)
Description 

A beautiful slave girl in the Arabian Nights tale The Story of Gulnare of the Sea, purchased by a King, remains silent for years. When she finally speaks to the King, to confirm her pregnancy […]

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Guy of Gisborne

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Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. He first appears in “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”, known as a Child Ballad, where he is a hired […]

Entry Guy of Gisborne
Description 

Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. He first appears in “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne”, known as a Child Ballad, where he is a hired […]

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Hirai Yasumasa

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Seventy-six-year-old Hokusai drew a series of warrior images that included the figures above: Hirai Yasumasa (958–1036) subduing a monster spider, Tsuchigumo. Lines in the background trace the motion of the gigantic arachnid as it tumbles […]

Entry Hirai Yasumasa
Description 

Seventy-six-year-old Hokusai drew a series of warrior images that included the figures above: Hirai Yasumasa (958–1036) subduing a monster spider, Tsuchigumo. Lines in the background trace the motion of the gigantic arachnid as it tumbles […]

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Hojo Tokimune

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Hōjō Tokimune (5 June 1251 – 20 April 1284) of the Hōjō clan was the eighth shikken (officially regent of the shōgun, but de facto ruler of Japan) of the Kamakura shogunate (reigned 1268–84), known […]

Entry Hojo Tokimune
Description 

Hōjō Tokimune (5 June 1251 – 20 April 1284) of the Hōjō clan was the eighth shikken (officially regent of the shōgun, but de facto ruler of Japan) of the Kamakura shogunate (reigned 1268–84), known […]

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Hunchback of Notre-Dame

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Category Hunchback of Notre-Dame
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The story is set in Paris in 1482 during the reign of Louis XI. Esmeralda, a beautiful, sixteen-year-old Romani dancer, is the romantic and sexual interest of many men; including Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers; poet […]

Entry Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Description 

The story is set in Paris in 1482 during the reign of Louis XI. Esmeralda, a beautiful, sixteen-year-old Romani dancer, is the romantic and sexual interest of many men; including Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers; poet […]

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Ibaraki-doji

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Category Ibaraki-doji
Includes 

Ibaraki-dōji is an oni (demon or ogre) featured in tales of the Heian period. In the tales, Ibaraki-dōji is based on Mount Ōe, and once went on a rampage in Kyoto. The “Ibaraki” in his […]

Entry Ibaraki-doji
Description 

Ibaraki-dōji is an oni (demon or ogre) featured in tales of the Heian period. In the tales, Ibaraki-dōji is based on Mount Ōe, and once went on a rampage in Kyoto. The “Ibaraki” in his […]

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Ikiryo

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Category Ikiryo
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Ikiryō is a disembodied spirit or ghost in Japanese popular belief and fiction that leaves the body of a living person and subsequently haunts other people or places, sometimes across great distances. The term(s) are […]

Entry Ikiryo
Description 

Ikiryō is a disembodied spirit or ghost in Japanese popular belief and fiction that leaves the body of a living person and subsequently haunts other people or places, sometimes across great distances. The term(s) are […]

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Ino Hayata

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Category Ino Hayata
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In the closing years of the Heian period, at the place where the emperor (Emperor Konoe) lived, the Seiryō-den, there appeared a cloud of black smoke along with an eerie resounding crying voice, making Emperor […]

Entry Ino Hayata
Description 

In the closing years of the Heian period, at the place where the emperor (Emperor Konoe) lived, the Seiryō-den, there appeared a cloud of black smoke along with an eerie resounding crying voice, making Emperor […]

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Inue Shinbei

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Category Inue Shinbei
Includes 

Inue Shinbei is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 31 of Hakkenden under the name Shinpei, nicknamed Daihachi. He is later renamed Inue Shinbei Masashi. He is the son of Yamabayashi Fusahachi and Nui. His […]

Entry Inue Shinbei
Description 

Inue Shinbei is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 31 of Hakkenden under the name Shinpei, nicknamed Daihachi. He is later renamed Inue Shinbei Masashi. He is the son of Yamabayashi Fusahachi and Nui. His […]

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Inukai Genpachi

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Category Inukai Genpachi
Includes 

Inukai Genpachi is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 30 of Hakkenden. When introduced he is called Kenpachi, but changes his name to Inukai Genpachi Nobumichi. He is the biological son of Nukasuke. His bead […]

Entry Inukai Genpachi
Description 

Inukai Genpachi is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 30 of Hakkenden. When introduced he is called Kenpachi, but changes his name to Inukai Genpachi Nobumichi. He is the biological son of Nukasuke. His bead […]

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Inukawa Sosuke

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Category Inukawa Sosuke
Includes 

Inukawa Sosuke is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 18 of Hakkenden. When first introduced, he is a servant of Hikiroku’s known as Gakuzō. In Chapter 20, he renames himself Inukawa Sōsuke Yoshitō. His bead […]

Entry Inukawa Sosuke
Description 

Inukawa Sosuke is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 18 of Hakkenden. When first introduced, he is a servant of Hikiroku’s known as Gakuzō. In Chapter 20, he renames himself Inukawa Sōsuke Yoshitō. His bead […]

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Inumura Daikaku

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Category Inumura Daikaku
Includes 

Inumura Daikaku is a Dog Warrior in Hakkenden. His bead character is Rei (礼), propriety, courtesy, etiquette. Alias Inumura Daikaku (Eight Dog Warrior) Real Names/Alt Names Inumura Daikaku Masanori (犬村 大角 礼儀), Inugami Gennosuke Masanori […]

Entry Inumura Daikaku
Description 

Inumura Daikaku is a Dog Warrior in Hakkenden. His bead character is Rei (礼), propriety, courtesy, etiquette. Alias Inumura Daikaku (Eight Dog Warrior) Real Names/Alt Names Inumura Daikaku Masanori (犬村 大角 礼儀), Inugami Gennosuke Masanori […]

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Inusaka Keno

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Category Inusaka Keno
Includes 

Inusaka Keno is a Dog Warrior in Hakkenden. His bead character is Chi (智), wisdom. Alias Inusaka Keno (Eight Dog Warrior) Real Names/Alt Names Inuzaka/Inukai Keno Tanetomo (犬阪 毛野 胤智) Characteristics Hero, Samurai, Eight Dog […]

Entry Inusaka Keno
Description 

Inusaka Keno is a Dog Warrior in Hakkenden. His bead character is Chi (智), wisdom. Alias Inusaka Keno (Eight Dog Warrior) Real Names/Alt Names Inuzaka/Inukai Keno Tanetomo (犬阪 毛野 胤智) Characteristics Hero, Samurai, Eight Dog […]

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Inuta Kobungo

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Category Inuta Kobungo
Includes 

