Editor’s note: Subscribe now Unlocking the World, Pawonation.com Travel's weekly newsletter Stay updated with information on travel destinations along with the newest developments in air travel, cuisine, beverages, and accommodations.
He is the legendary Celtic warlord who resisted the Anglo-Saxon invasion of the land later known as England. His chief ally was a magician, he received his renowned sword from a god, and he embodied both romance and chivalry as a heroic figure.
And he hasn’t passed away; instead, he is simply resting until the moment arrives for him to awaken and drive out the intruders, restoring Britain as a Celtic nation.
Of course, he is King Arthur—a character so full of grace and promise that his legend extended all the way to America, where President Kennedy’s administration was likened to Camelot, which was Arthur’s fabled court. Yet, we must wonder: Was there ever an actual person who inspired this tale, or is he merely our quintessential vision of a champion—an honorable monarch for modern times?
Nowadays, tales of Arthur's adventures have created a tourist route throughout the UK and even farther, as numerous locations assert their ties to his legendary story.
This isn’t anything novel. For hundreds of years, the tale of Arthur has captivated large parts of Europe.
He was supposedly the leader of a tribe of Celts — indigenous Britons — when the Saxons invaded Britain in the fifth century.
The Saxons—originally hailing from present-day Scandinavia, Germany, and France—evenually settled in Britain; however, they faced strong opposition from the Celts, particularly in the western regions of the nation. Wales and Cornwall—the southernmost county of England—were among the final areas to be subdued. In these locations, the original Celtic languages persisted longer than in others, where populations gradually shifted towards speaking what later evolved into English.
According to tradition, Arthur was a leader who fought until the end against the Saxon invaders. Appropriately, both Cornwall and Wales (along with other regions) stake their claims to him. Nowadays, he is most closely linked with Tintagel Castle Where remnants of a settlement from the fifth century still stand remarkably on an island along the rugged coastline of Cornwall. It is said that Arthur was conceived here.
However, the legend of Arthur is deeply intertwined with Glastonbury Tor (a hill in Somerset where it is believed that Merlin, the wizard, lies sleeping, awaiting his return) Caerleon Castle In Wales (where this was mentioned as the location of Arthur's court, Camelot), and South Cadbury in Somerset, where archaeologists in the 1970s thought they’d located Camelot.
In Wales alone, it is believed that Arthur slew a giant atop Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) and a terrifying creature in Llyn Barfog Lake, whereas Merlin is purportedly interred both on Bardsey Island, located off the northern coastline, and within a cliff at Nevern. Additionally, rumors suggest that Arthur might also be slumbering inside this same cliff—as well as being buried there. Glastonbury Abbey Baschurch in Shropshire, and Mynydd y Gaer, a mountain in Wales—despite being a mythical entity, he managed to cover quite some ground.
Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh stands as a testament to how prominently figures like Arthur and Merlin feature in place names, ranking "at the very beginning" of such historically named locations, says Mark Stoyle, a professor of early modern history at the University of Southampton in the UK. Interestingly, even the French assert connections to him, with theories suggesting he originated from Brittany—a region known for its Celtic heritage. It appears that studying his legend forms part of the official educational program in France.
Why is everybody so captivated by this individual — and was he real anyway?
A timeless Arthur
For Stoyle, it’s likely that the myth of Arthur has at least its roots in fact.
“Nobody knows for sure,” he says. “Historians are so divided on it.”
He states that a growing number of archaeologists and historians think Arthur is a combination of different historical figures rather than a real person—though many still maintain that Arthur did indeed exist.
Stoyle leans towards the former viewpoint.
"When the Roman Empire collapsed, the Anglo-Saxons seized control in eastern England before advancing to the western regions. They faced significant opposition that persisted for an extended period, making it plausible that there were one or more regional leaders who resisted their advance. These accounts could be the origin of the tales surrounding King Arthur," he explains.
My intuition tells me that there must be an exceptional person behind these stories, but we have very limited concrete proof, and certain actions attributed to him were certainly beyond his capabilities.
This includes events such as drawing a sword from a stone, an act that signified he was destined to be the true monarch. Another well-known event involves receiving his iconic weapon, Excalibur, from "the Lady of the Lake," who is regarded as some sort of divine entity associated with water (locals in Cornwall believe this took place at Dozmary Pool on Bodmin Moor). Naturally, due to its deep-rooted presence in worldwide culture, Excalibur served as inspiration for both the 1963 Disney movie titled "The Sword in the Stone" and even lent its name to a Medieval-themed hotel located in Las Vegas.
Whoever inspired these stories is almost a moot point for Stoyle. “In a way, everybody has their own Arthur — perceptions about who we want him to have been,” he says.
