Introduction

Biography of King Arthur

King Arthur's reign

legends

1 Holy Grail

2 Knights of the Round Table

3 Sword honed in stone

Conclusion

Bibliography

Appendix to abstract No. 1

Appendix to abstract No. 2

king arthur grail knight

Introduction

The legends about Arthur have been known for over a thousand years. Many chronicles, poems, novels have been published, even in our time there are many books about how, fighting side by side with their friends - the knights of the round table and his retinue, many wars were won. Is it really so? And what is the holy grail? Did the sword Excalibur exist? Was King Arthur really such a great warrior and ruler? What has changed since the king came to the throne? What contribution did he make to British history? Why is he awarded such eternal glory? And why is he still famous?

The name of King Arthur was immortalized by the Welsh high minister Geoffrey of Monmouth, who wrote about him in 1135, 500 years after the death of the king. After becoming king, Arthur gathered many valiant knights to fight the enemies of Britain. He tried with all his might to establish peace and justice in his land. He ruled for a long time and people were happy with him. But, unfortunately, his reign ended in an unfortunate incident: the king's wife Guinevere began a love affair with Sir Lancelot, who was a close friend of King Arthur, which led to the fall of the king's reign and the collapse of the Round Table. Is it true? Or is there another version of the end of the reign?

1. Biography of King Arthur

Arthur existed in the 5th-6th centuries. He was the son of King Uther, who ruled one of the kingdoms, and the girl Igraine. At that time, this was the second marriage for Arthur's mother, and in her first marriage she gave birth to 3 daughters from the Duke of Gorlois (see Appendix No. 1). The story indicates that Arthur was called differently, but since he won many battles, he was given such a "nickname" - Arthur. The name Arthur means "bear", and this is exactly what is said about the leader in the battle of Badon (This battle was one of the main ones in the history of his reign). King Arthur could well have been Vortigern - the High King or Riotamus - the head of the army, the army of that time. But initially, in reality, he became a military leader of the Britons, a Roman general. The story states: "The Britons are the population of Britain, who were formerly called the Celtic tribes." After many wars won, he is crowned ruler (war chief) of the Scottish kingdom of Dal Riada. In the 6th century, in the territory of southern Scotland, the Brythonic kings were replaced on the throne. But Arthur remained a military commander in Britain.

He was raised by the wizard Merlin. This is a real person. After the death of the patron of Merlin, he went crazy and hid for a long time in the forest, after which he was taken to the kingdom of Uther, where he was a bard, druid (doctor) at the castle of Arthur's father, then Uther gave his son to the care of Merlin, later the druid sent the boy to study military skills in the house of Sir Ector. There, the future king learned knightly science. Later, after becoming king, Arthur summoned his closest friends and valiant knights to fight against his enemies.

Unfortunately, at the end of Arthur's life, many sad events happened: His wife, Queen Guinevere, cheated on her husband with his best friend, Sir Lancelot. At that time, it was not acceptable for wives to cheat on their husbands so openly and she was sentenced to be burned, but at the last moment Sir Lancelot saved her, but she could not stand the mental anguish and remorse and retired to the Scottish monastery. And King Arthur died due to a mortal wound. His illegitimate son and his half-sister, Morgause, Prince Mordred set out to seize his father's castle and staged the most terrible and bloody massacre of all that Arthur had ever been in. And at the same moment, the son and father were mortally wounded, although the son died immediately, and the king was taken to the island of Avalon and many druids tried to heal him there, but could not, the wounds were deep.

1 Little Arthur's becoming king

After training in the art of war in Sir Ector's kingdom, Arthur was appointed to the post of general in his father's kingdom. Later, after his minor battles, he was trained in the Roman cavalry and was sent to Scotland, where, for military merit, he was appointed temporarily in office by the king. Then his father falls ill and the princes of the Anglo-Saxons call on the Germanic tribes to be their allies and declare war on King Pendragon, but he, having called for help from his son with his army, defeated the army. Confirmed: "Princes Octa and Azav didn't stop there and decided to poison the king."

2. Reign of King Arthur

The reign of King Arthur began with the strengthening of the martial law of his land. To do this, he called all the knights (of which there were less than 366): the most brave, noble, loyal people who were willing to serve their king "faithfully". There was a charter of knights, which said: "it is easier to die than to lose a good name." 12 of the knights were close friends of Arthur, but in battle they were all equal for him. And this is one of the reasons for the respect of their people. He conquered the inhabitants of his land by fighting for the independence of the Britons. The prosperity of their land also caused concern. The ruler was remembered as a wise, honest leader.

1 Famous battles and campaigns of the king

The king won many battles defending his lands from foreign invaders. And one of them was: The siege of the Saxons in the Caledonian Forest. The siege lasted 3 days, the king built a vicious circle of pieces of wood around the invader's camp, which forced the Saxons to return to Germany with nothing. The next famous battle was against Gilomori. The battle took place in Ireland, as a result, Gilomori admitted defeat and Arthur began to collect tribute from them.

Komarinets reports: "The Ring of the Giants is one of the oldest and most mysterious ritual monuments in Northern Ireland"

And also some states, recognizing the mighty military power of King Arthur, also agreed to pay some tribute.

The next battle was in Pridina. Arthur decided to intervene in the Norwegian affairs of succession to the throne, since after the death of King Assikhlim, power was seized by a completely different person who was originally bequeathed to the throne. At the end of the intervention, the truth triumphed and Arthur's son-in-law, Lleu, sat on the throne. But 12 years of peace have passed from the last battle to the intervention. The final battles were: wars with the Anglo-Saxons in different parts of Britain (for example, against Gaul on the Seine, etc.) Naturally, there were many more different battles between the events listed, but these were the main ones.

3. Legends

Arthurian stories began to appear in writing in 1135, when a church official decided to write a History of the Kings of Britain. This is the first time in 500 years since his death that the image of the king has been mentioned. Further, legends of the unknown about the adventures of King Arthur, the great ruler with his brave, valiant knights, began to take shape. Legends spread like news throughout Europe. Historical chronicles, stories and poems began to be collected in collections. The tales of the mounted knights of the Round Table dressed in shining armor shocked everyone and the story began to wrap itself in new details. As time passed, everyone became interested only in the fictional: the battle of the knights, led by Arthur, with dragons and three-headed monsters. But in the Middle Ages, the image took on more of a military idea of ​​a king. His wisdom, courage and honesty began to be again legendary. In the era of romanticism, of course, they came up with romantic stories that were not supported by history at all. Now new artifacts, archaeological finds, the most famous - "Arthur's Tomb" are emerging. In which they found a man and a woman, the man was in armor, on which a coat of arms with a bear and the signature "Arthur" was carved. The grave was restored and a marble pedestal was made. Later it turned out that it was not the tomb of King Arthur at all, but someone else. But they left the grave. (see Appendix No. 2 (2)).

There is another "monument" in evidence of the birth of little Arthur - Tintagel Castle. (see Appendix No. 2 (3))

1 Holy Grail

The Holy Grail is a large golden plate encrusted with precious stones and pearls. The Grail could turn out to be not only a plate, but anything, it is like a talisman that gives food and drink. Each of the authors who wrote about the Grail described this object in different ways, some represented it in the form of a stone that fell from the sky, as a gift, others as a fertile cloth or dish, someone claimed that the grail is a bowl, from which you need to drink, so that the lands will always be fertile and the family will not need anything. And the stones on all these wonderful objects meant a rich harvest.

