The research methodology section allows me to motivate the choice of the research topic, present the main [625949]

The research methodology section allows me to motivate the choice of the research topic, present the main
bibliographic sources on which it is based, and last but not least describes the steps I will follow in writing the
bachelor thesis which will be a guide for a quality research.
I do not know about others , but for me some of the most beautiful stories in childhood were fairy
tales, myths and legends. Besides Harry Potter and the novels of the head and sword, I grew up
with stories about the balls, pal aces, gods, kings, queens .
The theme chosen is Medieval Courtly Love Culture and the Arthurian Myth , within it will be basically
approached The Courtly Love Concept and The Myth Concept. I have chosen to write about this
subject because, since I was a litt le girl, I was impressed about fairy tales with this courtly love
concept where the knight saves the girl and sacrifice everything for her. The main theme in
literature is Love.
Honestly, there are so many books about Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of th e Round Table,
that I do not even know what that first book and the first author were that drew my attention to this
myth. I believe, but I am not convinced, and only after long archaeological digs through the
grandparent’s library, where I took the book, the first novel I read about Arthur was that of Chrétien
de Troyes, King Arthur and the Knights Round Table .
Apparently, this is the author who added Lancelot for the first time in the story and who gave the
legend the romantic side that we now know. After the French author's novel, Mark Twain's version
of A Yankee at King Arthur's Court , and then Marion Zimmer Bradley ’s The Mists of Avalon . After
these novels I can say that I caught a passion for this legend and some of its characters .
King Arthur, the le gendary ruler of Britain, who pacified and united country probably has a
historical origin. He is the symbol of the ideal leader in an ideal society. Appears in many myths
and legends, including in magical situations, poetically treated by medieval authors . He took the
young man's throne, reigning from Camelot with his wife, Guinevere. There he founded the famous
Round Table, with some fearless knights, such as Lancelot and his nephew, Gawain. They went
through miraculous adventures, fighting with foreign k ings and ogres. Arthur's counselor was
Wizard Merlin. After a long period of peace, Arthur was betrayed by Mordred, who was his
nephew or illegitimate son, and was killed in the Battle of Camlann.
Even though he was not a real character, Arthur's power grew with time. Over the centuries,
from Henri VIII to the Queen Victoria, writers, painters, photographers, directors, artists, have
all tried to get closer to his figure and gain a place in posterity.

The works of the knightly literature first spre ad in French only to appear in English in time, a fact
worth noting: the knightly novels were written in metric verses. The feudal society has begun to
mature, and heroism no longer only resides in defending the interests of the clan or the state, but,
above all, in defending honor and dignity. Now a code of moral chivalry is emerging, which
idealizes the knights' way of living and their norms of conduct (nobility to the defenseless, respect
for the principles of honor, ministry, disinterest, and others). T hat is why the novel about King
Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, an ingenious overlay of various historical and
legendary elements, became particularly popular.
There are many books that tell the story of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table , and the
differences between some of them are so great that sometimes you wonder if this is the same
legend. This character first appeared in the pseudo -history of Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia
Redgum Britanniae, finalized in 1138. However, it should be noted that Geoffrey of Monmouth
himself has often changed the story and origin of his characters. Once the legend became known,
more and more scholars and then writers took over and offered their own version. Truth has been
lost somewhere in the past, and you will probably never know for sure whether King Arthur and
his famous Knights have existed or not. It seems that the ideal of chivalry dating back in the late
fifth and early sixth century. Thus, King Arthur, a semi -legendary hero was the leader of Brit ain
against Saxon invaders in battle. Designed for the greatness of the Avalon beggars, he is the
legitimate king of England. Chivalrous spirit era, the reign of beneficial, England enjoyed a period
of 12 years of peace and prosperity, while the chivalry r eaches its peak. The castle of Camelot,
Arthur summons the brave and faithful knights of the kingdom as Lancelot, Gawain, Percivale
around roundtable. Merlin teaches them to refrain from crimes, cruelty and violence, to avoid
betrayal, lies and dishonesty, to be merciful and above all to defend, protect and respect women.
Knights go from here to civilize the world they know, struggling with dragons, giants and other
forces of evil in castles haunted by ghosts, dark forests and charming gardens. Considered l ong-
forgotten Celtic god or demigod Nordic warrior leader, Arthur enters legend. The Arthurian cycle
has witnessed, over the centuries, increased interest, decline and rebirth. Sometimes even
associations with the story of Tristan and Isolde. Hundreds of b ooks profile or not, literary criticism
or historical fiction, comics and beyond have gathered over the years.

