Early Arthurian Britain
Lesson 1: Introduction to Early Arthurian Britain
What is early Arthurian Britain? Legend v. History
The Age of King Arthur is usually perceived as one of knights in shining armor, rousing battles, the Round Table, Camelot, the Holy Grail, Guinevere and Lancelot, and of course, Merlin. However, most of these elements and characters did not become attached to Arthur until centuries long after his proposed time.
The French writer, Chretien de Troyes, introduced Lancelot, Camelot, the grail quest and the Fisher King in the mid-twelfth century. Another Medieval French writer, Wace, introduced motifs from Celtic myth, the Round Table, and Arthur’s return from Avalon. Over hundreds of years, many additional aspects became attached, including metaphoric symbolism in the grail cycles and the suspected dark side of druidism. Through it all, Arthur rose into an iconic legend to rival that of Charlemagne in France and the Scandinavian sagas.
But there is another, more realistic view of Arthurian Britain. Though Arthur’s existence has never been proven, deeply imbedded in the legend is the historical basis from which he is derived, far removed from the idyllic figure of Camelot. From clues in early chronicles and archaeological evidence, we are able to sketch life in the fifth century. We have a good idea of who the people were that inhabited the island at that time and how they lived. We are able to calculate the general flux of incoming settlers and their retreats. Studies have been made of the flora and fauna, weather, housing, clothing, weaponry and warfare. While not complete, taken altogether, it is possible to trace events, consequences, and personages that shaped the era.
The Arthurian age may be roughly split into three sections. The early period is from the end of Roman rule to Arthur’s rise to power, the middle period encompasses Arthur’s reign, and the late period runs from Arthur’s death to the completion of the Anglo-Saxon conquest. Years are difficult to assign to the periods as the existing annals often lack dates and those that do have dates are vague and confused by subsequent calendar shifts.
Print this page
Latest Articles