The Legend of King Arthur: Origins of the Myth

1. The Legend of King Arthur: Origins of the Myth

2. I am Arthur, King of the Britons!

4. Who Was King Arthur?

5. Merlin Prince Valiant Sword in the Stone The Green Knight Guinevere Avalon Camelot Knights of the Round Table Sir Gawain Arthur The Holy Grail Mordred Sir Lancelot Sir Galahad Excalibur Lady of the Lake Morgan le Fay Sir Kay Tristan and Isolde

6. Romano-British Warriors 6th Century - Arthur & The Anglo-Saxon Wars - Osprey Publishing 1984

7. Background & Context

9. Neolithic – 4,000 B.C. Bronze Age – 2,000 B.C. Iron Age – 800 B.C. Celts arrive circa 500 B.C. Julius Caesar 55-54 B.C. AD 43 – 84 Rome’s Conquest of Britain

10. Roman Empire at it’s greatest extent

11. AD 410 The Goths sack Rome.

12. Picts Jutes Angles Irish (Scotti) Saxons Frisans Britons Franks Brittany (Amorica) Gaul

13. De Excidio Britanniae (On the Ruin of Britain), 6th c. Latin prose - Gildas To Agitius, thrice consul: the groans of the Britons. [...] The barbarians drive us to the sea, the sea drives us to the barbarians; between these two means of death, we are either killed or drowned. Olympiodorusof Thebes c.425-40 from Zosimus, 6th c. Greek prose Honorius sent letters to the cities in Britain urging them to defend themselves

14. Vortigern Hengist & Horsa Saxon Revolt Britons halt / reverse Saxon advance 1 – 2 generations of peace (AD 460 – 540) Arthur

15. Evidence

17. De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (On the Ruin of Britain), 6th c. Latin prose - Gildas [The Britons]…took arms under the conduct of Ambrosius Aurelianus, a modest man, who of all the Roman nation was then alone in the confusion of this troubled period by chance left alive. His parents, who for their merit were adorned with the purple… …sometimes our countrymen, sometimes the enemy, won the field… …until the year of the siege of Badon Hill ( usquead annumobsessionisbadonicimontis )

18. De origineactibusqueGetarum (The Origin and Deeds of the Goths), AD 551. Latin prose - Jordanes The Emperor Anthemius heard of it and asked the Brittonesfor aid. Their King Riotimuscame with twelve thousand men into the state of the Bituriges by the way of Ocean

19. HistoriaecclesiasticagentisAnglorum ("Ecclesiastical History of the English People") AD 731. Latin prose - The Venerable Bede They had at that time for their leader, AmbrosiusAurelianus, a man of worth, who alone, by chance, of the Roman nation had survived the storm, in which his parents, who were of the royal race, had perished. Under him the Britons revived, and offering battle to the victors, by the help of God, gained the victory. From that day, sometimes the natives, and sometimes their enemies, prevailed, till the year of the siege of Badon-hill, when they made no small slaughter of those enemies, about forty-four years after their arrival in England [Dated AD 493]

20. HistoriaBritonum (History of the Britons), 9th c. Latin prose - Nennius At that time the English increased their numbers and grew in Britain. On Hengest'sdeath, his son Octhacame down from the north of Britain to the kingdom of the Kentishmen, and from him are sprung the kings of the Kentishmen. Then Arthur fought against them in those days, together with the kings of the British; but he was their leader in battle. [not “king,” but “dux bellorum” ] The first battle was at the mouth of the river called Glein. The second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth were on another river, called the Douglas, which is in the country of Lindsey. The sixth battle was on the river called Bassas. The seventh battle was in Celyddon Forest, that is, the Battle of Clyddon Coed. The eighth battle was in Guinnion fort, and in it Arthur carried the image of the holy Mary, the everlasting Virgin, on his shield and the heathen were put to flight on that day, and there was a great slaughter upon them, through the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the holy Virgin Mary, his mother. The ninth battle was fought in the city of the Legion. The tenth battle was fought on the bank of the river called Tryfrwyd. The eleventh battle was on the hill called Agned. The twelfth battle was on Badon Hill and in it nine hundred and sixty men fell in one day, from a single charge of Arthur's, and no one laid them low save he alone; and he was victorious in all his campaigns.

