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Ranulph Higden

St Bede

Tennyson

Arthur & Chester

Arthur may have been a Welsh chieftain a leader of the ancient Britons c. A.D. 500 who fought against the invading Saxons. He has become a legendary hero whose story has been told by many writers. The most famous version is Morte d' Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory (1485).Over the years, storytellers have embellished history, so that we may never know for sure the truth about who Arthur really was. But this mystery only adds to our enjoyment when we read about Arthur, his court at Camelot, and his brave knights of the Round Table.   King Uther Pendragon, had fallen in love with Igrayne, the wife of the Duke of Cornwall.With the aid of Merlin Ambrosius, a Celtic magician, Uther took the form of the duke and so Arthur was conceived at Tintagel and raised up without the knowledge of his royal ancestry. One day, Merlin Arthur's teacher, showed him a sword stuck in a stone which many a strong men had tried and failed, to remove.

Unwittingly Arthur easily pulled out, the sword for his brother to use in a tournament, thus proving himself to be the rightful heir to the throne. He was then at fifteen years of age crowned king c.467 of Danmonium, Devon and Cornwall, he continued to be guided by his guru and mentor Merlin. His sword was to brake in one of his many battles and whilst Arthur and Merlin were standing by a lake, the enchantress the Lady of the Lake appeared holding out a sword, she offered it to Arthur who rowed out to take Excalibur from an arm rising out of the water .

With this sword he was to conquer the heathen tribes, Arthur is said to have become a great warrior fighting many battles against the Picts and Saxons, defeating, the Saxons near Wiggin, establishing Camelot ( Cadbury ) as his kingdom, he adopted the 5th century style of the Italian gothic kings the Order of Chivalry, and used a portable Round Table, depending on necessity this would have been stationed at Camelot, Winchester or Caerleon .

Arthur saw all his knights as equals, so he used a round table, the principal knights of the Round Table who were all bound together by the ideal of chivalry were,
Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, Sir Tristram, Sir Galahad, and Sir Bedivere .

On their quests, the knights had many adventures, in some stories, during a peaceful spell in his reign Arthur visited Juresalem, on his return he sought for their supernatural importance the quest of the Holy Grail {which was reputed to have been brought to Glastonbury by Joseph of Arimathaea }, the dish or cup that Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper, and the symbol of perfection.

Arthur married the beautiful Guenevere. Unfortunately, she fell In love with Lancelot, a knight who was Arthur's best friend. Story's give prominence to the adulterous love of Lancelot and Arthur's Queen , Guinevere and the love of Tristram and Iseult, Arthur was deeply hurt that these people who were dearest to him should betray him. There was a trial, and the queen and the knight were found to be traitors. Guenevere became a nun and spent the rest of her life In a convent. Lancelot took up a life of fasting and prayer. The other knights broke their oath never to fight one another. The fellowship of the Round Table was in ruins, and a rebellion led by Arthur's evil nephew Mordred (or son), is thought to have brought disaster upon Arthur's kingdom leaving him mortally wounded.

Arthur has become a folk hero, originating from Celtic and medieval Christian mythology, similar to those of Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest and Ivanhoe, who arose whilst the Saxons were being oppressed by the Normans. The legend of King Arthur is now predominantly of a mystical existence, many people believe that Arthur did not die but has gone to the island of Avalon to be healed, and that someday he will return to help his country in its time of need.