Since the romanticizing of the Arthurian legends by Geoffery of
Monmouth, the historian, during the twelfth century, the legendary 'king
of England' has been the source of inspiration for kings, poets, artists
and dreamers alike. The most famous work is probably Sir Thomas Malory's
Le Morte d'Arthur, completed around 1470, and published in many abridged
and complete versions. Malory's work contains in one the legend that had
been continually added to over the years by many different writers who
introduced such elements as Sir Galahad, and the ill-fated love affair
between Lancelot and Guinevere. Geoffery of Monmouth had been the first
to put the legends surrounding Arthur into literary form in his History
of the Kings of Britain. He described Arthur's genealogy as the son of
Uther Pendragon and Igerna, or Igraine, wife of the Duke of Cornwall,
and brought in Merlin the magician, who disguised Arthur as the Duke in
order to romance Igerna at Tintagel Castle while the real Duke was away.
Geoffery also introduced Arthur's famed court (placed at
Caerleon-on-Usk) and his final battle and defeat at the hands of Modred,
his treacherous nephew.
Artos Of The Celts
It is almost certain that Arthur did exist, although it is unlikely he
was a king. He is more likely to have been a warrior and Celtic cavalry
leader. The Saxon invaders, who were unmounted, would have been at a
considerable disadvantage against the speed with which the Celtic
company were able to move around the country, which would make possible
the dozen victories up and down the country that have been attributed to
the shadowy figure of Arthur. Around the fifth century, a resistance
movement against Britain's invaders, including Saxons and Angles from
the continent, Picts from the North, and Irish from the West, was being
led which maintained a British hold on the South and West. Around this
time,