21. AnnalesCambriae (The Annals of Wales), 10th c. Latin prose 516 The Battle of Badon, in which Arthurcarried the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ for three days and three nights on his shoulders and the Britons were the victors. 537 The battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut fell: and there was plague in Britain and Ireland.

23. Y Gododdin– Aneirin Circa A.D. 600 He thrust beyond three hundred, most bold, He cut down the centre and far wing. He proved worthy, leading noble men; He gave from his herd steeds for winter. He brought black crows to a fort'sWall, though he was not Arthur.He made his strength a refuge, The front line's bulwark, Gwawrddur.

24. The Name Arthur Appearing In British Royal Houses - Ken Dark, University of Reading

25. Britain Circa 550 Saxons, Angles, Jutes Britons - Morris, Age of Arthur, p209

26. Tintagel Castle, Cornwall Traditional site of Arthur’s birth

27. Cadbury Castle, Somerset County, England Cadbury Castle, artist interpretation Possible “Camelot”

28. Glastonbury Possible “Avalon”

29. Hic iacetinclitus rex Arturus in insula Avalonia sepultus ‘here lies the famous King Arthur, buried in the Isle of Avalon’ cum Wenneveriauxoresuasecunda ’with his second wife Guenevere’

30. An Historical Arthur? ….Possibly The evidence is sufficient to allow belief that [Arthur] had a real existence and that he was probably the victor of Mount Badon. It is likely that he succeeded Ambrosius in the leadership [of the Britons]; indeed, he is called dux bellorum in the HistoriaBrittonum, which suggests a memory of late Roman military titles, and may indicate some sort of unified command arranged between several petty kingdoms. - Sheppard Frere, Britannia. Massachusetts: Harvard U. Press. 1967

31. The Historical “Arthur-Type” Figure transforms… Ambrosius Aurelianus Riothamus Arthur Time Popular Memory … into King Arthur

32. Growth of the Legend

33. The British (Welsh) Sources • The Black Book of Carmarthen • The Book of Taliesin • The White Book of Rhydderch • The Red Book of Hergest • The Book of Aneirin The Mabinogion The Welsh Triads Stanzas of the Graves The Saints’ Lives

34. The Mabinogion A collection of Welsh stories written down in the 12th Century, but date back to a much earlier, oral Briton-Celtic, bardic tradition. Four Branches: Pwyll Branwen Manawydan Math Kilhwchand Olwen The Dream of Rhonabwy The Dream of MaxenWledig The Story of Lludd and Llevelys Taliesin Owainor The Lady of the Fountain Peredur the Son of Evrawc Geraint the Son of Erbin Yvain, or The Knight of the Lion Percival Erec and Enide

35. Kilhwch and Olwen: …And his father inquired of him, "What has come over thee my son, and what aileth thee?" "My stepmother has declared to me that I shall never have a wife until I obtain Olwen, the daughter of YspaddadenPenkawr." "That will be easy for thee," answered his father. "Arthur is thy cousin. Go, therefore, unto Arthur, to cut thy hair, and ask this of him as a boon." Then Glewlwyd went into the Hall. And Arthur said to him, "Hast thou news from the gate?"--"Half of my life is past, and half of thine. I was heretofore in Kaer Se and Asse, in Sach and Salach, in Lotor and Fotor; and I have been heretofore in India the Great and India the Lesser; and I was in the battle of DauYnyr, when the twelve hostages were brought from Llychlyn. And I have also been in Europe, and in Africa, and in the islands of Corsica, and in CaerBrythwch, and Brythach, and Verthach; and I was present when formerly thou didst slay the family of Clis the son of Merin, and when thou didst slay Mil Du the son of Ducum, and when thou didst conquer Greece in the East. And I have been in CaerOeth and Annoeth, and in CaerNevenhyr; nine supreme sovereigns, handsome men, saw we there, but never did I behold a man of equal dignity with him who is now at the door of the portal."