Thus, since the ruler was very worried about the fertility of his lands, the holy grail in the life of Arthur carried more of the character of a talisman than a magic goblet and the origin of the bowl is not captured in any of the historical facts, chronicles. Even archaeological excavations did not show the estate of the Holy Grail king in the kingdom.

2 Knights of the Round Table

Elected from all the knights always gathered at the table to discuss state affairs or military plans (see Appendix No. 2 (4)). This table was considered not only a negotiating table, but all sorts of things were located on it in case of victory or celebration.

This table was the last of the 3 holy tables of the Grail. The first two tables served for the Last Supper of Jesus (according to legend), on the second one the Grail itself was located and the only table that has survived is the one at which the knights, led by King Arthur, sat. The circle, the figure of which was the table, was a symbolic image of the unification and unity of all the knights, as a whole. Therefore, it served more as a symbolic image and a place of negotiations than something sacred.

The table has been preserved and is in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle. About 1600 knights could sit at such a table, it was so roomy. History notes that King Arthur had many halls with such tables. For example, there were tables for traveling guests, guard knights and knights of lesser rank than knights ordained knights of the Round Table. More famous knights: Lancelot, Ector, Bors, Mordred, Gawain, Galahad, Perceval and many others. In knightly society there was even a code of laws, a code of conduct for a knight, which said: never rob, never raid the unprotected, avoid treason and grant mercy to whoever asks. Stand up for the people and not give offense to their lands. On holidays, the knights had a tradition of gathering in Camelot for the celebration. Holidays mean those in which wars, battles, heroic days of knights were won. Traditionally, there were knightly tournaments, to which ordinary people were very fond of coming.

Thus, the table unites not only to discuss upcoming campaigns, but also unites spiritually close brothers in arms.

3 Sword honed in stone

An early version of the sword says that Merlin suggested that after Uther's death, a new king be elected. And on Christmas Day, the one who pulls the sword out of the stone is the true king. And the legend says that Arthur and the son of Sir Ector (in whose castle little Arthur studied military skills) Kay competed among themselves, pulled out Arthur's sword and proclaimed him the ruler of Britain. There is a version that a sword was stuck into the anvil, so deep that it pierced the stone. From here the technique of making weapons can also come. Historians have found a third version of the sword. It was assumed that the story of the sword was just a mistake and the ancient chroniclers confused the word saxum, meaning "stone", with Saxon, a Saxon tribe. Allegedly having killed one Saxon, Arthur took his weapon and it turned to stone.

Historians, of course, are inclined to the version of the manufacture of blades and swords. But such a sword actually existed. Now they made an exact copy of the sword to amuse tourists (see Appendix 6).

Conclusion

Thus, the great King Arthur existed and this is not a fiction of writers and chroniclers in the past. He was an incredible general who won more than 12 wars. He conducted his policy of governing the state to match the king, loved and respected his people and valued his lands, especially what they brought him. It was not for nothing that he gathered esteemed knights at his Round Table and fought side by side with them to protect his state - this gave an advantage in many wars, since they were not only like-minded, but equally loved their home, their native land.

Of course, as in many stories of that time, fiction is still present and I think that this is not bad. People were looking for the personification of the character of Arthur, they wanted to show through the sword - his boundless power, that he would not give his land to any stranger. And the Grail, in turn, acted as an indicator of concern for their people and state. Therefore, numerous fictional stories took place. King Arthur was ready to give his life only so that Britain would be independent of other states, but, unfortunately, after the death of the king, part of the land was still conquered by the Saxons.

King Arthur was one of those who sacrificed everything for his people, lands and freedom. He was a very educated and sensitive "battle leader".

Bibliography

1.From the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" // Trouble Venerable. Church history of the people of the Angles / Per. V.V. Erlikhman. - St. Petersburg: Aleteyya, 2001. - S. 220-138.

.Cox S. King Arthur and the Holy Grail from A to Z / Simon Cox, Mark Oxbrow; per. from English. I.V. Lobanova. - M.: AST: AST MOSCOW, 2008. - 286 p.

.Komarinets A.A. Encyclopedia of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. - M.: "AST", 2001. - S. 54-106.

.Malory T. The Death of Arthur. - M.: Nauka, 1993 - 168 p.

.Fomenko A.T. New experimental static methods for dating ancient events and applications to the global chronology of the ancient and medieval world. - M.: State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting, 1981. - 100 p.

.Shaitanov I.O. Foreign Literature: Middle Ages: I.O. Shaitanov, O.V. Afanasiev. - M.: Enlightenment, 1996. - S. 258-373.

.Erlikhman V.V. King Arthur. - M .: "Young Guard", 2009. - (series "Life of wonderful people"). - S. 124-250.

Appendix to abstract No. 1

Marriages/marriages marked -

Children from marriage

Appendix to abstract No. 2

Giant Rings

Arthur's grave

Tintagel Castle

Knights of the Round Table

Sword Excalibur

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We are studying English, its grammar, methods of studying and teaching it; we read some texts, do exercises, write an essay... And what do we know about the country whose language we are learning?

The history of England, the English kingdom, originates from ancient times. This is a very interesting subject for discussion, full of secrets and legends. I would like to leave grammar, phonetics, teaching English for a while and talk about the founding of Britain and the legendary King Arthur, whose reign can be considered the period of the formation of England!

Legendary Arthur - King of the Britons

The British people are the descendants of the tribes of Britons and Anglo-Saxons who inhabited Foggy Albion in ancient times. The exact year of the founding of England is not known, but the 5th century AD is known - the beginning of the landing of the Angles and Saxons on British shores. And approximately in the V-VI centuries. ekah there was a legendary leader of the tribe of the Britons - King Arthur (Arthur).

The tales of King Arthur are a whole literary and historical epic! King Arthur is the central character of numerous chivalric novels, songs, ballads, stories, tales, poems and poems. Monuments and sculptures were erected in his honor. Historians still doubt the existence of such a person in the history of Britain. However, this did not prevent the people of England from believing in him and adding up legends about him. Even if it was not in reality, nevertheless, every nation needs its own heroes. One thing is certain - this hero had a historical prototype.

Legend has it that King Arthur brought together the best knights at his court in Camelot, who entered the category of the so-called Knights of the Round Table. The most famous of them are Lancelot, Persifal, Gawain and others. The exact number of knights is unknown, because different authors give different data: someone talks about twelve, someone mentions sixteen knights, etc.

What did Arthur and his knights do? Of course, first of all, these are feats of arms, battles, fights. They also tried to find the Holy Grail - the legendary cup into which the blood of Christ was collected during the crucifixion. And they were also engaged in rescuing beautiful ladies.

Opening the veil of legend...

There are many legends about King Arthur, but they all boil down to approximately the same plot.

Uther Pendragon was the king of Britain. And he managed to fall in love with Igraine, the wife of Duke Gorlois of Tintagel Castle (as if there were no unmarried girls at that time!). In order to spend the night with her, Uther asked the wizard Merlin to give him the appearance of a duke, her husband. Merlin agreed on the condition that the child born would be given to him for upbringing. Uther agreed, and a few years later he was poisoned and anarchy began in the country (this is what happens if you contact someone else's wife).

Merlin endowed the newborn Arthur with strength and courage, then gave him to the old knight Sir Ector to be raised. Twenty years later, Merlin presented the knights with a sword stuck in a stone, on which it was written about whoever manages to pull out the sword is destined to be king. Guess who managed to draw the sword? Of course it's Arthur. Merlin revealed to him the secret of his birth and origin. But you can't fool cunning knights! Everyone wanted to be the king of England. Arthur had to win back his right to the throne with a sword in his hands.