Being a very vast theme and because of the restricted space, the following pages represent a brief
and clear presentation of the Arthurian Myth as well as legendary places and figures of the time.
From the second chapter, which deals with the historical context, we learn about the Courtly Love
Concept and the way this concept was introduced in English culture. Chapter three presents the
Myth Conce pt.
Arthur is a legendary British king who lived in the crossroads of the 5th -6th centuries and would
have led the resistance of the Romanized Britons against the Saxon invaders. He entered the British
literature in the twelfth century, thanks to Geoffrey of Monmouth. His work, Historia Regum
Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain), finalized in 1138, was extremely popular in the
following centuries and uncritically accepted as a true history until the sixteenth century. Geoffrey
claims that King A rthur would have been mentioned in an earlier Welsh "history", however, so
far, no previous reference to this character has been discovered. There is no doubt that the medieval
author was inspired by the legends that circulated in the epoch, but it is impo ssible to find out what
Geoffrey had taken from folklore and what he invented.
As a real historical character, Arthur was one of the leaders of the Celts, who heroically
distinguished themselves in the fight against the Anglo -Saxons who entered the Wales. (Wales,
West of England). According to tradition, though seriously injured by his nephew, Mordred, who
wanted to take his crown and his gullible wife, Guinevere, Arthur was led by the fairies in a
charming boat on the island of Avalon, where no one could r each mortal.
As Geoffrey of Monmouth describes Arthur was a wise king and a fearless warrior. The chronicler
builds the portrait of a Brittany devastated by barbarians after the withdrawal of the Roman legions.
Artur's glory is given by his orbiting restit ution, a restorer of the Roman Order, who removes the
destructive forces with divine help. In Geoffrey's "history", the Saxons entered Britain as auxiliary
troops, but they got out of control. After a period of decay and violence, the British succeeded in
imposing the order again. King Arthur is a chivalrous ideal, both in battle and in peacetime.
Starting from this medieval legend, his popularity grew, having a profound impact on British
consciousness. The centralization of the English state at the end of the Middle Ages encouraged
the development of Arthur's legend, which offered the monarchy a special mystery.
Arthur's birth was enveloped in magic and plotting. His father, Uther Pendragon, king of England,
fell in love with Ygraine, the wife of his most f aithful man, Prince Gorlois of Cornwall. An
overwhelming desire overwhelmed the king; finally convinced his wizard Merlin to make a

charming drink by which he got the appearance of Gorlois, killed him, and he appeared in the
image of his husband in Ygraine 's bedroom at the Tintagel castle. Arthur was the result of Uther's
passion for Ygraine.
Merlin entrusted the child of a knight named Ector, who was supposed to remain until the age of
15. After Uther's death, the nobility gathered in London and, under Mer lin's eyes, every prince and
count tried his luck with the magical stone, trying to free the sword of Excalibur, which reads: 'He
who takes the sword out of the stone will be King of England. 'No one could get the sword out of
Arthur.
Arthur was elected Ki ng of England, but it was many years before he was fully recognized and
accepted as King. One of the revolting nobles, Loth of Lothian, gave Arthur the hand of beautiful
Morgause, and the two had a child together. Arthur did not know that Morgause was actu ally his
sister, the daughter of Gorlois and Ygraine. Merlin predicted that Mordred, the boy born of this
incestuous relationship, will cause the end of Arthur and his kingdom.
Later, Arthur reunited with Guinevere and settled at Camelot, where he also men tioned the Round
Table with his 12 knights. The 12 Knights of Camelot were equal, with no privilege. One place
was free, being destined for that knight who, one day, would have found the Holy Grail, the most
precious object of the Christian world, the bowl from which Jesus Christ drank at the Last Supper.
According to the beliefs, the Grail was brought to England by Joseph of Arimathia, who fled the
Holy Land for the fear of the Jews. The legend also says that Jesus spent his childhood in England,
more prec isely in the South, which is why the Bible does not mention the childhood of Palestine
of the Savior.
Arthur's life was full of lies and betrayal. His wife, Guinevere, fell in love with one of the knights,
Sir Lancelot; then Mordred will publicly accuse th e couple of adultery and betrayal. Lancelot and
Guinevere, accompanied by the group of knights who participated in the revolt, flee to France, but
Arthur follows them and a bloody battle takes place. Meanwhile, at Camelot, Mordred took over
Arthur's throne in his absence. Arthur and his loyal knights face Mordred and his men on the
battlefield in Camlann. Stepping through the dead bodies of his knights, Arthur hurts his son
deadly, but Mordred, with his last powers, also pierces Arthur with his sword. The w ounded king
is taken to the shore of a charming lake in a chapel built by Joseph of Arimathia on the mystical
island of Avalon.
The legend of King Arthur generated many versions and each contained new and new heroic deeds.

