A Discussion of the Origins of King Arthur's Sword By David Nash Ford EXCALIBUR The Tradition: The Name "Excalibur" was first used for King Arthur 's sword by the French Romancers. It was not the famous "Sword in the Stone" (which broke in battle), but a second sword acquired by the King through the intercession of his druidic advisor, Merddyn ( Merlin ). Worried that Arthur would fall in battle, Merlin took the King to a magical lake where a mysterious hand thrust itself up from the water, holding aloft a magnificent sword. It was the Lady of the Lake offering Arthur a magic unbreakable blade, fashioned by an Avalonian elf smith, along with a scabbard which would protect him as long as he wore it. Towards the end of his reign, during the troubled times of Medrod's rebellion, Excalibur was stolen by Arthur's wicked half-sister, Morgan le Fay . Though it was recovered, the scabbard was lost forever. Thus Arthur was mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlann. The King then instructed Bedwyr (or Girflet) to return Excalibur to the lake from whence it came.

However, when questioned about the circumstances of its return, Bedwyr claimed to have seen nothing unusual. Arthur therefore knew that Bedwyr had kept Excalibur for himself and sent him back to the Lake once more. Hurling the sword into the misty waters this time, Bedwyr saw the mystic hand appear to catch Excalibur and draw it beneath the rippling waters for the last time. The Name: The earliest Arthurian stories give the name of King Arthur's sword as Caladfwlch, a Welsh word derived from Calad-Bolg meaning "Hard Lightning". Later it developed to become the Caliburn of Geoffrey and Monmouth and finally the Frenchified Excalibur that we know today. Ancient Origins: Legendary figures throughout the World are associated with magical swords, often the symbol of their Kingship. It is interesting to note that Curtana, a 17th century successor of the original sword of Ogier the Dane, is still used at the British Coronation to this day. King Arthur's tale has particular similarities to the Norse Legend of Sigurd, but even closer parallels can be drawn with the Irish hero, Cú Chulainn who also bore a sword named Caladbolg.

Such swords were usually said to have been forged by an elfan smith. In Saxon mythology his name is Wayland, but to the Celts he was Gofannon. He is also to be identified with the Roman Vulcan and Greek Hephaestus who made magical weapons for the Muses to give to Perseus, and for Thetis to give to Achilles. The later surrender of the sword is well known as a universal symbol of defeat. Here it is emblematic of death itself. The deposition of swords, weaponry and other valuables in sacred lakes and rivers was a popular practice amongst the Celtic peoples. Strabo records such rituals near Toulouse and notes that other sacred lakes existed throughout Europe. Gregory of Tours alludes to a three-day festival of deposition at Lake Gévaudan in the Cevennes. Some scholars believe that such rituals were part of Celtic funerary rites. Archaeolgical finds of exotic metalwork deposits at Llyn Fawr in Morgannwg include axes and sickles of around 600 bc. Further weaponry was discovered Llyn Cerrig Bach on Ynys Mon (Anglesey) dating from the 2nd century bc to the 1st century AD.

Celtic Iron-Age deposits in rivers are too numerous to count. Especially well known are the superb Battersea Shield and Waterloo Helmet from the Thames. This major British River appears to have been particularly popular for swords like Arthur's. Britannia.com (T) 302.234.8904 (F) 302.234.9154 Copyright ©2000 Britannia.com, LLC Facts & Figures: Enchanted Objects Enchanted Objects Arthurian Legend The following magical objects found in the Arthurian legend are actually too enormous to list here. Since Arthur and some of his companions are found in Welsh (Celtic) literature, it is only right to list their possessions here. Caliburn King Arthur Caliburn was the original Latin name of King Arthur's sword, Excalibur. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the sword was forged at the Isle of Avalon. Calwdvwlch Sword of Arthur, forerunner of Excalibur. Excalibur Lady of the Lake, King Arthur, Gawain Excalibur (cut steel) was the sword of King Arthur. In some tales, Gawain's sword was also called Excalibur.

Wheter this sword is the same one as that wielded by his uncle, is unclear. According to the Geoffrey of Monmouth, the sword was called Caliburn, and it was forged at the Isle of Avalon. However, the later legend say that Excalibur was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. At Arthur's death, the king had the sword thrown into the lake, by either Girflet or Bedivere. Excalibur came with an scabbard that had even more powerful magic; it prevent of blood from wounds. However, the scabbard was lost because Morgan le Fay stole the sheath and threw it into a lake. In the Welsh tradition, the sword was called Caledvwlch. Carnwennan Knife or dagger of Arthur. Rhongowennan Spear of Arthur in the Welsh legend. It was later called Ron. Ron The lance of King Arthur. It was originally called Rhongomynad in the Welsh tale. Pridwen King Arthur The shield of King Arthur. According to Welsh tradition, the shield was called Wynebgwrthucher.

In the Welsh poem, the Spoils of Annwfn, the Pridwen was actually the original name of Arthur's ship. Pridwen, Prydwen Arthur Ship of King Arthur, according to the Welsh poem, the Spoils of Annwfn. This ship also appeared in Culhwch and Olwen, when Arthur travelled to Ireland, to fetch the cauldron of Diwrnach and the boar Twrch Trwyth. In later Arthurian legend, Pridwen was the name of Arthur's shield. Wynebgwrthucher The sword of King Ban, the father of Lancelot of the Lake. Coreiseuse means "Wrathful". Galatine Gawain Sword of Gawain that Malory mentioned in Arthur's war against Rome (Le Morte d'Arthur V: 6, 10). Secace Lancelot According to pre-cycle Lancelot, the sword that Lancelot used against the Saxons at Saxon Rock. Also called Seure (Sequence) in Vulgate Lancelot.

Holy Grail Joseph of Arimathea, Bron, Josephus, Fisher King, Maimed King, Perceval, Galahad Holy Grail or Sangreal had restorative power, such as healing, or endless supply of divine food. Different authors described the grail to various objects, such as dish or platter, cup or chalice, cauldron, crown or circlet, rock from falling star, even a severed head in a platter. Bleeding Lance Joseph of Arimathea, Bron, Josephus, Fisher King, Maimed King, Perceval, Galahad It was sometimes known as the Spear of Longinus, the Roman officer, who pierced Jesus' side during the Crucifixion. The spear would continuously bleed. Sword of the Strange Sheath Perceval, Galahad, King David of Israel The sword first appeared in Perceval's legend of the Grail, before it appeared in the Galahad's tradition. Sword with the Red Hilt Balin, Galahad This was the sword that Galahad drew from the float stone.

