Period 4 Sarralane Amon Cindy Muñoz Ren Salvania

The Arthurian Legend depicts the story of Arthur, his origins, his rise to the crown, and his reign thereafter.  The legend itself gives life to a romantic image of Medieval Britain, of gallant knights engaging in heroic quests, of dignified women in stone castles, and much more.  The legend never actually existed but its prominence over Britain has never faltered.

 Although there are innumerable incantations of the legend, the basic story has remained the same.  As always, the main characters are Arthur, Merlin, King Pendragon, Morgan le Fay, Mordred, Guinevre, the Lady in the Lake, Sir Lancelot, and many more.

The following is the basic story: Arthur is the illegitimate son of King Uther Pendragon. After King Pendragon’s death, Arthur gains the crown by successfully pulling a sword from a stone. Merlin then reveals Arthur’s lineage and Arthur’s reign commences. As the wheel of time slowly turns, Arthur proves both his nobility as king and his strength as a warrior until his own wheel ceases its movement.

The main source of information for the Arthurian Legend comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth, a Welsh Cleric. He wrote the book Histroia Regum Britannia, translated as The History of the Kings of Britain, in Though it is often debated when the legend was first conceived, the name Arthur can be traced to as early as the sixth century in the poem “Gododdin” where the name Arthur is mentioned.

 Although the legend is just a story, it has influenced many.  The image of the legend became fact as people during the Medieval era took on the fashion. Its image and beliefs soon became the norm in society.  Even if Arthur himself is fiction, that hasn’t stopped the Kings of England from claiming to be his lineage to justify their claim on both the Welsh and English thrones. Indeed, it was convenient for royalty to turn these myths into “hard facts” to suit their purposes.

 The King Arthur Legend continues to live on today. From books to television, we learn the story of King Arthur.  The stories of King Arthur of course differ. However, we still learn of a boy who became a great king.

R. H., Fletcher, and Loomis R. L. "The Arthurian Legend." The Arthurian Legend. N.p., 16 Sept Web. 03 Nov Taylor, Patrick. "Arthurian Legend." Arthurian Legend. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov Alchin, L.K. "The Legend of King Arthur." Legend of King Arthur. Lords and Ladies, 16 July Web. 03 Nov