Was there, however, a "King Arthu r," a real leader who led the British resistance against Germanic
invasions after the withdrawal of the Roman legions? This question has sparked heated debate
among historians. While some thought it was just a fantasy, others, convinced that no smoke came
out of the fire, tried to identify a real character that could have inspired the myth afterwards.
The contrast between the glory of Arthur's legend and its obscure origins could not be greater.
Practically, Arthur's lifetime, at the crossroads of the 5th -6th centuries, is the darkest of British
history. Written sources that tell us what happened after the withdrawal of the Roman legions, are
very few. In an attempt to reconstitute the reality of those times, historians can only rely on the
chronicles writte n a few centuries later, and on the archaeological evidence. If there really was an
"Arthur" during this period, it had nothing to do with the royal or even imperial image made by
medieval poets and romantic writers.
At the end of the 4th century, Britanni a was in a state of decadence quite advanced. Research by
archaeologists has shown that urbanization and monetary circulation have suffered a pronounced
rebound. At the beginning of the next century, the attacks of the barbarians were growing stronger,
and the Roman army was facing them more and more difficult. In 407, the Roman soldiers rebelled
and proclaimed emperor Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known as Constantine III. He passed with
his troops in Gaul, but was defeated by Emperor Honorius. It is uncl ear how many Roman soldiers
have returned to defend Britain after the defeat of Constantine III. Removed without the protection
of Rome, the locals had to administer and defend themselves. This is the context that led to the
breaking of authority and the e mergence of local leaders, who further aspired to the Roman ideals.
Traditionally, the Saxons were called to Britain in the fifth century to help the locals reject the
attacks of the Picts and the Irish. But archaeological research has shown that the Germa ns have
entered the province since the third century as mercenaries, perhaps even earlier, as part of the
Roman auxiliaries. Newcomers rebelled against local leaders and threw the island into a series of
wars, managing to conquer most of England around the year 600. During this time, many Britons
left the island and settled in Brittany, giving the peninsula their name.
Over time, historians have identified several real characters that could have been the "trumpet of
truth" of the first stories about King Ar thur, including: Lucius Artorius Castus (a second -century
Roman general, who led by 5,500 auxiliary sarmatists against the invaders in the north of the
island), Riothamus (a local leader who lived in the fifth century, called Jordanes' king of the
British) , Ambrosius Aurelianus (a powerful leader of the British who led resistance to Saxons in

the fifth century) and even Artur mac Aedain (the son of an Irish king who led a state formation in
northern Ireland and west of Scotland). Unfortunately, there is lit tle clear information about these
characters, and the connection with King Arthur is purely speculative.
About the King's Tomb, it is said to have been found on the island of Avalon, meaning a cross
with the following inscription: Hic jacet sepultus inclit us Rex Arthurus how Wenneveria uxore sua secona in
Avallonis Island translated Here rests the famous King Arthur with Guinevere, his second wife, buried on Avalon
Island . It is said that the tomb was found at 5 m deep, but in the graves were found two more
chambers containing the portraits and coats of Arthur and Guinevere. In the portrait, the queen
wore an intact crown, and Arthur, a crown on which the traces of the battles were seen. He had
many scars from his fight with Mordred in the field of Camlann, where his left ear had been cut.
Was it really the tomb of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere? Has he lived, fought, loved the
mythical king in the time of Camelot's glory? Maybe his grave continues to exist there, somewhere
in a place known only to his faithful knights … We will never know.
Also, local tradition says that Arthur was not buried in a monastery, but in a cave hidden on the
hill in Cadbury. The legend says that twice a year, in the middle of the summer and on Christmas
Eve, you can hear Ar thur rising and riding toward Camelot to drink from an ancient spring that
bears his name .
King Arthur's reign remained in history as a golden age for England, a time of chivalrous spirit
both in battle and in love. A legend was born around him, which writ ers have embellished for
centuries, although the scientists have proposed another reality.
Since the 12th century the knights have come to be understood by a moral, religious and social
code of chivalry. Strict codes have varied over the years, but the cod es wanted to highlight the
virtues of courage, honor, and help.
Medieval courtly literature glorifies bravery, war tactics, and the ideals of the old knights. For
example, an ancient book of war written by Vegetius was translated into French in the 13th ce ntury
as L'Art de Chevalerie by Jean de Meun. Later, Honore Bonet wrote L'Arbes des batailles in the
fourteenth century, discussing morality and the laws of war.
In the late Middle Ages, wealthy merchants have endeavored to adopt chivalrous attitudes. The
sons of the little bourgeoisie were educated in aristocratic courts where they were trained in
manners and knightly art. This represented practically a "democratization" of the very courageous
and privileged institution of the knight, leading to a new kind of courtesy about the gentleman's