Merlin had sheathed the sword into the rock after the death of Balin, the Knight of Two Swords, who had inflicted the Dolorous Blow. Broken Sword Saracen seneschal Elyezer, Bors This is the sword that broke when a Saracen seneschal wounded Joseph of Arimathea in the thighs. Elyezer, the son of Pelles (Fisher King) carried the sword with him, in search of the true Grail Knight. Having met Gawain and other knights, these knights failed to restore the sword. Galahad mended the sword in the final stage of the Grail quest. Pelles awarded the sword to Sir Bors, uncle and Grail companion of Galahad. Shield of Judas Maccabee Judas Maccabee, Gawain In the Perlesvaus, Gawain won the red shield that was once carried by the Jewish hero of the 2nd century BC, named Judas Maccabee. Gawain gained the shield when he defeated a knight. The shield bears the sign of a golden eagle.

Fail-not Shield of Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea, Maiden of the Cart, Perlesvaus (Perceval) The Shield of Joseph of Arimathea appeared in the Grail romance, titled Perlesvaus. Three maidens took the shield to Arthur's castle in Cardueil. It was left behind so that Perceval would later take the shield. Perceval used this shield to defeat the Knight of the Burning Dragon. Shield of Evalach Evalach (Mordrain), Galahad The shield belong to King Evalach (Mordrain) during the time of Joseph of Arimathea and his son Josephus. Josephus painted the red cross on the white shield with his own blood. Galahad would later win the shield from the shield's guardian (angel?). ring of dispell Lady of the Lake, Lancelot The Lady of the Lake gave a ring to Lancelot, which can dispell enchantment, was mentioned in the Post-Vulgate Merlin Continuation 23.57. In Chretien's Chevalier de la Charrete , it mentioned a fairy, not the Lady of the Lake. He used this ring at the Sword Bridge at Gorre.

Stone of Giramphiel Giramphiel (goddess), Fimbeus, Gawain In the Diu Krône (or "The Crown"), Gawain won a magical stone from another knight Fimbeus, whom he defeated. The stone protected Gawain from the flame of the dragon and from the magic of the wizard Laamorz of Janfrüege. skein of thread Ilamert of Lanoier, Laamorz of Janfrüege, Gawain In the Diu Krône (or "The Crown"), when Gawain defeated the wizard Laamorz of Janfrüege, he gain the skein of thread, in exchange for sparing Laamorz. King Arthur's weapons etc. Bedivere throws Excalibur into the lake by Aubrey Beardsley: - 'Le Morte D'Arthur', Dent edition of 1909 Arthur's weapons etc. Last modified 7 December 2003. © Text Copyright 2002 Michael Wild I can be reached at:- dagonet_uk 'at' yahoo.co,uk Arthur speaks to Culhwch.

"You shall have the request that head and tounge name, as far as the wind dries, as far as the rain wets, as far as the sun rises, as far as the sea stretches, as far as the earth extends, excepting only my ship, my mantle, my sword Caledvwlch (Excalibur), my spear Rhongomynyad (cutting-spear), my shield Wynebgwrthucher (face of evening), my knife Carnwennan and my wife Gwenhwyvar (white shadow?)." The Mabinogion, trans, Jeffrey Gantz, Penguin, 1976, pp. 139-40. Arthur himself put on a leather jerkin worthy of so great a king. On his head he placed a golden helmet, with a crest carved in the shape of a dragon; and across his shoulders a circular shield called Pridwen, on which there was painted a likeness of the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, which forced him to think perpetually of her. He girded on his peerless sword, called Caliburn, which was forged in the Isle of Avalon.

A spear called Ron graced his right hand: long, broad in the blade and thirsty for slaughter. Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain, trans. Thorpe, L., Penguin, 1983, P. 217. Contents Forward Excalibur. Yes everyone knows about Arthur's peerless sword and the part it played in his life. Though other named weapons were owned by Arthur, but the memory of them did not survive in the Arthurian literature of the Middle Ages. The order of the sections reflects their first written occurnces and their connections. So the shield section comes first and is connected with the boat. Then comes the sword, which is connected to the spear. Other lesser weapons follow with animals, a dog and a mare associated with Arthur, and a magical mantle. Mentions of these latter are fragmentary and rather uninteresting. Other things associated with Arthur are mentioned in the Welsh Triads, but the Triads are essentially lists composed to aid memory and give few insights into the legenday King Arthur we know. Arthur's shield The shield, despite the later fame of Excalibur, is the first weapon that Dark Age sources mention in connection with Arthur.

In these Arthur is mentioned as bearing a religious image upon his "shoulder" during a battle. Modern translators agree the writers who wrote the Latin accounts of Arthur in which religious images are mentioned confused the Welsh words for "shield" and "shoulder". In the Welsh Annals (Annales Cambriae), Arthur is described as bearing this shield during the battle of Badon in 516 AD 516 The Battle of Badon, in which Arthur carried the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ for three days and three nights on his shoulders [i.e. shield] and the Britons were the victors. NENNIUS: British History and the Welsh Annals, ed. & trans. John Morris, Phillimore, 1980, P. 45. This feat of Arthur's is also recorded in Nennius' British History (a work assigned to the early ninth cantury). In this Arthur bears a shield with an image of the Virgin Mary at the Battle of Gunnion Fort.

Not at the Battle of Badon: which is listed as a separate battle The eighth battle was in Gunnion 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 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. NENNIUS: British History andd the Welsh Annals, ed. & trans. John Morris, Phillimore, 1980, P. 35. According to Nennius the power of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary ensured the victory of Arthur over his opponents: who would have been pagans. Yet why was the image of the Virgin Mary depicted on a shield and not upon a banner which would have both been visible to Arthur's entire force and would have inspired them to fight unstintingly?

When we move on a few hundred years, to Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of 'King Arthur' of about 1136, we find the same motif. Geoffrey relates that the Saxons were besieging the city of Bath and Arthur's army left a campaign in Scotland to relieve the siege. After Arthur's army has been exhorted to fight by Dubricius, Archbishop of the City of the Legions: - Without a moments delay each man present, inspired by the benediction given by this holy man, rushed to put on his armour and to obey Dubricius' orders. Arthur himself put on a leather jerkin worthy of so great a king. On his head he put a golden helmet, with a crest carved in the shape of a dragon; and across his shoulders a circular shield called Pridwen, on which there was painted a likeness of the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, which forced him to be thinking perpetually of her. Geoffrey of Monmouth: the History of the Kings of Britain, trans. Lewis Thorpe, Penguin 1983 (1966), pp. 216-217.

Features of this description of Arthur's armaments suggest that Geoffrey of Monmouth was utilising traditions concerning him that came from Celtic sources. The assertion that Arthur's shield was circular is one. Such a shield would have been carried by a Dark-Age warriors, unlike the knights contemporary with Geoffrey, who carried elongated shields. Likewise these knights would have worn chain mail augmented with metal plate. They would not have worn a leather jerkin or cuirass (this leather must have been hardened to resist sword cuts and thrusts) which might have been used in the technologically deficient Dark Ages. Finally, the image painted on Arthur's shield has a parallel in an ancient Irish story that is quite specific over how this might benefit the warrior bearing the shield. In this story the image-bearing shield benefitted the whole force of the leader who carried it. When the leader invoked the image upon the shield his army took over some of the strength of their opponents. The story concerns the Ulster king Conchobar . At first Conchobar's shield was to be merely a normal shield, though made by the famous smith Culann.