36. Kilhwch and Olwen: "I crave of thee then, that thou obtain for me Olwen, the daughter of YspaddadenPenkawr; and this boon I likewise seek at the hands of thy warriors. I seek it from Kai, and Bedwyr, and GreidawlGalldonyd, and Gwythyr the son of Greidawl, and Greid the son of Eri, and KynddeligKyvarwydd, and TathalTwyllGoleu, and Maelwys the son of Baeddan, and Crychwr the son of Nes, and Cubert the son of Daere, and Percos the son of Poch, and LluberBeuthach, and CorvilBervach, and Gwynn the son of Nudd, and Edeyrn the son of Nudd, and Gadwy the son of Geraint, and… …and Morvran the son of Tegid (no one struck him in the battle of Camlan by reason of his ugliness; all thought he was an auxiliary devil..) …SgiltiYscawndroed, … if his way lay through a wood he went along the tops of the trees. During his whole life, a blade of reed grass bent not beneath his feet, much less did one ever break, so lightly did he tread… …He called Gwalchmaithe son of Gwyar, because he never returned home without achieving the adventure of which he went in quest. He was the best of footmen and the best of knights. He was nephew to Arthur, the son of his sister, and his cousin.

37. The Dream of Rhonabwy: “I am Iddawc the son of Mynyo, yet not by my name, but by my nickname am I best known….it is IddawcCorddPrydain." "Ha, chieftain," said Rhonabwy, "why art thou called thus?" "I will tell thee. I was one of the messengers between Arthur and Medrawdhis nephew, at the battle of Camlan; and I was then a reckless youth, and through my desire for battle, I kindled strife between them, and stirred up wrath, when I was sent by Arthur the Emperor to reason with Medrawd,  Kilhwch and Olwen: “…and this boon I likewise seek at the hands of thy warriors. I seek it from Kai, and Bedwyr, and GreidawlGalldonyd, and Gwythyr the son of Greidawl, and Greid the son of Eri, and KynddeligKyvarwydd, and TathalTwyllGoleu, and Maelwys the son of Baeddan, and Crychwr the son of Nes, and Cubert the son of Daere, and Percos the son of Poch, and LluberBeuthach, and CorvilBervach, and Gwynn the son of Nudd...” …He called Gwalchmaithe son of Gwyar, because he never returned home without achieving the adventure of which he went in quest. He was the best of footmen and the best of knights. He was nephew to Arthur, the son of his sister, and his cousin.

38. The Welsh Triads 1:Three Tribal Thrones of the Island of Britain: Arthuras Chief Prince in Mynyw, and Dewi as Chief Bishop, and MaelgwnGwynedd as Chief Elder;Arthur as Chief Prince in Celliwig in Cornwall, and Bishop Bytwini as Chief Bishop, and Caradawg Strong-Arm as Chief Elder;Arthur as Chief Prince in Pen Rhionydd in the Morth, and GerthmwlWledig as Chief Elder, and CyndeyrnGarthwys as Chief Bishop  26: Three Powerful Swineherds of the Island of Britain. …And the second was Drystan son of Tallwch, tending the swine of March son of Meirchyawn, while the swineherd went with a message to Essyllt. Arthur and March and Ceiand Bedwyr all four were there. But they did not succeed in seizing even one pigling, not by force, nor by deception, nor by stealth...

39. Englynion y Beddau: “Stanzas of the Graves” The grave of Gwalchmai is in Peryddon as a reproach to men; at Llanbardarn is the grave of Cynon. The grave of the son of Ossvran is in Camlann, After many a slaughter;The grave of Bedwyr is in the woody steep of Tryvan. There is a grave for March, a grave for Gwythur,A grave for Gwgawn Red-sword;The world's wonder a grave for Arthur. (hidden ‘till doomsday a grave for Arthur) (hard to find in this world a grave for Arthur)

40. Saints Lives A certain tyrant came from foreign parts…He cast his eyes on bishop Paternus’ tunic and greedily demanded it…Arthur left the monastery raving furiously, and came back in a rage, trying to take the tunic by force…Paternus said: “Let the earth swallow him up.” The earth straightaway opened and swallowed Arthur up to the chin… - Life of Saint Paternus Lo, three noble heroes, Arthur and his two knights, Caiand Bedwyr, were sitting on top of a hill, playing dice. [Seeing a girl and warrior being pursued by the girl’s angry father] Arthur’s heart was fired with lust…he said to his knights: “I am on fire with desire for the girl that warrior is carrying on his horse.” But they replied: “You must not do anything so criminal; we are supposed to help the needy and distressed. Let us go and help these people who are hard pressed.” - Life of Saint Cadoc

