Currency

  • Log in
  • Cart (0)
  • Checkout
  • Home
  • Clothing 
    • T-Shirts
    • Hoodies
    • Hats
    • Face Covers
    • Bags
  • Mugs
  • Welsh Slate
  • Jewellery & Accessories 
    • Earrings
    • Pendant Necklaces
    • Bracelets
    • Watches
    • Rings
    • Keyrings
    • Cufflinks
  • Personalised Gifts 
    • Slate
    • Jewellery
    • Ornaments
    • Glasses & Barware
    • Crystal
    • Keepsakes
    • Maps
    • Candles
    • Pet Gifts
  • Love Gifts
  • Welsh Sheep
  • Collectables 
    • Dragons
    • Gothic Fantasy
    • Skulls
    • Fairies
  • Homeware 
    • Kitchen, Baking & Dining Gifts
    • Candles
    • Door Stops
    • Aroma Lamps
  • Art & Wall Decor 
    • Clocks
    • Canvas
    • Decor Prints
    • Vinyl Stickers
  • Glassware
  • Greeting Cards
  • Christmas
  • Blog
  • Currency

News

Who Was The Real King Arthur?

January 03, 2021

Who Was The Real King Arthur?

King Arthur. Knight Of Camelot

We’ve all heard stories about King Arthur of Camelot, who according to medieval legend led British forces (including his trusted Knights of the Round Table) in battle against Saxon invaders in the early sixth century. But was King Arthur actually a real person, or simply a hero of Celtic mythology? Though debate has gone on for centuries, historians have been unable to confirm that Arthur really existed. He doesn’t appear in the only surviving contemporary source about the Saxon invasion, in which the Celtic monk Gildas wrote of a real-life battle at Mons Badonicus (Badon Hills) around 500 A.D. Several hundred years later, Arthur appears for the first time in the writings of a Welsh historian named Nennius, who gave a list of 12 battles the warrior king supposedly fought. All drawn from Welsh poetry, the battles took place in so many different times and places that it would have been impossible for one man to have participated in all of them.

Welsh origin

Later Welsh writers drew on Nennius’ work, and Arthur’s fame spread beyond Wales and the Celtic world, particularly after the Norman conquest of 1066 connected England to northern France. In the popular 12th-century book “History of the Kings of Britain,” Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the first life story of Arthur, describing his magic sword Caliburn (later known as Excalibur), his trusted knight Lancelot, Queen Guinevere and the wizard Merlin. An irresistible blend of myth and fact, the book was supposedly based on a lost Celtic manuscript that only Geoffrey was able to examine.

Evidence from the ground

The second key source of information about Arthur is archeology. Archaeological evidence for contact between Wales, Cornwall and the Saxon World takes many forms – from metalwork manufactured in an Anglo-Saxon style discovered in south-east Wales, to the distribution of early medieval pottery imported from the Continent and the shores of the Mediterranean.

Excavations at Dinas Powys, a princely hillfort near Cardiff occupied between the 5th and 7th-centuries, has informed us about the nature of a high status site in south Wales at this time. This site is contemporary with others like South Cadbury in Somerset and Tintagel in Cornwall (both with their own Arthurian traditions).

Arthur’s court at Caerleon

A large number of sites in Wales have Arthurian associations, though few have proven medieval origin. In the 12th century, Caerleon was thought by Geoffrey of Monmouth to be the location of Arthur’s court, while the hillfort of Dinas Emrys in north Wales is associated with Ambrosius, Vortigern and Merlin.

Arthur’s Stone

Some half dozen Welsh Stone Age megaliths are called ‘Arthur’s Stone’, and his name has also been given to an Iron Age hillfort on the Clwydian Range, Moel Arthur, near Denbigh. According to one tradition, King Arthur and his knights lie sleeping in a cave below Craig y Ddinas, Pontneddfechan, in south Wales.



Tweet Share Pin It Email

Also in News

Halloween in Wales
Halloween in Wales

September 17, 2021

As the Welsh are Celtic, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Welsh version of Halloween has some unique practices

Continue Reading

Traditional Welsh Costume: A Brief History
Traditional Welsh Costume: A Brief History

August 18, 2021

The Welsh costume was part of the revival of Welsh culture in Victorian times. Based on clothes worn by ladies in rural Wales it became a marketing gimmick and a national icon.

Continue Reading

Mysterious Devil's Bridge
Mysterious Devil's Bridge

July 25, 2021

Devil's Bridge is a fascinating mixture of man-made and natural history. Needless to say this mysterious bridge is surrounded by dark legends...

Continue Reading

Information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Shipping Policy
  • Returns Policy
  • Copyright
  • Refund policy
  • Terms of Service
Sign up for our newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more…

Contact Us

Welsh Treasure

IHA Media Limited, Gwynfarian, Nant Y Glyn Road, Colwyn Bay, LL2972RB

Email: support@welshtreasure.com


  • Search
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Hallmarks

Currency

© 2023 Welsh Treasure.

Amazon American Express Apple Pay Diners Club Discover Google Pay Maestro Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Visa
Subscribe to our Newsletter!

Subscribe to our Newsletter!