The legend says that, having become king, Arthur made the city of Camelot the capital of England, gathering around him the best and strongest knights in the world, who sat with him at the Round Table (oh, this legendary Round Table!). He married the beautiful Queen Guinevere and began a happy life.

As they say, nothing lasts forever under the moon, and the Sword-of-Stone broke in Arthur's duel with Sir Pelinor. But Merlin did not leave his ward in difficult situations, he promised him another sword. The new sword Excalibur struck without a miss. It was forged by the elves of Vathelin Lake, and the Lady of the Lake herself handed it to Arthur with the condition that he be stripped only for a just cause and returned to her when the time comes.

But not everything is so rosy! Once, during a walk, the beautiful Guinevere was kidnapped by the villain Melegant. Lancelot, one of Arthur's best knights, without waiting for help, broke into Melegant's castle alone, killed him and freed the queen. Love broke out between them and Guinevere cheated on her husband with Lancelot.

This was learned by the cunning Mordred, Arthur's nephew and, according to rumors, his illegitimate son. He reported the treason to the king. Beside himself with anger, Arthur sent Mordred with a detachment to arrest Guinevere and Lancelot; the queen was threatened with burning at the stake. But Lancelot freed Guinevere and together they fled across the sea. Arthur went after them in pursuit, leaving the insidious Mordred as his viceroy. He seized the opportunity and seized power.

Upon learning of this, Arthur was forced to return and restore order in the country. But the cunning Mordred was not going to give up power. The armies of Arthur and Mordred met on the Cammlan field. During the battle, Mordred fell, slain by Arthur's spear, but he himself dealt a mortal blow to the king.

At the request of Arthur, the sword Excalibur was returned to the Lady of the Lake, and he himself was escorted by the sad ladies on a boat to the island of Avalon. Legend has it that he still slumbers on this island, but at the right time he will come to save Britain. Thus ends the heroic tale of King Arthur.

King Arthur in English class

If you have chosen this topic for a lesson or an extracurricular activity, then this is a very interesting solution. Conducting such an event or lesson will be interesting for both the teacher and the children, and the guests present.

• Since this is the Middle Ages, you can decorate the class in the appropriate style. Let your students help you, it's very exciting. On the walls there can be images of ancient coats of arms, swords and shields made of cardboard, in general, everything that you see fit
• The guys themselves can be the heroes of the legend, dressed in appropriate clothes: Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Lancelot, etc.
• Organize an expressive reading of excerpts from the ballads about King Arthur. To do this, use the works of Alfred Tennyson, Terence White and other authors on this topic
• Act out short theatrical performances and dramatizations using stories from the life of Arthur and his environment, having previously composed dialogues in English
• Include excerpts from King Arthur-themed films or cartoons in your event
• Also, the class can be decorated with drawings and posters of children. Since the exact year of the king's birth is unknown, there may be an inscription in English on the board, made in the old style: "Once upon a time, in the Vth century ..." (Once upon a time in the fifth century ...).

Writing an essay about a legendary hero!

Was there such a character in the history of England, is it a collective image or is it an invention of popular fantasy, just a legend - every country needs heroes, in those images that you can emulate, from which you want to take an example. Still, there is reason to believe that such a person existed, because we find partial confirmation of this in English literature.

The story of King Arthur also has an instructive side. It teaches courage, strength, fearlessness, friendship, responsibility for one's duty. It is also an instructive story about how, at times, a woman can be to blame for everything: power is lost, the country is collapsing.

The Tale of King Arthur is a great topic for a history lesson, an English lesson, or an integrated English and history lesson. If you have been given the task of writing an essay about this king and giving a detailed answer about him, then we bring to your attention how this can be done in English.

I want to tell you about the king Arthur. It is a legendary king of England. We don't know the exact year of his birth. But we know that he had lived in the Vth century. England is very proud of this king; he is a British historical hero, one of the symbols of the country.

The king Arthur is famous by his strength, courage, justice. Everybody, and not only in England, knows about Camelot, the Knights of the Round table, the queen Guinevere, the knight Lancelot, Merlin, etc. All these characters are the heroes of British epic poems, songs and stories.

Arthur's tutor was the wise magician Merlin. He taught him about strength and wisdom. Arthur became a king after he had pulled the sword from the stone. He gathered the best knights from the entire world. Everybody knows about the Knights of the Round Table. His wife was the beautiful Guinevere.

King Arthur is the main hero of many legends, stories, poems, songs. He is a symbol of courage and wisdom.

Here is an essay-story we got. And here is his translation:

I want to tell you about King Arthur. This is the legendary King of England. We do not know the exact year of his birth. But we know that he lived in the fifth century. England is proud of her king; he is a British historical hero, one of the symbols of this country.

King Arthur is famous for his courage, strength, justice. Everyone knows, and not only in England, about Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table, Queen Guinevere, the knight Lancelot, Merlin, etc. All these characters are the heroes of British epic poems, songs and stories.

Arthur's mentor was the wise wizard Merlin. He taught him strength and wisdom. Arthur became king after drawing the sword from the stone. He gathered the best knights from all over the world. Everyone has heard of the Knights of the Round Table. His wife was the beautiful Guinevere.

King Arthur is the main character of many legends, stories, poems, songs. It is a symbol of courage and wisdom.

You can, of course, tell the legend in full, but it will take a lot of time. Suffice it to outline what this legendary person is.

King Arthur in cinema

This historical character still excites the minds and hearts of lovers of history and art. King Arthur is a hero not only of the historical epic, but also of modern literature and cinema. Until now, many authors write about him, taking the legend of Arthur as a basis, but performing it in their own way. Arthur is also a hero of painting and sculpture. Directors and screenwriters do not bypass this legendary character.

We bring to your attention several films about the legendary King of England, which you can watch in English with Russian or English subtitles, or with Russian translation. These films will not leave you indifferent, but will help you discover something new in the image and character of Arthur.

• So, 1953, the American film Knights of the Round Table. You will plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages of England and the court of King Arthur. Wonderful acting and setting.
• Year 1981, the film "Excalibur". This film work is based on the novel by Thomas Mallory. The film is amazing in its epic and believable. Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award. You will get great aesthetic pleasure from viewing.
• 1995 gives us the film "The First Knight". This is a free interpretation of the legend of the famous king, and much attention is paid to Lancelot. But the setting, the costumes, the castles, the acting and Richard Gere in the title role do the trick.
• Year 1998. A cartoon for children "The Magic Sword: In Search of Camelot / Quest for Camelot" was released. This cartoon can be watched by the whole family. You will be carried away by adventures and interesting situations that the main characters face every now and then.
• The famous adventure film "King Arthur" in 2004 with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley will keep you in a pleasant suspense for a two-hour viewing. But it's worth it! Beautiful costumes, the atmosphere of the era, a new version of the legend of the king will help the viewer learn something new about this topic.
• Of the most recent works about the legendary king, 2014 should be mentioned, in which the start of filming of a new film on this topic was announced. Guy Ritchie is directing the film Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur. The film tells the story of Arthur's youth and his rise as a king.

We wish you a pleasant viewing!

First mention of Arthur

In the mythology of old England, there is no more beautiful era than the reign of King Arthur and his valiant knights, when in the midst of the gloomy Middle Ages, nobility and selfless devotion to the crown and their state flourished.