Perhaps he’s the chivalrous knight who spent more time instilling good behavior at Camelot than killing his enemies. This is the Arthur that went viral in the medieval period, when chivalry was all the rage.
Maybe he's the romantic hero, the king who battled for love after his queen Guinevere eloped with his closest ally, Lancelot. This version of Arthur captivated pre-Raphaelite artists and poets during the 19th century due to their fascination with such tales. In the 2004 movie "King Arthur," this particular portrayal starred Clive Owen opposite Keira Knightley as Guinevere.
Maybe he's the mystical figure—the original New Age sovereign guided to triumph by his loyal sorcerer, Merlin. Contemporary mystics flock to Glastonbury to immerse themselves in his magical aura.
Perhaps he's supernatural—a man who didn’t truly die but instead remains asleep, poised to come back when his nation requires him. According to Stoole, this version of Arthur would drive away the Saxon settlers and restore Britain to its original Celtic heritage. For centuries, the Welsh and Cornish have "firmly believed" in this particular Arthur figure.
Regarding Merlin, Stoyle mentions that many leaders during that era typically had a wise advisor. He adds that Merlin serves as the archetype for characters such as Gandalf and Dumbledore in modern popular culture.
A medieval myth
unknown content item
-In the medieval period, Arthur’s story — or, more accurately, his myth — went viral after a writer called Geoffrey of Monmouth described King Arthur in his book, “Historia Regum Britanniae,” or “A history of Britain’s kings,” around 1136 CE.
It is believed that Geoffrey, who may have been a monk, penned that Arthur was conceived at Tintagel and presided over his court at Camelot — also known as Caerleon in southeastern Wales, approximately 150 miles northeast of Tintagel.
According to Geoffrey, Arthur died fighting the forces of his wayward son Mordred at the battle of Camlann at Cornwall’s “River Camblan” — often interpreted as the River Camel, which coincidentally runs through a place called Slaughterbridge. He was buried on the island of Avalon — not located by Geoffrey, though the medieval monks of Glastonbury Abbey were quick to equate themselves with Avalon, not least because Arthur pilgrims were cash-rich visitors.
Certainly, medieval historians often took liberties with the truth. However, it appears that archaeology might offer some valuable insights.
Tintagel Castle stands as one of the most enchanting locations linked to King Arthur: a captivating ruin perched on the edge of a cliff on a tiny island, positioned mere moments away from the northern shores of Cornwall.
So spectacular is its location that it’s the second most visited site for English Heritage, the charity that manages it, after Stonehenge. In 2023, 334,195 visitors made their way down from the cliffs at Tintagel village, into a valley, and up along another cliff to a suspension bridge.
The bridge — built in 2019 — leads visitors across an abyss, the Atlantic Ocean thrashing below, and onto the islet, where they walk straight into a ruined medieval dining hall on the side of the precipitous cliff.
Into the past
Arthur, so the legend goes, was conceived here – though of course not in that dining hall. In fact, the atmospheric medieval ruins we see today were built expressly to tap into the Arthurian myth, says Win Scutt, senior properties curator at English Heritage.
The castle was built by Earl Richard, the 13th-century duke of Cornwall — a role today held by Prince William.
“Earl Richard wanted to associate himself with the Arthurian story — that’s why he bought the land and built the castle,” says Scutt. “This was a feasting place to basically say he was the new Arthur.”
Higher up on the cliff top, though, are remnants dating back to what some believe was the Arthurian era.
Atop the headland lies the remnants of a settlement dating back from the fifth to the seventh century—the peak of the "Dark Ages," the European era following the Roman Empire when trade and transportation networks deteriorated, leaving scant written records behind.
Nevertheless, the archaeological findings at Tintagel are quite convincing.
This indicates that the site was once part of a significant settlement during that time, as evidenced by extensive trade activities spanning great distances: wines from Greece, bowls from Turkey, and ceramic pieces from Tunisia were found here. The quantity of Eastern Mediterranean pottery discovered at Tintagel surpasses the combined total of such artifacts unearthed across all other British sites dating back to the same epoch.
"We don't have a settlement in southern Britain as big as Tintagel — not even London," states Scutt. Evidence suggests that about 100 structures are dispersed across the promontory.
Evidence suggests links to early Christian culture in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea as well.
“Seven hundred years before the [medieval] castle there was a place of power there,” says Scutt, adding that there are few signs of military defenses, implying that it was a “high status site — more of a statement.”
It may not be strictly regal, but it likely is," he says. "During the early medieval era, Cornwall existed as an independent kingdom.
Next up is the "Artognou stone," found at the site in 1998. This intricately carved stone dates back to the sixth century and bears the name Artognou. Some individuals link this name to King Arthur; however, many academics reject this theory.