Inuta Kobungo is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 31 of Hakkenden. Son of Konaya Bungobei; the name Inuta comes from a ruffian he bests and is applied by locals as a term of honor. […]

Entry Inuta Kobungo
Description 

Inuta Kobungo is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 31 of Hakkenden. Son of Konaya Bungobei; the name Inuta comes from a ruffian he bests and is applied by locals as a term of honor. […]

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Inuyama Dosetsu

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Category Inuyama Dosetsu
Includes 

Inuyama Dōsetsu is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 27 of Hakkenden. When introduced, he is posing as a mystic named Kenryû. As a child he was known as Michimatsu, and when he reaches adulthood […]

Entry Inuyama Dosetsu
Description 

Inuyama Dōsetsu is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 27 of Hakkenden. When introduced, he is posing as a mystic named Kenryû. As a child he was known as Michimatsu, and when he reaches adulthood […]

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Inuzuka Shino

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Category Inuzuka Shino
Includes 

Inuzuka Shino is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 16 of Hakkenden. Son of Otsuka/Inuzuka Bansaku and Tatsuka, he inherits the sword Murasame. He is often seen as the central ronin or samurai figure. In […]

Entry Inuzuka Shino
Description 

Inuzuka Shino is a Dog Warrior, introduced in Chapter 16 of Hakkenden. Son of Otsuka/Inuzuka Bansaku and Tatsuka, he inherits the sword Murasame. He is often seen as the central ronin or samurai figure. In […]

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Ivan Tsarevitch

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Category Ivan Tsarevitch
Includes 

Ivan Tsarevitch is a hero with royal blood, who is seen in a number of Russian fairy tales. He is the son of Nastasya the Golden Braid and has three sisters, Anna, Maria, and Olga. […]

Entry Ivan Tsarevitch
Description 

Ivan Tsarevitch is a hero with royal blood, who is seen in a number of Russian fairy tales. He is the son of Nastasya the Golden Braid and has three sisters, Anna, Maria, and Olga. […]

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Ivanhoe

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Category Ivanhoe
Includes 

Wilfred of Ivanhoe is disinherited by his father Cedric of Rotherwood for supporting the Norman King Richard, The Lionheart, and for falling in love with the Lady Rowena, Cedric’s ward and a descendant of the […]

Entry Ivanhoe
Description 

Wilfred of Ivanhoe is disinherited by his father Cedric of Rotherwood for supporting the Norman King Richard, The Lionheart, and for falling in love with the Lady Rowena, Cedric’s ward and a descendant of the […]

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Izzuki of Amazonland

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Category Izzuki of Amazonland
Includes 

Queen Izzuki was the old hag who ruled Amazonland, home of “almond-eyed” warrior women. She kidnapped Dr. Chandler in the hopes that he could make her young again, but he escaped with the help of […]

Entry Izzuki of Amazonland
Description 

Queen Izzuki was the old hag who ruled Amazonland, home of “almond-eyed” warrior women. She kidnapped Dr. Chandler in the hopes that he could make her young again, but he escaped with the help of […]

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Jafar

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Category Jafar
Includes 

Scheherazade’s father is the vizier of King Shahryār. Every day, on the king’s order, he beheads the brides of Shahryar. He does this for many years until all the unmarried women in the kingdom have […]

Entry Jafar
Description 

Scheherazade’s father is the vizier of King Shahryār. Every day, on the king’s order, he beheads the brides of Shahryar. He does this for many years until all the unmarried women in the kingdom have […]

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Jenny Greenteeth

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Category Jenny Greenteeth
Includes 

Jenny Greenteeth a.k.a. Wicked Jenny or Ginny Greenteeth is a figure in English folklore. A river-hag, similar to Peg Powler or a grindylow, she would pull children or the elderly into the water and drown […]

Entry Jenny Greenteeth
Description 

Jenny Greenteeth a.k.a. Wicked Jenny or Ginny Greenteeth is a figure in English folklore. A river-hag, similar to Peg Powler or a grindylow, she would pull children or the elderly into the water and drown […]

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Jirel of Joiry

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Category Jirel of Joiry
Includes 

Jirel is the proud, tough, arrogant and beautiful ruler of her own domain, Joiry; somewhere in late medieval France. One Jirel story, “Quest of the Starstone”, states the time period that the story is set […]

Entry Jirel of Joiry
Description 

Jirel is the proud, tough, arrogant and beautiful ruler of her own domain, Joiry; somewhere in late medieval France. One Jirel story, “Quest of the Starstone”, states the time period that the story is set […]

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Joan of Arc

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Category Joan of Arc
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Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d’Arc; c. 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her […]

Entry Joan of Arc
Description 

Joan of Arc (French: Jeanne d’Arc; c. 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her […]

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Jujo Shakuhachi

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Category Jujo Shakuhachi
Includes 

Jūjō Shakuhachi is an antagonist in Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. Alias Jūjō Shakuhachi (Eight Dog Warriors) Real Names/Alt Names Jūjō Shakuhachi (十条 灯八) Characteristics Villain, Eight Dog Warriors, Literary Characters, Medieval Age, Japanese Creators/Key Contributors Kyokutei […]

Entry Jujo Shakuhachi
Description 

Jūjō Shakuhachi is an antagonist in Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. Alias Jūjō Shakuhachi (Eight Dog Warriors) Real Names/Alt Names Jūjō Shakuhachi (十条 灯八) Characteristics Villain, Eight Dog Warriors, Literary Characters, Medieval Age, Japanese Creators/Key Contributors Kyokutei […]

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Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa

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Category Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa
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Shibaraku, one of the most widely recognized of all kabuki and one most associated with the form… centers around the figure of Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa, who has become the stereotypical bombastic hero of the kabuki […]

Entry Kamakura Gongoro Kagemasa
Description 

Shibaraku, one of the most widely recognized of all kabuki and one most associated with the form… centers around the figure of Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa, who has become the stereotypical bombastic hero of the kabuki […]

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Kay

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Category Kay
Includes 

In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is King Arthur’s foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue […]

Entry Kay
Description 

In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is King Arthur’s foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue […]

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Kidomaru

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Category Kidomaru
Includes 

Kidōmaru is an “oni”, a kind of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. As described in the Kokon Chomonjū, Minamoto no Yorimitsu is known for the slaying of Shuten-dōji. When he went […]

Entry Kidomaru
Description 

Kidōmaru is an “oni”, a kind of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. As described in the Kokon Chomonjū, Minamoto no Yorimitsu is known for the slaying of Shuten-dōji. When he went […]