behavior. Thus, the code of post -medieval manners linked to value and honor, respect for women,
and a concern for the less fortunate, is directly derived from previous ideals of chivalry.
When examining medieval literatur e, chivalry can be classified into three basic areas, but
overlapping:
For Conational and Christians: it contains virtues such as mercy, courage, bravery, fairness, the
protection of the weak and the poor, and the lord's obedience. This also brings the ide a of being
willing to give his life for another.
For God: this would be God's faithful, protect the innocent, being faithful to the church, being
champion of good against evil, being generous and pious.
For women: this is probably the most familiar aspect of chivalry. This would contain what is often
called court love, the role of a knight is to serve a lady, and after all other women. In this category
is general courtesy and goodwill for all women.
The historical -social character denotes the different aspe cts of the chivalric ideal:
Chivalry warrior, the duty of a knight is his master, as illustrated by Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight Sir Gawain and Sir Gawain's wedding.
Religious cavalry, in which the duty of a knight is to protect the innocent and serve G od, as
illustrated by Sir Galahad or Sir Percival in the legends of the Grail.
The courtesy love, in which the duty of a knight is for his lady, and after her, for all the ladies, as
illustrated by Sir Lancelot in his love for Queen Guinevere or Sir Trista n in his love for Iseult.
There are a number of questions about the chivalric historical debates. In his monumental study of
chivalry, Kenelm Henry Digby gave the following definition: Cavalry is just a name for the general spirit
or mood that puts people at heroic action, and keeps them familiar though it is beautiful and sublime in the intellectual
world and morality . It is still debatable to what extent the deeds of knights and notable historical
figures such as Saladin, Godfrey de Bouillon, Marshal Will iam and Bertrand Guesclin have
established new standards of chivalrous behavior, or were reflections of existing patterns of
conduct. Another common debate is whether a knight could be anyone who fulfilled his physical
requirements and competencies or limi ted himself to those who were born in chivalry and noble
families.
From a knight it was expected to have not only the strength and abilities required to cope with the
battles in the violent Middle Ages, but was also expected to temper this aggressive part with a
chivalrous side of his nature. It was not an authentic Knight's Code as such – it was a moral system

that went beyond the norms of struggle and introduced the concept of chivalry conduct – idealized
qualities such as courage, favor, honor, and chiva lry for women. The Knights' Code was part of
the Medieval culture and was understood by all. The first Code was documented in Roland's Song
– the oldest important work of French literature in the Middle Ages. Roland's Song describes the
Knights of the eigh teenth century and the struggles carried by Emperor Carol. The code was then
described as Charlemagne's Code. It was also the most famous "chanson de geste" – a literary
species that flourished in the 11th -15th centuries and celebrates the heroic deeds of the protagonist,
honor and faith, and was composed between 1098 -1100, speaking of the struggle with the
Saracens. Roland was a loyal defender of Charlemagne and his code of conduct a description of
what chivalry means.
Code Knights described in the Song of Roland is an excellent representation of codes of conduct
cavalier including: fear God and defend the Church, to serve the Lord’s sovereign in courage and
faith, to protect the weak and defenseless, to help widows and orphans, to abstain from crimes, to
live with honor and glory, to despise material reward, to fight for the well -being of all, to listen to
authority, to protect the honor of fellow cavalry, to avoid injustice, to keep faith, to always tell the
truth, to persevere to the end in any enterprise that has begun, to respect the honor of women, not
to reject an equal challenge, never to attack an enemy from behind.
Of the seventeen entries Knights Code, according to the Song of Roland , at least twelve refers to
acts of chivalry, unlike the fight.
The ideals described in the Knights' Code were emphasized by the solemn vows and promises that
took place during the medieval -era investment ceremony. These sacred war vows were combined
with the ideals of chivalry and strict rules of labeling and conduct. T he ideals of a Code of Knights
were published in poetry, ballads, writings and literary works of barbers and minstrels from the
regiments. The wandering mercenaries of the Middle Ages sang these ballads and memorized the
long words of poems describing brav ery. Myths closed in those days of legend were sung at
festivals and holidays becoming part of the culture of places. The legend of Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table itself revolves around this sacred code – honor, honesty, loyalty. The knight
virtues of the Knights' Code were described in the fourteenth century by the duke of Burgundy.
The words that he chose to use to describe the virtues that should be exposed in the Code of the
Knights were as follows: Faith, Charity, Justice, Perspicacity, Prud ence, Purchase, Resolution,
Truth, Mercy, Diligence, Hope Value, things that should guide us at the moment.

