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This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the
British sitcom A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television. British sitcoms have predominantly been recorded on studio sets, while some include an element of location filming. Live audiences and multi-camera ...
''Blackadder''. ''
Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitcoms - ''The Black Adder'', ''Blackadder II'', ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' - plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC1 from 19 ...
'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with
Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles in the sitcoms ''Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and '' Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and in the film series '' Johnny English'' (2003– ...
as the central character
Edmund Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Britis ...
, and
Tony Robinson Sir Anthony Robinson (born 15 August 1946) is an English actor, author, broadcaster, and political activist. He played Baldrick in the BBC television sitcom ''Blackadder'' and has presented many historical documentaries, including the Channel ...
as his
sidekick A sidekick is a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany. Origins The first recorded use of the term dates from 1896. It is believed to have originated in pickpocket slang of ...
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
, together with numerous other actors in one-off parts.


Main characters


Edmund Blackadder

* Prince Edmund "The Black Adder" (1): The least intelligent (while highest-ranked) of the Blackadder clan depicted in the series. He is very cowardly and often does not think things through. He despises but fears his family, and dislikes Lord Percy. His closest friend (arguably) is Baldrick, his manservant. On becoming Prince, he initially wants to be called "the Black Vegetable", before Baldrick convinces him it is a bad idea (read, Baldrick suggests "the Black Adder" and he acted as if it was ''his'' idea). He accidentally kills his great-uncle, King Richard III, and is repeatedly visited by his ghost. He becomes Duke of Edinburgh and Lord of the Privy. It is a moot point as to whether or not he was the blood-son of the new king or the result of his mother maybe having an affair. At one point he becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury, but is eventually fired (to his relief). He has an arranged marriage to the nine-year-old Princess Leia of Hungary, which displeases him. He possibly has some witch blood in him, as his mother had learnt voodoo-esque magic. He is eventually dethroned as Duke of Edinburgh and gathers the other six most evil men in all England to form the Black Seal. They plan to kill the rest of the royal family and claim the throne, but instead betrayed Edmund, too. He is wounded after being tied to a torture chair, which mutilates his ears, hands and private parts. All his family and the Black Seal mistakenly drink poison and die, making Edmund king, but for all of thirty seconds as he also drinks the poison and dies. * Edmund, Lord Blackadder (2): The great-grandson of Prince Edmund, Lord Blackadder is in the service of Queen Elizabeth I. He is one of the queen's favourites, but is all too keenly aware of the limitations of this position (on several occasions she threatens to cut his head off, and quite happily teams up with Melchett to play practical jokes on him). He despises Lord Percy even more than his predecessor did, and thinks of Baldrick as a stupid animal, though he does not physically abuse him as his descendants do. He and Melchett dislike but tolerate one another. Lord Blackadder spends most of his time dodging death, in a variety of forms and from a variety of sources. During his stint as High Executioner, for example, he executed the wrong man at the wrong time, thereby facing a death warrant from the Queen. On another occasion, he was unable to pay back a £1,000 loan that he had taken from the Black Monks, and was threatened with being impaled by the baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells. He spent two years sailing the seas with Captain Rum, seeking a route around the Cape of Good Hope, but nearly died when he discovered that the captain has no crew and no ability to navigate a ship. He is eventually murdered (along with everybody else in the court) by Prince Ludwig the Indestructible. * Mr. E. Blackadder,
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
(3), The Butler to the Prince Regent. He is devious, cheeky and probably the most intelligent of all the Blackadders. He has problems keeping the Prince Regent (the later George IV) out of trouble. George is easy to trick and scam; Blackadder makes quite a profit out of selling George's possessions, such as socks, when he is not looking. He treats Baldrick with a great deal of contempt, and frequently physically abuses him. Always looking for a way to improve his position, Mr. Blackadder finally gets his chance when George is challenged to a duel by the renowned swordsman, the Duke of Wellington. He switches clothes with the Prince Regent, and is defeated by Wellington, but survives thanks to a conveniently placed cigarette box that Wellington had given to him. Wellington takes this a sign that God is preserving the prince for greater things, and then murders "the butler" (George in disguise), feeling insulted by his disrespectful behaviour, leaving Blackadder free to continue posing as the Prince Regent. It should, perhaps, be noted that this is the only incarnation of Blackadder who we do not actually see killed at the conclusion of the series. It can be safely assumed that he went on to become King, since the TV film of the series, ''Blackadder Back & Forth'' eventually mentions King Edmund III. * Captain Edmund Blackadder (4), a disillusioned and cynical British Army Captain. He joined the army in the late 19th century and earned his stripes in the battle of Mboto Gorge in 1892, where he claims the army fought "pygmies armed with sharpened kiwi fruit and mangoes". He therefore finds the prospect of fighting against armed soldiers who could actually kill him both distasteful and stupid. When the First World War started, he was sent to the trenches with Private Baldrick and Lieutenant George, both of whom he considers idiots but seems to have a genuine affection for. His service is further plagued by General Melchett, a maniac with seemingly no common sense or concern for the men under him, and Captain Kevin Darling, a short-tempered, by the books officer, who panders to Melchett in the hope of staying far away from the front line. Blackadder generally misses no opportunity to mock Darling's name and take him down a peg in Melchett's eyes. Captain Blackadder is a stone-cold realist and knows that if he and his men are sent "over the top", most or all of them will die, and he therefore spends much of his time coming up with plans to avoid this possibility. In the end he, Baldrick, George and Darling are, in fact, sent over the top. To the sound of a slow, minimal piano version of the title theme, the four are seen in slow-motion, charging into the fog and smoke of no man's land, with gunfire and explosions all around, before the scene fades into footage of a sunny poppy field and the sound of birdsong. The fate of the four is left ambiguous. * Sir Edmund Blackadder (''The Cavalier Years''): A cavalier during the English Civil War who risks his property and life by his fidelity to the defeated King Charles I. When Baldrick fails to hide Charles from Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads, Sir Edmund struggles to plan an escape as the King's execution draws closer. Baldrick takes up the offer of £1000 for executing the King, but Sir Edmund, initially enraged by this betrayal, declares he will do it himself. Just before the execution, Charles mistakes Sir Edmund's intentions for a cunning plan to trick Cromwell and allow Charles and his son, the future Charles II, to flee to France. Knowing he cannot admit to his greed, Sir Edmund panics and puts forward Baldrick's suggestion for saving the King: cut off a pumpkin passed off as Charles' head. Later, with his house surrounded by the Roundheads, Sir Edmund declares he must fight for his future sovereign, but, not being a man of honour, disguises himself as a Roundhead and denounces Baldrick as "royalist scum". * Ebenezer Blackadder (''Blackadder's Christmas Carol''): The proprietor of a "moustache shop", aided by Baldrick, from which he makes a modest living every year. He is the nicest man in all England, giving away all of his money and property to anyone claiming to be in need. Of course, all his friends and neighbours see him as an easy touch and take full advantage of him, shamefully. For once (since the first Baldrick), this Baldrick seems to be the more intelligent of the two, as he tries to convince Blackadder not to give so freely. One Christmas Eve, after giving away the year's profits, the Christmas tree, the modest Christmas gifts, and even his tiny turkey to a slew of greedy visitors, Blackadder is visited by a friendly spirit. The spirit inadvertently shows this Blackadder how his predecessors behaved and that his descendants will suffer if he continues to be so self-sacrificing, and how they will come to rule the galaxy if he changes his ways. Not a fool, Ebenezer decides to embark on a new way of life immediately. When Queen Victoria and Prince Albert come to grant him money and titles due to his kindness, he insults them, not realising they are the real Queen and consort, and in doing so loses out on fortune and wealth in his personal lifetime. * Lord Edmund Blackadder / King Edmund III (''Back and Forth''): A modern-day trickster and a charmer. On the eve of the year 2000, he invites his friends over for dinner, intending to make money off them through an elaborate practical joke. Using what he claims are plans from one of
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
's notebooks, he has Baldrick build a time machine; he then bets his friends that he can go back in time and obtain any object they desire. To his surprise, the time machine, intended as a prop, actually works, and he winds up changing history. Blackadder is later revealed, after altering history one last time, to be the absolute monarch King Edmund III, with Baldrick as his puppet Prime Minister and with Maid Marian (from the Robin Hood legend) revealed to become his queen and bride as Queen Marian of Sherwood.


Baldrick

Baldrick is the name of several characters throughout the series. Each one serves as Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil to the lead character. Baldrick is the only character besides Blackadder himself to appear in all installments of the series, and can arguably be seen as Blackadder's best friend despite Blackadder's apparent
contempt In colloquial usage, contempt usually refers to either the act of despising, or having a general lack of respect for something. This set of emotions generally produces maladaptive behaviour. Other authors define contempt as a negative emotio ...
for him.


