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IN SEARCH OF KING ARTHUR
The World’s first superhero
Introduction: Historians have tried to piece together the story of King Arthur from a
few clues. However, it is like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with most of the
pieces missing. We know that about 500 AD the Britons fought back for a time
against the Anglo-Saxon invaders. A British monk called Gildas wrote about the end
of Roman rule in Britain and about the Anglo-Saxon invaders. Gildas tells us about
events near the time he was born (515 AD). Arthur was supposed to have lived
around this time. Is he man or myth?
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SOURCE A: The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
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“… The Barbarians being thus introduced as soldiers into the island, obtained an
allowance which for some time satisfied them. Then they complained that they did
not receive enough… The fire of revenge spread from sea to sea. Some… were
murdered in great numbers. But others would in no way surrender… And then for
the first time, trusting not in man but in God, they slaughtered the foes who for so
many years had been plundering their country…”
SOURCE B: On the Destruction and Conquest of Britain by Gildas
“So that they (the Britons) should not all be killed, they took up weapons and under
Ambrosius Aurelianus decided to fight their enemies. To his men, the Lord’s help
gave victory. From that time on the Britons and sometimes the enemy won… This
went on up to the year of the siege of Mount Badon, the last great killing of the
murderous Saxon rabble.”
SOURCE C: On the Destruction and Conquest of Britain by Gildas
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SOURCE D: A map showing a few of the many hundreds of sites associated with King Arthur
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SOURCE E: Reconstruction of typical arms and armour of soldiers in the 5th and 6th Cent. AD
“Over the outer tunic would be a leather tunic, over which would be a coat of mail…
The mail coat was worn with a leather belt at the waist. Under it the leather tunic
hung down to about the knees. Warriors might also have worn some sort of leg
protection , such as leather breeches… British weapons included the long-bladed
Roman sword known as a spathia; a spear with wooden shaft and diamond-shaped
iron head; possibly daggers, axes and slings. For his own protection the warrior
carried a large oval , or round whitewashed shield.”
SOURCE F: The Quest for Arthur’s Britain by Jill Racey
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SOURCE G: Arthur and his knights as they appear in the motion picture Excalibur
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SOURCE H: Arthur and his Knights fighting the Saxons as they appear in the 14th century
Rochefoucauld Grail Manuscript.
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“Arthur fought against the Saxons alongside the kings of the Britons, but he himself
was the leader in the battles (dux bellorum)… The eighth (battle) was by Castle
Guinnion, in which Arthur carried on his shoulders an image of the Virgin Mary, and
there was great slaughter of them (the enemy)… The twelfth (battle) was on Mount
Badon… in all his battle he remained victor.”
SOURCE I: History of the Britons by Nennius, a Welsh monk writing shortly after 800 AD. Nennius
mentions 12 battles in all.
“518: The Battle of Badon in which Arthur carried the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
for three days and three nights, on his shoulders, and the Britons were the victors…
539: The Battle of Camlan in which Arthur and Medraut were slain.”
SOURCE J: The Welsh Annals, church records compiled about 995 AD from earlier writings.
“ … Arthur of whom the Britons talk so much nonsense even today, a man clearly
worthy not to be dreamed of in false stories, but to be proclaimed in true histories
as one who long supported his trembling country and gave the shattered minds of
his fellow citizens an edge in war. Finally, at the siege of Mount Badon, relying upon
the image of the mother of the Lord which he had sewn upon his armour… singlehanded against nine hundred of the enemy and overpowered them with great
slaughter.”
SOURCE K: Act of the Kings of England by William of Malmesbury, a monk and writer, 1125 AD.
SOURCE L: A photographic still from the 1963 Disney Film The Sword in the Stone.
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SOURCE M: The Round Table made in the reign of Edward I and painted during the reign of Henry
VIII
SOURCE N: The so-called Arthur’s Stone dated to the 5th/6th Century with the name Artognou (a
possible variation of Arthur) written on it. It was found at Tintagel Castle, the alleged birthplace of
King Arthur.
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THE QUEST:
Can you successfully complete the challenge below?
1.
Look at Source A: Why do you think the Angles, Saxons and Jutes decided to
leave their homeland and invade England?
2.
Gildas is our only person who was living around this time whose writings have
survived. What do you think is the main problem in only having one
contemporary account (primary source)?
3.
Using Source B and C, how can you tell that Gildas was biased (one-sided)
against the invaders?
4.
Source D shows only a few of the many sites associated with King Arthur. Why
do you think a large number of places in Britain like to claim some link with
Arthur?
5.
History versus Hollywood. Read Source F and then compare Source E and G.
What historical anachronisms (mistakes in time) can be found in Source G?
6.
Look at Source H. Given what you now know from the expert information in
Sources E and F, of what use is Source H for historians investigating (a) the
history of Arthur and (b) the legend of Arthur. Is Source H of any other use to
the historian?
7.
According to Source I, Arthur was a Christian. Nennius says that “he (Arthur)
carried on his shoulders an image of the Virgin Mary.” To what extent do
Sources J and K agree with Sources I.
8.
Source L is from a modern animation of the King Arthur story. Why do you
think that the King Arthur legend became so popular both in the Middle Ages
and today?
9.
Source M was once believed to be the Round Table of King Arthur. What do
you think is the significance of using a round table rather than a rectangular
one?
10. Look at the evidence of Source N. Do you think this proves the existence of King
Arthur? Do you believe King Arthur existed? Explain your answer.
BONUS QUESTION: What does the search for the historical Arthur tell us about the
way in which historians (and archaeologists) work?
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/king-arthur-once-and-future-king-6322429
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