Europa was the mother of Minos in Greek mythology, making her the Minotaur’s royal grandmother through Minos’s line. Her story connects the wider Greek mythic world with Crete.
According to the best-known version, Zeus approached Europa in the form of a beautiful white bull. He carried her across the sea to Crete, where she became the mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. Minos later ruled Crete and became central to the stories of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur.
Europa should not be confused with Pasiphae, who was Minos’s wife and the Minotaur’s mother. Europa belongs one generation earlier. The continent of Europe is traditionally said to derive its name from Europa, although the ancient name’s etymology is debated by modern scholars.