Lord Percy Percy

Lord Percy Percy (
Tim McInnerny Timothy L. McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is a British actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Kevin Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''. Early life McInner ...
) is the name given to a pair of related characters. The Lord Percy of ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'' is the descendant of that seen in ''
The Black Adder ''The Black Adder'' is the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 Ju ...
''. The character derives his name from the real
Percy family The Percy family is an old English noble family. They were among the oldest and most powerful noble families in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages. The noble family is known for its long rivalry with the House of Neville, another fam ...
. Unlike the first two Blackadders and
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
s, the two Lord Percys are almost identical; both are portrayed as dim-witted, gullible and foppish. In the first series, Percy is
Duke of Northumberland Duke of Northumberland is a noble title that has been created three times in English and British history, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The current holder of this title is Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of N ...
, while in the second he is heir to the title. The title of Duke of Northumberland was not in fact held by a real person surnamed Percy until 1766, when Hugh Percy, born Hugh Smithson, was awarded the title, although the title of the
Earl of Northumberland The title of Earl of Northumberland has been created several times in the Peerage of England and of Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders are the House of Percy (''alias'' Perci), who were the most po ...
was granted to a Percy in 1377. *''
The Black Adder ''The Black Adder'' is the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 Ju ...
'' – Percy is introduced in the first series as Percy, the Duke of Northumberland. In the first series, Percy accompanies both
Prince Edmund Prince Edmund may refer to: *Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York (1341–1402), the fifth son of Edward III of England * Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset, son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York *Prince Edmund Batthyany-Strattmann (1826–1 ...
and
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
on all their journeys. At one point, Percy becomes the bishop of Ramsgate when Edmund becomes the
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
; he also believes he has a finger bone belonging to
Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
. However, Baldrick informs him that it is a fake by displaying his own collection of ten other " Jesus fingers". In the episode " The Black Seal", Percy accidentally puts poison in the castle's entire wine supply while trying to rescue Prince Edmund from a group of maniacs. While rescuing Edmund, Percy inevitably kills him and the whole royal court when they drink the tainted wine. Percy and Baldrick run in and futilely shout, "Don't drink the wine!" immediately after. *''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'' – In this series, Lord Percy Percy is once again portrayed as a stupid "upper-class twit". Percy has a much larger role in series two, however; this is illustrated by his almost total involvement in all of Blackadder's pursuits (whether or not Blackadder actually welcomes his input). Percy is (among other things) temporarily the best man at Blackadder's wedding, assistant Lord High Executioner and a shipmate on Blackadder's ill-fated voyage to
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
(despite a pronounced
aquaphobia Aquaphobia () is an irrational fear of water. Aquaphobia is considered a specific phobia of natural environment type in the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders''. A specific phobia is an intense fear of something that poses ...
stemming from a childhood incident where he was "savaged by a
turbot The turbot ( ) ''Scophthalmus maximus'' is a relatively large species of flatfish in the family Scophthalmidae. It is a demersal fish native to marine or brackish waters of the Northeast Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a ...
"). At one point, while trying to master
alchemy Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first ...
in an afternoon, Percy creates a green substance that Edmund sarcastically calls "Green" and attempts to turn it into something valuable. He is shown to have a terrible record with women; whilst the occasional girlfriend is mentioned, he is more often seen using rather unconvincing chat-up lines on various females, and, at one point, Baldrick, who was wearing a wig and a dress while acting as a bridesmaid. Percy promptly falls in love with him, not recognising Baldrick and even kissing him. Like the rest of the court, Percy dies at the end of the Blackadder II series finale episode, "Chains" at the hands of the psychopathic German Prince Ludwig the Indestructible (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
). *''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'' - The episode
Nob and Nobility ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
features McInnerny portraying a French aristocrat by the name Le Comte de Frou Frou, who in the last act is revealed to be a false persona of the masked vigilante going by the name of
Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with her husband Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in Lo ...
. McInnerny's portrayal of the Pimpernel follows largely that of Percy, with his true identity being Sir Percy Blakeney in the
Baroness Orczy Baroness Emma Orczy (full name: ''Emma Magdalena Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orci'') (; 23 September 1865 – 12 November 1947), usually known as Baroness Orczy (the name under which she was published) or to her family and friends ...
novels where the character originates from.


Melchett

Melchett (
Stephen Fry Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He came to prominence as a member of the comic act Fry and Laurie alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in ''A Bit of ...
) is a family line. There were two main Melchetts: Lord Melchett and General Melchett. *''Blackadder II'' – The first Melchett appeared in series two of ''Blackadder''. He is
Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Monarchy of the United Ki ...
to
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
. Affectionately known to the Queen as "Melchy", the earnest Lord Melchett has set himself up as her closest personal advisor and is always close to her. He guards his position jealously (sometimes seen in competition with Blackadder, a dynamic that would later be seen between Captains Blackadder and Darling, in season 4, set in WWI) and is always doing his best to please the Queen. Melchett attends the Annual Communion Wine-Tasting and is also able to officiate at marriage ceremonies, two facts which suggest that he has a career in the church alongside his duties to the Queen. Like the rest of the court, Melchett was killed at the end of the Blackadder II series finale episode, "Chains" by the psychopathic German Prince Ludwig the Indestructible, a master of disguise, Ludwig being played by Fry's comedy partner, Hugh Laurie. *''Blackadder Goes Forth'' – The Melchett dynasty has changed quite a bit in ''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
''; rather than being the snivelling, slimy, reserved, intelligent, obsequious sycophant that the
Elizabethan era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
Lord Melchett was, General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC KCB DSO is a loud, childish, unintelligent, incompetent, pompous warmonger who appears in the fourth series. The General Melchett character appearing in ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' reflects the popular caricature of
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
generals in that his preferred battle tactics and general attitudes towards warfare are stuck firmly in a bygone era. Melchett fails to understand or comprehend the basic concepts of modern
trench warfare Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising Trench#Military engineering, military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from a ...
and is totally unable to come up with a new strategy that would suit it. Instead he continuously sends his men to a senseless death with seemingly no tactics at all. In "Goodbyeee", Melchett also remarks that he is a General with a "dicky heart" and a "wooden bladder". In the specials, ''Blackadder: the Whole Rotten Saga'' and ''Blackadder's Most Cunning Moments'', Fry also revealed that the Melchett of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' was much more aggressive, powerful and more insane than the Melchett of Blackadder II and that Melchett's "Baaaah!" is caused by him having haemorrhoids. Melchett shared the trademark bellow "Baaah!" with Fry's earlier portrayal of
Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
, which would be delivered at random intervals for no apparent reason. In a
BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
interview broadcast on 17 August 2007, Fry goes into some depth on the "odd history" of Melchett's "Baaah!", explaining that it began as early as his work in student productions of
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
at
Queens' College, Cambridge Queens' College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the 16 "old colleges" of the university, and was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. Its buildings span the R ...
, where he would produce strange noises in order to amuse the audience. He also notes that Melchett's "Baaah!" can be found (although in a more subtle form) in his other acting work such as ''
Peter's Friends ''Peter's Friends'' is a 1992 British comedy film directed and produced by Kenneth Branagh, and written by Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman. The film follows six friends (played by Stephen Fry, Branagh, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Hugh Laurie, Imeld ...
''. In April 2020, Fry reprised his role as a descendant of Lord Melchett for ''
The Big Night In ''The Big Night In'' is a British telethon that was broadcast by BBC One from 7pm to 10pm on 23 April 2020 to support those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first joint initiative between two BBC telethon charities, Children in Need ...
'', a
telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause. Most telethons feature heavy solicitatio ...
held during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, in a skit which he held a video call with
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his pat ...
, who made a surprise appearance.


George

George (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
) appears in ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'' as the
Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...
; Lt. The Hon. George Colthurst St Barleigh, an overexcited and keen young lieutenant in ''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
''; and Major George Bufton-Tufton, Viscount Bufton-Tufton and Roman consul Georgius in '' Blackadder: Back & Forth''.


Darling

Introduced in its fourth iteration, ''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
'', Captain Kevin Darling (Tim McInnerny) is main character Captain Edmund Blackadder (
Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles in the sitcoms ''Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and '' Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and in the film series '' Johnny English'' (2003– ...
)'s intellectual peer and bitter rival (just like Melchett was in season 2); while Blackadder reluctantly serves in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
trenches A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a swale or a bar ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches res ...
, Darling is safely stationed some distance from the
front line A front line (alternatively front-line or frontline) in military terminology is the position(s) closest to the area of conflict of an Military, armed force's Military personnel, personnel and Military technology, equipment, usually referring to ...
. Darling is the sycophantic
adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...
to
Stephen Fry Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He came to prominence as a member of the comic act Fry and Laurie alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in ''A Bit of ...
's General Melchett. The character was originally conceived as "Captain Cartwright"; writers
Ben Elton Benjamin Charles Elton is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. One of the major figures in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, his early stand-up style was Left-wing politics, left-wing political satire ...
and
Richard Curtis Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a British screenwriter, producer and director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known for romantic comedy-drama films, including ''Four Weddings and a Funeral' ...
were simply unable to think of a more amusing name for him. Eventually however, Stephen Fry suggested "Darling" would be a more comedic alternative; the series makes use of a recurring joke where his name is used or referred to for comedic effect.


Awards and decorations

In the series, Captain Darling is seen wearing the following ribbons: Although Darling only features as a main character for one series of the original ''Blackadder'' run, several of his ancestors and descendants are also portrayed by McInnerny, in keeping with the series' ongoing motif of identical descendants. The ''Blackadder'' feature-length special '' Blackadder: Back & Forth'' (1999) introduced descendant character Archdeacon Darling, on better terms with the contemporary Blackadder. The time travel narrative of the special also allowed writers to introduce more historical Darlings to the series' chronology: the Duke of Darling, aide to the
Duke of Wellington Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ar ...
(Fry), and the Duc de Darling, assistant to
Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
(
Simon Russell Beale Sir Simon Russell Beale (born 12 January 1961) is an English actor. He has been described by ''The Independent'' as "the greatest stage actor of his generation". He has received various accolades, including two BAFTA Awards, three Olivier Awar ...
). The final Darling, however, is also a Blackadder and was portrayed by Atkinson in BBC promotional materials in 2002; the name Sir Osmond Darling-Blackadder suggests an unknown familial union between Blackadders and Darlings at some point in their histories.