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Kitsune

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Category Kitsune
Includes 

The kitsune (狐, きつね) in popular Japanese tradition, are foxes or fox spirits that possess paranormal abilities such as shapeshifting, and capable of bewitching people. Kitsune, though literally a “fox”, becomes in folklore a “fox […]

Entry Kitsune
Description 

The kitsune (狐, きつね) in popular Japanese tradition, are foxes or fox spirits that possess paranormal abilities such as shapeshifting, and capable of bewitching people. Kitsune, though literally a “fox”, becomes in folklore a “fox […]

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Kiyo hime

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Category Kiyo hime
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Kiyo hime is one of the most famous antagonists in Japanese literature, and an example of a honnari hannya—a demon woman who has attained the maximum level of power. She appears in The Legend of […]

Entry Kiyo hime
Description 

Kiyo hime is one of the most famous antagonists in Japanese literature, and an example of a honnari hannya—a demon woman who has attained the maximum level of power. She appears in The Legend of […]

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Konar the Macedonian

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Category Konar the Macedonian
Includes 

Featured in a 4-part text story with illustrations, subtitled “A Tale of Sybaris and Macedon in the year 507”. Konar was the first barbarian character in American comic books. Alias Konar the Macedonian Real Names/Alt […]

Entry Konar the Macedonian
Description 

Featured in a 4-part text story with illustrations, subtitled “A Tale of Sybaris and Macedon in the year 507”. Konar was the first barbarian character in American comic books. Alias Konar the Macedonian Real Names/Alt […]

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Koschei the Deathless

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Category Koschei the Deathless
Includes 

Koschei (Russian: Коще́й, tr. Koshchey, IPA: [kɐˈɕːej]), often given the epithet “the Immortal”, or “the Deathless” (Russian: Коще́й Бессме́ртный), is an archetypal male antagonist in Russian folklore. The most common feature of tales involving Koschei […]

Entry Koschei the Deathless
Description 

Koschei (Russian: Коще́й, tr. Koshchey, IPA: [kɐˈɕːej]), often given the epithet “the Immortal”, or “the Deathless” (Russian: Коще́й Бессме́ртный), is an archetypal male antagonist in Russian folklore. The most common feature of tales involving Koschei […]

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Krampus

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Category Krampus
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The Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Central and Eastern Alpine folklore who, during the Christmas season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, the pair visit children on the night of 5 […]

Entry Krampus
Description 

The Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Central and Eastern Alpine folklore who, during the Christmas season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, the pair visit children on the night of 5 […]

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Kumasaka the Robber

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Category Kumasaka the Robber
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Kumasaka (The Robber) is a Noh play from the 15th century… about the notable Heian period bandit Kumasaka no Chohan. The play takes the form of Mugen Noh – supernatural, or dream-time Noh. The samurai […]

Entry Kumasaka the Robber
Description 

Kumasaka (The Robber) is a Noh play from the 15th century… about the notable Heian period bandit Kumasaka no Chohan. The play takes the form of Mugen Noh – supernatural, or dream-time Noh. The samurai […]

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Kuzunoha

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Category Kuzunoha
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Kuzunoha is the name of a popular kitsune character in Japanese folklore. Her name means leaf of arrowroot. Legend states that she is the mother of Abe no Seimei, the famous onmyōji. A young nobleman, […]

Entry Kuzunoha
Description 

Kuzunoha is the name of a popular kitsune character in Japanese folklore. Her name means leaf of arrowroot. Legend states that she is the mother of Abe no Seimei, the famous onmyōji. A young nobleman, […]

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Lady Macbeth

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Category Lady Macbeth
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Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). As the wife of the play’s tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she […]

Entry Lady Macbeth
Description 

Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). As the wife of the play’s tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she […]

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Lady of the Lake

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Category Lady of the Lake
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The Lady of the Lake is a name or a title used by several fairy-like enchantresses in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. […]

Entry Lady of the Lake
Description 

The Lady of the Lake is a name or a title used by several fairy-like enchantresses in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. […]

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Lambton Worm

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Category Lambton Worm
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The Lambton Worm is a legend from County Durham in north-east England in the United Kingdom. The story takes place around the River Wear, and is one of the area’s most famous pieces of folklore, […]

Entry Lambton Worm
Description 

The Lambton Worm is a legend from County Durham in north-east England in the United Kingdom. The story takes place around the River Wear, and is one of the area’s most famous pieces of folklore, […]

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Lancelot

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Category Lancelot
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Lancelot du Lac is a character in some versions of Arthurian legend, where he is typically depicted as King Arthur’s close companion and one of the greatest Knights of the Round Table. In the French-inspired […]

Entry Lancelot
Description 

Lancelot du Lac is a character in some versions of Arthurian legend, where he is typically depicted as King Arthur’s close companion and one of the greatest Knights of the Round Table. In the French-inspired […]

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Lantida of Atlantis

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Category Lantida of Atlantis
Includes 

Queen Lantida was the ruler of Atlantis, and leader of the frog-men in the year 10,000. She went with Sub Sanders to seek the aid of other nations against the enemies of Atlantis, including Naulus […]

Entry Lantida of Atlantis
Description 

Queen Lantida was the ruler of Atlantis, and leader of the frog-men in the year 10,000. She went with Sub Sanders to seek the aid of other nations against the enemies of Atlantis, including Naulus […]

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Little John

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Category Little John
Includes 

Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin […]

Entry Little John
Description 

Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin […]

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Loch Ness Monster

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Category Loch Ness Monster
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The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one […]

Entry Loch Ness Monster
Description 

The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one […]

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Macbeth

Image of Three Witches
Category Macbeth
Includes 

Lord Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and quickly the Thane of Cawdor, is the title character and main protagonist in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). The character is loosely based on the historical king Macbeth […]

Entry Macbeth
Description 

Lord Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and quickly the Thane of Cawdor, is the title character and main protagonist in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). The character is loosely based on the historical king Macbeth […]

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Maid Marian

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Category Maid Marian
Includes 

Maid Marian is the heroine of the Robin Hood legend in English folklore, often taken to be his lover. She is not mentioned in the early, medieval versions of the legend, but was the subject […]

Entry Maid Marian
Description 

Maid Marian is the heroine of the Robin Hood legend in English folklore, often taken to be his lover. She is not mentioned in the early, medieval versions of the legend, but was the subject […]

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Marco Polo

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Category Marco Polo
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Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo (also known as Book […]

Entry Marco Polo
Description 

Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo (also known as Book […]

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Martha of the Tree Folk

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Category Martha of the Tree Folk
Includes 

Martha was the mother of Sir Richard of Warwick, a.k.a. The Golden Knight, and Richard’s younger siblings Roland, Marion, and Elaine (though probably not their youngest sister Jane). She was lost for 20 years in […]