However, a mermaid captured by Conchobar bargains for her release by promising that her image painted upon the shield, when invoked in battle, will transfer a part of the strength of Conchobar's opponents to his own men. Could the assertion that Arthur's shield bore a Christian image possibly be another instance where Christianity has appropriated a dramatic motif from a pre-existing mythology? A motif that was used to provide a magical image in stories. Taken by Christianity, this motif was shorn it of it's substance and was used as an empty symbol. The purpose of this transformation would have been to associate a popular tale with Christian iconography and beliefs. This also happened with popular pagan festivals, which were allowed to survive and given a Christian gloss through being associated with the Saints and the events in the Christian Calendar. The common people would continue to celebrate these festivals, but eventually would come to regard them as completely Christian and so would forget their earlier associations with pagan beliefs. Sometimes this takeover was not too successful. Samhaim was turned into All Saints Night, but the festival's Celtic origins can still be seen. It follows the Celtic practice of setting the start of a new day at sunset, hence the popular name of Halloween (All Hallows Evening).

Then childrens practice of 'Trick or Treat' is a survival of ancient beliefs about Samhain. Originally the start of the Celtic year, it was a time when the barriers between this world and the 'Otherworld' of the dead were at their weakest. The ghostly and grotesque disguises worn by children are representations of the spirits of the dead who were believed to walk the Earth on the night of Samhain. The demanding of gifts to prevent mischief is an attenuated survival of the custom of leaving gifts of food for wandering ancestral ghosts. Though ancestors of the living, these ghosts had no feelings of benevolence towards their living descendants and could easily cause magical harm to them if not bribed with offerings of food and drink. The two names given to Arthur's shield are closely related, despite appearing completely different. For Pridwen (Geoffrey of Monmouth) means 'fair face'. While Wynebgwrthucher (The Mabinogion) means 'face of evening'. Both names are apt for a shield that bore a painted image of a female face. They are also very appropriate for an image of a semi-divine Celtic figure, such as a mermaid, which had the magical properties cited above.

Yet the names do not seem as relavent to a portrait of a Christian figure (either Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary), who should have been given a name that reflected their place in Christian theology. Now for an anomaly. In Geoffrey of Monmouth Pridwen is Arthur's shield. Yet in the Mabinogion Prydwen is Arthur's boat. Let's have a look at the ship now. Arthur's ship This receives only a few scattered mantions. In the Mabinogion story of Culhwch and Olwen it is mentioned upon three occasions. First Arthur sails in Prydwen so he can approach, from the sea, the cave in which the bitch Rhymhi has her two pups, while his companions approach the cave from the land. Second, Arthur and a small force sail in Prydwen to Ireland to obtain the cauldron of Diwrnach. Third Arthur sails in Prydwen, with his troops and horses and dogs, to Wales as they pursue the pig Twrch Trwyth.

Outside the Mabinogion, Prydwen features in the enigmatic poem Preideu Annwfyn (The Spoils of Annwn) : carrying three boatloads of soldiers with Arthur to an attack upon an otherworld fort from which only seven men return. As noted above the word 'Prydwen' has been translated as 'fair face'. This is a very odd name for a ship. One would expect a name that glorifies the speed and sailing qualities of the ship, instead of a name that, as noted above, is apt for a shield with a female head painted upon it. Though is is possible that a legendary shield and a ship became confused in the oral transmission of Arthur's story. It is possible that the calling of both a shield and a ship 'Pridwen' could be a distorted memory of an ancient Celtic war tactic. The members of the army of the Celtic leader Brennos used their long shields as rafts to aid them in swimming across a river in 280 BC (Ellis, P. B., Celt and Greek, London, 1997, P. 14).

A memory of this tactic may have led to a shield, with a painted female face upon it, becoming confused with a ship. With the consequence that the name of the shield would have been transferred to the ship, leaving both with the name Prydwen. Arthur's Sword Geoffrey of Monmouth gives us the first mention of Arthur's sword, which he calls 'Caliburn'. He also tells that it was forged in the island of Avalon: where Arthur went after being wounded in the final battle that saw the death of Mordred. Welsh sources call Arthur's sword Caledvwlch (hard-cleft) and say that it was a sacred gift from God (The Welsh Triads). The notion that Arthur bore a sword that had superlative cutting qualities survives in Malory, where the word Excalibur is said to mean 'Cut-steel' (Malory, BOOK II, CHAP. III) With Caledvwlch there is a close connection between Welsh and Irish myth . For the Irish knew of a magical sword of fairy origin called Caladcholg (hard-dinter).

This was borne by more than one Irish king: by Feargus mac Léide, who slew a water monster with it, by Aillil mac Máta and by Fearhus mac Róich. The last swung the sword round in arcs that slew all around him. A feat that paralleled a like exploit in Culhwch and Olwen, when one of Arthur's warriors used Caledvwlch in a battle:- Llenlleawg the Irishman seized Caledvwlch. swung it round in a circle and killed Diwnach the Irishman and his entire retinue; The Mabinogion, trans. Gantz, J., Penguin (Harmondworth), 1976, P. 170 We must infer from this description that Caledvwlch/Excalibur was not the exclusive property of King Arthur.

A fact confirmed in Chrétien de Troyes poem Perceval, where Sir Gawain like Arthur's Irish warrior, wields excalibur (escalibor) with great effect when he is attacked in a tower in the city of the King of Escavalon:- Come what may, he now felt sure that he could hold the door and entrance to the tower, for he had Escalibor girded on, the finest sword there was, which sliced through iron as though through wood. Chrétien de Troyes, Perceval: the story of the grail, trans. Bryant, N., D. S. Brewer (Woodbridge), 1996 (1982), P. 63 Though Caladhcholg, the Irish magical weapon, was a sword, its name has been connected to another word Caladhbholg (hard-spear). It is postulated that this weapon was once the typical weapon of the archetypal Celtic War God. With changes in the weapons carried by warriors over time, the name of this legendary divine weapon became associated with an equally fearsome magical sword.

Indeed the Welsh name for Arthur's sword (caledvwlch) is seen as being closer to Caladhbholg than is the name of Feargus mac Léide's sword (Ó HÓgáin, D., Myth Legend and Romance, Prentice Hall 1991, P. 194 & 196). In Malory's Morte D'Arthur the king's sword is the more familiar Excalibur. However it's origins are confused. At the most general level the gaining of the sword by Arthur involves the magician Merlin and the sword itself possesses magical qualities. The two ways in which Arthur obtained Excalibur must come from different sources. The method used to join these contradictory origin tales was the device of having one Excalibur (the sword in the stone) broken in a fight with Pellinor. With one Excalibur disposed of, the alternative version of the origin story could then be interpolated. The first acquisition of Excalibur is the familiar kingship test in which Arthur proves his right to the throne by pulling Excalibur from a stone at a Christmas gathering.

