Fleance

Fleance is a character in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. He is the son of Banquo, who, along with Macbeth, is one of King Duncan's most trusted captains. The Three Witches prophesy that Banquo's descendants will be kings. Macbeth, fearing Banquo and Fleance threaten his throne, has Banquo murdered, but Fleance fled. Some screen adaptations of the story expand on his role by showing his return to the kingdom after Macbeth's death. In shaping the character of Fleance, Shakespeare borrowed heavily from Holinshed's Chronicles, a history of the British Isles written during the late sixteenth century. In Holinshed Fleance escapes Macbeth and flees to Wales, where he fathers a son who later becomes Steward to the King of Scotland. His later descendants gain the throne and begin the Stuart line of kings in England. James I, who was king during the writing of Macbeth, was, as legend had it, Fleance's descendant.