Scutt mentions that both he and his fellow researchers previously avoided making an explicit connection between Tintagel and Arthur. However, he expresses curiosity about why Geoffrey of Monmouth selected this location as the site where Arthur was conceived.
Where did he come across this tale? Was it through oral traditions? Written accounts? Perhaps the inhabitants of Tintagel asserted their connection to King Arthur? The legend cannot be separated from the historical facts," he states. "Perhaps he knew there had been a significant site.
That connection between Arthur's birth and Tintagel made by Geoffrey cannot be mere chance—it suggests there was some significance there." However, Scutt quickly points out, "This does not imply that Arthur actually existed. Being an archaeologist, I never take historical accounts at face value. We consistently scrutinize written records—particularly those dating back five centuries afterward.
‘A complete spoof’
One individual unconvinced by Geoffrey’s narrative is Nicholas J. Higham, an Emeritus Professor from the University of Manchester. He dismisses the work as "an utter fabrication... a false history that glorifies the Britons while portraying the English as uncivilized outsiders who lack virtue."
Higham compares Geoffrey’s text to the epic "Lord of the Rings" saga by J.R.R. Tolkien — who, coincidentally, was also an Arthurian scholar.
“You see him plucking stuff off [other source materials] and writing it into his own narrative,” he says. Those sources included a ninth-century document called “The History of the Britons” which “rewrote” the history of the Roman occupation of Britain to laud the indigenous Britons, and a 540 CE Latin document in the manner of an “Old Testament prophet” which suggests that the Britons were subdued because “they have gone against god, and they need to repent and return to the lord.”
This document — authored by a writer named Gildas — "portrays the characters who resisted [the Roman invasion]," according to Higham. Among these characters is Arthur. Depicted as an almost Christ-like figure, he serves as the war leader for the Britons, triumphing in 12 battles—a number with significance to Christians.
Early Welsh verse from the eighth to eleventh centuries also references Arthur, although Higham suggests that the manuscripts we possess nowadays are medieval reproductions that were "significantly updated" and thus may not be reliable.
Additionally, there's a circular allusion to Arthur in a 6th-century poem, criticizing another individual by saying, "He was not like Arthur."
You can interpret that as you see fit," remarks Higham, who refers to himself as an "Arthur skeptic." "You cannot take at face value the account of an early ninth-century writer known to be trying to reshape history for contemporary propaganda reasons.
Henry VIII, surprisingly a big fan
Regardless of what really happened, the impact of Arthur has resonated throughout the ages.
In 1485, after attempting an initial landing in Cornwall, England’s King Henry VII gained control over Richard III when he arrived in Wales during his exile in Brittany. As per Stoyle, he portrayed himself as "the heir of Arthur." This claim was bolstered by predictions stating that Arthur would return one day, which motivated many Welsh individuals to support him, causing his forces to rapidly grow.
After securing the throne, he highlighted his Welsh identity, going so far as to name his eldest son—styled as the Prince of Wales—as Arthur. According to Stoyle, Henry’s rule marked a "magnificent revival of Welsh culture."Arthur, dispatched to the English town of Ludlow at an early age to administer it, might have ascended to the British crown were it not for his premature death.
Rather than him, his younger brother ascended to power — Henry VIII. Despite our perception of Henry as the archetypal English figure, Stoyle notes that he "highlighted his ties to Wales," observing Saint David’s Day at court and surrounding himself with Welsh personnel. Both Henry and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, conversed in Welsh and Cornish languages. As Stoyle explains, "The Tudor rulers strove to assert their status not just as monarchs of England, but also of Wales and Cornwall." Similarly, according to Stoyle, the subsequent Stuart lineage emphasized connections to King Arthur.
It truly indicates how much Arthur was valued.
No matter what the reality may be, those who cherish Arthur – whether as an individual, a legend, or perhaps even multiple historical figures whose tales could have contributed to his mythology – still have numerous sites they can explore.
And what’s remarkable about the various depictions of Arthur is that he can also reveal insights into our own lives.
“In a way, everybody has their own Arthur,” says Stoyle. “There are all kinds of Arthurs. At Glastonbury it’s very New Age-y. At Tintagel it’s more grim and forbidding, he’s more like a warrior. Most people think of him in a more romantic way. Different people gravitate to different places in search of ‘their’ Arthur.”
Scutt maintains that the legends hold significance equal to the truth—whatever that may be.
The legend holds significance—it defines who we are," he states. "Certain tales we share about our family may not be entirely accurate, yet we hold onto them as integral parts of ourselves.
As a kid, I would compose songs related to the Arthur legend and even named my bicycle Arthur.
Do I wish he existed? Part of me does. Yet, at the same time, it’s not particularly significant.
To get more news and newsletters from Pawnation.com, sign up for an account there. Pawonation.com
Post a Comment