"History of the Britons" - the first Latin chronicle, completed in 800 AD. a Welshman named Nennius, first mentions the name Arthur as a central character in the folk tales of Wales. The first extended account of Arthur's life appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, which combines History of the Britons with elements of Welsh folklore.

Three historical figures are considered the main prototypes of Arthur - this is the Roman commander Lucius Artorius Castus, whose exact dates of life are unknown, the Roman Ambrose Aurelian, who successfully defeated the Saxons at the Battle of Badon, and Charlemagne with his 12 Paladins. Based on the fact that the main enemies of Camelot, the Saxons, lived in the 450s, and the first indirect mention of Arthur appears in the writings of the Welsh cleric Gildas in the 560s, we can conclude that Arthur lived presumably in the 500s. AD The image of the British King Arthur is assembled from several biographies and exploits and, supplemented by a chain of interconnected storylines, has become a solid framework for the cultural myth about Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

So, the core of the immortal story of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are several heroes who influenced the rise and fall of the wonderful British kingdom. King Arthur was the only son of the High King of Britain, Uther Pendragon, who developed a passion for his mother, Igraine, wife of the Duke of Gorlois of Cornwall. According to one version of the legend, Gorlois had to kill Uther in order to seize his power, but the opposite happened. Thanks to the wizard Merlin, who foresaw the development of events 200 years ahead, a duel arose in which Uther mortally wounded his opponent, subjugated his army and married Igraine. A year later, the queen from her second marriage gave birth to Arthur, who was destined to become the great ruler of England.

The wise Merlin was aware of court intrigues and was well aware of the people who dreamed of usurping power and depriving the heir of the rightful throne. To prevent this from happening in childhood, he took the boy to his upbringing, later passing him on to his faithful friend, the glorious knight Ector. At the same time, one of Arthur's older sisters, the fairy Morgana, was brought up by the Lady of the Lake, trained in magic and sorcery that only the High Priestess of Avalon could possess. After 20 years, Morgana played a fatal role not only in the fate of her own brother, but also in the history of the entire kingdom, however, more on that later.

After Uther's death, Merlin revealed to the 16-year-old heir the secret of his origin and taught the secrets of the art of war, which were supposed to help Arthur conquer the country. Merlin, together with the Bishop of Canterbury, at a regular meeting in London, presented a magic sword intended for the new king of England. The one worthy of the crown had to draw the sword from the stone, and none of the knights managed to do this, except Arthur. After the popular proclamation of Arthur as King of Britain, the passions at court subsided for a short time.

In one of the fights with Sir Pelinor, Arthur broke a stone sword, and Merlin promised the king a new sword, Excalibur, which the elves of Avalon forged especially for him. Excalibur's sword had the magic to fight without a miss, but one condition was imposed on it: to expose the blade only in the name of a good deed and, when the time came, Arthur must return the sword to Avalon.

Having become the full-fledged king of Britain, Arthur began to think about an heir to his throne. Once he was introduced to Ginevra, the daughter of the king of Lodegrance, whom he once saved. Ginevra was and remains in the modern processing of literature the “Beautiful Lady”, a model of immaculate femininity and chastity, so Arthur fell in love with her at first sight. The young people got married and lived happily in Camelot. True, the couple never had children, because, according to legend, one evil sorceress, wanting to pass the throne to her son, placed a curse of infertility on Ginevra.

At his court in Camelot, Arthur gathered the most brave and devoted knights of the kingdom - Lancelot, Gawain, Galahad, Percival and many others. Various sources indicate that the total number of knights reached 100 people. Separately, it is noted that it was Ginevra who gave Arthur the idea to make a Round Table for the meetings of the knights, so that no one felt themselves either the first or the last, and everyone was equal among themselves and before the king.

The wizard Merlin often visited Camelot in order to visit Arthur and at the same time set the knights up for good deeds so that they would not do evil, avoid betrayal, lies and dishonor. The Knights of the Round Table became famous for bestowing mercy on the lower classes and always patronizing the ladies. They defeated dragons, sorcerers and other fiends, rescuing kings and princesses, freeing their lands from evil and enslavement. The main goal of their pilgrimage was to search for the Grail, from which Jesus himself drank during the Last Supper and where his blood was then poured. For many years the knights could not find the holy Chalice. In the end, she was found by the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Lady Elaine - the knight Galahad.

The Treason of Ginevra and the Beginning of Troubles in Britain

It is historically noted that it was Ginevra's adultery that set off the unrest in Britain. The queen could not get pregnant for a long time and give Arthur an heir, which is why the couple constantly quarreled, and none of them even suspected the curse. At the same time, even before her marriage, Ginevra managed to fall in love with one of the knights and Arthur's best friend - Lancelot, having met him in Camelot a few days before meeting the king.

Lancelot was raised by the Lady of the Lake, from which he received the nickname "Lake". Almost the whole meaning of the character of Lancelot in the legends of the Arthurian cycle is his immense love for Ginevra and, at the same time, the sin of adultery, which did not give him a chance to find the Holy Grail.

Different legends speak differently about Lancelot's beloved: for example, the knights of the Round Table, knowing about Lancelot's sinful connection with the queen, did not like Ginevra and once even wanted to execute her. Ginevra, feeling guilty before her husband, but being unable to give up her love for Lancelot, kept getting angry at her faithful knight and drove him out of the court. Once she arranged a feast for the knights, during which one of them killed the other with a poisoned apple, and all suspicions fell on the queen. The knights were about to completely expose the traitor to the crown, but Lancelot rode up and saved her, chopping half of his friends with a light hand.

Many court ladies, who had a clear interest in Lancelot, were perplexed by the fact that he was unmarried and decided to devote his whole life to unhappy love. Once, in search of the Grail, Lancelot had the honor to visit King Peles of Corbenic, a relative of Joseph of Arimathea and the guardian of the Grail. The king offered Lancelot to marry his beautiful daughter Elaine, but he found tactful words to refuse such an honor. The court lady of Bruzen, knowing who occupied the knight's heart, cast a spell on Elaina, thanks to which she became like Ginevra. Lancelot spent the night with the princess, and the next morning, when he found out about the deception, it was too late. So Lancelot had an illegitimate and only son Galahad - the future knight of Camelot.

According to one version of the legend, Ginevra found out about her rival and rejected Lancelot. For 14 years he lived with Elaine in Bliant Castle on the island, and when Galahad grew up, he returned to Camelot, and their relationship with the queen was renewed.

However, Arthur himself also had an illegitimate son, Mordred, conceived by his half-sister fairy Morgana during a mysterious rite, when the wizards Merlin and the Lady of the Lake had a hand in ensuring that brother and sister did not recognize each other and entered into a relationship. Mordred, unlike Galahad, was raised by evil sorceresses and grew up as an insidious person, dreaming of his father's bloodshed and the seizure of power.

Fall of Camelot and death of Arthur

The king was very fond of his friend Lancelot, as well as his wife Ginevra, and, suspecting their love, did not take any measures to expose the deceivers. Arthur preferred not to see what he did not want, considering peace in the state more important than personal relationships. This was in the hands of his enemies - and, in particular, his son Morder (according to some sources, Mordred was Arthur's nephew, and since the king had no other relatives, one way or another the crown had to pass to him).

Wanting to hurt the king with the pain of Ginevra's betrayal, Mordred, along with 12 knights of the Round Table, burst into the queen's chambers, where Lancelot apologized to his lady of the heart for accidentally exposing her, and asked for advice on how to behave further. Angry at being interrupted in such a dastardly manner, Lancelot killed almost all of his comrades, saddled his horses, and rode away from Camelot with Ginevra. Arthur, compelled by public opinion, rushed after the fugitives across the English Channel, leaving Mordred as his viceroy.