Queenie

"Queenie" (
Miranda Richardson Miranda Jane Richardson (born 3 March 1958) is an English actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. After graduating from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Richardson began her career in 1979 and made her West End theatre, West ...
) is a
caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...
of the historical figure
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
featured in ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
''. Though she is only twice referred to as "Queenie" in the series, this name is commonly used by the general public. In contrast to the usual regal and austere depiction of Elizabeth I, Miranda Richardson's portrayal is childish, spoiled and silly, possessing a fiery temper.
Amanda Barrie Amanda Barrie (born Shirley Anne Broadbent; 14 September 1935) is an English actress. She appeared in two of the '' Carry On'' films before being cast as Alma Halliwell in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', a role she played on and off ...
's portrayal of
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
in the 1964 film ''
Carry On Cleo ''Carry On Cleo'' is a 1964 British historical comedy film, the tenth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dale are present and Connor made his l ...
'' as a childish seductress has been suggested as an inspiration for Richardson's interpretation of Elizabeth I. It has been remarked that Queenie closely resembles the character
Violet Elizabeth Bott The ''Just William'' series is a sequence of thirty-eight novels written by English author Richmal Crompton. The novels chronicle the adventures of the unruly schoolboy William Brown. The novels were published over a period of almost fifty ye ...
featured in the ''
Just William ''Just William'' is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for ...
'' books of
Richmal Crompton Richmal Crompton Lamburn (15 November 1890 – 11 January 1969) was a popular English writer, best known for her ''Just William (book series), Just William'' series of books, humorous short stories, and to a lesser extent adult fiction books. L ...
. In ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', Richardson appears as Queenie and the future Queen Asphyxia. In ''Blackadder: Back & Forth'', she appears as present day Lady Elizabeth and Queenie. Queenie's immature behaviour is expressed in her desire to "get squiffy and seduce
nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
" (and extort extravagant presents from them on pain of death). A naughty schoolgirl at heart, Queenie loves to party, play games and get drunk. If anyone fails to laugh at her jokes, they risk execution, but, to her followers' bemusement and frustration, she sometimes tires of their toadying and welcomes a more cynical approach – which is why she prefers Edmund Blackadder to Lord Melchett. Like Blackadder and the rest of her court, Queenie is later murdered at the hands of the evil Prince Ludwig the Indestructible, (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
), a German master of disguise who presumably after stealing her identity goes on to kill the remaining members of the court including Blackadder and Melchett before going on to rule England as Queen off-screen during the Blackadder II series finale episode, "Chains". Richardson appears in later series as characters not explicitly stated as being descendants of Elizabeth I, who had no known offspring (but may share common ancestors with her). In the fifth episode of ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'', she plays Amy Hardwood, the seemingly-delicate wealthy industrialist's daughter, whom the Prince Regent courts to get out of serious debt with her dowry, later revealed as a highwayman, the ''Shadow''; and in the episode "
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...
" of the fourth series, she plays Nurse Mary Fletcher-Brown who enjoys a
fling Fling may refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Fling", a 1999 episode of the television series ''Zoboomafoo'' * ''The Fling'', a 2001 Hank the Cowdog book * ''Fling'' (film), a 2008 American comedy film Dance * Fling (Irish), a traditional Iri ...
with Blackadder, before being accused of being a German spy.


Bob

Bob is a pseudonym used by two characters, both female, both pretending to be male and both played by
Gabrielle Glaister Gabrielle Glaister (born 27 July 1960) is an English actress, best known for her role as Patricia Farnham in British soap opera ''Brookside'' and Trish Wallace in ''Family Affairs''. She is also notable for her portrayal of Bob/Kate/Bobbie Parkh ...
. *''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'' – Kate, who goes by the pseudonym "Bob", is one of the first characters to appear in ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
''. She is a somewhat naive young woman who insists on believing her mother is dead, despite her father's insistence that she ran off with his brother. Her aging father informs her that due to his imminent dotage he must look to his daughter to sustain him, and suggests that the best way is for her to become a
prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
, which she refuses. After arriving in London, she disguises herself as a man and is hired as a manservant by Lord Blackadder, who casually kicks
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
out on to the streets. However, when Blackadder points out that "Kate" is a girl's name, she quickly claims it is short for "Bob". Blackadder becomes increasingly concerned about the attraction he feels for the boy. Eventually, after being prescribed a course of leeches by a doctor and an attempt to throw Bob out, he learns the truth (after Kate opens her doublet in front of him), and within several minutes they have had sex and become engaged. However, at the wedding, Kate is seduced by Blackadder's best man, Lord Flashheart, and decides to run off with him, leaving Blackadder jilted at the altar. *''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
'' – The episode " Major Star" introduces
General Melchett This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowan ...
's driver, Bob Parkhurst.
Captain Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Briti ...
recognises Bob's gender immediately. She begs Blackadder not to give her away, explaining that all her brothers have signed up, and she wants "to see how a war is fought, so badly". While Blackadder is not fooled, Lieutenant George is, failing to spot the truth even when she emerges from the shower wearing only a towel. So is Melchett, who, while attracted to the singer Gorgeous Georgina (utterly failing to recognise Lieutenant George in
drag Drag or The Drag may refer to: Places * Drag, Norway, a village in Tysfjord municipality, Nordland, Norway * ''Drág'', the Hungarian name for Dragu Commune in Sălaj County, Romania * Drag (Austin, Texas), the portion of Guadalupe Street a ...
), is outraged when she is replaced by Bob whom he believes to be in drag herself. In "
Private Plane "Private Plane", or "Plan D: Private Plane", is the fourth episode of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder''. Plot The episode begins with an ongoing artillery attack that is disturbing Blackadder's rest, ...
", she appears to have revealed the truth to Melchett, as she is shown dressed in a female uniform and goes by the name "Bobbie", but still serves as Melchett's driver. As the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was founded in 1917, Bob may have learned of its formation after the events of "Major Star", confessed her true sex and asked for a transfer to the WAAC. As in ''Blackadder II'', she is seduced by Squadron Commander the Lord Flashheart, and runs off with him, much to Blackadder's annoyance. *''
Upstart Crow ''Upstart Crow'' is a British sitcom based on the life of William Shakespeare written by Ben Elton. The show premiered on 9 May 2016 on BBC Two as part of the commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Its title quotes "an ...
'' – Glaister again played Bob, now judge Robert Roberts, in the sixth episode of
Ben Elton Benjamin Charles Elton is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. One of the major figures in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, his early stand-up style was Left-wing politics, left-wing political satire ...
's 2016 sitcom about
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
.


Lord Flashheart

Lord Flashheart (
Rik Mayall Richard Michael Mayall (; 7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Adrian Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and was a pioneer of alternative come ...
) is the name of two characters. The first Lord Flashheart appeared in a scene of
the first episode ''Dream On (TV series), Dream On'', an adult-themed Situation comedy, sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, aired on HBO from July 8, 1990, to March 27, 1996. The series aired for a total of six seasons, cons ...
of the second series of ''Blackadder''. His descendant, Squadron Commander the Lord Flashheart, appeared as a major character in the fourth series in an episode called "
Private Plane "Private Plane", or "Plan D: Private Plane", is the fourth episode of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder''. Plot The episode begins with an ongoing artillery attack that is disturbing Blackadder's rest, ...
". In the credits of this episode the name Flashheart is spelled Flasheart. Lord Flashheart is boisterous and an arrogant womaniser, attractive to all the women he meets. He is extremely popular among his peers and becomes the centre of attention whenever he enters a room, usually by bursting through a door in a spectacular fashion. The two Flashhearts are stereotypes of a certain kind of hero (the
Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female per ...
swashbuckler A swashbuckler is a genre of European adventure literature that focuses on a heroic protagonist stock character who is skilled in swordsmanship, acrobatics, and guile, and possesses chivalrous ideals. A "swashbuckler" protagonist is heroic, ...
and the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
), slanted to emphasise the negative qualities associated with such characters such as
narcissism Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive preoccupation with oneself and one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Narcissism, named after the Greek mythological figure ''Narcissus'', has evolv ...
,
sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is int ...
and
promiscuity Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...
. His
catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
s are "Woof!" and "Let's do-oo-ooooo it!", while suggestively thrusting his pelvis. He commonly uses
sexual innuendo An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...
in ordinary conversation, for example, "Am I pleased to see you, or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?" Rik Mayall later recalled, "I was surprised when they asked me. Very honouring that they asked me. 'Alright,' I said, 'I'll do it, as long as I get more laughs than Rowan. The writing for Lord Flashheart seems to have been at least in part inspired by
George MacDonald Fraser George MacDonald Fraser (2 April 1925 – 2 January 2008) was a Scottish author and screenwriter. He is best known for a series of works that featured the character Harry Paget Flashman, Flashman. Over the course of his career he wrote eleven n ...
’s adaptation of
Harry Flashman Sir Harry Paget Flashman is a fictional character created by Thomas Hughes (1822–1896) in the semi-autobiographical '' Tom Brown's School Days'' (1857) and later developed by George MacDonald Fraser (1925–2008). Harry Flashman appears in a ...
. The character of
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
in '' Blackadder: Back and Forth'', also played by Mayall, is essentially another version of Flashheart, with the same personality and mannerisms. In Ben Elton's 2016 sitcom ''
Upstart Crow ''Upstart Crow'' is a British sitcom based on the life of William Shakespeare written by Ben Elton. The show premiered on 9 May 2016 on BBC Two as part of the commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Its title quotes "an ...
'',
Tim Downie Timothy Richard Downie (born 14 July 1977) is an English actor and writer. He is known for the television series '' Toast of London'', '' Outlander'' and '' Upstart Crow'', the films ''Paddington'' and ''The King's Speech'', and the video game ' ...
's character
Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe ( ; Baptism, baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), also known as Kit Marlowe, was an English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the English Renaissance theatre, Eli ...
resembles Flashheart.