41. The British (Welsh) Sources The Latin Sources Geoffrey of Monmouth Wace Chretien de Troyes French material Mallory

42. Recommended Reading Continue the Quest!

43. The Age of Arthur: A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650 John Morris 1973 Arthur's Britain: History and Archaeology, AD 367–634 Leslie Alcock 1973

44. Critical Review Mr Morris’s work is a great encouragement to speculate, that is to say think again, about this period. He is surely right in maintaining that many of the idèesreçuesabout it are themselves no more than speculations, swaddled in the prudent language of cautious men and hallowed by repetition. As a text-book or a work of reference his work is a failure. He is not the Good King Wenceslas in whose footsteps the neophyte may safely plod. But the energy and sense of his general approach and the wonderful fertility of his mind give The Age of Arthur lasting value. All future work on the period will, or should, be indebted to it. Dr Morris … has not only surveyed the whole period and the whole of the British Isles across … three centuries, but has injected into every fibre of his book his own individualistic views and uncompromising conclusions. … No scholarly satisfaction is to be derived from commenting unfavourably and at length on the labour of love of another historian, but this massive edifice needs so thoroughly dismantling that it is essential to treat, at least in passing, as many as possible (for even an extended critique cannot cover every defective statement) of the errors and misconceptions with which it abounds. -- James Campbell of Worcester College, Oxford Review ‘The Age of Arthur’ in Studia Hibernica vol. 15 1975 pp.175-85 -- D.P. Kirby & J.E. Caerwyn Williams Review John Morris, The Age of Arthur’ in StudiaCelticavol.10-11, 1975-6 pp.454-96.

45. David N. Dumville, ‘Sub-Roman Britain: history and legend’, in History vol.62 1977 pp.173-92 In general, our ignorance of the political history of the British fifth century is almost total; in my view, it is not legitimate to seek to lighten this darkness by the use of unhistorical sources offered by a writer whose ignorance was complete and whose concept of history did not require him to distinguish between certain types of evidence, as we must do. …We come, last in the fifth century and first in the sixth, to Arthur, a man without position or ancestry in pre-Geoffrey Welsh sources. I think we can dispose of him quite briefly. He owes his place in our history books to a 'no smoke without fire' school of thought. What evidence is there for his existence? ... The totality of the evidence, and it is remarkably slight until a very late date, shows Arthur as a figure of legend (or even - as Sir John Rhys pointed out last century - of mythology). "... there is no historical evidence about Arthur; we must reject him from our histories and, above all, from the titles of our books."

46. In effect, through Dumville’s work, historical research reached a position which was the polar opposite to that represented by the work of John Morris…That constituted a swing of the analytical pendulum, with the Arthur of the 1960s who had been regarded as a historical figure now being viewed with suspicion.

47. Rebuttal Emyr W. Williams, A reconsideration of the ‘Celtic sources’ of early British History, The National Library of Wales Journal, vol. XXXVI, No.4 (2017) …when Dumville’s analysis is subjected to detailed scrutiny, it is apparent that the evidence he presented in support of his claims is very suspect. …in composing his article Sub-Roman Britain: History and Legend,his methodology drew heavily on the earlier work of the Chadwicks, with all the potential difficulties which that entailed. The major difficulty with Dumville’s analysis is that his claim that the evidence provided by the Romano British and Welsh sources is ‘more apparent than real’,102 is based on the fragile foundations of a hypothesis.. Disconcertingly for Dumville, not only did the Annals of Redon prove an inadequate support for his broader thesis, but the first annal also contradicted his claims relating to Arthur, for Gildas is said to have lived in the days of King Arthur. It is ironic that the source which Dumville had identified as providing a key lynchpin to his hypothesis, should not only prove so inadequate but also provide evidence to contradict his dismissal of Arthur from history.

48. Excalibur: The Search for Arthur Gwyn Alfred Williams 1994 The Discovery of King Arthur Geoffey Ashe 1984 The Quest for Arthur's Britain Geoffey Ashe 1968 The Landscape of King Arthur Geoffey Ashe 1988

49. King Arthur: A Military History Michael Holmes 1998 Concepts of Arthur: the nature of the early Arthurian legend Thomas Green (pseudonym) /Caitlin R. Green 2007

50. Websites: http://www.arthuriana.org/ https://deadliestblogpage.wordpress.com/