Entry Martha of the Tree Folk
Description 

Martha was the mother of Sir Richard of Warwick, a.k.a. The Golden Knight, and Richard’s younger siblings Roland, Marion, and Elaine (though probably not their youngest sister Jane). She was lost for 20 years in […]

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Marya Morevna

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Category Marya Morevna
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Marya was a warrior queen who ruled a small kingdom and, for some 10 years, kept Koschei the Deathless a captive in her castle’s tower. She fell in love with Ivan Tsarevitch, and while she […]

Entry Marya Morevna
Description 

Marya was a warrior queen who ruled a small kingdom and, for some 10 years, kept Koschei the Deathless a captive in her castle’s tower. She fell in love with Ivan Tsarevitch, and while she […]

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Merlin (Legend)

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Category Merlin (Legend)
Includes 

Merlin is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as an enchanter or wizard, among his various other roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic […]

Entry Merlin (Legend)
Description 

Merlin is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as an enchanter or wizard, among his various other roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic […]

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Merry Men

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Category Merry Men
Includes 

The Merry Men are the group of outlaws who follow Robin Hood in English literature and folklore. The group appears in the earliest ballads about Robin Hood and remains popular in modern adaptations. The Merry […]

Entry Merry Men
Description 

The Merry Men are the group of outlaws who follow Robin Hood in English literature and folklore. The group appears in the earliest ballads about Robin Hood and remains popular in modern adaptations. The Merry […]

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Minamoto no Tametomo

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Category Minamoto no Tametomo
Includes 

Minamoto no Tametomo (源 為朝, 1139 – April 23, 1170), also known as Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (鎮西 八郎 為朝), was a samurai who fought in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156. He was the son of […]

Entry Minamoto no Tametomo
Description 

Minamoto no Tametomo (源 為朝, 1139 – April 23, 1170), also known as Chinzei Hachirō Tametomo (鎮西 八郎 為朝), was a samurai who fought in the Hōgen Rebellion of 1156. He was the son of […]

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Minamoto no Yorimasa

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Category Minamoto no Yorimasa
Includes 

Minamoto no Yorimasa (源 頼政, 1106 – 20 June 1180) was a Japanese poet, aristocrat and samurai lord. His poetry appeared in various anthologies. He served eight different emperors in his long career, holding posts […]

Entry Minamoto no Yorimasa
Description 

Minamoto no Yorimasa (源 頼政, 1106 – 20 June 1180) was a Japanese poet, aristocrat and samurai lord. His poetry appeared in various anthologies. He served eight different emperors in his long career, holding posts […]

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Minamoto no Yorimitsu

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Category Minamoto no Yorimitsu
Includes 

Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948 – August 29, 1021), also known as Minamoto no Raikō, was a Japanese samurai of the Heian period, who served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, […]

Entry Minamoto no Yorimitsu
Description 

Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948 – August 29, 1021), also known as Minamoto no Raikō, was a Japanese samurai of the Heian period, who served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, […]

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Minamoto no Yoshihira

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Category Minamoto no Yoshihira
Includes 

Minamoto no Yoshihira (源 義平) (1140–1160), also known as “Akugenda”, was a Minamoto clan warrior who fought alongside his father, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, in the Heiji Rebellion. When he was slaughtered at a waterfall, his […]

Entry Minamoto no Yoshihira
Description 

Minamoto no Yoshihira (源 義平) (1140–1160), also known as “Akugenda”, was a Minamoto clan warrior who fought alongside his father, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, in the Heiji Rebellion. When he was slaughtered at a waterfall, his […]

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Minamoto no Yoshiie

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Category Minamoto no Yoshiie
Includes 

As sung in the Ryōjin Hishō, Hachimantarō — or Minamoto no Yoshiie — was known for his exceptional skills as a warrior and was highly regarded as a hero of the Heian period. By other […]

Entry Minamoto no Yoshiie
Description 

As sung in the Ryōjin Hishō, Hachimantarō — or Minamoto no Yoshiie — was known for his exceptional skills as a warrior and was highly regarded as a hero of the Heian period. By other […]

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Minamoto no Yoshitsune

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Category Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Includes 

Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源 義経, c. 1159 – June 15, 1189) was a commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series […]

Entry Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Description 

Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源 義経, c. 1159 – June 15, 1189) was a commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series […]

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Mizuchi

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Category Mizuchi
Includes 

The Mizuchi is a type of Japanese dragon or legendary serpent-like creature, either found in an aquatic habitat or otherwise connected to water. Some commentators perceived it to have been a water deity. It is […]

Entry Mizuchi
Description 

The Mizuchi is a type of Japanese dragon or legendary serpent-like creature, either found in an aquatic habitat or otherwise connected to water. Some commentators perceived it to have been a water deity. It is […]

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Mokon of the Moon

Image of Mokon of the Moon
Category Mokon of the Moon
Includes 

Mokon is the king of a magical kingdom on the far side of the Moon, which has an earth-like environment but strange and unique creatures. Mokon could travel to and from the Moon within minutes […]

Entry Mokon of the Moon
Description 

Mokon is the king of a magical kingdom on the far side of the Moon, which has an earth-like environment but strange and unique creatures. Mokon could travel to and from the Moon within minutes […]

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Mordred

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Category Mordred
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Mordred or Modred is a figure who is variously portrayed in the legend of King Arthur. The earliest known mention of a possibly historical Medraut is in the Welsh chronicle Annales Cambriae, wherein he and […]

Entry Mordred
Description 

Mordred or Modred is a figure who is variously portrayed in the legend of King Arthur. The earliest known mention of a possibly historical Medraut is in the Welsh chronicle Annales Cambriae, wherein he and […]

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Morgan le Fay

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Morgan le Fay (meaning “Morgan the Fairy”), alternatively known as Morgan[n]a, Morgain[a/e], Morg[a]ne, Morgant[e], Morge[i]n, and Morgue[in] among other names and spellings, is a powerful and ambiguous enchantress from the legend of King Arthur, in […]

Entry Morgan le Fay
Description 

Morgan le Fay (meaning “Morgan the Fairy”), alternatively known as Morgan[n]a, Morgain[a/e], Morg[a]ne, Morgant[e], Morge[i]n, and Morgue[in] among other names and spellings, is a powerful and ambiguous enchantress from the legend of King Arthur, in […]

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Morgiana

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Category Morgiana
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“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

Entry Morgiana
Description 

“Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” is a folk tale from the One Thousand and One Nights. It was added to the collection in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard […]

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Morrígan

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Category Morrígan
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The Morrígan or Mórrígan, also known as Morrígu, is a figure from Irish mythology. It has been translated as “great queen” or “phantom queen”. The Morrígan is mainly associated with war and fate, especially with […]