Non-recurring major characters


King Richard IV of England

King Richard IV (
Brian Blessed Brian Blessed ( ; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. He portrayed PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars''; Augustus in the 1976 BBC television ...
) is the father of Prince Harry and Prince Edmund Plantagenet ("The Black Adder") and features in the first series. The character is very loosely based on the historical figure
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York (17 August 1473) was the second son of King Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville. Richard and his older brother, who briefly reigned as King Edward V of England, mysteriously disappeared shortly ...
, one of the
Princes in the Tower The Princes in the Tower refers to the mystery of the fate of the deposed King Edward V of England and his younger brother Prince Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, heirs to the throne of King Edward IV of England. The brothers were the only ...
who disappeared in 1483 (as the real-life Richard would have been approximately twelve if still alive in 1485). In the alternate chronology of ''
The Black Adder ''The Black Adder'' is the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 Ju ...
'', King
Richard III of England Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Bosw ...
(played by
Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...
) is introduced as being a "kind and thoughtful man" who cherishes his nephews (the two
princes A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in some ...
) placed into his care, in contrast to the common historical portrait of Richard III as an usurper who likely murdered the princes. Richard, Duke of York grew into "a big strong boy" (the fate of his elder brother,
Edward V of England Edward V (2 November 1470 – ) was King of England from 9 April to 25 June 1483. He succeeded his father, Edward IV, upon the latter's death. Edward V was never crowned, and his brief reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle and Lord ...
, is left unmentioned), and becomes his uncle's favourite, reflected by his being seated at the side of the king at the banquet on the eve of the
Battle of Bosworth Field The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( ) was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of House of Lancaster, Lancaster and House of York, York that extended across England in the latter half ...
, which is a victory for the
House of York The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York ...
during the
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fo ...
. Richard is crowned King Richard IV of England after Richard III is accidentally killed by Edmund, and though he by far favours Harry over Edmund, he gradually comes to appreciate Edmund as a loyal son, and is genuinely saddened by Edmund's imminent death in the final episode (unaware that Edmund had tried and failed to overthrow him). As he drinks a toast to his dying son's honour, he and the entire royal court are killed after Lord Percy poisoned the entire vat of wine in an exaggerated attempt to kill the Black Seal, a group of assassins led by Edmund's archenemy.


Gertrude of Flanders

Gertrude of
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
(
Elspet Gray Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née Gray; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, Brian Rix, and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s. ...
) is the wife of King Richard of England, Scotland and Ireland and mother of Princes
Harry Harry may refer to: Television * ''Harry'' (American TV series), 1987 comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (New Zealand TV series), 2013 crime drama starring Oscar K ...
and
Edmund Edmund is a masculine given name in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''ēad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector". Persons named Edmund include: People Kings and nobles *Ed ...
. In attitude, Gertrude is mostly distant and absent-minded. She had an affair with a Scottish
laird Laird () is a Scottish word for minor lord (or landlord) and is a designation that applies to an owner of a large, long-established Scotland, Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a Baronage of ...
, which may have resulted in Edmund's birth. She often gives Edmund unwanted advice and embarrasses him. Her character's name is never spoken in dialogue in ''Blackadder'', but appears in the credits. She is also a skilled practitioner of
witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
, which she uses to help Edmund escape execution. But she, along with her royal family, is killed in the series' finale, after drinking wine poisoned by Lord Percy.


Harry, Prince of Wales

Prince Henry "Harry" Plantagenet, Earl of March (1460–1498) ( Robert East) was a main supporting character in ''
The Black Adder ''The Black Adder'' is the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 Ju ...
'' (series 1). His Royal titles were the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
, Earl of March, Captain of the Guard, Grand Warden of the Northern and Eastern Marches, Chief Lunatic of the Duchy of Gloucester, Viceroy of Wales,
Sheriff of Nottingham 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. Robin Hood fights against him, ...
, Marquess of the Midlands, Lord Po-Maker-In-Ordinary, and Harbinger of the Doomed Rat. A member of the
House of York The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York ...
, Harry is the first son of
King Richard IV of England This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowan ...
(
Brian Blessed Brian Blessed ( ; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. He portrayed PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars''; Augustus in the 1976 BBC television ...
) and
Queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...
Gertrude of Flanders (
Elspet Gray Elspet Jean Gray, Baroness Rix (née Gray; 12 April 1929 – 18 February 2013) was a Scottish actress, who first became known for her partnership with her husband, Brian Rix, and later was cast in many television roles in the 1970s and 1980s. ...
) and great-nephew of
Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
(
Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...
). He has a younger brother (possibly his half-brother), Prince Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh (
Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles in the sitcoms ''Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and '' Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and in the film series '' Johnny English'' (2003– ...
). The first portrayal of Prince Harry in the ''Blackadder'' story world was in the
pilot episode A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
which was shot in 1982 but not broadcast until 2023. In this episode, which is set sometime during the
Elizabethan Era The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The Roman symbol of Britannia (a female ...
, Harry's character is one of two sons of the King and Queen of England. Although monarchs are not explicitly named, Harry may be intended as a fictional offspring of
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
. This version of the character was played by the actor
Robert Bathurst Robert Guy Bathurst (born 22 February 1957) is a British actor. Bathurst was born in The Gold Coast (British colony), The Gold Coast (now Ghana) in 1957, where his father was working as a management consultant. In 1959, his family moved to Ball ...
. Prince Harry made his first televised appearance (played by Robert East) in episode 1 of ''The Black Adder'', entitled "
The Foretelling "The Foretelling" is the first episode of the BBC sitcom ''The Black Adder'', the first series of the long-running comedy programme ''Blackadder''. It marks Rowan Atkinson's debut as the character Edmund Blackadder, and is the first appearance o ...
", in which the events of the first series are set up by
rewriting In mathematics, computer science, and logic, rewriting covers a wide range of methods of replacing subterms of a formula with other terms. Such methods may be achieved by rewriting systems (also known as rewrite systems, rewrite engines, or reduc ...
a period of
English history The territory today known as England became inhabited more than 800,000 years ago, as the discovery of stone tools and footprints at Happisburgh in Norfolk have indicated.; "Earliest footprints outside Africa discovered in Norfolk" (2014). B ...
and telling the story of a fictional ruling monarch who succeeds Richard III after the
Battle of Bosworth Field The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( ) was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of House of Lancaster, Lancaster and House of York, York that extended across England in the latter half ...
.


Nursie

Nursie (
Patsy Byrne Patricia Anne Thirza Byrne (13 July 1933 – 17 June 2014) was an English actress, best known for her role as "Nursie" in ''Blackadder II'' as well as Malcolm's domineering Mother, Mrs Stoneway in all seven series of the ITV comedy '' Watching ...
), real name "Bernard", appears in all six episodes of ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'' and two of the ''Blackadder'' specials; ''
Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated by ...
'' and '' Blackadder: Back & Forth''. Once Queenie's childhood
nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
, by the time of her appearances in ''Blackadder II'', Nursie is either
senile Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform everyday activities. This typically involves problems with memory, ...
or otherwise irreversibly stupid, but remains at court at the side of the Queen for unknown reasons (possibly being kept-on as a
lady's companion A lady's companion was a woman of genteel birth who lived with a woman of rank or wealth as Affinity (medieval), retainer. The term was in use in the United Kingdom from at least the 18th century to the mid-20th century but it is now archaism, arc ...
, though her continued presence at "Queenie's" side reinforces her portrayal as 'childish'), as the Queen repeatedly treats Nursie with contempt. Nursie frequently embarrasses both the Queen and herself by openly recounting tales of the Queen's childhood, prompting Queenie's standard reply of "Shut up, Nursie." She is also known for her complete non sequiturs in conversation. Lord Blackadder describes her as "a sad, insane old woman with an
udder An udder is an organ formed of two or four mammary glands on the females of dairy animals and ruminants such as cattle, goats, and sheep. An udder is equivalent to the breast in primates, elephantine pachyderms and other mammals. The udder is ...
fixation." In the series' finale episode, "Chains", she is killed by Prince Ludwig the Indestructible (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
) along with the entire main cast. In ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a vision of the future depicts her as the silliest of Queen Asphyxia XIX's triple husbandoid. Byrne later said that she was sometimes asked – in reference to a scene in the final episode of ''Blackadder II'' – whether she kept the cow costume in her wardrobe. She did not. The real life basis for Nursie was Queen Elizabeth's real governesses,
Kat Ashley Katherine Ashley (née Champernowne; – 18 July 1565), also known as Kat Ashley or Astley, was the first close friend, governess, and Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Sh ...
,
Margaret Bryan Margaret Bryan, Baroness Bryan (c. 1468 – c. 1551/52) was lady governess to the children of King Henry VIII of England, the future monarchs Mary I, Elizabeth I, and Edward VI, as well as the illegitimate Henry FitzRoy.She was also Lady Gover ...
and
Blanche Parry Blanche Parry (1507/8–12 February 1590) of Newcourt in the parish of Bacton, Herefordshire, in the Welsh Marches, was a personal attendant of Queen Elizabeth I, who held the offices of Chief Gentlewoman of the Queen's Most Honourable Privy C ...
.


