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King Arthur ( Welsh: Brenin Arthur, Cornish: Arthur Gernow, Breton: Roue Arzhur, French: Roi Arthur) is a legendary king of Britain, a hero of English mythology, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain .
Mar 7, 2024 · Arthurian legend, the body of stories and medieval romances centering on the legendary king Arthur. Medieval writers, especially the French, variously treated stories of Arthur’s birth, the adventures of his knights, and the adulterous love between his knight Sir Lancelot and his queen, Guinevere.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Apr 9, 2024 · The Arthurian Legend developed in Europe between c. 830, when the Welsh historian Nennius first mentions King Arthur through c. 1469 when Sir Thomas Malory composes Le Morte D’Arthur, the best-known...
- Joshua J. Mark
- Content Director
Apr 15, 2024 · King Arthur, legendary British king who appears in a cycle of medieval romances (known as the Matter of Britain) as the sovereign of a knightly fellowship of the Round Table. It is not certain how these legends originated or whether the figure of Arthur was based on a historical person.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Who is King Arthur?King Arthur is a legendary British king who appears in a series of stories and medieval romances as the leader of a knightly fellowship called the...
- Was King Arthur a real person?Historians cannot confirm King Arthur’s existence, though some speculate that he was a real warrior who led British armies against Saxon invaders i...
- When did stories about King Arthur become popular?Stories about King Arthur became popular before the 11th century. Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia regum Britanniae, written between 1135 and 1139,...
- How did Arthur become king?Legends disagree on how Arthur became king, though most involve his famous sword, Excalibur. Some involve Arthur fulfilling a prophecy by pulling E...
- Who was King Arthur’s wife?King Arthur was married to Guinevere in most legends. Early traditions of abduction and infidelity follow Guinevere, who in some stories was carrie...
His story of Le Morte d’Arthur, completed during the ninth year of the English King Edward IV’s reign (4th March 1469 to 3rd March 1470), is the the definitive and inclusive Arthurian epic and the source of much of the Arthurian legend as we know it today.
May 12, 2017 · The Arthurian legend of the Knights of the Round Table, Camelot, the Quest for the Holy Grail, the love affair of Lancelot and Guinevere, and the wizard Merlin have informed and inspired literary, musical, and other major artistic visions for centuries.
May 22, 2017 · Learn how Geoffrey of Monmouth created the legendary king Arthur and his adventures in his History of the Kings of Britain. Discover how later poets and writers expanded and adapted the Arthurian story in different languages and genres.