Entry Morrígan
Description 

The Morrígan or Mórrígan, also known as Morrígu, is a figure from Irish mythology. It has been translated as “great queen” or “phantom queen”. The Morrígan is mainly associated with war and fate, especially with […]

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Much the Miller’s Son

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Category Much the Miller’s Son
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Much, the Miller’s Son is one of the Merry Men in the tales of Robin Hood. He appears in some of the oldest ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode and Robin Hood and the Monk, […]

Entry Much the Miller’s Son
Description 

Much, the Miller’s Son is one of the Merry Men in the tales of Robin Hood. He appears in some of the oldest ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode and Robin Hood and the Monk, […]

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Mulan

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Category Mulan
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Hua Mulan (traditional Chinese: 花木蘭; simplified Chinese: 花木兰) is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged […]

Entry Mulan
Description 

Hua Mulan (traditional Chinese: 花木蘭; simplified Chinese: 花木兰) is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged […]

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Murgh the Death

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Red Eve is a historical novel with fantasy elements, by British writer H. Rider Haggard, set in the reign of Edward III. Red Eve depicts the Battle of Crécy and the Black Death, and also […]

Entry Murgh the Death
Description 

Red Eve is a historical novel with fantasy elements, by British writer H. Rider Haggard, set in the reign of Edward III. Red Eve depicts the Battle of Crécy and the Black Death, and also […]

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Nitta Tadatsune

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Category Nitta Tadatsune
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Nitta Tadatsune (仁田 忠常, 1167 – October 12, 1203) was a Japanese samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He served as a close retainer to […]

Entry Nitta Tadatsune
Description 

Nitta Tadatsune (仁田 忠常, 1167 – October 12, 1203) was a Japanese samurai lord and retainer of the Kamakura shogunate in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. He served as a close retainer to […]

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Nitta Yoshisada

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Category Nitta Yoshisada
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In 1331, after being ordered by the bakufu (shogunate) to join an army at the Chihaya fortress, Nitta was ordered by Prince Morinaga and Emperor Go-Daigo to strike at the Hōjō, so he left his […]

Entry Nitta Yoshisada
Description 

In 1331, after being ordered by the bakufu (shogunate) to join an army at the Chihaya fortress, Nitta was ordered by Prince Morinaga and Emperor Go-Daigo to strike at the Hōjō, so he left his […]

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Nue

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Category Nue
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In the Tale of Heike, it is described as a Japanese Chimera having the head of a monkey, the limbs of a tiger, the body of a Japanese raccoon dog, and the front half of […]

Entry Nue
Description 

In the Tale of Heike, it is described as a Japanese Chimera having the head of a monkey, the limbs of a tiger, the body of a Japanese raccoon dog, and the front half of […]

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Parizade (Arabian Nights)

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Category Parizade (Arabian Nights)
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Perizade and the Speaking Bird, also commonly titled The Sisters who Envied Their Cadette and The Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water, is found in Antoine Galland’s translation of The Arabian Nights. […]

Entry Parizade (Arabian Nights)
Description 

Perizade and the Speaking Bird, also commonly titled The Sisters who Envied Their Cadette and The Talking Bird, the Singing Tree, and the Golden Water, is found in Antoine Galland’s translation of The Arabian Nights. […]

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Peg Powler

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Category Peg Powler
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Peg Powler is a hag and water spirit in English folklore who inhabits the River Tees. Similar to the Grindylow, Jenny Greenteeth, and Nelly Longarms, she drags children into the water if they get too […]

Entry Peg Powler
Description 

Peg Powler is a hag and water spirit in English folklore who inhabits the River Tees. Similar to the Grindylow, Jenny Greenteeth, and Nelly Longarms, she drags children into the water if they get too […]

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Phantom Knight

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Category Phantom Knight
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Phillip was a powerful but selfish knight, who demonstrated complete spite for others during his life. He participated in the Crusades, and killed many enemies, but then returned to his homeland, where he could concentrate […]

Entry Phantom Knight
Description 

Phillip was a powerful but selfish knight, who demonstrated complete spite for others during his life. He participated in the Crusades, and killed many enemies, but then returned to his homeland, where he could concentrate […]

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Phoebus

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Category Phoebus
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Capitaine Phœbus de Châteaupers is one of the main antagonists in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, Notre-Dame de Paris. He is the Captain of the King Louis XI’s Archers. Despite being of noble birth and very […]

Entry Phoebus
Description 

Capitaine Phœbus de Châteaupers is one of the main antagonists in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, Notre-Dame de Paris. He is the Captain of the King Louis XI’s Archers. Despite being of noble birth and very […]

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Pied Piper (Legend)

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The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates […]

Entry Pied Piper (Legend)
Description 

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates […]

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Priest Bungyu

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Category Priest Bungyu
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Priest Bungyu is an antagonist in Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. Alias Priest Bungyu (Eight Dog Warriors) Real Names/Alt Names Bungyu Osho Characteristics Villain, Eight Dog Warriors, Literary Characters, Medieval Age, Japanese Creators/Key Contributors Kyokutei Bakin First […]

Entry Priest Bungyu
Description 

Priest Bungyu is an antagonist in Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. Alias Priest Bungyu (Eight Dog Warriors) Real Names/Alt Names Bungyu Osho Characteristics Villain, Eight Dog Warriors, Literary Characters, Medieval Age, Japanese Creators/Key Contributors Kyokutei Bakin First […]

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Prince Agib (Arabian Nights)

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Category Prince Agib (Arabian Nights)
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In The History of Gherib and His Brother Agib, King Agib, the son of King Khasib, goes on a sea voyage. His ships are wrecked by the magnetic energies of the Mountain of Loadstone, and […]

Entry Prince Agib (Arabian Nights)
Description 

In The History of Gherib and His Brother Agib, King Agib, the son of King Khasib, goes on a sea voyage. His ships are wrecked by the magnetic energies of the Mountain of Loadstone, and […]

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Princess Fuse

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Category Princess Fuse
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In Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (The Eight Dog Chronicles), eight samurai warriors each possess a magical prayer bead from their spirit ancestor Princess Fuse. Each bead is inscribed with one of eight Confucian virtues: Jin (仁), […]

Entry Princess Fuse
Description 

In Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (The Eight Dog Chronicles), eight samurai warriors each possess a magical prayer bead from their spirit ancestor Princess Fuse. Each bead is inscribed with one of eight Confucian virtues: Jin (仁), […]

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Priory of Sion

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Category Priory of Sion
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The speculative nonfiction book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) presented the following myths as facts… There is a secret society known as the Priory of Sion, which has a long history starting […]