Arthur did not see Ginevra again - on the road, the queen realized all her sins and asked Lancelot to take her to the monastery, where she took a monastic vow and devoted the rest of her life to purifying her soul and serving God.

Meanwhile, in Arthur's absence, Mordred attempted to seize power and subdue the people. Realizing that the key figures who had been counted on for so many years could not provide England with peace at a decisive moment, Merlin and the Lady of the Lake, as well as other wizards, including the adoptive mother of Mordred himself (according to many options, she was the sister of Lady of the Lake, who stepped on the path of black magic). The wizards entered the fight and were mortally wounded, so that no one could protect Camelot, except for Arthur himself.

Rather quickly realizing the futility of searching for Lancelot with Genevra, Arthur rode back to Camelot, where enemies were already waiting for him. On the coast, he was ambushed by the Saxon army of Mordred (by that time he had managed to acquire like-minded people among the Saxons hostile to Arthur). The king fell at the hands of his own son, having also managed to mortally wound Mordred. It is said that in the final battle, Lancelot rushed to the aid of Arthur with his small army, but he was also defeated in this battle.

Fairy Morgan, along with other sorceresses, took the dying Arthur in a boat to Avalon, where Arthur threw the Excalibur sword into the lake, thereby fulfilling his duty to the elves. According to some legends, the beautiful story of the most noble king of medieval England did not end there at all, and at present Arthur is only dozing in Avalon, ready to rise and save Britain in the event of a real threat.

In the epic of every nation there is a hero whose features depict the ideal of valor and patriotism. As a rule, it is fictional and is only the embodiment of a dream of the triumph of good. We have Ilya Muromets, the Finns have Kalevala, and the British have their legendary king Arthur Pendragon, who has become the central character in countless novels, stage productions, and, in recent years, screenplays.

Hero from the pages of an ancient epic

For a long time, researchers unsuccessfully tried to find documentary evidence proving the existence of its historical prototype. Since it was not possible to do this, it was decided, without finally classifying this character as fiction, to rely in his biography mainly on what the most ancient legends brought to us. This is not only done in England. The historicity of our prince Rurik is also questioned by many scientists, but this does not prevent us from believing everything that is written about him

In the teachings of a wizard

The Pendragon family tree, which took root in the British black earth, sometimes bore very curious fruits. For example, it is known that the birth of King Arthur himself was the result of the intrigues of the wizard Merlin. In the 6th century, under the influence of his witchcraft spells, King Uther was inflamed with passion for the young Duchess Igraine and, having found a plausible pretext, killed her infirm old husband in a duel, receiving a beautiful widow as a reward. Starting this dubious business, Merlin set a condition for the king that, as a payment for his help, he would receive from him for the upbringing of a child who was destined to be born. And when the future Pendragon was born, he was immediately sent to the sorcerer's castle.

Magic sword that opened the way to the throne

Further, the legend tells that a few years later the Duchess Igraine had to be widowed again. King Uther, whose wife she became after he killed her husband, was poisoned by those close to him, which was quite consistent with the spirit of those times. After his death, the throne remained vacant for some time. Young Arthur, having received secret magical knowledge from his mentor, continued his education with the old and very worthy knight Sir Ector.

Britain could not long remain without a rightful king, and she had to choose a new one. Not without the intrigues of the wizard Merlin, who led the elections, this time. Each of the contenders for the throne had to pass the test - to try to pull out the sword that he had stuck in the stone. No matter how all the other candidates sweated, none of them succeeded, and only the young Arthur Pendragon, who had learned the lessons of his mentor well, easily coped with the task and became the king of Britain.

victory over the opposition

But it turned out that not everything is so simple. The same courtiers who recently poisoned his father did not recognize the legitimacy of the elections and, together with some neighboring monarchs, having gathered a fair army, went to war against Arthur. It is difficult to say how the matter would have ended if the newly minted king of the Britons had not found reliable allies in the person of two overseas warriors Ban and Bors. With the help of magic and these two thugs, he successfully defeated his enemies, and began to rule for the joy of all the survivors. Arthur Pendragon made the glorious city of Camelot his capital.

Magic sword Excalibur

Resting from state affairs, the young king indulged in purely chivalrous pleasures - he challenged arrogant British aristocrats to a duel and famously struck them with the same magic sword that he had once pulled out of a stone. This continued until one day the cherished sword broke. According to the legend, this unfortunate incident prevented Arthur from sending his next opponent, Sir Pelinor, to the forefathers, which he was incredibly happy about.

The warlike king was consoled by the same Merlin, who became one of the confidants for help during the elections. He presented the king with a new sword, which was forged by his order by the elves who lived along the shores of Lake Vatelin. These cute fairy-tale creatures set a condition: Arthur Pendragon will fight them only for a just cause and, in addition, undertakes to return them in a timely manner. The sword they made had a secret power that allowed them to strike the enemy on the spot, while remaining unharmed. It was called Excalibur.

Creating a round table

To give his capital Camelot a worthy brilliance, Arthur gathered in it all the most noble and valiant knights of that time, and so that they would not kill each other because of a more or less honorable place at the table, he made a very wise decision, making the table round - so that no one it wasn't embarrassing. Since then, the expression "round table" has become not just a designation of an attribute that creates convenience during negotiations, but a symbol of the equality of those present.

fatal marriage

Like all the kings of Britain, the young monarch spent his days on campaigns, tournaments and feasts. This continued until he got married. His chosen one was the daughter of the neighboring king - the young beauty Guinevere. By the way, he dissuaded him from this marriage very much. It is not known whether he supernaturally saw the future, or simply saw that the girl was already very spoiled and nothing good would come of it. One way or another, the wedding took place.

Merlin's fears were soon confirmed. It so happened that the young wife of Arthur was kidnapped during a walk by a certain Baron Meligrance. Ohalnik took her to his castle, but before he could give free rein to his criminal passion, he was killed by the knight of the round table, Sir Lancelot, who learned about the misfortune that had happened and hurried to help the beautiful lady. Guinevere was so grateful to him for her salvation that, out of an excess of feelings, she immediately cheated on her husband. Their romance didn't end there.

New troubles

The fact that the young queen violates adultery was reported to Arthur by his nephew (and according to some versions, the illegitimate son) - the evil and insidious intriguer Mordred. As for morality in those centuries it was strict. A wife convicted of adultery was sent to the stake, and Arthur hurried to arrange this pleasure for her. But, to his regret, the lovers managed to escape, and the first ship sailed to France, where they turned a blind eye to such things. Burning with a thirst for vengeance, Arthur went after them, leaving the scammer Mordred as his deputy.

He could not overtake the fugitives, and when he returned, he learned about a new trouble: in his absence, Mordred had usurped power, declaring himself a monarch. There was something to be upset about. Just yesterday, a brilliant king and a happy husband, Arthur lost both his crown and his wife at the same time. He had already come to terms with the latter, but it was not in his customs to give up power so easily. Gathering an army of knights devoted to him, he gave battle to his nephew on the Kammlan field.

The description of what happened on that fateful day occupies an important place in the writings of all the biographers of the king. It was a grandiose battle in which all the legendary personalities of that time came together. It lasted from sunrise to sunset. They write that the entire British army perished in it. The villain Mordred also found his death, having managed to mortally wound the rightful king before that. With his death, the Pendragon family tree also withered.