The gathering had been suggested by Merlin, but a religious element is introduced by the sword-in-the-stone appearing in the churchyard of the greatest church in London, close by the high altar, and by the prominent part that the Archbishop of Canterbury plays in the proceedings (Malory, BOOK, I CHAPS. VI-VIII). Only later is the sword's name revealed to be Excalibur, when Arthur draws it to rescue his army from defeat in a battle and the light from Excalibur blinds his enemies eyes (Malory, BOOK I, CHAP. IX). This notion that Arthur's sword emits a blinding light is also found on the Mabinogion tale 'The Dream of Rhonabwy':- Then they heard Cadwr Earl of Cornwall being summoned, and saw him rise with Arthur's sword in his hand, with a design of two serpents on the golden hilt; when the sword was unsheathed what was seen from the mouths of the serpents was like two flames of fire, so dreadful that it was not easy for anyone to look. The Mabinogion, trans. Gantz, J., Penguin (Harmondworth), 1976, P.

184 Merlin is also involved in Arthur obtaining the second Excalibur. When he guides Arthur to the Lady of the Lake and prompts him to ask for the gift of the sword that an arm holds above her lake. Arthur now obtains a second Excalibur, with a scabbard this time, from the Lady of the Lake. Though magical, this sword has different properties to the original Excalibur. It does not shine with a dazzling light, but gives extremely cutting blows while the scabbard protects it's bearer from losing blood from his wounds (Malory, BOOK I, CHAP. XXV). The gift of a lady who rules an underwater otherworld, the sword is returned to her after Arthur has been mortally wounded (Malory, BOOK XXI, CHAP. V). Earlier the scabbard had been returned to a lake when Morgan le Fay stole it from Arthur and threw it into a lake to prevent him taking it back (Malory, BOOK IV, CHAP XIV). Merlin also prepared another sword-in-stone test: that by which Galahad obtained his sword at Camelot (Malory, BOOK II, CHAP. XIX).

Though this event is not part of Arthur's story, it shows that the old magician was deeply involved in the magic sword business! Arthur's spear Called Rhongomynyad (cutting-spear) in the Mabinogion. While Geoffrey of Monmouth more familiarly calls the spear Ron and describes it in the following way. "A spear called Ron graced his right hand: long, broad in the blade and thirsty for slaughter." In the Welsh Triads the spear is one of the "sacred weapons that God had given him (Arthur)". In the Irish story 'Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel' a magical spear that approximates to Geoffrey of Monmouth's description of Arthur's spear Ron can be found. This is called 'Luin of Celtchar mac Uthercair'. It needed to be quenched in poison when battle was expected, for it then became so ardent for blood that it would destroy it's handler. When used it would kill nine at each throw. Arthur's knife Mention of this comes from the Mabinogion. Its name was Carnwennan (little white hilt) and it is another of Arthur's weapons that was a "sacred weapon" given him by God.

With it Arthur killed the Black Hag in her cave. After the Hag had wrestled and defeated four of Arthur's warriors who attempted to obtain her blood to shave Chief Giant Ysbaddaden, Arthur used Carnwennan to kill her. As would be expected from a divine gift, Arthur's knife had magical properties. When thrown it hit it's target, even when the target was hidden in the darkness of a cave. While, when it struck the knife split the person it was thrown at in two: - Then Arthur sprang to the cave entrance and threw his knife Carnwennan at the hag, so that it struck her down the centre and made two vats of her, and Caw of Scotland took the blood and kept it with him. The Mabinogion, trans. Gantz, J., Penguin, 1976, P. 175. Arthur's armour Geoffrey of Monmouth does not describe Arthur as wearing the protective armour that was worn by the knights of his era. Instead he has Arthur protected by a leather jerkin, or cuirass, and bearing a round shield. Perhaps these items were ascribed to Arthur in lost traditions that were familiar to Geoffrey.

Those who produced versions of Geoffrey's history in Norman French and in English (Wace and Layamon) gave armour that was familiar to their contemporaries. Arthur's club and shield? These items are only mentioned in one story that has continental origins. A dragon that ravaged the Breton countryside had successfully avoided Arthur, who searched and fought monsters in the region. Instructions from churchmen lead Arthur to the dragon's cave, where he attacks it: - Arthur was cheered by the advent of the holy men and he rejoiced with all his heart at the directions to the monster's cave, because he had so often departed sad because he had not been able to find the monster, angry with himself as though having been beaten by it. He armed himself with the triple-knotted club and defended his eager torso with the shield which a lion-skin covered, and then alone he attacked the public enemy, fighting for all. The Celtic Sources for the Arthurian Legend, Coe, J. B., Young, S., Llanerch Publishers, 1995, P. 39. Arthur fights the dragon all day. Though unwounded, he is not only exhausted, but has failed to cause the dragon any more than pain.

Arthur then seeks the assistance of Saint Euflamm, who banishes the dragon. This story is from of those Saint's lives that portray Arthur as inferior to churchmen. The weapons that Arthur was armed with do seem rather spurious. Indeed the partnership of the triple-knotted club and the lion skin make one suspicious that the story is a fabrication that owes more than a little to a clerics knowledge of the classical hero Hercules. A more charitable view would be that the story came from a continental tradition in which Arthur had taken over the weapons, and performed the feats of strength and courage, characteristic of heroes who may have originally been Celtic divinities. Arthur's cauldron A very important item in a king's household, for the food for his retinue was cooked in it. Arthur's cauldron was carried by Hwgwydd, who also kindled the fire beneath the cauldron. When Arthur captures the cauldron of Diwnarch the Irishman (Culhwch and Olwen), it is given to Hwgwydd to carry. In order to secure the loyalty of their warriors, kings and military leaders had to provide their food and give them land. From the Dark Ages this pattern continued into the Middle Ages.

