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King ArthurLegendary British king
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Content:
- King Arthur: The Legendary British King
- Biography of King Arthur
- The Origins of the Legends
- The Legends of King Arthur
- The Story of King Arthur
King Arthur: The Legendary British King
Modern researchers believe it is quite likely that King Arthur, the legendary figure from myths and novels, had a historical prototype, perhaps one of the leaders of the Britons who led a rebellion against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century, but his existence has yet to be confirmed. The legendary king, a hero of Celtic folklore and later medieval chivalric romances, is the ideal leader of the Knights of the Round Table and embodies the chivalric ideals of honor, valor, courage, moral nobility, and, in the case of medieval epic, courtly love. Modern researchers believe it is quite likely that King Arthur, the legendary figure from myths and novels, had a historical prototype, perhaps one of the leaders of the Britons who led a rebellion against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century, but his existence has yet to be confirmed. Various literary sources mention different periods of King Arthur's life and associate him with different eras and cultures, from ancient Britons to ancient Romans.
Biography of King Arthur
In the 19th century, there was a significant surge of interest in Arthurian themes, and in the 20th century, thanks to cinema and television, the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table gained a second life, with countless movies, TV series, plays, novels, computer games, and even musicals dedicated to them. The name Arthur remains a subject of debate. It has etymological connections with the Celtic word 'artos', which means both 'bear' and 'warrior'. Among the Celtic goddesses, there is a she-bear named Artio (Artio). Perhaps the form 'Arthur' was formed from 'Arto-rix', meaning 'king of warriors', significantly changing over time. Historians note that in the 6th century, there was a sharp increase in the popularity of various forms of the name Arthur (Arzur, Arzul', Arthus, Artus, or Arthur), suggesting that there was a personality who left an indelible impression on contemporaries.
The Origins of the Legends
Today, the origins of the legends about King Arthur lead to several roots. The first hypothesis is Welsh, based on the fact that King Arthur first appears in Welsh legends. According to this version, Arthur was born around 470-475 somewhere in Wales, but the exact location of his capital, Camelot, remains a mystery. He indeed participated in the struggle against the Saxons but was never crowned. Perhaps he was a prominent military leader who fought under the banners of the ancient Briton kings.
The second version suggests that the prototype of King Arthur was Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman military commander who lived in the 2nd century AD, and who, apparently, served in Britain and took part in the defense of Hadrian's Wall. However, this version is very tenuous. And finally, the next hypothesis logically suggests that the image of King Arthur over time combined the features of several ancient British kings and princes who carried this quite common name among Celtic aristocracy.
The Legends of King Arthur
The earliest mentions of King Arthur, in the Welsh poem Y Gododdin, date back to the late 6th or early 7th century. Later, historians and bards wrote about him, but the modern form of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table was accepted in the Middle Ages when courtly romances by Chrétien de Troyes, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and other authors appeared. The final completion of the Arthurian universe was given in the 15th century by Sir Thomas Malory with his epic of eight novels collectively known as 'Le Morte D'arthur'.
The Story of King Arthur
Arthur's father was King Uther Pendragon, who set his sights on another man's wife, Duchess Igraine. He lay with Igraine in the form of her husband, Duke Gorlois, aided by the wizard Merlin, who demanded the baby as payment for his services. After the death of the Duke, Uther married Igraine, but they had no more children. Merlin gave Arthur to the noble and kind Sir Ector, who raised the boy as his own son. After Uther's death, there was no heir to the royal throne, and the powerful lords gathered in the capital to choose a new king. Sir Ector, along with his son Kay and Arthur, also set off for the capital.
Crafty Merlin placed a sword in a stone and inscribed on it: 'Whosoever pulls this sword from the stone is the rightful king of Britain'. At a tournament, Sir Kay, who was several years older than Arthur, broke his sword and sent Arthur, his squire, to fetch a spare one. Unable to find a spare, Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, thus becoming the king of Britain. Merlin revealed the secret of his origin, and after a test - none of the lords could pull the sword, once again placed in the stone, and only Arthur could easily do it - the young Arthur was crowned in the presence of the most influential and famous lords of Britain. He ruled for a long time, fighting against injustice in any form, and saved the country from devastating civil wars. His sword, which struck without fail, had its own name - Excalibur. His wife was the beautiful Guinevere. Arthur gathered around him the most renowned, brave, and noble knights of his time, known as the Knights of the Round Table - the table was indeed round so that everyone sitting at it would be equal. Unfortunately, even the best of men are not immune to treachery, and so it happened with King Arthur. Guinevere's betrayal with Lancelot led to a rebellion that destroyed all of Britain's forces. In the final battle, King Arthur fell. However, legend has it that Arthur did not die - severely wounded, he was taken to the magical island of Avalon. In the hour of great need, Arthur will awaken and come to Britain's aid leading the greatest army.