Before he expired, Arthur commanded his friend Sir Bedivere to return the magical elves to Lake Vatelyn. When he closed his eyelids, his body was buried. There is a legend that Arthur's death is just a dream that will be interrupted when trouble breaks out over his beloved Britain, and he rises from the grave to save her.

50 famous mysteries of the Middle Ages Zgurskaya Maria Pavlovna

Who was King Arthur and where was Camelot?

King Arthur is one of the most famous figures in medieval literature. He was celebrated in novels and chronicles, in poetry and prose in all major European languages. In the memory of mankind, there are three king Arthurs - Arthur of history, Arthur of legends and Arthur of chivalric novels, and one image smoothly flows into another. Therefore, it is quite difficult to separate historical truth from fiction, given the antiquity of the legends, the first of which appeared as early as the 6th century AD. e. It is not by chance that these centuries are covered with fantastic stories about the great King Arthur and his famous Knights of the Round Table, who accomplished a lot of incredible feats.

By the beginning of the 3rd century, the Romans had conquered the British Isles and held them until the beginning of the 5th century. When England was conquered by the Romans, civil strife stopped there, roads were laid, and the nobility began to adopt the “Roman style”. England was protected from the raids of the Picts - the inhabitants of Scotland - by a huge rampart built by Emperor Hadrian. But on the European continent, the onslaught of barbarian tribes was growing, and the Roman Empire was weakening, it was no longer up to the provinces. Rome was threatened by the hordes of the Goths, and the Romans left the colony. In 410, Emperor Honorius withdrew Roman troops from Britain, leaving the indigenous population to build their own lives. Less than half a century later, the tribes of the Saxons fell upon Britain. Then the tribes of the Britons and the remnants of the descendants of the Romans united and began to fight the conquerors. Although they inflicted a number of defeats on them, by 1600 the conquest of the main part of the island by the Saxons was completed. The story of King Arthur, who became the hero who led this struggle, dates back to these times.

According to legend, the Celts again began to quarrel with each other - the kingdoms that formed after the departure of the Romans did not want to give in to each other. One of these kingdoms was ruled by Uther Pendrashn. He seduced the wife of one of his rivals, the beautiful Igraine. From this union, Arthur was born, who was raised by the magician Merlin. The grown-up Arthur learned that royal blood flows in his veins - thanks to the magic sword Excalibur, which he managed to pull out of the rock. Arthur put an end to civil strife, united the English lands and drove out the Saxon conquerors. Together with his wife Guinevere, legend has it, he ruled while living in a beautiful city called Camelot. There, in the palace, his faithful knights gathered at a large round table ...

The historical prototype of the legendary monarch was, apparently, the military leader of the Britons, who lived at the end of the 5th century and led their struggle against the Saxons. He gave several major battles, ending ca. 500 with a victory at Mount Badon in southern Britain. And although the Saxons eventually prevailed, Arthur's glory did not fade.

With the advent of Christianity in the Celtic lands, this poetic legend was overgrown with moral teachings, but the spirit of magic has been preserved and has come down to us thanks to medieval authors.

The first mention of King Arthur was made by the Welsh monk Nennius in The History of the Britons (826). Using an ancient story, he told the following: Arthur was a commander chosen by the kings, because they did not want this role to go to one of them. Nennius gives in chapter 56 a list of Arthur's twelve victories over the Saxons, and in chapter 67 two British "wondrous divas" are associated with Arthur - evidence that local legends at this time were already associated with his name. Another Latin chronicle produced in Wales c. 955, the Annals of Cumbria, mentions not only the victory at Badon, but also the Battle of Camblann in 529, in which Arthur and Modred, his nephew, fell.

In early Welsh literature, Arthur appears in a completely different capacity - mythical and fabulously adventurous. In the poem "Anwinn's Prey" (X century), he leads a detachment to storm the fortress of Anwinn (it is also the underworld of the Celts) with the disastrous intention to take possession of magical talismans.

Thus, the documents that reflect the early stage of the legend are of Welsh origin. But the glory of Arthur went far beyond the borders of Wales. The inhabitants of Cornwall and even continental Brittany, related to the Welsh in language and culture, also paid tribute to the British hero. The Bretons spread the legend of Arthur, taken from the British Isles, throughout the European continent.

The most detailed description of the life and great deeds of this man is given by the "History of the Kings of Britain" (1136) by Geoffrey (Galfrid) of Monmouth - the first bestseller of that era. This author substantiated the role of Arthur as the conqueror of the Saxons. "History" begins with the founding of the British kingdom by Brutus, a direct descendant of Aeneas, through whom British antiquity is connected with the glorious past of Troy and Rome. Merlin plays a prominent role in Jeffrey's account of the life and deeds of Arthur, the central character throughout the book. Arthur is portrayed not only as the conqueror of the Saxons, but also as the conqueror of many European nations. In the war that began after his refusal to pay tribute to the Romans, Arthur and his allies defeated the enemy in battle and would have conquered Rome, if not for Modred, who treacherously took possession of his throne and queen. Jefri describes the death of Arthur in the battle with Modred and then the gradual disintegration of the empire he created until its final destruction in the 7th century. This source contains the most fantastic stories and characters that inspired numerous medieval bards. It is no coincidence that the British considered the History of the Kings of Britain to be a kind of accurate reference book and did not understand why historians who lived on the continent did not know about their glorious king. After all, he made a “campaign all the way to Rome” and defeated the troops of Emperor Lucius in order to forever free Britain from the threat of invasion from outside and turn his reign into a golden age of peace and abundance ...

In 1155, the History was translated into French in verse by the Norman poet Vas, under the title of Brutus Romance. You were the first author known to us to be mentioned in his poem by the Round Table, set up by Arthur's order to avoid disputes over seniority. He also reports the belief of the Bretons that Arthur is alive and is on the island of Avalon.

The first English poet to sing of Arthur was Layamon, the parish priest of Arley Regis, Worcestershire. His poem "Brutus", written in the last decade of the 12th century or a little later, is an extended retelling of Vasa's poem. Although Layamon's poem survives in only two lists, in contrast to the large number of manuscripts containing texts by Geoffrey and Vasa, its existence proves that Arthur was perceived as a hero even by the descendants of his Saxon enemies.

It is worth noting that the pseudo-historical tradition founded by Geoffrey of Monmouth does not include the stories of Tristan, Lancelot and the Grail, which became universally known in the Middle Ages through French novels. In the French novels of the Arthurian circle (second half of the 12th century), Arthur's court is depicted as the starting point for the adventures of various heroes, but Arthur himself does not play a central role in them.

However, the authority of the legendary king was so great that his image drew plots of very different origins into the Arthurian orbit. One of these stories, and the earliest, was the sad story of Tristan, which was in circulation in France around 1160. The historical prototype of Tristan was a certain Pictish king of the end of the 8th century, the legends of which, like the legends of Arthur, were kept by one of the defeated Celtic peoples. Some versions of the Tristan legend highlight an exciting plot - adventures, escapes, intrigues, but in the French novel of Thomas of Britannia (1155-1185) and in the German masterpiece of his follower Gottfried of Strassburg (c. 1210) the main thing is the development of characters and the tragic conflict between feeling and debt.