In Arthurian romance this customary behaviour can seen in the feastings at the Round Table, the gifts of land to knights and, rather more bizarrely, in incidents where Arthur promises to fulfil a petitioner's request before the petitioner reveals their demand. These reckless promises inevitably lead to the king having to fulfil a request that he would have dismissed, had he known its nature before he had promised to act with regal benevolence. Arthur's mantle This was the last of the thirteen treasures of Britain. It is described as follows: - the mantle of Arthur in Cornwall. whoever was under it could not be seen, and he could see everybody. The Celtic Sources for the Arthurian Legend, Coe, J. B., Young, S., Llanerch Publishers, 1995, P. 77. Arthur's animals Animals were of supreme importance in earlier societies and the posession of superlative specimens was of great importance to warrior heroes. Arthur's hunting dog Cavall (the word means horse!) was certainly important enough to have been been mentioned in connection with the wonders of Britain described by the Dark Age writer Nennius: - There is another wonder in the country called Builth.

there is a heap of stones there, and one of the stones placed on top of the pile has the footprint of a dog on it. When he hunted Trwch Trwyth Cafal, the warrior Arthur's hound, impressed his footprint on the stone, and Arthur later brought together the pile of stones, under the stone in which was his dog's footprint, and it is called Carn Cafal. Men come and take the stone in their hands for the space of a day and a night, and on the morrow it is found upon the stone pile. Nennius, British History, trans. Morris, J., Phillimore, 1980, P. 42 Cavall is also twice mentioned in passing in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen in the Mabinogion. It kills the 'Chief Boar Ysgthryrwyn' and it is by the side of Bedwyr in the hunting of the boar 'Twrch Trwyth'. It is also mentioned in 'Geraint and Enid' as being Arthur's favourite hound. In this story Cavall turned a hart towards Arthur, who then chased the animal and beheaded it.

Arthur also had a mare called Llamrei that is mentioned in Culhwch and Olwen. During the pursuit and killing of the 'Chief Boar Ysgithryrwyn' it is ridden by Caw of Scotland. Llamrei must also have been able to bear great loads, for she carried four of Arthur's wounded companions after they had been throroughly drubbed by the Black Hag in her cave. A further horse tradition concerning Arthur was current in Wales in the nineteenth century. The tradition was that Arthur and his war-horse expelled an 'afanc' from the lake Llyn Barfog (52° 34· 3´ N 3° 59· 2´ W) in the former county of Merionethshire. The afanc was a water monster that could not be killed. It could only be prevented from causing harm to those living near a lake by dragging it from it's home waters and putting it another body of water.

Near the Llyn Barfog is a rock (Carn March Arthur 52° 34· 0´ N 3° 59· 4´ W) that bears an imprint that is supposed to be a hoofprint of Arthur's horse (Celtic Folklore, John Rhys, 1901, pp. 142, 429). Frequently Asked Questions about the Arthurian Legends | Robbins Library Digital Projects Robbins Library Digital Projects › Camelot Project › Frequently Asked Questions about the Arthurian Legends › Frequently Asked Questions about the Arthurian Legends Frequently Asked Questions about the Arthurian Legends by: Alan Lupack (Author) [The following are questions frequently asked of librarians who provide "chat" reference service in Rush Rhees Library at the University of Rochester. The answers have been provided by Alan Lupack (alupack@library.rochester.edu) .] Who was King Arthur and when/where did he live? Is there historical evidence of his existence? Traditionally called King Arthur, an early chronicler called Nennius refers to him as 'dux bellorum', a term designating a military leader rather than a king.

Nennius also names Arthur as the victor in a series of twelve battles against the Saxons, which culminate in a decisive victory at Mount Badon. The early Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen depicts him as the leader of a group of semi-mythological warriors with super powers. Welsh saints's lives sometimes portray him as an enemy of the church, who commandeers its treasures to support his wars. How much, if any, historicity can be assigned to Arthur is a matter of debate. Some have suggested that a person who lived earlier than or contemporary with the time usually associated with Arthur (the late 5th or early 6th century) performed deeds that became attached to a fictional 'Arthur'. Geoffrey Ashe, for example, has called attention to a figure referred to as 'Riothamus', a title meaning 'high king', who led an army to the continent and who, Ashe speculates, may have been associated with Arthur by Geoffrey of Monmouth (the author of a "history" of the kings of Britain, a work which introduces into the tradition many fictional elements that are now seen as essential parts of the story of Arthur).

(Ashe puts forth this theory in The Discovery of King Arthur [1985].) Other scholars believe that the Arthurian legends are not based on any real person. If Arthur or someone who inspired the legends of Arthur did exist, he would have been a warrior of the late fifth and/or early sixth centuries and not the sort of person often depicted in literature, a king living in a castle with knights in shining armor serving him. Who was Guinevere? Did King Arthur have other lovers? Guinevere is Arthur's wife and queen; according to the Vulgate Cycle and Malory, she is the daughter of Leodegrance of Carmelide. Though one of the Welsh Triads (Triad 56) speaks of Arthur's three great queens (all named Gwenhwyfar), later romance generally gives him only one wife named Guinevere. Geoffrey of Monmouth introduces the notion of Guinevere's infidelity (with Modred) while Arthur is fighting on the continent. In Chrétien's Lancelot, Guinevere becomes Lancelot's lover after he rescues her from Meleagant.

Generally (though not always) in the romance tradition, Guinevere is portrayed as Lancelot's lover. In the Vulgate Cycle, the first meeting between Guinevere and Lancelot is arranged by Galehaut. She is later accused of not being the true Guinevere by the illegitimate daughter of her father Leodagan and the wife of his seneschal. When Arthur falls in love with the False Guinevere and accepts her as his queen, Guinevere is protected by Lancelot and Galehaut until the truth is revealed. Malory's Guinevere is jealous and demanding but also a true lover. Her jealousy and anger drive Lancelot mad and lead her to say she wishes he were dead. Nevertheless, she remains true to him. She is accused several times of crimes-infidelity and the murder of Mador's relative-and must be saved by Lancelot, as she is once again when their love is discovered and she is sentenced to be burned at the stake. When Mordred rebels against Arthur and attempts to marry her, she flees first to the Tower of London and then to the nunnery at Amesbury, where she becomes abbess.

Lancelot visits her there after the death of Arthur, but she asks him to leave and never to return and refuses even to give him a final kiss. She dies a holy death, of which Lancelot learns in a vision that instructs him to have her buried next to Arthur. While Malory is understanding of the true love of Guinevere, Tennyson makes her an example of an unfaithful wife. Arthur, before whom she grovels with guilt when he visits her in the nunnery, says that she has "spoilt the purpose of my life." Malory also writes that Arthur had an affair with Lyonors, the daughter of Earl Sanam. Lyonors bears him a son named Borre, who later becomes a knight of the Round Table. Who was Merlin and what is his significance to King Arthur? Merlin plays many roles in Arthurian literature, including bard, prophet, magician, advisor, and warrior. Though usually a figure who supports Arthur and his vision of Camelot, Merlin is, because of the stories in which he is said to be the son of a devil, sometimes presented as a villain.

Celtic tradition contains a number of related figures-the Welsh Myrddin, the Scottish Lailoken, and the Irish Suibhne-who have characteristics similar to those of Merlin. These characters all go mad and become wild men of the woods. Myrddin, who appears in the Welsh poems 'Yr Afallennau' ('The Apple Tree Stanzas') and 'Yr Oianau' ('The Little Pig Stanzas'), is driven mad because of the death of his lord Gwenddolau at the hands of Rhydderch in the Battle of Arfderydd (c. 575). After the battle, Merlin lives in exile in the forest, where he utters prophecies. Geoffrey of Monmouth combines this historical figure, who lived at a time later than that in which a historical Arthur might have lived, with the figure of the youth Ambrosius Aurelianus from Nennius (Geoffrey says that Merlin's second name was Ambrosius); in so doing, he virtually creates the now-traditional Merlin.

