Did King Arthur really exist? – Part I

Dear friends, we are starting another year in which we will continue our efforts to improve our English and also learn interesting stories about Great Britain. Our first story this year will be an attempt to determine not only whether the legendary King Arthur existed, but also the impact his figure—real or not—had on the formation of the British nation.

Tales of a brave warrior and Christian king of the Britons, who led his people against the Saxon invaders, can be traced back to Welsh poetry from the 6th and 7th centuries A.D. But as we shall see, it is possible that the idea and narrative surrounding him have even earlier roots.

The present‑day site most closely associated with Arthur is Tintagel Castle in North Cornwall, very near Camelford (in legend, King Arthur’s castle was called Camelot). The Knights of the Round Table are believed to have gathered there in the courtyard of a brave and just king. In reality, however, the castle was built on this land by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, in the 13th century as a tribute to the past and an attempt to link the power of his own time with a name revered for centuries. Yet there is evidence in the area of a Christian community from an earlier age, living a prosperous life during the so‑called Dark Ages—a time of hardship and danger—using goods from distant lands and apparently making a successful living from maritime trade. A large stone carved with the name Artognou was also discovered. Some experts argue that this may be a Celtic form of the name Arthur and that the stone marked the borders of his lands.

Richard himself, the builder of the castle, became enthusiastic about continuing King Arthur’s work after reading the Welsh cleric Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain, written in 1136. In this book, the story is told of the wicked King Uther Pendragon who, aided by the wizard Merlin, disguises himself as a local duke in order to sleep with the duke’s wife, Igerna. According to the story, Arthur—the most famous of men—was conceived that night and later won great fame through his deeds. Both Richard and Geoffrey of Monmouth shared one aim: to strengthen the unity of the community around the idea of a just and noble government in the face of savage and uncivilised invaders.

But how did Geoffrey of Monmouth know about Arthur and his deeds? Many historians believe that the factual elements of the legend may originate in stories of a great warrior who led the Christianised Britons against the pagan Saxons. The Welsh poem Y Gododdin, written between 540 and 640, compares the bravery of one fallen warrior to another called Arthur. Around this time, the great Battle of Badon Hill took place. It is mentioned in the writings of the later monk Nennius (9th century), who describes a victory of the Britons, led by a man named Arthur, against the Saxons. In that battle, he claims, 960 men fell in a single day.

Scholars today remain divided. Some accept Nennius’s testimony as evidence of the legendary king’s real existence, while others believe he had only indirect knowledge of Arthur’s deeds.

Author: Iveta Radeva