Entry Priory of Sion
Description 

The speculative nonfiction book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) presented the following myths as facts… There is a secret society known as the Priory of Sion, which has a long history starting […]

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Pumapunku

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Category Pumapunku
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Pumapunku or Puma Punku (Aymara and Quechua which literally means “Gate of the Puma”) is a 6th-century T-shaped and strategically aligned man-made terraced platform mound with a sunken court and monumental structure on top that […]

Entry Pumapunku
Description 

Pumapunku or Puma Punku (Aymara and Quechua which literally means “Gate of the Puma”) is a 6th-century T-shaped and strategically aligned man-made terraced platform mound with a sunken court and monumental structure on top that […]

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Richard at the Lee

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Category Richard at the Lee
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Richard at the Lee is a major character in the early medieval ballads of Robin Hood, especially the lengthy ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode, and has reappeared in Robin Hood tales throughout the centuries. […]

Entry Richard at the Lee
Description 

Richard at the Lee is a major character in the early medieval ballads of Robin Hood, especially the lengthy ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode, and has reappeared in Robin Hood tales throughout the centuries. […]

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Richard the Lionheart

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Category Richard the Lionheart
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Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count […]

Entry Richard the Lionheart
Description 

Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count […]

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Robin Hood (Legend)

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Category Robin Hood (Legend)
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Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the […]

Entry Robin Hood (Legend)
Description 

Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the […]

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Roland

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Category Roland
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Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Characters based on him appear in The Song of Roland […]

Entry Roland
Description 

Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Characters based on him appear in The Song of Roland […]

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Scheherazade

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Category Scheherazade
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Scheherazade is the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the One Thousand and One Nights. The story goes that the monarch Shahryar, on discovering that his first […]

Entry Scheherazade
Description 

Scheherazade is the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the One Thousand and One Nights. The story goes that the monarch Shahryar, on discovering that his first […]

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Shahryār

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Category Shahryār
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Shahryar is the fictional Persian Sassanid King of kings who is told stories by his wife, Scheherazade. He ruled over a Persian Empire extended to India, over all the adjacent islands and a great way […]

Entry Shahryār
Description 

Shahryar is the fictional Persian Sassanid King of kings who is told stories by his wife, Scheherazade. He ruled over a Persian Empire extended to India, over all the adjacent islands and a great way […]

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Shāhzamā

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Category Shāhzamā
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Shah Zaman or Schazzenan is the Sultan of Samarkand (a.k.a. Samarcande) and brother of Shahryar. Shah Zaman catches his first wife in bed with a cook and cuts them both in two. Then, while staying […]

Entry Shāhzamā
Description 

Shah Zaman or Schazzenan is the Sultan of Samarkand (a.k.a. Samarcande) and brother of Shahryar. Shah Zaman catches his first wife in bed with a cook and cuts them both in two. Then, while staying […]

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Sheriff of Nottingham

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Category Sheriff of Nottingham
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The Sheriff of Nottingham is the main antagonist in the legend of Robin Hood. He is generally depicted as an unjust tyrant who mistreats the local people of Nottinghamshire, subjecting them to unaffordable taxes. The […]

Entry Sheriff of Nottingham
Description 

The Sheriff of Nottingham is the main antagonist in the legend of Robin Hood. He is generally depicted as an unjust tyrant who mistreats the local people of Nottinghamshire, subjecting them to unaffordable taxes. The […]

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Shi Jin

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The only child of Squire Shi, headman of the Shi Family Village in Huayin County (in present-day Shaanxi province), Shi Jin, a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in […]

Entry Shi Jin
Description 

The only child of Squire Shi, headman of the Shi Family Village in Huayin County (in present-day Shaanxi province), Shi Jin, a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in […]

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Shuten-doji

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Category Shuten-doji
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Shuten-dōji is a mythical oni or demon leader of Japan, who according to legend was killed by the hero Minamoto no Raikō. Although decapitated, the demon’s detached head still took a bite at the hero, […]

Entry Shuten-doji
Description 

Shuten-dōji is a mythical oni or demon leader of Japan, who according to legend was killed by the hero Minamoto no Raikō. Although decapitated, the demon’s detached head still took a bite at the hero, […]

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Sigurd

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Category Sigurd
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Sigurd or Siegfried is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. The so-called Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson is the earliest non-pictorial attestation of the Scandinavian version […]

Entry Sigurd
Description 

Sigurd or Siegfried is a legendary hero of Germanic heroic legend, who killed a dragon and was later murdered. The so-called Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson is the earliest non-pictorial attestation of the Scandinavian version […]

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Silver Knight

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Sir Briane was a knight of King Arthur’s court, who wore enchanted armor forged by the Deathless Druid (probably Merlin). The armor rendered him highly resistant to injury. He fought alongside the other Knights of […]

Entry Silver Knight
Description 

Sir Briane was a knight of King Arthur’s court, who wore enchanted armor forged by the Deathless Druid (probably Merlin). The armor rendered him highly resistant to injury. He fought alongside the other Knights of […]

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Sinbad the Porter

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Category Sinbad the Porter
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Sinbad the Sailor is a fictional mariner and the hero of a story-cycle of Arabic origin. He is described as hailing from Baghdad during the early Abbasid Caliphate (8th and 9th centuries A.D.). In the […]

Entry Sinbad the Porter
Description 

Sinbad the Sailor is a fictional mariner and the hero of a story-cycle of Arabic origin. He is described as hailing from Baghdad during the early Abbasid Caliphate (8th and 9th centuries A.D.). In the […]

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Sinbad the Sailor

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Category Sinbad the Sailor
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Sinbad, spelled Hindbad in some versions, is a poor porter from Baghdad who one day pauses to rest on a bench outside the gate of a rich merchant’s house. The owner of the house is […]

Entry Sinbad the Sailor
Description 

Sinbad, spelled Hindbad in some versions, is a poor porter from Baghdad who one day pauses to rest on a bench outside the gate of a rich merchant’s house. The owner of the house is […]

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Sister Gudule

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Category Sister Gudule
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Esmeralda’s birth-name was Agnès. She is the love child of Paquette Guybertaut, nicknamed “la Chantefleurie”, an orphaned minstrel’s daughter who lives in Rheims. Paquette has become a prostitute after being seduced by a young nobleman, […]

Entry Sister Gudule
Description 

Esmeralda’s birth-name was Agnès. She is the love child of Paquette Guybertaut, nicknamed “la Chantefleurie”, an orphaned minstrel’s daughter who lives in Rheims. Paquette has become a prostitute after being seduced by a young nobleman, […]