Geoffrey's Merlin, who is fathered by an incubus, explains why Vortigern's tower will not stand and utters a long series of prophecies. He then serves both Aurelius and Uther. After transporting the Giant's Dance from Ireland to Britain and setting it up as Stonehenge, he assists Uther in satisfying his lust for Ygerna. In Geoffrey's account, Merlin does not serve as an advisor to Arthur; but later writers expand his role to include helping Arthur become king and establish his authority. In the works of Robert de Boron and in the Vulgate Cycle, Merlin's birth is engineered by the devils in hell. They hope to bring into the world an anti-Christ who will undo the good (or, as they see it, the harm) done by Christ in redeeming mankind. Merlin's mother is impregnated by an incubus; but with the advice of her confessor Blaise she baptizes her son; and he becomes a force for good, not evil. Since he is the son of a devil, he is endowed with the knowledge of all things past, and God bestows on him the gift of knowing the future.

He is also instrumental in establishing Arthur's realm and the Round Table, and he serves as an adviser to Athur. Merlin's service to Arthur ends when he is infatuated with Niniane (also called Vivien and Nyneve) and allows her to seal him up with a charm that he himself has taught her. Perhaps the most influential modern recasting of Merlin is in T. H. White's The Once and Future King (1958). White's Merlin, who is both a comic and a philosophic figure, is a tutor who encourages Arthur to think for himself and who is gratified when Arthur arrives at the notion that might should be used for right. White's Merlin knows the future because he lives backwards in time. Who are Bedivere? Gawain? Mordred? What is their relationship to King Arthur? Bedivere: Bedivere and Kay (Bedwyr and Cai in Welsh sources) are among the warriors earliest associated with Arthur. The author of Culhwch and Olwen (ca. 1100) says of Bedwyr that he never shrank from any enterprise on which Cai was bound.

Wace says that Bedivere and Kay are Arthur's two most loyal subjects. In the late fourteenth-century Alliterative Morte Arthure and other works that tell the story of the Giant of St. Michael's Mount, Kay and Bedivere accompany Arthur as he sets out to confront the giant. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Arthur gives Bedevere the province of Normandy for his service in the war in Gaul; later, Bedevere is slain in Arthur's continental war against Lucius. In Malory's Morte d'Arthur, Bedivere survives the continental wars and is with Arthur at the end of his final battle. Arthur orders him to return Excalibur to the lake. Tennyson adds to Malory's account a depiction of Bedivere watching the barge bearing Arthur as it grows smaller and smaller and finally disappears. In Rosemary Sutcliff's Sword at Sunset and in Mary Stewart's The Wicked Day, Bedwyr takes on the role, usually assigned to Lancelot, of lover of Arthur's queen. Gawain: Gawain is Arthur's nephew, and in much Arthurian literature he is presented as the best of Arthur's knights.

In a number of sources, his strength is said to increase until noon, at which point it begins to wane. According to the French Mort Artu (Death of Arthur), his strength increases around noon because the priest who baptized him prayed that his strength would increase at noon, the hour he was baptized. Malory says that a holy man gave Gawain the gift of increasing strength from undern (9 a. m.) until noon every day of the year. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's history, Gawain is one of Arthur's most valorous knights in his continental wars, and he dies in the struggle against Modred when Arthur returns to Britain. The author of The Rise of Gawain (twelfth century) tells of Gawain's being brought to Rome by Viamundus, the fisherman who stole the boy from the merchants to whom Anna, his mother, had entrusted him because he was born before she was married to Loth (Lot). There, he is knighted by and serves the Emperor. Gawain is said by Chrétien in his Perceval (1180s) to be the most courteous knight in the world.

In this work, and in numerous others by various authors, Gawain is contrasted to Kay, whose boorishness is a foil to Gawain's courtliness. In several Dutch romances, Gawain is called the Father of Adventure, and he has great skill in healing as well as in fighting and diplomacy. In many of the French romances of the twelfth through the fourteenth centuries, Gawain is the most important hero; but Lancelot eventually replaces him in this role. In the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle, Gawain is presented as the second-best worldly knight after Lancelot. He refuses to join in Agravain's accusation against Lancelot and Guinevere; later, out of grief for his brothers-particularly his favorite Gaheriet (Gareth)-who are slain in the rescue of the queen, he insists on pursuing and fighting with Lancelot. Although Lancelot refuses to slay him when he has the opportunity, Gawain ultimately dies from a head wound received in their fight. Nevertheless, before his death Gawain realizes that Lancelot was the best and most generous knight, wishes he could ask his forgiveness before his death, and advises Arthur to ask him for help.

In Malory's Morte d'Arthur, Gawain is at times brave and noble and at times vengeful and treacherous. He keeps alive the feud between the house of Lot and the house of Pellinore by treacherously killing Pellinore and then Lamorak. He is also unforgiving when Lancelot accidentally kills Gareth, and he refuses to allow Arthur to make peace with him. He does, however, try to dissuade Mordred and Agravain from accusing Lancelot; and he finally realizes that Lancelot is noble and Mordred wicked. Mordred: The Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals) mentions Medraut as a participant in the battle of Camlann but does not make clear whether he is an enemy or an ally of Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth introduces the notion of Mordred's usurpation of the throne and his adulterous relationship with Guinevere while Arthur is fighting his continental wars. Geoffrey names Mordred as one of two sons of Lot and Anna (the other being Gawain). Mordred in turn has two sons who survive him but are killed by Constantine, Arthur's successor.

In the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle, Mordred is the son of Arthur by his half-sister, who is Lot's wife. Although, in the Vulgate Mort Artu, it is Agravain who accuses Lancelot and Guinevere of adultery and leads the knights who trap them in the queen's chamber, Mordred betrays Arthur's trust when he is left in charge of the kingdom and the queen by forging a letter said to be from a dying Arthur declaring Mordred king and urging him to marry Guinevere. In the final battle of Salisbury Plain, Arthur kills Mordred but is fatally wounded by him. Mordred leaves behind two sons, the elder called Melehan and the younger unnamed. Bors kills Melehan, who has slain Lionel; and Lancelot kills the younger son. In Malory's Morte d'Arthur, Mordred is the illegitimate son of Arthur and Morgause. When Arthur, who is unaware that she is related to him when they sleep together, learns that he has had a child by his half-sister, he attempts to kill Mordred by condemning all the children born on May Day to be set adrift on the sea.