The legend of Tristan was already known when Chrétien de Troyes, one of the most popular authors of the 12th century, began to write. Almost all of his major writings, created between 1160 and 1190, are based on Arthurian stories that circulated among the Bretons. Chrétien rarely came up with something of his own, but his interest in psychological conflicts, born, in particular, of the intransigence of the dictates of love and chivalrous duty, enriched the content of the legends. Chrétien's last novel, Percival, or the Tale of the Grail, whose theme is the education of the hero in terms of chivalry, remained unfinished. The young Percival (Parsifal, Parzival) who appeared at the court of King Arthur is ignorant and childishly unresponsive to other people's suffering. He quickly learns the external attributes of chivalry and proves himself to be a valiant fighter beyond his years, but fails where prudence and compassion are required. In the castle of the crippled fisher-king, Percival did not ask who the food was for in the Grail, a large platter carried through the castle chambers by a maiden in a mysterious procession. He remained silent, because the master warned him against talkativeness. Then this silence is reproached to him: if he asked a question, and the fisher-king would be healed. Despite the fact that terrible punishments threaten Percival for this mistake, he, not knowing fear, goes on a journey - to look for the Castle of the Grail. At the point where Chrétien's text breaks off, poor Percival is haunted by all sorts of misfortunes. His further fate is described in the German Parzival (1195–1210) by Wolfram von Eschenbach, partly based on the work of Chrétien.

At the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th century, various versions of the legend about the search for the Grail were widely circulated. At this time, the Grail, originally possessing magical properties, was drawn into the sphere of Christian tradition and rethought as a sacramental cup (monstrance).

Arthurian literature of the 13th century is generally characterized by a transition from poetic forms to prose, further Christianization of legends, and a tendency to combine texts into a cycle. The so-called Arthurian Vulgate consists of five prose French novels:

1. "The Story of the Holy Grail", containing the initial information about the Grail and its miraculous properties;

2. "Merlin" - an extended arrangement of "Merlin" by Robert de Born with additions from other sources;

3. "Prosaic Lancelot" - a story filled with various details about Lancelot's childhood, about his upbringing with the wise Lady of the Lake; how he grew up as an unparalleled knight of King Arthur, how he loved Guinevere and lamented his sinful passion, because of which he was not allowed to reach the Holy Grail, and how he conceived Galahad with the daughter of a crippled king;

4. "Feat in the name of the Holy Grail", where the central character is the son of Lancelot Galahad, who, thanks to his spiritual perfection, surpassed all the other knights of the Round Table; and finally

5. "The Death of Arthur" - a story about the collapse of the Brotherhood of the Round Table, which began with the fact that Lancelot, despite his former repentance, returned to his sinful love again, and ended with the betrayal of Modred, the death of Arthur and the departure of Guinevere and Lancelot from the world into seclusion and repentance.

The Arthurian prose cycle of the thirteenth century had a powerful influence on later chivalric romances in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Wales, and England. His influence was especially felt on the most famous English Arthurian book - "The Death of Arthur" by Thomas Malory. The author's title of the book is unknown: the printer William Caxton named the volume published by him in 1485, which remained the only text of Malory for centuries until the Winchester manuscript was discovered in 1934, by the printer William Caxton. In general, Malory faithfully follows his sources - both English and French, but his role is not limited to translation. Like his predecessors, he reinterprets the Arthurian legends in the spirit of his time. His version highlights the heroic features of the epic, while refined spirituality was closer to the tastes of the French.

In England, the Arthurian legends survived after the Middle Ages, thanks to the pseudo-historical work of Geoffrey of Monmouth and the first printed edition of Caxton, which had been published five times by the beginning of the 18th century. The Romantic revival revived interest not only in Malory but also in other Arthurian texts. In the 19th century, the most significant modifications were made by A. Tennyson and R. Wagner. Tennyson's Idylls of the King (1859-1885) introduces Malory's stories into the framework of Victorian morality, showing how the sinfulness and frivolity of the Knights of the Round Table undermine Arthurian ideals. R. Wagner in the musical drama "Tristan and Isolde" (1865) refers to the version of Gottfried of Strasbourg and raises the legend to the heights of tragedy, however, colored by the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Novalis, where love and death are one. Wagner's Parsifal (1882) follows Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, but is also based on nineteenth-century philosophy. These adaptations are essentially independent works and belong to the 19th century, using medieval material as an entourage.

How likely is it that the Arthurian legends reflect some kind of historical reality? Did this person exist at all?

This question has been asked since the 15th century. The English pioneer William Caxton, already mentioned above, in his edition of The Death of Arthur, in the listed evidence of the existence of the king, pointed to various relics, including a round table kept in the town of Winchester, a piece of wax with the seal of Arthur (he was called on it the emperor of Britain, Gaul , Germany and Dacia) and even the sword of Sir Lancelot, Arthur's closest friend. But it turned out that all these items were made later - to attract pilgrims. The famous oak round table six meters in diameter was made in the 13th century, when Henry III and his heirs sought to revive the Arthurian epic.

The researchers also turned to the geography of the Arthurian legends. It turned out that many of the places mentioned in them have survived. For example, in the north of the Cornwall peninsula there are ruins of Tintagel Castle, built of slate slabs, where the famous king was allegedly born.

Many unsolved mysteries are kept by another "Arthurian place" - Glastonbury, which is located in the very west of Great Britain. Spread over the vast plains of Somerset, near the Bristol Channel, this complex now includes a city, an abbey and a huge volcanic rock with the ruins of a church, descending in terraces. It should be noted that people have lived here since time immemorial. The remains of settlements discovered by archaeologists date back to the era of the Roman invasion of the islands.

Glastonbury Abbey is a unique historical site for many religions. It is believed that on the lands of Glastonbury for a long period there was a temple of Druid priests who worshiped snakes. Then they were replaced by the Romans. But the most significant trace was left, undoubtedly, by Christians. According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea (the man who buried the body of Christ) moved to Glastonbury and built the first church in Great Britain. Blackthorn blossoms on the ruins of the abbey every Easter. People say that when Joseph, after his arrival, ascended the rock, he leaned on a staff during prayer. Once he left it there, and the staff turned into a tree. The tree took root, and since then the Glastonbury thornbush has served as a local landmark. Ireland's most revered saint, Saint Patrick, also lived and died here.

From a more than 150-meter cliff top, you can observe the terrain for 70-80 kilometers around. Volcanic terraces bear traces of their processing by people, and, perhaps, they once served as a path for Christian pilgrims who came here to worship and pray. A majestic monastery was erected here, named after St. Michael. The date of foundation of the monastery is considered to be 705. It was then that King Aine issued a decree on the construction of the monastery, and in the 10th century the Benedictines settled here. Those church ruins that modern tourists see date back to the 13th century. They were left from the temple, destroyed by order of King Henry VIII during his struggle against Catholicism (XVI century). According to legend, Mount Glastonbury is the place where King Arthur once lived, and also - concurrently - a secret entrance to the underworld of the lord of the elves. It is believed that in the 6th century St. Collen entered here, striving to put an end to demonism. He performed the rite of exorcism, and from contact with holy water, the elven palace disappeared with a roar, leaving the ascetic alone on an empty rock top.

As the final resting place of King Arthur and his wife, Glastonbury has gained fame since the 12th century. Until now, the authenticity of this fact is confirmed only by legends. So, for example, Excalibur - the legendary sword of Arthur, thrown by Sir Beduir at the request of the king, mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlen, into the water, could be drowned in the local Pomparles Lake. Unfortunately, this once vast reservoir is now drained and it is no longer possible to verify the veracity of the oral tradition.

