King Arthur is a literary character of British medieval culture.

Although there is no historical evidence that has existed, the figure of Arthur inspired novels, films, musicals, video games and lives on in the 21st century.

 

Origin of Legend

The stories of King Arthur are situated at a time when the Bretons dominated Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries. The Britons were the Celts who had adopted the customs of the Romans, when they inhabited the island.

In addition to having to face an external enemy, the Saxons, the Breton people fought each other to form alliances.

The accounts of King Arthur, also called Arturian Cycle, have as background the High Middle Ages, when Brittany is being Christianized. Therefore, pagan beliefs and magic coexist with the celebrations proper to Christians.

Thus, there are references to magicians such as Merlin, priestesses such as Viviane and Morgana, as well as churches, monasteries and Catholic priests.


Birth of King Arthur

Arthur was the eldest son of Uther Pendragon and the Duchess Ingraine, married to Garlois. For their part, Ingraine and Garlois had a daughter, Morgana.

Unlike Arthur, the existence of Pendragon is proven. However, it is not known whether the facts that have been narrated about him may be without truth.

Uther Pendragon fell madly in love with Ingraine, and in order to conquer her, he took advantage of the absence of Garlois, who was on the battlefield.

He asks Merlin to help him modify his appearance and to have the same features as Garlois. In return, the child born of this union will be educated by the magician. So when he arrives at the castle, Ingraine thinks it's her husband who has returned.

Then they bring the body of Garlois and Ingraine realizes that she had been deceived. However, it is late, and the next day she marries Pendragon. Nine months later Arthur is born.

Arthur is born and taken to be raised at Sir Ector's court where no one would know his identity. Always under the eyes of Merlin, Arthur grows as a squire of Kay, son of Ector.

 
Arthur, King of the Britons

In a British forest there was a stone with the following inscription:

Anyone to extract
this sword of this stone
will be the king of England
by birthright

On the day that Kay is a sacred knight, his sword breaks and young Arthur rushes to get another weapon. He sees a sword stuck in a stone and does not hesitate to catch it.

As he hands the sword to Kay, his foster father recognizes the weapon and asks Arthur to take them wherever he finds it. When he arrives, he brings the sword back to the stone and once again manages to draw the sword easily and is recognized by his peers as ruler.

He would take part in twelve battles in which he led his army to victory.

 Marriage and Children

Arthur was introduced to ancient pagan rituals and vows to protect these people. In one of these parties, he ends up having relations with his half-sister Morgana and begets a son, Mordred. Other sources situate Mordred as Arthur's nephew.

However, in order to strengthen his alliances with the Catholic feudal lords, he marries Princess Guinevere. Known for her beauty and piety, however, the queen falls in love with Arthur's best friend, the knight Lancelot.

Although he collects victories in his battles, Arthur and Guinevere can not have an heir. Guinevere believes this is his punishment for wanting another man, while Arthur thinks the problem is in him.

 

Death of King Arthur

King Arthur participated in the Battle of Camelot when he was mortally wounded by Mordred. However, this one is also killed by Arthur.

The king asks his squire, Sir Bevedere to take him to the edge of a lake and there throw the Excalibur sword. He does so and the Lady of the Lake's hand appears to pick it up.

Then the priestesses of Avalon appear in a vessel, to take Arthur to the island where he would be treated.

Round table

The Knights of the Round Table were 12, they should be pure men of heart and live according to Christian precepts. The meeting place was Camelot.

The word tavolo means table in Italian and this denomination was consecrated in Brazilian Portuguese. The format was round to show that none of them was more important than the others.

Here is the list of members of the Round Table:

1 - Kay
2 - Lancelot
3 - Gaheris
4 - Bedivere
5 - Lamorak de Galis
6 - Gawain
7 - Galahad
8 - Tristan
9 - Gareth,
10 - Percival
11 - Boors
12 - Geraint

In one of the meetings, the knights had a vision of the holy grail, the cup where Jesus Christ would have used at the Last Supper. This triggers a race among the knights to know who would find the sacred object.

However, only three riders can achieve the goal: Boors, Perceval and Galahad.

The adventures to seek the Grail are told in Prosas de Lancelot, whose accounts are written in the midst of the Crusades. This was a way to encourage the knights to fight in the Holy Land.

 

 

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