Prince Ludwig the Indestructible

Prince Ludwig the Indestructible (
Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, singer, musician and writer. He first gained professional recognition as a member of the English comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Fry and Laurie act ...
) appears in "
Chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...
", the final episode of ''Blackadder II'', as the main antagonist and the final villain of the entire "Blackadder II" series. He is a
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
master of
disguise A disguise can be anything incognito which conceals one's identity or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, fake moustache, costume or other items. Camouflage is a type of disguise for people, animals and o ...
who kidnaps Lord Blackadder and Lord Melchett in 1566 and imprisons them in his dungeon under the watch of two German guards who carried out the abduction and a
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
inquisitorial co-conspirator. He had previously befriended Blackadder, Melchett and Queenie while disguised as other individuals, including Big Sally (a waitress at a pub in Dover), Fluffy (a sheep) and an unnamed stable boy. In his childhood his mother forced him to wear shorts at school. He also had dirty hair and spots. He was therefore bullied by his classmates, who gave him the nickname, "Shorty Greasy Spot-Spot". He despises the name to such an extent that he flies into a rage whenever it is mentioned in his presence. As a result, he became a power-hungry megalomaniac, determined to fulfil his goal of becoming King of England by any means necessary. Once his men capture Blackadder and Melchett, he keeps them imprisoned in a dungeon, and sends a message to Queenie, giving her a week to decide whom she will save by paying the ransom. However, when the message arrives, Ludwig reveals that Queenie has in fact decided to keep the money and hold a big party instead, much to Blackadder's shock and Ludwig's disappointment. Blackadder and Melchett soon play ball, agreeing to give Ludwig information on how to infiltrate Richmond Palace and kill Queenie. Ludwig therefore changes their original death sentences to life imprisonment. After he departs, Blackadder and Melchett soon work together to outwit his guards, travelling back to England just in time for the costume party, where Blackadder exposes Ludwig who was posing as a cow; Blackadder realised that Ludwig's cow outfit was too good, while Nursie who always went as a cow had an udder fixation. When Ludwig attempts to flee while swearing he'll exact his revenge, Blackadder informs him that he will die and be buried, and throws a dagger at Ludwig that presumably either kills or wounds him off-screen, as the rest of the group celebrate the fact that Ludwig has been defeated. However, after the end credits have aired, it is revealed that Ludwig has resurfaced and, now disguised as Queenie after murdering her, has gone on to kill the entire main cast by using a dagger to cut their throats although it is implied that he broke Blackadder's neck or strangled or suffocated Melchett. Ludwig is regarded as the most serious villain in the Blackadder franchise, having successfully murdered the main cast as well as being the only villain in the series not to have been killed off or even brought to justice for the crimes he committed. From a real-world point of view, this is part of Hugh Laurie's continuous set of appearances in ''Blackadder'', but the last of those in which he is only credited as a guest actor, Laurie having made his debut appearance in the previous Blackadder II episode, "Beer" as Simon Partridge or "Farters Parters" and "Mr. Ostrich", a drunk. He remains one of two actors in the Blackadder series to have played two completely different characters in the same series, ''Blackadder II'' (the other being Rowan Atkinson himself, who played Mr. E. Blackadder and his Scottish cousin MacAdder in the ''Blackadder the Third'' series finale episode, "Duel and Duality"). Laurie was the first to do so, with Atkinson second. Laurie would later join the main cast for ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth''; possibly, they all share a common ancestor. (Lt. George had a German uncle, so this is not out of the question.)


Mrs Miggins

Mrs Miggins (
Helen Atkinson-Wood Helen Atkinson-Wood (born 14 March 1955) is an English actress and comedian born in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. She studied fine art at the Ruskin School, Oxford University, where she performed with Rowan Atkinson (no relation). She also perfo ...
) plays a supporting role in ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
''. In ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'', Mrs Miggins is referred to as a pie shop owner, but never appears. In the
third series Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', i.e., the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system Places * 3rd Street (dis ...
, Mrs Miggins plays a major role and appears in all episodes. She now owns a coffee shop that
Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitcoms - ''The Black Adder'', ''Blackadder II'', ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' - plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC1 from 19 ...
visits regularly. In the final episode, she runs off with Blackadder's Scottish cousin, MacAdder. Mrs Miggins is also briefly referenced in the final episode of ''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
'', when George suggests they could pass the time by singing along to "
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
hits", one of them being "Whoops Mrs Miggins, you're sitting on my artichokes!"


