The legend of Prince Eisenherz

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Television series
German title The legend of Prince Eisenherz
Original title The Legend of Prince Valiant
Country of production United States
original language English
Year (s) 1991-1993
length 22 minutes
Episodes 65 in 2 seasons
genre Adventure , fantasy
idea David J. Corbett
First broadcast September 3, 1991 on The Family Channel
German-language
first broadcast		 April 16, 1992 on Das Erste
synchronization

The Legend of Prince Eisenherz is an American animated series based on the comic series " Prinz Eisenherz " by Hal Foster .

action

First season

As in the comic book template, the series begins with the fall of the fictional kingdom of Thule, whose heir is Prince Ironheart. Eisenherz, his parents and a group of survivors from the castle are banished to a hostile swampy area by the ruthless conqueror Cynan . The prince, deeply saddened by the defeat and eager to get revenge on Cynan, resolves to make the most of his new life. In a series of dreams about a kingdom called Camelot , King Arthur , Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table , the desire for a new, great task in his life matures. Eisenherz is enthusiastic about the principle of the "New Order", which is represented in Camelot. It is based on the idea that power is not the same as law and that truth, justice, honor and friendship should be the principles in dealing with other people. Against the wishes of his father, Eisenherz leaves the exile settlement in search of Camelot, so that he can serve King Arthur there as a knight of the Round Table.

During his quest he meets two companions who also succumb to the magic of his dream of Camelot. First he meets the farmer's son Arn, goes about for his stand ashamed, his poor education and its clumsiness. Later he meets Rowanne, the daughter of a farrier , who is daring, unorthodox and very skilled with bow and arrow . The three quickly become friends and find Camelot together. However, the path to knighthood is associated with numerous tests for all three main characters. In addition to clashes in the fight against enemies of Camelot, creatures of the wilderness and bandits , their friendship is also constantly put to the test. Historical upheavals such as the discovery of gunpowder , the abolition of feudal rule beginning with the “New Order” and the aversion to violence and brutality of the Middle Ages are taken up, as are contemporary problems such as alcohol abuse , xenophobia , child abuse or equality .

The first season ends with the recapture of the Kingdom of Thule by an army led by Prince Ironheart.

Second season

The second season includes further adventures by Prince Eisenherz, who is now a Knight of Camelot, and later the accolade of his companions, which in the case of Arn is even carried out by Eisenherz himself. The kingdom of Camelot is on the verge of collapse as a result of unrest , which is largely instigated by Arthur's archenemy Mordred . Armed conflict with Mordred's mercenary army reaches Arthur's court, with Arthur appearing to be killed. In a final confrontation, Eisenherz beats Mordred in a duel . King Arthur appears and Camelot is saved.

characters

Prince Eisenherz

Prince Eisenherz is the main character in the series. On his way from prince to knight he goes through a process of change, which is characterized in particular by his character development : If he appears moody, impatient and proud in the first episodes, he becomes a reflection and moderation through the adventures and challenges before and in Camelot guided. These virtues, as well as his bravery, ultimately help him to achieve accolade . His weapon is a special sword, the “sister blade ” of Excalibur , forged from the same piece of steel as its legendary counterpart that Rowanne's father entrusted to him.

King Arthur

King Arthur is ruler of the Kingdom of Camelot; he has considerable similarities with the mystical King Arthur . More than once he is targeted by intrigues , assassinations and other dangers that must be averted by Eisenherz, his friends or with the help of other knights. His wife, Queen Guinevere , is his deputy. The symbol of his rule is the Excalibur sword.

Merlin

Merlin is the magician of King Arthur's court, modeled after the mythical magician Merlin . As a scribe, he has extensive knowledge of engineering , alchemy and medicine . In addition, he is available to King Arthur as an advisor and maintains contacts with other kingdoms and allies of Camelot through carrier pigeons . His avatar, a falcon , appears frequently .

Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain is one of the knights of the round table, and most closely corresponds to the figure of Gawan in the Arthurian legend. He is characterized in the series by his particular boldness and aggressiveness, which is by no means always an advantage. His appearance includes the role as general, fighting companion of Eisenherz, Arn and Rowanne, as well as in the tournament. He also takes on the basic training of aspirants to become knighthood.

Sir Briant

Sir Briant is the only dark-skinned representative of the knighthood. He appears level-headed and calm, accompanies Eisenherz and his companions on many of their adventures (mostly together with Gawain) and acts as a teacher in lancing . In one episode, social racial discrimination is discussed using his example.

Mordred

Mordred is King Arthur's fiercest opponent. He resembles the figure Mordred in the Arthurian legend, but his relationship to Arthur is not mentioned in the series. He advocates the idea of ​​"rule by the sword" which contradicts the peaceful ideals of Camelot; For this reason, by killing a delegation of the tribe of the Vikings who wanted to contact King Arthur for the purpose of peace negotiations , he ensures the continued existence of a long hostility. First celebrated as a victorious general, as a result of this betrayal he is sent into exile . Morgane always appears in conspiratorial and intimate partnership with him . In the second season he unites Arthur's enemies and leads them on a campaign against the Kingdom of Camelot.

Morgane

Arthur's half-sister Morgane masterminded several intrigues at the Camelot court. She seeks Arthur after the life in order to be able to take over the throne, whereby her plot repertoire includes attacks with poison , magical delusion and the appropriation of Mordred. Continuous magical arguments between her and Merlin run through both seasons.

Voice actor

role Original speaker Voice actor
teller Hans Paetsch
Prince Eisenherz Robby Benson Marek Erhardt
Arn Michael Horton Sascha Draeger
Rowanne Noelle North Marion Elskis
Merlin Alan Oppenheimer Wolf Rahtjen
King Arthur Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. Gottfried Kramer
Guinevere Samantha Eggar Marianne Bernhardt

Web links