Undoubtedly, King Arthur is the most famous character in British literature, celebrated by poets
and writers for nearly a millennium. From the twelf th century to the present, its legendary acts
have been described in verses and prose, being a source of inspiration for painters and, more
recently, for filmmakers. But when we leave the realm of fiction and we ask who King Arthur is,
we discover one of t he greatest mysteries of British history.
According to the Dictionaries by myth, we define a traditional story, especially one concerning the
early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving
supernatural being s or events; a widely held but false belief or idea; a fictitious or imaginary person
or thing; An exaggerated or idealized conception of a person or thing.
The human being has always felt the need to give meaning to natural phenomena that have
conditione d his existence. He interpreted them, gave them a name and found an explanation. Thus,
myths, legends, and fairy tales have emerged, which have formed a connection between man, his
relationships with nature and unexplained phenomena, often considered magic al. Myths and
legends are the stories of the first people who presented the hero's deeds and their religious beliefs
or explain the phenomena of nature – the sunrise and sunset, the good. Before the writing was
invented, the myths were transmitted orally f rom one generation to the next. Unlike myths, which
people considered sacred and true, the legends are popular stories about the imaginary heroes of a
hero. Sometimes these heroes existed, being attributed to them by superhuman qualities.
The legend of Kin g Arthur has grown rapidly over British borders since the 12th century. In
addition to the heroic struggle to defend Britain against the Saxon invaders, the Arthurian cycle
has added many themes: Arthur's throne, after taking out the magic sword Excalibur from the rock,
the story of the Merlin sorcerer, Arthur's counselor; establishing the order of the Knights of the
Round Table; magical adventures of knights, especially Lancelot, Gareth, Percival and Galahad,
looking for the Holy Grail, Camelot, conflict w ith Arthur's half -sister, the wicked witch, Morgana,
treason and adultery of Lancelot, Arthur's queen, Guinevere; the final battle with the traitor
Mordred, the death of Arthur and the legend of his return.
According to the arguments outlined in Chapter 1 , the most important contribution to the
development of the Arthurian cycle was the French poet Chrétien de Troyes, who at the end of the
twelfth century wrote five novels in verse about the legendary king.
In Chrétien's work, Arthur turns into a protagoni st in the central character around which gravitates
an entire "arthurian" universe. The French poet introduces Lancelot's legend and the story of his

