The Origins and Many Variations of the King Arthur Legends

Everyone is familiar with the legends of King Arthur to some extent. He was the "once and future king of Britain" who presided over an egalitarian court of knights at his castle at Camelot. There is no definitive Arthur myth, however. It has changed over the years as individual authors have added their own unique take on the legends. What where the origins of the Arthur legends and how have they changed over the years?

Although the true origin of Arthurian legend is unknown, there is reference to him as early as the sixth century. The actual story of King Arthur first appears in a history of the Kings of England written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, the Bishop of St. Asaph. Strangely, despite its British origins, it was the French who really took the legends and expanded on them.

While there are a large number of documents containing references to him as well as pieces of his story, the entire pseudo-history of Arthur is captured in the five French books Estoire del Saint Grail (the History of the Holy Grail), the Estoire de Merlin (the History of Merlin), the Lancelot propre (the Lancelot Proper), the Queste del Saint Graal (the Quest for the Holy Grail) and the Mort Artu (the Death of Arthur). The books take a decidedly romantic view of King Arthur's time and put it in the context of the courtly chivalry of thirteenth century feudal Europe.

King Arthur's reign is placed just after the Roman withdrawal from Britain which left a dramatic power void and gave rise to numerous warring clans and tribes, somewhere in the fifth or sixth century. According to legend he was born in Tintagel Castle as the illegitimate son of Uther Pendragon. There are many storylines (one may even call them subplots) to the story of King Arthur. Most are stories about the heroes of his court, their honor and nobility, and their struggles as they observe courtly chivalry.

The dominant plot follows King Arthur's rise to power, the establishment of a just court in Camelot symbolized by a round table where all members were equal, and the illicit romance between his greatest knight, Lancelot, and the beautiful queen Guinevere. Arthur's son, Mordred, himself a member of the Knights of the Round Table, rises up in rebellion against the King, seizes the queen, and finally confronts him at Camlann (modern day Camelford). There is a tremendous battle and both Arthur and Mordred are fatally wounded.

Despite the tragic tone of the story, which appealed to the chivalry-minded courts of Medieval Europe, the story of King Arthur still finds considerable popularity today. His story has been reproduced and modified on all sorts of media including television, in animated films (even Disney has reproduced the legend, despite its grisly nature), in movies, in music, in comic books, and in games. Whatever their origins, the Arthur legends have become a firm part of Western culture.