Mattimeo
Matthias Methuselah Mortimer, better known as simply Mattimeo or Matti, was a male mouse Abbey Champion of Redwall Abbey. He was the son of Matthias and Cornflower, grandson of Mr. Fieldmouse and Mrs. Fieldmouse, husband of Tess Churchmouse, son-in-law of John Churchmouse and Mrs. Churchmouse, brother-in-law of Tim Churchmouse, and the father of Martin II at Redwall Abbey. He was named after his father, Brother Methuselah, and Abbot Mortimer.
Mattimeo was born one year (likely one season) after the Late Rose Summer Wars, during the Summer of the Talking Squirrel. He was mischievous and considered to be spoiled in his youth. He damaged Friar Hugo's tablecloth, and frequently fought with Vitch, who was visiting the Abbey. These acts worried the Redwallers as they believed he would succeed his father as Abbey Warrior. Mattimeo was the only Abbey resident who thought there was something was amiss about Vitch. They disliked each other and later became enemies.
During the Abbey's summer feast, Slagar the Cruel entered Redwall under the guise of a traveling entertainer and kidnapped Mattimeo, Sam Squirrel, Cynthia Bankvole, and Tim and Tess Churchmouse, taking them south with the rest of the slaves he had captured. The slaves were chained together, forced into silence, and beat by brutal slave drivers. Slagar later revealed his true identity, Chickenhound, to Mattimeo, claiming that the Redwallers had "imprisoned" him in the Infirmary, though Mattimeo tried to explain the actual events that occurred.
Mattimeo was tormented by Vitch, who was actually a tiny rat member of Slagar's gang. The band was pursued by Matthias, Basil Stag Hare, Orlando the Axe, Jess Squirrel, and Cheek. During the journey, Mattimeo matured from a spoiled young mouse into a more responsible adult. Eventually, Mattimeo and his fellow slaves escaped and hid in a river, breathing underwater through reeds. Unfortunately, they were once again captured by Slagar and their nearby parents were sealed in a cave by the fox.
Slagar brought Mattimeo and the others to the Kingdom of Malkariss and gave them to Malkariss as slaves. The Redwallers told Nadaz openly that they refused to build Malkariss' kingdom, so they were locked inside of a cell.
Matthias and company were freed by the Guosim; together they entered Malkariss' kingdom and war broke out between the Blackrobe Rats and Matthias' crew.
Log-a-Log received an injury and had to be brought out of the conflict. Along the way, he passed by the slaves' door and heard the Redwallers, Jubilation Stump, and Auma yelling for help. Log-a-Log freed them, while Malkariss was stoned to death by his slaves. Meanwhile, Mattimeo joined the fighting, and when Matthias heard him, he experienced the Bloodwrath. Afterward, Slagar was chased by Matthias and Orlando and fell into an old well of Loamhedge Abbey, never to be seen again.
A few seasons after their return to Redwall, Mattimeo married Tess Churchmouse, and they had a son, Martin II. After his father retired, Mattimeo took up the Sword of Martin the Warrior, succeeding his father as Abbey Champion.
Post-Death
[edit]Seasons after his death, Mattimeo visited young Russano the Wise in a dream, along with other heroes of Redwall and Salamandastron.
- For other uses, see Mattimeo (disambiguation)
Trivia
[edit]- Watch Brian Jacques discuss Mattimeo here.