Camelot (Middle Ages)

**Camelot (Middle Ages)** took place in the 6th Century AD.

## History

Though there is not much on King Arthur during this time he was first written about, there was still many things going on. There are many stories about the man himself, but some actual events did take place during this time.

### Note Worthy Events

**\*NOTE:**These are actual events in history.**\***

**496-550** - Following the victory at Mt. Badon, the Saxon advance is halted with the invaders returning to their own enclaves.  A generation of peace ensues.  Corrupt leadership, more civil turmoil, public forgetfulness and individual apathy further erode Romano-British culture over the next fifty years, making Britain ripe for final Saxon “picking.”

**501** - The Battle of Llongborth (probably Portsmouth) where a great British chieftain, Geraint, King of Dumnonia, was killed.  Arthur is mentioned in a Welsh poem commemorating the battle.

**508** - Cerdic begins to move inland and defeats British king Natanleod near present-day Southampton.

**515** - Death of Aelle. Kingdom of Sussex passed to his son, Cissa and his descendants, but over time, diminished into insignificance.

**519** - Kingdom of the West Saxons (Wessex) founded with Cerdic its first ruler.

**530-540** - Mass migration of Celtic monks to Brittany (the “third migration”).

**534** - Death of Cerdic. Cynric takes kingship of Wessex.

**542** - Battle of Camlann, according to Annales Cambriae.  Death (or unspecified other demise) of Arthur (according to Geoffrey of Monmouth).

### Legendary Events

**\*NOTE:**These are events that happened according to the Arthurian Legend.**\***

**498-499** - King Uther Pendragon holds court and sees Igraine, wife of the Duke of Cornwall, and tries to bed her. She tells Gorlois of the king's intent, and they leave the court without permission. Igraine is left at Tintagel Castle for safety while Gorlois goes to war. With the aid of Merlin's magic, Uther goes to Tintagel Castle disguised as Gorlois. Believing him to her husband, Igraine sleeps with Uther. That same night, Gorlois is killed in battle. Igraine and Uther get married.

**499** - Arthur is born. He is the half brother of Morgan le Fay and Morgause, who were fathered by Gorlois. Morgan le Fay, depending on the story, is either the Lady of Avalon and possibly the mother to Yvain, or she is an evil witch and sometimes enemy of Merlin. Morgause would marry King Lot and give birth to Agravain, Gaheris, Gareth, Gawain, and Mordred.

**500** - King Uther dies in battle and said to be buried at Stonehenge. Merlin advises Igraine to have Arthur raised in secret and ignorant of his true identity, fearing trouble after the king's death. Arthur is given to Ector, who raised him along side his son, Kay.

**504** - With no king, Merlin foresaw some troubled times ahead and prepared. Many warriors and noble men fought over the right to be crowned the True King of England.

**510** - Merlin placed a sword within a stone, so that when the time was right, Arthur would pull the sword from the stone and prove he is the rightful King of England. In some stories, the stone is placed in a church year and bares the inscription: *"Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise king born."* This is not Excalibur, but an ordinary sword that presumably belonged to Uther.

**512** - Arthur pulls the sword from the stone, showing that he was the rightful king. He is said to be about 15 years of age at this time.

**516**- Arthur's first task as king is to drive the Saxons out of Britain, and so a war begins.

**518** - Merlin feared that Arthur would fall in battle, and so, took Arthur to a magical lake. Once there, it is said that the hand of the Lady of the Lake. It would be she who gave Arthur Excalibur, which is said to be unbreakable, created by an Avalonian Elf smith, and would always protect Arthur so long as he wore it and its scabbard.

**520** - After the battle with the Saxons and Romans, Arthur came home to a civil war. With many of his people not wanting to be ruled by a child, they rose against him, but Arthur was victorious and remained king.

**525** - Arthur marries Guinevere. As a wedding gift, her father gives Arthur the "Round Table."

**529** - During this time, Arthur used this idea to show true chivalry. He was on equal ground as his twelve knights here, and it became a widely respected and powerful show of great leadership. There is some speculation that it wasn't really a table, but simply an area he could talk to many people at once and on equal footing. There are several Knights of the Round Table:

* Sir Agravain
* Sir Bagdemagus
* Sir Bedivere
* Sir Bors
* Sir Brunor
* Sir Cador
* Sir Calogrenant
* Sir Caradoc
* Sir Claudin
* Sir Cligès
* Sir Dagonet
* Sir Daniel
* Sir Dinadan
* Sir Ector (Kay's Father)
* Sir Elyan the White
* Sir Erec
* Sir Esclabor
* Sir Galahad (son of Lancelot)
* Sir Galehaut
* Sir Galeschin
* Sir Gareth
* Sir Gawain
* Sir Geraint
* Sir Gingalain
* Sir Gornemant
* Sir Griflet
* Sir Hector de Maris
* Sir Hoel
* Sir Kay
* Sir Lamorak
* Sir Lancelot
* Sir Lanval
* Sir Lionel
* Sir Meliant de Lis
* Sir Mordred
* Sir Moriaen
* Sir Morholt
* Sir Palamedes
* Sir Pelleas
* Sir Pellinore
* Sir Percival
* Sir Safir
* Sir Sagramore
* Sir Segwarides
* Sir Tor
* Sir Tristan
* Sir Urien
* Sir Yvain
* Sir Yvain the Bastard

These men would go on to ingrain their own legends within the Arthurian Legend, though most of them were not present at the beginning, being the children of other knights or performing deeds that would allow them to become knights later on. There are also several other lesser knights

**534** - Arthur's court becomes known for its many heroes. In the war against the Romans, Arthur defeats Emperor Lucius. This makes him the new emperor and leads to a prosperous time for Arthur.

**535** - At the Court of King Arthur, there is a prophecy made that the Holy Grail would be rediscovered by a descendant of a descendant of St. Joseph. This man would be the best knight in the land and the only man capable of sitting in the mysterious Siege Perilous. This man turned out to be Sir Galahad, who brought with him a vision of the Grail, thus starting the quest for the holiest of relics. However, things were not all roses in Camelot as Lancelot, Arthur's strongest, bravest, and most loyal of knight, falls in love with Queen Guinevere.

**537** - Many times, the Round Table Knights crossed Britain in search of the Grail. Perceval found Corbenic. a castle that was in a land as sickly as its spear-wounded king, though he did not ask about the Grail on his visit and left empty handed. After this, Lancelot made a visit, however, he was denied entry due to having slept with the queen. Lastly, Galahad arrives and gains entry into the Grail Chapel. His life is now complete and they go to heaven.

**540** - Lancelot and Guinevere's affair has gone on for years, and the other knights know of it, however, they are hesitant to tell Arthur. However, he eventually learns of it and becomes enraged. He ties to burn Guinevere at the stake, but Lancelot saves her. This begins a two year war that the Pope would eventually have to intervene and end it. Neither Arthur nor Lancelot died, and the Pope decreed that Arthur was to take back his wife and free Lancelot, though he lost his status as a Round Table Knight.

**546** - After the war, there were still tensions and Arthur had to quell rebellions through out his kingdom. During this time, he allowed Mordred, who he believed to be his nephew from his half-sister Morgause and her husband King Lot, to run the kingdom. However, Mordred betrayed Arthur and took control, forcing Guinevere to flee.

**547** - On Salisbury Plain, two armies met, with Mordred's outnumbering Arthur's two to one. Despite this, Arthur's seasoned Round Table Knights and his champion, Yvain, kept Arthur's army from being overwhelmed. They destroyed much of Mordred's army until they were overcome. In the end, Arthur, Lucan, and either Girflet or Bedivere are left standing, but the later two are dependent on what tale you read. Arthur and Mordred come face to face. Mordred tells Arthur that he, Mordred, is Arthur's bastard son through his half-sister, Morgause. Giving him no choice, Arthur kills Mordred, and Mordred gives Arthur a fatal wound. Arthur wins the battle.

**550** - Arthur's fatal wound finally catches up with him. He and Bedivere go to the same lake Merlin took Arthur to many years ago so as to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. Bedivere at first tried to trick Arthur, but the old king was not fulled, and Bedivere eventually threw the sword. According to some versions, the Lady of the Lake reached up and grabbed the sword before bringing under the water's surface. After this, Morgan le Fay and three other women come to take Arthur to Avalon to be healed. Thus ends the life of King Arthur.

**555** - Lancelot returns to Logres with an army after receiving a letter from Gawain. However, he is too late to help Arthur. Two of Mordred's sons have seized power and Guinevere, the love of his life, had became a nun and died.

**560** - Mordred's youngest son fled in terror when he saw Lancelot. Lancelot chased him down and killed him, but found he was lost in the forest. Lancelot met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and they decided to become monks for the rest of their lives. Lancelot would later become ill, and die in his sleep. This ends the Arthurian saga.