Minor characters

*Lord Angus (
Valentine Dyall Valentine Dyall (7 May 1908 – 24 June 1985) was an English character actor. He worked regularly as a voice actor, and was known for many years as "The Man in Black", the narrator of the BBC Radio horror series '' Appointment with Fear'' ...
) – (" Witchsmeller Pursuivant") *Anon (
Mark Arden Mark David Darwin Arden (born 31 July 1956) is a British comedian and actor, best known for his television appearances. During the 1980s, he was one half of comic double act 'The Oblivion Boys', alongside Stephen Frost. Arden was born in Newb ...
) – a guard at the Royal Palace, along with Soft. (" Witchsmeller Pursuivant", " The Black Seal") *Tally Applebottom ( Jane Freeman) – a
peasant A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasan ...
with an apparent inability to stop laughing madly, she very nearly committed
bigamy In a culture where only monogamous relationships are legally recognized, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their mar ...
with Prince Edmund. ("
The Queen of Spain's Beard "The Queen of Spain's Beard" is the fourth episode of season one in ''The Black Adder'', a BBC's historical comedy franchise. Set in England, during a fictional historical era of the late 15th-century, the episode parodies the practice of inte ...
") *Thomas Applebottom (
Howard Lew Lewis Howard Lew Lewis (21 August 1941 – 20 January 2018) (born Howard R. Lewis) was an English comedian and actor, best known for his roles in comedy series including ''Maid Marian and Her Merry Men'', ''Brush Strokes'' and ''Chelmsford 123'' ...
) – Tally Applebottom's husband. He was not happy that
Prince Edmund Prince Edmund may refer to: *Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York (1341–1402), the fifth son of Edward III of England * Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset, son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York *Prince Edmund Batthyany-Strattmann (1826–1 ...
was attempting to marry his wife. He also appears in the prologue of "Witchsmeller Pursuivant" in which he dies of the Black Death. ("
The Queen of Spain's Beard "The Queen of Spain's Beard" is the fourth episode of season one in ''The Black Adder'', a BBC's historical comedy franchise. Set in England, during a fictional historical era of the late 15th-century, the episode parodies the practice of inte ...
", " Witchsmeller Pursuivant") *Tom the Balladeer (
Tony Aitken Tony Aitken (born 20 June 1946) is an English actor, known for playing a variety of parts in popular television programmes. He attended Belmont Abbey School, Hereford, 1959–64. He was active in the amateur dramatic society, appearing in many ...
) – a
minstrel A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. The term originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist enter ...
who sings songs about the continued failures of Lord Edmund Blackadder (Elizabethan). Other than a brief scene in "
Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
", the minstrel appeared only in the closing credits of each episode of ''Blackadder II'', in the first episodes he annoys Blackadder, and gets hunted in the later episodes. In one episode, the minstrel appeared before Blackadder (coincidentally, the same one in which he had a brief appearance). In the last episode, Blackadder caught the minstrel and possibly drowned him. (''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
'') *Beadle and the Enormous Orphans – Beadle, an orphan master (
Denis Lill Denis Lill (born 22 April 1942) is a New Zealand-born British actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Survivors'' as Charles Vaughan, ''Only Fools and Horses'' as Alan Parry, '' Outside Edge'' as Dennis Broadley and as Consultant General Su ...
) and his enormous orphans (David Barber,
Erkan Mustafa Erkan Mustafa (born 14 May 1970) is a British actor and television presenter of Turkish Cypriot descent, most noted for the part of Roland Browning in ''Grange Hill'' (BBC 1982–1987). Other parts include "Enormous Orphan" in '' Blackadder's ...
and David Nunn) appear in the Christmas special ''
Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated by ...
''. Despite claiming to be poor, all three of the orphans are actually morbidly obese. They are, in fact, so fat that they must push and shove each other in order to all fit into a room, with Blackadder remarking that he is always afraid of "bursting one of them and getting showered in two dozen semi-digested pies." *Friar Bellows (
Paul Brooke Paul Brooke (born 22 November 1944) is a retired English actor. He made his film debut in 1972 in the Hammer film '' Straight on till Morning'', followed by performances in '' For Your Eyes Only'' (1981), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Scanda ...
) – a member of The Black Seal and the
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
, Friar Bellows' godliness was somewhat less than complete given his fondness for
fornication Fornication generally refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people who are not married to each other. When a married person has consensual sexual relations with one or more partners whom they are not married to, it is called adu ...
and murder. ("The Black Seal") *Ivor "Jest Ye Not Madam" Biggun (
Geoffrey McGivern Geoffrey M. McGivern is a British actor in film, television, radio and stage, as well as a comedian. He is best known for originating the role of Ford Prefect in ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Career He played Ford Prefect in the ...
) – a politician who participated in the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election in "
Dish and Dishonesty ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
", standing for the ''Standing at the Back Dressed Stupidly and Looking Stupid Party'' (an early frivolous party and a parody of the
Official Monster Raving Loony Party The Official Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP) is a political party established in the United Kingdom in 1982 by the musician David Sutch, also known as Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow, or simply Lord Sutch. It is notable for its de ...
). Biggun loses the election to
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
, but, unlike the others, takes his defeat jovially, saying that: ''"if you can't laugh, what can you do?"''. His party's policies included: ''"the compulsory serving of
asparagus Asparagus (''Asparagus officinalis'') is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus (genus), Asparagus'' native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. Description ...
at breakfast, free
corset A corset /ˈkɔːrsɪt/ is a support garment worn to constrict the torso into the desired shape and Posture correction, posture. They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of Baleen, whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in th ...
s for the under-fives, and the abolition of slavery"'', the last of which was apparently added "for a joke". * The baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells (
Ronald Lacey Ronald William Lacey (28 September 1935 – 15 May 1991) was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30-year period. His roles included Harris in ''Porridge'' (1977), Frankie in the Bud Spencer comedy '' ...
) is an enforcer for a loan-sharking operation, The Bank of the Black Monks, in the second-series episode "
Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
". Blackadder owes him and the bank £1,000, and when Blackadder cannot afford to pay, the bishop threatens to shove a hot poker into his rectum. Blackadder drugs the bishop and blackmails him by having the bishop sketched in bed with Lord Percy. * Brigadier General Horace Bolsom (Geoffrey Palmer) – a candidate for the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election in "
Dish and Dishonesty ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
", standing for the ''Keep Royalty White, Rat Catching and Safe Sewage Residents Party''. Possibly a parody of Lieutenant Commander
Bill Boaks Lieutenant Commander William George Boaks (25 May 1904 – 4 April 1986) was a British Royal Navy officer who became a political campaigner for road safety. A pioneer of British eccentric political campaigning, he jointly held the record for ...
, a regular by-election candidate on a Public Safety, Democratic Monarchist and White Resident ticket. *Philip of Burgundy aka "The
Hawk Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are very widely distributed and are found on all continents, except Antarctica. The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and others. This ...
/
Thrush Thrush may refer to: Birds * Thrush (bird), any of the birds in the family Turdidae ** List of thrush species * Antthrushes, the Formicariidae family of birds * Dohrn's warbler, or Dohrn's thrush-babbler, a species ''Sylvia dohrni'' in the famil ...
" (
Patrick Allen Patrick Allen may refer to: * Patrick Allen (actor) (1927–2006), British actor * Patrick Allen (music educator) (born 1955), English author * Patrick Allen (American football) (1961–2021), American football player * Patrick Allen (bowler) (born ...
) – The deadly childhood rival of Prince Edmund, he was known to his enemies as "The Hawk" (or, when a child, "The Thrush"). Philip managed to wrest control of The Black Seal away from Edmund, leading to Edmund's hideously violent but amusing death on a bizarre torture device, the "amusing" part coming from the feathers used to tickle Edmund under "what's left of isarms". Philip was poisoned by Baldrick and Percy along with the members of The Black Seal. ("The Black Seal") *Sir Talbot Buxomly MP (
Denis Lill Denis Lill (born 22 April 1942) is a New Zealand-born British actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Survivors'' as Charles Vaughan, ''Only Fools and Horses'' as Alan Parry, '' Outside Edge'' as Dennis Broadley and as Consultant General Su ...
) – Member of Parliament for the village of Dunny-on-the-Wold in
Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...
, who was recruited by Mr. E. Blackadder and
the Prince Regent George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
in the ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'' episode "
Dish and Dishonesty ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
" to prevent the Prince Regent from being removed from the Civil List in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
, but soon died as he sat on a chair while meeting the Prince, and left his seat open for a by-election in Dunny-on-the-Wold. *Cain & Abel (
Bert Parnaby James Bertram "Bert" Parnaby (4 March 1924 – 30 July 1992) was a British actor who was notable for a string of TV and Film roles from the 1960s through the 1980s. His TV roles included performances in ''Blackadder'', ''By the Sword Divided' ...
&
Roy Evans Roy Quentin Echlin Evans (born 4 October 1948) is an English former footballer who played as a defender for Liverpool, where he also had a spell as manager. Aside from his time at Liverpool, he had a short spell in the United States; and also ...
) – A pair of
peasants A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising f ...
with a great admiration for a faceful of
manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the fertility of soil by adding organic matter and nut ...
. ("
The Archbishop "The Archbishop" is the third episode of the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'' (''The Black Adder''). It is set in Kingdom of England, England in the late 15th century, and follows the exploits of the fictitious Prince Edmund (Blacka ...
", " Witchsmeller Pursuivant", " The Black Seal") *Lord Chiswick (
Stephen Tate Stephen Tate is a British actor and musical theatre artist. Career Television He is possibly best known for his recurring role as Alan in the 1970s television drama ''Survivors'' and as Dick Meyer in the 1980s comedy drama '' Big Deal'' alongs ...
) – a courtier to
King Richard IV of England This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowan ...
. His most significant function appeared to be keeping the King supplied with fresh horses, although he did occasionally curb his master's fiery temper. *Cordelia (
Gretchen Franklin Gretchen Franklin (7 July 1911 – 11 July 2005) was an English actress and dancer with a career in show business spanning over 70 years. She played Ethel Skinner in the long-running BBC 1 soap opera ''EastEnders'' on a regular basis from 198 ...
) – one of a triad of three haggard witches. Named Goneril, Regan and Cordelia after
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
's daughters, they foretell that Edmund shall become king, despite him referring to them as "hideous crones", "loathsome drabs" and "snaggle-toothed vultures". It is only after he leaves that they realise they have mixed him up with Henry Tudor. They appear to make this mistake frequently. The witches appeared in the episode, "
The Foretelling "The Foretelling" is the first episode of the BBC sitcom ''The Black Adder'', the first series of the long-running comedy programme ''Blackadder''. It marks Rowan Atkinson's debut as the character Edmund Blackadder, and is the first appearance o ...
". *Sir Justin de Boinod (
Bill Wallis William Wallis (20 November 1936 – 6 September 2013) was an English actor who appeared in numerous radio and television roles, as well as in the theatre. Early life Wallis was born in Guildford in Surrey, the only son of Albert Wallis, a trai ...
) – an English
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
of
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
descent freshly returned from
the Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
, he and his drunken colleague Sir George de Boeuf attempted to murder Edmund Plantagenet,
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
after misunderstanding the King. However, they failed to fully replicate the murder of
Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then as Archbishop of Canterbury fr ...
and Edmund was merely
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
. ("
The Archbishop "The Archbishop" is the third episode of the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'' (''The Black Adder''). It is set in Kingdom of England, England in the late 15th century, and follows the exploits of the fictitious Prince Edmund (Blacka ...
") *Sir George de Boeuf (David Delve) – one of the two knights involved in the failed
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of Prince Edmund during his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury. ("
The Archbishop "The Archbishop" is the third episode of the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'' (''The Black Adder''). It is set in Kingdom of England, England in the late 15th century, and follows the exploits of the fictitious Prince Edmund (Blacka ...
") *Maria Escalosa, Infanta of Spain (
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
) –
