EXTRACTS: Frank Bellamy's King Arthur and his Knights: The Complete Adventure © 2008 The Book Palace (116 PAGES in Full edition)

5 KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS Of the hundreds of stories that have included elements of the Arthurian legends, the most popular is possibly The Once and Future King , a cycle of five novels (1938-77)by T. H. White, the first of which – The Sword in the Stone – was adapted by Walt Disney in 1963. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table (1953) by Roger Lancelyn Green is probably the finest modern retelling. * * * * * The romances woven around King Arthur have created rather than elaborated on the life of a true Arthur. Little evidence exists for any person of that name (or some name from which Arthur could be derived) being the King of Britain. There may have been an Arthur, but the CVs of the legendary and the historical figures diverge immediately below his name. The earliest mention of Arthur in surviving records would appear to be from the Gododdin , an elegiac poem from Scotland relating the fates of many warriors who fell in battles fighting the Angles at Catraeth. It is generally agreed by scholars that the battle took place around 600 and, after several days of fierce fighting, only three of the original 363 warriors survived. Towards the end of the many verses there is a stanza in which a warrior named Gwawrddur is mentioned who “brought black crows to a fort’s / Wall, though he was not Arthur.” 5 Arguments still rage about the date this was originally composed – some argue it dates back to as early as 570 whilst others believe it was from as late as the 9th or even 10th century. The only surviving version is from the Llyfr Aneirin , or Book of Aneirin , which dates from the late 13th century. Another early mention of Arthur comes from the Elegy for Geraint , which tells the story of an ancient battle at Llongborth: “In Llongborth I saw Arthur / And brave men who heed down with steel / Emperor, and conductor of the toll.” 6 Again, it is impossible to date the battle with any accuracy as it has been argued that it relates to a battle at Portsmouth which the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles date as 501 or perhaps to the 8th century King Geraint of Dumnonia. As with Y Gododdin , the existing versions of the poem date from the 13th century. The earliest source that can be accurately dated is the Historia Brittonum , previously mentioned as a major source for Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae . This is believed to have been composed in c.829-830 by Nennius, a “disciple of St. Elbotus” 7 as he describes himself, who cheerfully admits that he has heaped together his history from various sources. Of most interest to Arthurian scholars is his chapter 50 and chapter 56 (almost a repeat of the former) in which Arthur, described as a military commander ( dux bellorum ), is attributed with fighting twelve major battles against the Saxons: At that time, the Saxons grew strong by virtue of their large number and increased in power in Britain. Hengist having died, however, his son Octha crossed from the northern part of Britain to the kingdom of Kent and from him are descended the kings of Kent. Then Arthur along with the kings of Britain fought against them in those days, but Arthur himself was the military commander. His first battle was at the mouth of the river which is called Glein. His second, third, fourth, and fifth battles were above another river which is called Dubglas and is in the region of Linnuis. The sixth battle was above the river which is called Bassas. The seventh battle was in the forest of Celidon, that is Cat Coit Celidon. The eighth battle was at the fortress of Guinnion, in which Arthur carried the image of holy Mary ever virgin on his shoulders; and the pagans were put to flight on that day. And through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the power of the blessed Virgin Mary his mother there was great slaughter among them. The ninth battle was waged in the City of the Legion. The tenth battle was waged on the banks of a river which is called Tribruit. The eleventh battle was fought on the mountain which is called Agnet. The twelfth battle was on Mount Badon in which there fell in one day 960 men from one charge by Arthur; and no one struck them down except Arthur himself, and in all the wars he emerged as victor. And while they were being defeated in all the battles, they were seeking assistance from Germany and their numbers were being augmented many times over without interruption. And they brought over kings from Germany that they might reign over them in Britain, right down to the time in which Ida reigned, who was son of Eobba. He was the first king in Bernicia, i.e., in Berneich. 8 Of these the battle of Mount Badon ( Mons Badonicus ) is also mentioned in Gildas’ De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae – indeed, Gildas notes that it was fought in the year of his birth. 9 It is identified by Geoffrey of Monmouth as being Solsbury Hill, near Bath, although other locations have been suggested. Given the astonishing feat credited to Arthur by Nennius, one wonders why Gildas didn’t name Arthur in his study of conquests and it has been argued that although Gildas is independent proof that a battle took place, he is also proof that Arthur, if he existed, had no connection with the battle. Indeed, Gildas seems to imply that the leader at Badon was Ambrosius Aurelianus, whom he specifically names as leading the first successful attacks against the Saxons. Ambrosius Aurelianus appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s works under the slightly altered name of Aurelius Ambrosius and is thought to have been partly the inspiration for Merlin. The Annales Cambriae (also known as The Annals of Wales and the Historical Miscellany ) exist in four principal versions, one of which