But his son survives when the ship he is in breaks up and he is cast up on the shore and found by a good man, who raises him until he is fourteen. Even before Mordred accuses Lancelot and Guinevere and plans to trap them, his villainy is clear. When Gawain and his brothers treacherously attack and slay Lamorak, it is Mordred who gives him a fatal wound in the back. While Arthur is besieging Lancelot's castle in France, Mordred forges letters saying that Arthur is dead, claims the throne, and intends to marry Guinevere. In the final battle, Arthur gives Mordred a fatal wound; but Mordred thrusts himself up the length of Arthur's spear so he can strike his father. What is the Round Table? The twelfth-century chronicler Wace first introduces the notion of the Round Table, which he says Arthur had made so that all of the noble barons whom he attracted to his court would be equally placed and served and none could boast that he had a higher position at the table than the others. Layamon expands on this notion, describing a riot at which many nobles vie for place and precedence at Arthur's table.

A skilled craftsman then offers to make Arthur a table that will seat more than sixteen hundred and at which high and low will be on an equal footing because the table is round. According to the prose rendition of Robert de Boron's Merlin and the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle, Uther Pendragon, instructed by Merlin, established the Round Table to symbolize the table of the Last Supper and the Grail Table established by Joseph of Arimathea at the command of the Holy Spirit. Uther gives the Round Table to Guinevere's father Leodegan, who in turn gives it to Arthur when he weds Guinevere. The number of seats at the Round Table varies in different sources, sometimes being said to seat twelve knights and the king, sometimes as many as 150. The Round Table has come to stand not only for the physical object at which Arthur and his knights sat but also for the order of knighthood and the code to which the knights committed themselves. The symbolic nature of the Round Table survives even into the youth groups of the late nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century.

The founders of one of those clubs, the Knights of King Arthur, saw the roundness of Arthur's table and the equality it implied as representing 'democracy under leadership' and thus an ideal structure for a club for boys. What do we know about the sword Excalibur? Geoffrey of Monmouth, Wace, and Layamon all observe that Arthur's sword Caliburn was forged on the Isle of Avalon. In Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur, Excalibur is the name given to the sword Arthur receives from the Lady of the Lake and entrusts to Bedivere to return to the water after his final battle. Malory, following his French source, explains the name Excalibur as meaning 'Kutte [Cut] Steele'. (There is only one place in the Morte where the sword drawn from the stone is referred to as Excalibur: in his battle with the kings who will not accept him, Arthur pulls the sword from the stone, on Merlin's advice, only when he is losing the battle.

When he draws 'his swerd Excalibur', it gives the light of thirty torches and helps him to put his enemies to flight.) When this sword from the stone breaks in two as Arthur fights Pellinore, Merlin saves Arthur by casting an enchantment over Pellinore and then takes the king to receive another sword, Excalibur, from the Lady of the Lake. Merlin tells Arthur that Excalibur's scabbard is even more valuable than the sword itself because while he wears it he will not lose any blood or be severely wounded. Morgan le Fay, to whom Arthur has entrusted the care of Excalibur, gives the sword to her lover Accolon to use against Arthur. Provided with a counterfeit Excalibur, Arthur is saved by Nyneve (a character sometimes called Vivien, Niniane, or Nimue). Morgan then steals the scabbard and throws it into a lake so it can no longer protect Arthur. Excalibur must be returned to the water at the end of Arthur's life, a task assigned to Bedivere in Malory's account-but to others in different medieval versions of Arthur's story. What was the Holy Grail?

The Holy Grail is generally considered to be the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper and the vessel used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch his blood as he hung on the cross. This significance, however, was introduced into the Arthurian legends by Robert de Boron in his verse romance Joseph d'Arimathie (sometimes also called Le Roman de l'Estoire dou Graal), which was probably written in the last decade of the twelfth century or the first few years of the thirteenth. In earlier sources as well as in some later ones, the Grail is sometimes something quite different. The term 'grail' comes from the Latin gradale, which means a dish brought to the table during various stages (Latin 'gradus') or courses of a meal. In Chrétien de Troyes and other early writers, the term 'grail' suggests such a plate. Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival (first decade of the thirteenth century) presents the Grail as a stone which provides sustenance and prevents anyone who beholds it from dying within that week.

In medieval romance, the Grail was said to have been brought to Glastonbury in Britain by Joseph of Arimathea and his followers. In the time of Arthur, the quest for the Grail was the highest spiritual pursuit. For Chrétien, author of Perceval, and his continuators, Perceval is the knight who must achieve the Grail. For some other French authors, as for Malory, Galahad is the chief Grail knight, though others (Perceval and Bors in Malory's Morte d'Arthur) also achieve the quest. Where was Camelot? Camelot is an imaginary place and thus it is perhaps pointless to speak of its location. In literary sources, it is usually situated in the south of England. Some have speculated that if Arthur actually existed he would have needed a base of operations. John Leland identified Camelot with Cadbury Castle, a hill fort in Somerset.

Excavations carried out at the site in 1966-1970 confirmed that this large hill fort (with 1200 yards of perimeter surrounding an eighteen-acre enclosure and rising about 250 feet above the surrounding countryside) was refortified in the Arthurian era and was occupied by a powerful leader and his followers. In many medieval texts Arthur holds court at Caerleon or some other city. Camelot is first mentioned in the twelfth century in Chrétien de Troyes's Lancelot. In the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle, Camelot is said to have been converted by the son of Joseph of Arimathea, Josephus, who had built there the Church of St. Stephen, in which some texts say Arthur and Guinevere were married. Camelot becomes the principal city of Arthur's realm and remains so in many, though not all, later texts. In his Le Morte d'Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory identifies Camelot as Winchester. What modern allusions are there to Camelot?

The image most modern readers have of Camelot coincides with Tennyson's description of it in "The Lady of Shalott" as "many-tower'd Camelot." More recently, largely through the influence of T. H. White, Camelot has come to be associated with the values that Arthur and his realm are believed to have represented (White's 'Might for Right'). Because of John F. Kennedy's fondness for the play Camelot and an interest in the legends that originated with his childhood reading of a version of Malory, John F. Kennedy's his presidency has been referred to as 'Camelot'. Actually, the identification between Kennedy and Camelot first occurred soon after Kennedy's death, when Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy urged her friend, reporter and historian Theodore H. White, to label her late husband's historical myth in specifically Arthurian terms. Other historians also associated Kennedy's presidency, particularly some of its more idealistic programs, with the legend of Arthur. The moral overtones of Camelot are reflected in other areas as well, but sometimes 'Camelot' is used only to represent an ideal place. share this page In Search of Myths & Heroes .