Infanta Infante (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as "infant" or translated as "prince", is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to the ...
of Spain, Maria Escalosa was briefly engaged to Prince Edmund following an
arranged marriage Arranged marriage is a type of Marriage, marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures, a professional matchmaki ...
by the King for his own political gains. Expecting a ravishing Royal princess, Edmund was rather disappointed to discover she did not quite accord with his mental picture, being short and fat. *Nurse Mary Fletcher-Brown (
Miranda Richardson Miranda Jane Richardson (born 3 March 1958) is an English actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. After graduating from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Richardson began her career in 1979 and made her West End theatre, West ...
) – appears in the ''
Blackadder Goes Forth ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One, BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Captain B ...
'' episode "General Hospital". Like Amy Hardwood in ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
'', she has a "''fluffy bunny act''", (her bedside manner), but is really a highly intelligent
cynic Cynic or Cynicism may refer to: Modes of thought * Cynicism (philosophy), a school of ancient Greek philosophy * Cynicism (contemporary), modern use of the word for distrust of others' motives Books * ''The Cynic'', an 1875 book by James Gordon ...
. Though Prince George was originally disgusted by Amy's stupid act, his descendant Lieutenant George thinks Nurse Mary is "''an absolute peach,''" and appears to be regressing to the nursery under her care. She had a brief fling with
Captain Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Briti ...
, but this time it was he who was leading her on, suspecting her of being a German
spy Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ''e ...
and eventually exposing her (calling her "''Nurse Fleischer-Baum''") with three few-supposed facts. She was sent to be executed by firing squad, but when Blackadder learns that the real source of information being leaked to the Germans was an unwitting Lieutenant George (because of inter-familial relationships between British and German aristocrats), he rushes after her, and it is unclear as to whether or not she survives. *Le Comte de Frou Frou (
Tim McInnerny Timothy L. McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is a British actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Kevin Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''. Early life McInner ...
) – an apparently
fop ''Fop'' was a pejorative term for a man excessively concerned with his appearance and clothes in 17th-century England. Some of the many similar alternative terms are: ''coxcomb'', ''fribble'', ''popinjay'' (meaning 'parrot'), ''dandy'', ''fas ...
pish, disgruntled, homesick French
aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...
in ''
Blackadder the Third ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
''. The character was forced to flee his home country for England, in order to escape the French Revolution. He was later revealed to be a disguise adopted by Prince George's friend Lord Topper, alias one half of the
Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with her husband Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in Lo ...
. *Mad Gerald (
Rik Mayall Richard Michael Mayall (; 7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Adrian Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and was a pioneer of alternative come ...
) – a one-time cellmate of Prince Edmund whilst the latter was waiting to be eaten alive by
snails A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gas ...
, he had two friends: Mr
Rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
and Mr Key, which Gerald made from his own teeth (" The Black Seal"). Actor Rik Mayall later returned as Lord Flashheart in ''
Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–160 ...
s " Bells", as Squadron Commander The Lord Flashheart in Blackadder Goes Forth's "
Private Plane "Private Plane", or "Plan D: Private Plane", is the fourth episode of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder''. Plot The episode begins with an ongoing artillery attack that is disturbing Blackadder's rest, ...
" and as
Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
in '' Blackadder: Back & Forth''. *Goneril (Kathleen St John) – one of a triad of three haggard witches, modelled on the witches from Macbeth. Named Goneril, Regan and Cordelia after
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
's daughters, they foretell that Edmund shall become king, despite him referring to them as "hideous crones", "loathsome drabs" and "snaggle-toothed vultures". It is only after he leaves that they realise they have mixed him up with Henry Tudor (i.e. the genuine
Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...
). They appear to make this mistake frequently. The witches appeared in the episode, "The Foretelling". *Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig (
Geoffrey Palmer Geoffrey Palmer may refer to: Politicians *Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1st Baronet (1598–1670), English lawyer and politician *Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 3rd Baronet (1655–1732), English politician, member of parliament (MP) for Leicestershire *Geoffrey Pal ...
) – A caricature of the historic
Douglas Haig Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army. During the First World War he commanded the British Expeditionary F ...
. The hard-nosed leader of the British Army during the First World War, Haig is portrayed as an old comrade of Captain Blackadder whom Blackadder saved from a "pygmy woman with the sharpened mango" at the Battle of Mboto Gorge during a Victorian colonial war. He is portrayed as having a similar disregard for his men's lives as General Melchett, and his best advice for Blackadder to escape the final push was to stick two pencils up his nose and his underpants on his head so that he would be classed as insane and sent home, a plan which Blackadder had already tried - "The phrase rhymes with clucking bell.". *Amy Hardwood (
Miranda Richardson Miranda Jane Richardson (born 3 March 1958) is an English actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. After graduating from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Richardson began her career in 1979 and made her West End theatre, West ...
) – chosen by Mr. E. Blackadder Esq. to be the bride of his master, the
Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...
, due to his belief that her father, a bad-tempered northern
industrialist A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...
, was extremely rich. However, upon the discovery that Mr. Hardwood wished his daughter to marry the prince for ''his'' money, Blackadder called it off, realising the Hardwoods were impoverished. She is later revealed as a highwayman, the Shadow. *Keanrick and Mossop (
Hugh Paddick Hugh William Paddick (22 August 1915 – 9 November 2000) was an English actor. He starred in the 1960s BBC radio show ''Round the Horne'', performing in sketches such as "Charles and Fiona" (as Charles) and " Julian and Sandy" (as Julian). He an ...
and
Kenneth Connor Kenneth Connor (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London, t ...
) – two actors who run a local theatre that Prince George frequents. Despite their flamboyant, over the top and unconvincing style of acting, George loves their performances, although he can never understand that they are not real. His butler, Mr. E. Blackadder Esq., is not as interested in their performances. *Kate's Father (
Edward Jewesbury Reginald Edward Oliphant Jewesbury (6 August 1917 – 31 March 2001) was an English actor, notable for his film, stage and television work, and as a member of the Renaissance Theatre Company. In 1982, he appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Comp ...
) – the father of "
Bob Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: People, fictional characters, and named animals *Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Bob (surname) * Bob (dog), a dog that received the Dickin Medal for bravery in World War II * Bob t ...
", or rather Kate. As he had grown too old to support himself and his daughter, he was in favour of the idea of Kate becoming a
prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
. Instead, she decided to go to London, disguise herself as a boy, and seek her fortune. ("Bells") *Jack Large (
Big Mick "Big" Mick Hughes (born 1960) is the British live audio engineer for Metallica, a position he has held since 1984. He had to miss the 2021 shows due to post-COVID-19 travel restrictions and was replaced as FOH engineer by Greg Price who continu ...
) – also known as Unspeakably Violent Jack, the
Bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not Castration, castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e. cows proper), bulls have long been an important symbol cattle in r ...
- Buggering, Priest-
Killer A killer is someone or something that kills, such as a murderer or a serial killer. Killer may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Killer, the secondary antagonist of the 1989 animated film ''All Dogs Go to He ...
of No Fixed Abode, his fearsome reputation was somewhat undermined by his being somewhat less than five-foot tall. Jack was a member of The Black Seal and died after being poisoned by Baldrick and Percy. (" The Black Seal") *Princess Leia of Hungary (Natasha King) – In 1492, at the age of eight, she married the show's central character,
Prince Edmund Prince Edmund may refer to: *Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York (1341–1402), the fifth son of Edward III of England * Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset, son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York *Prince Edmund Batthyany-Strattmann (1826–1 ...
, although she was originally betrothed to his brother, Prince Harry. A last-minute complication had changed matters, and Edmund was married to Leia instead of his original fiancée, Maria Escalosa, the Spanish Infanta (played by
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
). Three years later, Leia seemed uncomprehending or unconcerned at the prospect of her husband being burned as a
witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...
. *Reverend Lloyd ( John Rapley) – The priest who nearly bigamously married Prince Edmund to Tally Applebottom via rather violent persuasion by Baldrick. Tally Applebottom's husband
Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...
made a well-timed interruption of the ceremony, accompanied by a large
scythe A scythe (, rhyming with ''writhe'') is an agriculture, agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or Harvest, harvesting Crop, crops. It was historically used to cut down or reaping, reap edible grain, grains before they underwent the process of ...
. ("
The Queen of Spain's Beard "The Queen of Spain's Beard" is the fourth episode of season one in ''The Black Adder'', a BBC's historical comedy franchise. Set in England, during a fictional historical era of the late 15th-century, the episode parodies the practice of inte ...
") *MacAdder (Rowan Atkinson) – The nearly identical — though red-haired — Scottish cousin of Mr. E. Blackadder Esq. He is known as being the "most dangerous man ever to wear a skirt in Europe". He believes he is rightful king of England and plans to incite rebellion, meaning his cousin is very frustrated with him. He is apparently a skilled swordsman, but also a kipper salesman and married to a woman named Morag back in Scotland though he initiates in an affair with
Mrs. Miggins This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowan ...
. He had two children; a boy named Jamie, and girl named Angus (instead of Agnes). Mr. Edmund Blackadder Esq. wants him to take his place in the duel with the Iron Duke of Wellington to which MacAdder replies: "Why don't I take the place of the Duke of Wellington and kill the prince?" Edmund Blackadder tells MacAdder that if he does this he will incur the wrath of the bailiffs. MacAdder thereby declines and leaves for Scotland with Miggins, foiling Blackadder's plan. *Dougal MacAngus, 4th Duke of Argyll (
Alex Norton Alex Norton is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as DCI Matt Burke in the STV detective drama series ''Taggart'', Eric Baird in BBC Two sitcom '' Two Doors Down'', DCS Wallace in '' Extremely Dangerous'', Gerard Findlay in '' Waterlo ...
) – The character appears in the episode " Born to Be King". He is Supreme Commander of the King's Army and the Fourth
Duke of Argyll Duke of Argyll () is a title created in the peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The earls, marquesses, and dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful noble families in Scotlan ...
. Upon his return from a
crusade The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
against the
Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic lang ...
, he is rewarded for his bravery with
Prince Edmund Prince Edmund may refer to: *Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York (1341–1402), the fifth son of Edward III of England * Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset, son of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York *Prince Edmund Batthyany-Strattmann (1826–1 ...
's Scottish lands. Enraged, Edmund schemes to have him stabbed on stage during the entertainment. *Messenger (David Nunn) – The character is presented as being clumsy and unintelligent and speaks with a strong
estuary English Estuary English is an English accent, continuum of accents, or continuum of accent features associated with the area along the River Thames and its estuary, including London, since the late 20th century. In 2000, the phonetician John C. We ...
accent. Each time the Messenger appears he enters a room and announces "My Lord, news!". In ''The Queen of Spain's Beard'', he is one of three messengers bearing news about various European nobility, announcing "Lord Wessex is dead!". King Richard's retort, "I like not this news! Bring me some other news!" is based on a line from Shakespeare's
Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
Act 4 Scene 4 in which Richard says, "There, take thou that till thou bring better news," after hearing bad news from a messenger. The Blackadder Messenger is also prone to a kind of compulsive
mimicry In evolutionary biology, mimicry is an evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species. Mimicry may evolve between different species, or between individuals of the same species. In the simples ...
, mirroring Prince Edmund's movements. *Millicent (
Nicola Bryant Nicola Jane Bryant (born 11 October 1960)England & Wales Birth ...
