Fleance

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Fleance is a character in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth. Fleance is the son of Banquo, who is one of the king's trusted captains (along with Macbeth). It is prophesied by the three witches, the Weird sisters, that Banquo's descendants are to be king one day. He and his father are ambushed by assassins sent by Macbeth in Act 3, Scene 3. In this scene his father is murdered, but Fleance escapes.

Like his father, Fleance was mentioned in the Holinshed Chronicles as being an actual historical figure. According to that source, he fled into Wales, was wed to the Princess Nesta verch Gruffydd (daughter of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn), and had a son named Walter. However, it is generally believed that this story (and Fleance himself) is fictional. But there is still a slight possibility that he could have been a real person.

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