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Soga Sukenari

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Category Soga Sukenari
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Soga Monogatari (曽我物語) is a Japanese military chronicle-tale based on the vengeance incident, Revenge of Soga Brothers. The story is often known as The (illustrated) Tale of the Soga Brothers or The Revenge of the […]

Entry Soga Sukenari
Description 

Soga Monogatari (曽我物語) is a Japanese military chronicle-tale based on the vengeance incident, Revenge of Soga Brothers. The story is often known as The (illustrated) Tale of the Soga Brothers or The Revenge of the […]

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Soga Tokimune

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Category Soga Tokimune
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Soga Monogatari (曽我物語) is a Japanese military chronicle-tale based on the vengeance incident, Revenge of Soga Brothers. The story is often known as The (illustrated) Tale of the Soga Brothers or The Revenge of the […]

Entry Soga Tokimune
Description 

Soga Monogatari (曽我物語) is a Japanese military chronicle-tale based on the vengeance incident, Revenge of Soga Brothers. The story is often known as The (illustrated) Tale of the Soga Brothers or The Revenge of the […]

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Sorcerer (Arabian Nights)

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Category Sorcerer (Arabian Nights)
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Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

Entry Sorcerer (Arabian Nights)
Description 

Aladdin is an impoverished young ne’er-do-well, dwelling in “one of the cities of China”. He is recruited by a sorcerer from the Maghreb, who passes himself off as the brother of Aladdin’s late father, Mustapha […]

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Sulia of Soulless Isle

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Sulia was a warrior queen who ruled Soulless Isle, which was inhabited by men she had turned into monsters. While she was able to defeat the Golden Knight’s companion Alice in combat, she failed against […]

Entry Sulia of Soulless Isle
Description 

Sulia was a warrior queen who ruled Soulless Isle, which was inhabited by men she had turned into monsters. While she was able to defeat the Golden Knight’s companion Alice in combat, she failed against […]

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Sun Wukong

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Category Sun Wukong
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The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong (traditional Chinese: 孫悟空; simplified Chinese: 孙悟空) in Mandarin Chinese, is a legendary mythical figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel […]

Entry Sun Wukong
Description 

The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong (traditional Chinese: 孫悟空; simplified Chinese: 孙悟空) in Mandarin Chinese, is a legendary mythical figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel […]

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Taira no Kiyomori

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Taira no Kiyomori (1118 – March 20, 1181) was a military leader and kugyō of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. In 1156, […]

Entry Taira no Kiyomori
Description 

Taira no Kiyomori (1118 – March 20, 1181) was a military leader and kugyō of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. In 1156, […]

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Taira no Tomomori

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Category Taira no Tomomori
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Taira no Tomomori (平 知盛) (1152–1185) was the son of Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira Clan’s chief commanders in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian period of Japanese history. […]

Entry Taira no Tomomori
Description 

Taira no Tomomori (平 知盛) (1152–1185) was the son of Taira no Kiyomori, and one of the Taira Clan’s chief commanders in the Genpei War at the end of the Heian period of Japanese history. […]

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Tamamo no Mae

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Category Tamamo no Mae
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Stories of Tamamo-no-Mae being a legendary kitsune fox spirit appear during the Muromachi period as otogizōshi (prose narratives), and were also mentioned by Toriyama Sekien in Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. Edo period folklore then conflated the […]

Entry Tamamo no Mae
Description 

Stories of Tamamo-no-Mae being a legendary kitsune fox spirit appear during the Muromachi period as otogizōshi (prose narratives), and were also mentioned by Toriyama Sekien in Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. Edo period folklore then conflated the […]

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Tarna

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Category Tarna
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Tarna was the Silver Knight’s lady, and a brave warrior in her own right. She often aided him in battle. When the Barghest captured the Silver Knight, she wore his armor to save him on […]

Entry Tarna
Description 

Tarna was the Silver Knight’s lady, and a brave warrior in her own right. She often aided him in battle. When the Barghest captured the Silver Knight, she wore his armor to save him on […]

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Tengu

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Tengu are a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief. They are considered a type of yōkai (supernatural beings) or Shinto kami (gods or spirits). The Tengu were originally thought to take the forms […]

Entry Tengu
Description 

Tengu are a type of legendary creature found in Shinto belief. They are considered a type of yōkai (supernatural beings) or Shinto kami (gods or spirits). The Tengu were originally thought to take the forms […]

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Tengu of Mount Hiko

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The tengu in art appears in a variety of shapes. It usually falls somewhere in between a large, monstrous bird and a wholly anthropomorphized being, often with a red face or an unusually large or […]

Entry Tengu of Mount Hiko
Description 

The tengu in art appears in a variety of shapes. It usually falls somewhere in between a large, monstrous bird and a wholly anthropomorphized being, often with a red face or an unusually large or […]

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Thief of Bagdad

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Category Thief of Bagdad
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Ahmed steals as he pleases in the city of Bagdad. Wandering into a mosque, he tells the holy man he disdains his religion; his philosophy is, “What I want, I take.” Freely adapted from One […]

Entry Thief of Bagdad
Description 

Ahmed steals as he pleases in the city of Bagdad. Wandering into a mosque, he tells the holy man he disdains his religion; his philosophy is, “What I want, I take.” Freely adapted from One […]

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Thor (Charlton)

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Charlton’s version of Thor was a normal Scandinavian man who was weak and cowardly compared to his Viking brothers. He discovered a cave that glowed with strange light. Bathing in these rays caused Thor to […]

Entry Thor (Charlton)
Description 

Charlton’s version of Thor was a normal Scandinavian man who was weak and cowardly compared to his Viking brothers. He discovered a cave that glowed with strange light. Bathing in these rays caused Thor to […]

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Three Witches

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Category Three Witches
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The Three Witches, also known as the Weird Sisters, Weyward Sisters or Wayward Sisters, are characters in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). The witches eventually lead Macbeth to his demise, and they hold a […]

Entry Three Witches
Description 

The Three Witches, also known as the Weird Sisters, Weyward Sisters or Wayward Sisters, are characters in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth (c. 1603–1607). The witches eventually lead Macbeth to his demise, and they hold a […]

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Tom Thumb (Tale)

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Category Tom Thumb (Tale)
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Richard Johnson’s The History of Tom Thumbe of 1621 tells that in the days of King Arthur, old Thomas of the Mountain, a plowman and a member of the King’s Council, wants nothing more than […]

Entry Tom Thumb (Tale)
Description 

Richard Johnson’s The History of Tom Thumbe of 1621 tells that in the days of King Arthur, old Thomas of the Mountain, a plowman and a member of the King’s Council, wants nothing more than […]

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Tomoe Gozen

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Category Tomoe Gozen
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Tomoe Gozen was an onna-musha from the late Heian period of Japanese history. She served Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei War and was a part of the conflict that led to the first shogunate. […]