King Arthur | PBS Arthur, a Celtic king born of deceit and adultery, grew to become one of the most famous rulers of Britain. He was a warrior, a knight and a king who killed giants, witches and monsters and led a band of heroes on many daring adventures. He is known for his Knights of the Round Table and for uniting the peoples of his land. Even though his end was tragic, he is still known and celebrated all over the world today. His story is painted on the halls of the British Parliament. Arthur's story begins with Uther Pendragon, his father. Pendragon is smitten by Igraine, the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. Disguising himself as Igraine's husband he sneaks into her bed and she conceives Arthur. Merlin the wizard raises Arthur away from his parents. It is Merlin who had designed for Arthur's father Uther a great Round Table at which 150 knights could sit. Upon Uther's death, the knights do not know who should take his place. Merlin tells them that whoever could draw a mysterious sword out of a stone should be the next king. Many try but all fail.

Then one day Arthur, who is attending his foster brother Sir Kay, is sent to find a sword to replace his brother's broken one. He comes upon the magical sword Excalibur in the stone and, not knowing the prophecy, drew it out. Thus, he is proclaimed the new king. Arthur unites Britain and drives off the invading Saxons. He becomes a benevolent and well-loved king. His reign is known for its heroic deeds and chivalric romance. In fact the name of his castle, Camelot, has come to signify a golden age. The greatest quest of Arthur and his Knights is the quest for the mythical Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. While King Arthur is never to find the Holy Grail himself, his knight Sir Galahad does because of his purity of heart. King Arthur marries Guinevere, daughter of the King of Scotland. Merlin tries to warn him against the marriage because Guinevere is in love with Sir Lancelot, one of Arthur's knights. When Arthur discovers that his wife and Sir Lancelot are having an affair, Sir Lancelot flees for France and Arthur pursues him.

In his absence, Arthur's nephew Mordred seizes power. Arthur returns to Britain and a terrible battle ensures, during which most of his knights die and he is grievously wounded. He has Excalibur thrown back into the lake, and boards a boat for the magical Isle of Avalon. Here, he hopes to be cured of his wounds so that he might return to lead his people again. For this reason, Arthur is called "the once and future king." King Arthur - The Legend King Arthur - The Legend Re-enactment 2010 Arthur was the first born son of King Uther Pendragon and heir to the throne. However these were very troubled times and Merlin, a wise magician, advised that the baby Arthur should be raised in a secret place and that none should know his true identity. As Merlin feared, when King Uther died there was great conflict over who should be the next king. Merlin used his magic to set a sword in a stone.

Written on the sword, in letters of gold, were these words: "Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is the rightwise born king of all England." Of course all the contenders for the throne took their turn at trying to draw the sword, but none could succeed. Arthur, quite by chance, withdrew the sword for another to use in a tournament. Following this he became King. He gathered Knights around him and fought back against the Saxons who, since the Romans left Britain, were slowly but surely taking the country over. After many great battles and a huge victory at Mount Badon the Saxons' advance was halted. Arthur's base was at a place called Camelot. Here he built a strong castle. His knights met at a Round Table. They carried out acts of chivalry such as rescuing damsels in distress and fought against strange beasts. They also searched for a lost treasure, which they believed would cure all ills - this was the 'Quest for the Holy Grail'. Under the guidance of Merlin, Arthur had obtained a magical sword from The Lady Of The Lake. This sword was called 'Excalibur" and with this weapon he vanquished many foes.

Queen Guinevere, Arthur's beautiful wife brought romance to the story while his equally beautiful half sister Morgan le Fay added a dark side. Unfortunately, as peace settled over the country things turned sour within the court of Camelot and civil war broke out. In the final battle at Camlan both Arthur and Mordred, Arthur's traitorous nephew, were mortally wounded. Arthur was set upon a boat and floated down river to the isle of Avalon. Here his wounds were treated by three mysterious maidens. His body was never found and many say that he rests under a hill with all his knights - ready to ride forth and save the country again. EBK: Excalibur EXCALIBUR Arthur's Sword The Tradition: The Name "Excalibur" was first used for King Arthur 's sword by the French Romancers. It was not the famous "Sword in the Stone" (which broke in battle), but a second sword acquired by the King through the intercession of his druidic advisor, Myrddin ( Merlin ). Worried that Arthur would fall in battle, Merlin took the King to a magical lake where a mysterious hand thrust itself up from the water, holding aloft a magnificent sword.

It was the Lady of the Lake offering Arthur a magic unbreakable blade, fashioned by an Avalonian elf smith, along with a scabbard which would protect him as long as he wore it. Towards the end of his reign, during the troubled times of Medrod's rebellion, Excalibur was stolen by Arthur's wicked half-sister, Morgan le Fay . Though it was recovered, the scabbard was lost forever. Thus Arthur was mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlann. The King then instructed Bedwyr (or Girflet) to return Excalibur to the lake from whence it came. However, when questioned about the circumstances of its return, Bedwyr claimed to have seen nothing unusual. Arthur therefore knew that Bedwyr had kept Excalibur for himself and sent him back to the Lake once more. Hurling the sword into the misty waters this time, Bedwyr saw the mystic hand appear to catch Excalibur and draw it beneath the rippling waters for the last time. The Name: The earliest Arthurian stories give the name of King Arthur's sword as Caladfwlch, a Welsh word derived from Calad-Bolg meaning "Hard Lightning".

Later it developed to become the Caliburn of Geoffrey and Monmouth and finally the Frenchified Excalibur that we know today. Ancient Origins: Legendary figures throughout the World are associated with magical swords, often the symbol of their Kingship. It is interesting to note that Curtana, a 17th century successor of the original sword of Ogier the Dane, is still used at the British Coronation to this day. King Arthur's tale has particular similarities to the Norse Legend of Sigurd, but even closer parallels can be drawn with the Irish hero, C� Chulainn who also bore a sword named Caladbolg. Such swords were usually said to have been forged by an elfan smith. In Saxon mythology his name is Wayland, but to the Celts he was Gofannon. He is also to be identified with the Roman Vulcan and Greek Hephaestus who made magical weapons for the Muses to give to Perseus, and for Thetis to give to Achilles. The later surrender of the sword is well known as a universal symbol of defeat. Here it is emblematic of death itself.

The deposition of swords, weaponry and other valuables in sacred lakes and rivers was a popular practice amongst the Celtic peoples. Strabo records such rituals near Toulouse and notes that other sacred lakes existed throughout Europe. Gregory of Tours alludes to a three-day festival of deposition at Lake G�vaudan in the Cevennes. Some scholars believe that such rituals were part of Celtic funerary rites. Archaeolgical finds of exotic metalwork deposits at Llyn Fawr in Morgannwg include axes and sickles of around 600 bc. Further weaponry was discovered Llyn Cerrig Bach on Ynys Mon (Anglesey) dating from the 2nd century bc to the 1st century AD. Celtic Iron-Age deposits in rivers are too numerous to count. Especially well known are the superb Battersea Shield and Waterloo Helmet from the Thames. This major British River appears to have been particularly popular for swords like Arthur's.

Question: What was the name of King Arthur's sword?
Answer: Excalibur