A great misfortune (which, however, brought some benefit) happened at Glastonbury in 1184. A terrible fire then destroyed the abbey almost to the ground, but during the reconstruction, the monks engaged in a large-scale search for Arthur's grave.

And in 1191, a real sensation was made by the statement of the monks that the tomb of King Arthur had been found! Carefully tapping the stone slabs of the floor, the Benedictines found at a depth of three meters - below the modern masonry - an even older one, with a hollow chamber in it. Having opened the floor, the monks made their way to the legendary tomb. Two huge coffins, impregnated with wood-preserving resins, appeared to their astonished gaze! A magnificent reburial of the remains was organized. And soon a large lead cross appeared over the new grave with the inscription: "Here, on the island of Avalon, the illustrious King Arthur rests underground." In 1278, the remains of the monarch were reburied in a special tomb made of fine black marble.

But the researchers noticed many suspicious details of this "discovery". The first question that interested them was: how did they manage to identify the remains of King Arthur in the skeleton? The monks argued: “According to his noble stature…” A detailed report on the examination of the bodies of the deceased has been preserved in the archives of the abbey. The man's skeleton struck with its high growth - 2 m 25 cm. His skull was damaged, but the cause of the injury could not be established, although it could have been a trace of a wound. On the head of a woman, blond hair was perfectly preserved. But all this is not yet proof that it was Arthur and his wife.

The first modern scientific exploration at Glastonbury began in 1907. The historical and archaeological expedition was led by the English scientist Frederick B. Bond. His employees have made significant progress: they discovered the remains of an unknown chapel. After comparing its geographical position with the general plan of the abbey, Bond concluded that it was built according to the laws of sacred geometry used by the ancient Egyptians, and later by the Freemasons. However, the venerable researcher had the imprudence to publicly declare that he received all instructions on the search for antiquities with the help of mediums, communicating with the souls of the deceased monks. A major scandal erupted and Bond was fired.

There is another mysterious geographical name in the legend of Arthur, which cannot be tied to any real place on Earth - the legend sends the wounded king to the magical island of Avalon, the path to which is opened to few. Elves and fairies live on this island, time flows so slowly there that the heroes of legends and villages, perhaps, live in a corner of paradise, not knowing that one and a half thousand years have swept over the planet. How possible is the existence of a ghostly Avalon? Some of the mystics of the Middle Ages believed that Avalon disappeared not in the physical, but in the sacred sense of the word. Like the Russian Kitezh, the island passed into another - magical - dimension and disappeared from the eyes of people.

Many 19th-century historians explained the disappearance of Avalon in a much more prosaic way. They believed that the reason for the death of the island was a banal flood. In support of their hypothesis, scientists cited a true story dating back to the 11th century. It was about a very low island in the English Channel, protected by dams and locks. Once, after some celebrations, drunken guards forgot to close them, and unrestrained tidal water rushed into the city. All the local nobility perished in the waves (except for the king, who escaped by swimming on a horse), and the island itself was covered by the sea. It was the historically reliable case described above that led researchers to the idea that Avalon could have suffered the same fate.

But there could be another explanation for the disappearance of Avalon. It could merge with the mainland, connected with it by man-made bulk structures. This could happen if the island was located close enough to the coast of Britain.

It should be noted that not only European scientists were interested in the history of Avalon Island. M. A. Orlov in the book "History of Man's Relations with the Devil" (1904) indicates that Avalon was often described by the ancient poets of France. So, in the poem about William Kurnos, we find a mention that Avalon was extremely rich, so that there never was another such rich city. Its walls were made of some special stone, the doors in them were made of ivory, the dwellings were generously decorated with emeralds, topazes, hyacinths and other precious stones, and the roofs on the houses were golden! Magical medicine flourished in Avalon. The most terrible diseases and wounds were cured here. In one of the novels of that time, this island is described as a place where all the inhabitants spend time in an eternal holiday, without knowing worries and sorrows. The very word "Avalon" was brought closer to the words of the ancient Breton language "Inis Afalon", which means "island of apple trees".

Different opinions about the mysterious island are also expressed by many modern foreign researchers. But all these are only hypotheses that are not capable of revealing the secret of Avalon.

However, what can we say about the location of the elusive island, if it is still not clear where the much more material Camelot was located! Most people associate it with southwestern England, an area mentioned in tales of wizards, lake ladies and knights in shining armor. This version of the legend was popular as early as the Middle Ages, especially among English kings, poets and nobles, who considered Arthur's Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table to be the ideal royal court. In the county of Somerset in the 1970s, archaeologists unearthed a strange hill, which was perceived as Camelot - the capital where King Arthur lived. The top of the hill was surrounded by a solid wall of stone and wooden beams around the perimeter. It was a hall, which, apparently, was intended for common meals. Perhaps this is where the Knights of the Round Table gathered?

However, among scientists, another version is becoming more and more popular. It says that the legend originated north of the Anglo-Scottish border. One of the propagandists of this point of view is Hugh MacArthur, a historian from Glasgow. He argues that Guinevere, Arthur's wife, could be a representative of the Picts who lived in the north of Scotland. There is other historical evidence that Arthur came from present-day Scotland, and not Cornwall or anywhere else. According to MacArthur, the legend is based on the personality of Arthur, the leader of an armed band who ruled in the 6th century in Strathclyde, the kingdom of the Welsh-speaking Britons, stretching from Loch Lomond in Scotland to north Wales. The capital of the kingdom was the city of Dumbarton in west central Scotland. According to the researcher, there are numerous names in this area that could be associated with Arthur. In Dumbarton itself is Arthur's Castle, and to the west of Loch Lomond is Mount Ben Arthur, on which is a place called Arthur's Seat. According to MacArthur, this is only one of seven Arthurian thrones he found in Scotland. In total, there are about 50 places in the name of which Arthur is mentioned. And although we are not always talking about the legendary ruler, in most cases the name, apparently, is still given in honor of him.

MacArthur also believes that the island of Avalon, on which, according to legend, Arthur received his sword Excalibur and where he was brought mortally wounded, is nothing other than Loch Lomond. Local historians also believe that Arthur's main battles, described by the 9th-century Welsh monk Nennius, took place nearby. The researcher argues that the legend of Arthur began to migrate south in the process of Christianization of Scotland. In addition, the narrowing of the area of ​​use of the Welsh language, its localization in Wales and Cornwall contributed to the formation of the idea that the famous warrior and ruler lived in the southwest of England.

Yet most scholars believe that there is only circumstantial evidence for the existence of King Arthur. Having analyzed folklore and other sources in detail, historians have drawn a certain collective image of a leader who used a Roman military title and organized successful resistance to foreigners. He may have given himself the imperial title when the battles were over. But this is only a hypothetical portrait, for there is no evidence of King Arthur's contemporaries. It is no coincidence that skeptics continue to claim that he was invented by the natives of Britain as the ideal of a glorified hero whose exploits lived in the popular mind.

And yet, some researchers continue to insist on the historicity of the famous image. As Englishmen Peter James and Nick Horn write, archaeological excavations indicate a sharp influx of invaders into Britain around 450 and a noticeable slowdown around 500. Apparently, someone successfully organized resistance to foreigners. Probably a former commander of the Roman army. And why not accept the legends of the exploits of King Arthur?

As a final weighty argument in favor of its reality, the fact of the popularity of the name Arthur is also put forward: at the end of the 5th and beginning of the 6th century, six or more British princes were named by him. Most likely, this phenomenon had a source - King Arthur lived in people's memory ...

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