Entry Tomoe Gozen
Description 

Tomoe Gozen was an onna-musha from the late Heian period of Japanese history. She served Minamoto no Yoshinaka during the Genpei War and was a part of the conflict that led to the first shogunate. […]

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Vasilisa the Beautiful

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Category Vasilisa the Beautiful
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Vasilisa the Beautiful, or Vasilisa the Fair, is a Russian fairy tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev in Narodnye russkie skazki. Before she died, the mother of Vasilisa gave her daughter a magical Montaka doll. Whatever […]

Entry Vasilisa the Beautiful
Description 

Vasilisa the Beautiful, or Vasilisa the Fair, is a Russian fairy tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev in Narodnye russkie skazki. Before she died, the mother of Vasilisa gave her daughter a magical Montaka doll. Whatever […]

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Voynich Manuscript

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Category Voynich Manuscript
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The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex hand-written in an otherwise unknown writing system, referred to as “Voynichese”. The vellum on which it is written has been carbon-dated to the early 15th century (1404–1438), and […]

Entry Voynich Manuscript
Description 

The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex hand-written in an otherwise unknown writing system, referred to as “Voynichese”. The vellum on which it is written has been carbon-dated to the early 15th century (1404–1438), and […]

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Wang Dingliu

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Category Wang Dingliu
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Wang Dingliu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he ranks 104th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 68th […]

Entry Wang Dingliu
Description 

Wang Dingliu is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels in Chinese literature. Nicknamed “Living Goddess of Lightning”, he ranks 104th among the 108 Stars of Destiny and 68th […]

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Watanabe no Tsuna

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Category Watanabe no Tsuna
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Watanabe no Tsuna (渡辺 綱) (953–1025) was a Japanese samurai of the Heian period and a companion in arms of Minamoto no Yorimitsu (also known as Raikō), one of the earliest samurai to be famed […]

Entry Watanabe no Tsuna
Description 

Watanabe no Tsuna (渡辺 綱) (953–1025) was a Japanese samurai of the Heian period and a companion in arms of Minamoto no Yorimitsu (also known as Raikō), one of the earliest samurai to be famed […]

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Will Scarlet

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Category Will Scarlet
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Will Scarlet (also Scarlett, Scarlock, Scadlock, Scatheloke, Scathelocke and Shacklock) is a prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. The first appearance of Will Scarlet was in one of the oldest surviving Robin Hood ballads, […]

Entry Will Scarlet
Description 

Will Scarlet (also Scarlett, Scarlock, Scadlock, Scatheloke, Scathelocke and Shacklock) is a prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. The first appearance of Will Scarlet was in one of the oldest surviving Robin Hood ballads, […]

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Will Stutely

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Category Will Stutely
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Will Stutely or Will Stutly is in English folklore a prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. He was present in two of the ballads in the Child collection, although not ones dating from the […]

Entry Will Stutely
Description 

Will Stutely or Will Stutly is in English folklore a prominent member of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. He was present in two of the ballads in the Child collection, although not ones dating from the […]

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Yatsufusa

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Category Yatsufusa
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In Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (The Eight Dog Chronicles), eight samurai warriors each possess a magical prayer bead from their spirit ancestor Princess Fuse. Each Dog Warrior has “犬” (inu, dog) in their surname, and also […]

Entry Yatsufusa
Description 

In Nansō Satomi Hakkenden (The Eight Dog Chronicles), eight samurai warriors each possess a magical prayer bead from their spirit ancestor Princess Fuse. Each Dog Warrior has “犬” (inu, dog) in their surname, and also […]

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Yokai (Folklore)

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Category Yokai (Folklore)
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Yōkai (“strange apparition”) are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is composed of the kanji for “attractive; calamity” and “apparition; mystery; suspicious.” Yōkai are also referred to as […]

Entry Yokai (Folklore)
Description 

Yōkai (“strange apparition”) are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is composed of the kanji for “attractive; calamity” and “apparition; mystery; suspicious.” Yōkai are also referred to as […]

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Young King of the Black Isles (Arabian Nights)

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Category Young King of the Black Isles (Arabian Nights)
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A tale told to a Sultan concerning a King and the Queen who drugged him at night so she could meet a lover in the woods. When the young King follows her, he wounds her […]

Entry Young King of the Black Isles (Arabian Nights)
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A tale told to a Sultan concerning a King and the Queen who drugged him at night so she could meet a lover in the woods. When the young King follows her, he wounds her […]

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Yugao

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Category Yugao
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Yugao is a Noh play, sometimes attributed to Zeami, based on the story of Yūgao (Lady Moonflower) from the Tale of Genji. A travelling priest is drawn to the decayed villa where Yūgao had died. […]

Entry Yugao
Description 

Yugao is a Noh play, sometimes attributed to Zeami, based on the story of Yūgao (Lady Moonflower) from the Tale of Genji. A travelling priest is drawn to the decayed villa where Yūgao had died. […]

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Zayn Al-Asnam

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Category Zayn Al-Asnam
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Prince Zayn Al-Asnam discovers an underground palace with eight statues of “jewelled images”. Zayn Al-Asnam sets out on a quest for a beautiful young girl, to be placed on a ninth, unoccupied pedestal. A Jinn […]

Entry Zayn Al-Asnam
Description 

Prince Zayn Al-Asnam discovers an underground palace with eight statues of “jewelled images”. Zayn Al-Asnam sets out on a quest for a beautiful young girl, to be placed on a ninth, unoccupied pedestal. A Jinn […]

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Zhang Sanfeng

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Category Zhang Sanfeng
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Zhang Sanfeng (also spelled Zhang San Feng, Chang San-Feng) refers to a legendary Chinese Taoist who many believe invented T’ai chi ch’üan, although other sources point to early versions of Tai Chi predating Sanfeng. He […]

Entry Zhang Sanfeng
Description 

Zhang Sanfeng (also spelled Zhang San Feng, Chang San-Feng) refers to a legendary Chinese Taoist who many believe invented T’ai chi ch’üan, although other sources point to early versions of Tai Chi predating Sanfeng. He […]

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Zutarians

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Category Zutarians
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Zutarians, also referred to as “Imps”, were an alien race native to the planet Zutarn. They possessed technology a thousand years advanced of Earth, such as monocars, rocket-powered air transports, long-range ray guns, and powerful […]

Entry Zutarians
Description 

Zutarians, also referred to as “Imps”, were an alien race native to the planet Zutarn. They possessed technology a thousand years advanced of Earth, such as monocars, rocket-powered air transports, long-range ray guns, and powerful […]