) is Blackadder's rich, spoilt-rotten goddaughter in the Christmas special ''
Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated by ...
''. She wears a ridiculously large
bonnet A bonnet is a variety of headgear, hat or cap. Specific types of headgear referred to as "bonnets" may include Native American *War bonnet, feathered headgear worn as an earned military decoration by high-ranking Plains Indians United King ...
with a feather and has a piercing cackle of a laugh that forces Blackadder to wear a pair of earmuffs. *William Pitt the Younger (Simon Osbourne) - A caricature of the historic
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt (28 May 1759 – 23 January 1806) was a British statesman who served as the last prime minister of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1783 until the Acts of Union 1800, and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, p ...
, the youngest man ever to become British Prime Minister. Pitt the Younger is portrayed in "
Dish and Dishonesty ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
" as a priggish and self-righteous teenager who has come to power "right in the middle of my exams". Pitt schemes to bankrupt Prince George while also struggling with
puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a female, the testicles i ...
. Possibly also a parody of the future Conservative Party leader and Foreign Secretary
William Hague William Jefferson Hague, Baron Hague of Richmond (born 26 March 1961) is a British politician and life peer who was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1997 to 2001 and Deputy Leader from 2005 to 2010. He was th ...
, who first made the national news at the age of 16 when he addressed the Conservatives at their 1977 Annual National Conference. *Master William Pitt the Even Younger was the fictional younger brother of
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt (28 May 1759 – 23 January 1806) was a British statesman who served as the last prime minister of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1783 until the Acts of Union 1800, and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, p ...
who took part in the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election in "
Dish and Dishonesty ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
", as a representative of the Whigs. Pitt the Even Younger was put up as a candidate against Baldrick by his older brother, Pitt the Younger, but the announcement was welcomed with only sarcasm, and Mr. E. Blackadder Esq. began to ask the name of the candidate, including names such as: Pitt the Toddler, Pitt the Embryo, and Pitt the Glint in the Milkman's Eye, poking fun at Pitt the Younger's
adolescence Adolescence () is a transitional stage of human Developmental biology, physical and psychological Human development (biology), development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age o ...
. *Queen Victoria (
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
) and Prince Albert (
Jim Broadbent James Broadbent (born 24 May 1949) is an English actor. A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 1972, he came to prominence as a character actor for his many roles in film and television. He has received various accolades ...
) are two main characters in the Christmas special ''
Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated by ...
''. Victoria, while portrayed as being quite small and fat, with Blackadder remarking that she is "the winner of "the round Britain's shortest, fattest, dumpiest woman" competition," is not portrayed in a similar way to Queenie, being portrayed instead as kind-hearted and pleasant, with her favourite Christmas habit being going out posing as common folk with Albert to determine and reward the virtuous. Albert, meanwhile, is portrayed as somewhat dim-witted, being unable to keep secrets, thus causing him to inadvertently reveal his wife's surprise presents, and having a thick German accent. *King Richard III of England (
Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...
) is a fictionalised version of the real
Richard III of England Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Bosw ...
. The series' first episode, "
The Foretelling "The Foretelling" is the first episode of the BBC sitcom ''The Black Adder'', the first series of the long-running comedy programme ''Blackadder''. It marks Rowan Atkinson's debut as the character Edmund Blackadder, and is the first appearance o ...
", explains that King Richard III was actually a kind, benevolent ruler who doted on his nephews, and that his popular image as a murderous usurper is based on lies spread by his rival, Henry Tudor. *Captain Redbeard Rum (
Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is best known for having played the Fourth Doctor, fourth and longest-serving incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction television ...
) – A deranged seafarer who claims to have had his legs "sliced clean off by a falling
sail A sail is a tensile structure, which is made from fabric or other membrane materials, that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may b ...
, and swept into the sea before yvery eyes" and possesses "a beard you could lose a
badger Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...
in". Rum is the sole captain with, according to
Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; – 29 October 1618) was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer. One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, he played a leading part in English colonisation of North America, suppressed rebellio ...
, few enough marbles to aid Blackadder in his trip around the Cape of Good Hope, and hence captains Blackadder's voyage of discovery – a trip that was intended to be little more than to France and back, but somehow ends up in Australia. Unlike the average seafarer, Rum actually seems to prefer drinking his own
urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder and exits the urethra through the penile meatus (mal ...
to water. Percy notes that Rum began doing so before the water ran out. *Mrs. Scratchit (
Pauline Melville Pauline Melville FRSL (born 1948) is an English-Guyanese writer and former actress of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry, who is currently based in London, England. Among awards she has received for her writing – which encompasses short sto ...
) is a woman who appears in ''
Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated by ...
''. While seemingly a weak and sweet-natured woman, she is actually a very greedy con artist who has a "crippled" son called Tiny Tom, who is, in fact, morbidly obese (weighing fifteen stone and is "built like a brick privy".) She starts off swindling £17 off Blackadder in return for seventeen matchsticks, claiming it is needed to feed herself and her family, claiming they are too poor to afford any meals, apart from "what Grandfather can scrape from under his big toenail." *Lord Smedley (
Nigel Planer Nigel George Planer (born 22 February 1953) is a British actor, writer and musician. His television credits include playing Neil in the sitcom '' The Young Ones'' and Ralph Filthy in the sitcom '' Filthy Rich & Catflap'', as well as narrating th ...
) – An extremely annoying friend of
George George may refer to: Names * George (given name) * George (surname) People * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Papagheorghe, also known as Jorge / GEØRGE * George, stage name of Gior ...
and one half of the
Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with her husband Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in Lo ...
, the other half being his friend, Lord Topper. He is killed by a suicide pill given to him by Blackadder when he is disguised as Madame
Guillotine A guillotine ( ) is an apparatus designed for effectively carrying out executions by Decapitation, beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secur ...
in order to rescue him and Baldrick. ("
Nob and Nobility ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
") *Brigadier Sir Bernard Proudfoot Smith (
Bill Wallis William Wallis (20 November 1936 – 6 September 2013) was an English actor who appeared in numerous radio and television roles, as well as in the theatre. Early life Wallis was born in Guildford in Surrey, the only son of Albert Wallis, a trai ...
) – A patient with thick German accent at the hospital in the fourth series episode "
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera created by Frank and Doris Hursley which has been broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC since April 1, 1963. Originally a half-hour seria ...
." Captain Darling thinks he is the German spy, but he is revealed at the end of the episode to be the finest spy in British Army, who picked up "a teensy-veensy bit" of an accent while working long-term undercover in Germany. *Baron von Richthoven (
Ade Edmondson Adrian Charles Edmondson (born 24 January 1957) is an English actor, comedian, musician, writer and television presenter. Part of the alternative comedy boom in the early 1980s, he and his comedy partner Rik Mayall starred in the television sit ...
) – A German Flying ace who imprisons Blackadder behind enemy lines in the season four episode. ("
Private Plane "Private Plane", or "Plan D: Private Plane", is the fourth episode of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder''. Plot The episode begins with an ongoing artillery attack that is disturbing Blackadder's rest, ...
") *Lord Topper (
Tim McInnerny Timothy L. McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is a British actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Kevin Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''. Early life McInner ...
) – An extremely irritating friend of Prince George, he is offered the chance to go and rescue a French aristocrat by Blackadder but he refuses. He then disguises himself as Le Comte de Frou Frou and is "rescued" by Blackadder and
Baldrick Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series ''Blackadder''. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil and arguably the best friend ...
. After being captured by an evil revolutionary (
Chris Barrie Chris Barrie (born Christopher Jonathan Brown; 28 March 1960) is a British actor and comedian. He worked as a vocal impressionist on the ITV sketch show '' Spitting Image'' (1984–1996) and as Lara Croft's butler Hillary in '' Lara Croft: ...
) and escaping, he reveals himself to be Topper and, coincidentally, one half of the
Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with her husband Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in Lo ...
, the other half being his friend, Lord Smedley, who had already been killed by a suicide pill given to him by Blackadder. When he is about to tell George the truth about his "rescue", he is also killed the same way as Smedley, Blackadder slipping a suicide pill into his wine. ("
Nob and Nobility ''Blackadder the Third'' is the third series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired on BBC1 from 17 September to 22 October 1987. The series is set during the Georgian Era, and sees the principal ch ...
") *Nathaniel, Lord Whiteadder (Daniel Thorndike) and Lady Whiteadder (
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
) are Blackadder's
Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should b ...
ical aunt and uncle in the episode
Beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...
. Blackadder describes them as "the most fanatical Puritans in England" and is pleased to get a message that they are coming to his house to discuss their "whopping great inheritance." Blackadder's meeting with them coincides with a drinking competition Melchett and some friends have challenged him to. He is, therefore, forced to hold the two dinners in separate rooms. Despite his infamous Puritanism, he secretly breaks his vow of silence to thank Blackadder for a fantastic evening (following mishaps involving a phallic turnip, a drunken Edmund and Percy (who he believes to be a jester).) *The Wise Woman (Barbara Miller) – A "deranged
druid A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. The druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no wr ...
" (according to Blackadder) who Baldrick habitually used to cure medical complaints. Out of desperation, Blackadder decided to brave the "
swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
y wilderness" of
Putney Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ...
and seek her counsel to cure him of his "
homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...
" when he found himself attracted to "
Bob Bob, BOB, or B.O.B. may refer to: People, fictional characters, and named animals *Bob (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Bob (surname) * Bob (dog), a dog that received the Dickin Medal for bravery in World War II * Bob t ...
". She recommends Blackadder sleep with "him", as that is what she tends to do with people she is attracted to — although she has to drug them first, due to her being "so old and warty". Her subsequent alternative solutions are met with equal disdain; Blackadder vehemently refuses to kill 'Bob', declines the suggestion to kill himself, and treats the solution of killing everybody in the whole world — thus preventing anyone from learning his secret — with disdain. (" Bells") *The Witchsmeller Pursuivant (
Frank Finlay Francis Finlay, (6 August 1926 – 30 January 2016) was an English actor. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Iago in ''Othello'' (1965). His first leading television role came in 1971 in '' Casanova''.
) – During the episode " Witchsmeller Pursuivant", plague breaks out and reports of strange and unexplained phenomena, such as "two women claiming to have been raped by a fish", abound. The council of Lords recommends that "The Witchsmeller Pursuivant" be sent for, in order to track down and eliminate the presumed cause of the ill omens. After Edmund mocks the Witchsmeller by referring to him as "Old Big-nose", the Witchsmeller tricks Edmund into incriminating himself as a witch. During the ensuing trial, Edmund, Percy and Baldrick are found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to be burned at the stake. However, the Queen provides Edmund with an apparent voodoo-doll of the Witchsmeller, which falls into the fire when Edmund is about to be burned, resulting in the Witchsmeller dying himself and Edmund being apparently cleared.


References

{{Blackadder
Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitcoms - ''The Black Adder'', ''Blackadder II'', ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' - plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC1 from 19 ...
Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitcoms - ''The Black Adder'', ''Blackadder II'', ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' - plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC1 from 19 ...
Blackadder characters