relationship with Queen Guinevere in Lancelot, Chevalier de la Charrett, and the search for Saint
Graal in his last work, Perceval, Conte du Graal, unfinished. In Troyes' novels, the character of
Arthur also changes. In his original stories, the king was a ruthless warrior who did not hesitate to
lead the army personally into battle and kill wizards or giants. Instead, Chrétien de Troyes turns
him into a wise but inactive king, sometimes even without force. When he learns of the adultery
of Queen Guinevere, Arthur becomes pale and silent.
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths or to a body of myths. For example,
comparative mythology deals with the study of connections between myths of different cultures,
while Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece. The term "myth" is sometimes
used colloquially when referring to a false sto ry, but the academic term does not issue judgment
on truth or falsehood. In the folklore study, a myth is a sacred narrative that explains how the world
and mankind have come to the present form. In the broad sense of the word, it can be used in any
tradit ional story. The characters of myths are usually supernatural gods or heroes. As sacred
stories, most of them are supported by rulers and priests, usually close to religion. In societies
where the myth is narrated, it is considered as an authentic proof of a distant past. Society divides
myths into 2 categories, "true stories" or myths and "false stories" or fables. Myths usually occur
in the primordial period when the world has no current form and explains how it has acquired this
form and how the current customs, institutions and taboos have been created.
In the twelfth century, Arthur's adventures were told in verse, but after 1310, began to be told in
prose. During this period a series of five novels, written in medieval French, known as the Lancelot –
Graal Cycle , are written to combine to form the first coherent version of the Arthurian legends.
These stories continue to tend to minimize the importance of Arthur by introducing the Galahad
character and expanding Merlin's role. Arthur has an important role only in two series novels,
Estoire de Merlin (Merlin's Story) and Mort Artu (Death of Arthur). In this cycle of stories,
Arthur's enemy, Mordred, becomes his illegitimate son, resulting from an incestuous relationship
between the king and his step -sister, Morgause. Still, Camelot Castle, barely mentioned by
Chrétien de Troyes, plays an important role in the legend, becoming Arthur's cell. The Lancelot –
Graaleste cycle soon followed a new series of stories written in the years 1230 -1240, focusing on
the sear ch for the Holy Grail and minimizing the importance of the relationship between Lancelot
and Queen Guinevere. The peak of the Arthurian cycle in the Middle Ages is the novel Le Morte
d'Arthur , written by the Englishman Thomas Malory, in the second half of the fifteenth century.

For the first time, the legends surrounding King Arthur were brought together in one story in
English. Le Morte d'Arthur was among the first books printed in English in 1485, and was the main
source of inspiration for subsequent works.
The end of the Middle Ages brings down the popularity of King Arthur. Humanist scholars reject
claims of "historical facts" of Arthurian le gends and social changes during the Renaissance
contribute to the erosion of chivalric myth fascination exerted by the public. King Arthur was not
forgotten, but the interest for his legends has greatly diminished. As proof, the novel Le Morte
d'Arthur was not printed after 1634 for almost 200 years.
Mythology is the discipline of dealing with explaining, comparing and citing myths, with their
origin and evolution. We refer to all myths, legends belonging to a civilization, including a set of
beliefs and ideas that refer to the same nation and causing the members of a community.
Incomparable beauty is enjoyed by Greek mythology.
In order to find meaning and understand the notion of "myth" we will start from a simple
proposition: "It is a myth that the English drink tea at 4 o'clock in the afternoon." A ccording to
such examples we can say that the myth is only "a misconception widely embraced." Although it
is a simple definition, one can perceive the myth in terms of its falsity and remark that it does
nothing to signal the richness of imagination and th e social significance of stories and their story.
By doing the things and the information further, another definition would be the following: "Myth
is a strong traditional social story". It is noted in this definition three elements: story, tradition and
social power. Story element is the least problematic. Considering this factor, we can say that the
myth is a narrative, a series of events structured in succession. Considering the tradition element,
we can say that the myth is a story whose origins have be en forgotten. These have been transmitted
from the narrator to the storyteller or, in other words, from generation to generation. Considering
the social power element, we can say that the myth is a story that captures you from the beginning,
with the spotl ight significant aspects of the societies they tell. We are therefore talking about the
values of the individual, of the social groups and even of society. In the light of this definition, we
can see that myths – traditional, socially -driven stories – have played and continue to play an
important role in the imaginative lives of many societies.
About Camelot, some say it was also an invention of the poets to support the adventures of Arthur.
A 14th -century writer, John Leland, claimed that the name had emer ged from the local tradition.
He said that while visiting Somerset, he was told that the name "Camalat" was the name of a hill

south of Cadbury, and King Arthur "would have lived there." After exploring the hill with a height
of about 75 m, 1,000 m away we re some fortifications in ruins. From 1723, locals began to refer
to the hill as "Camelot Castle".
King Arthur's mythical kingdom, a place of peace and equality, with white turrets shining in the
sun, a utopia for us, is called the Camelot legend. Most mod ern historians agree that the kingdom
of King Arthur was just a legendary utopia where peace and justice led and triumphed. That's
because it is against the image we have of the Middle Ages, a place where cruel reality, violence,
disease and barbarism were in power.
There was enormous writing about Camelot and Arthur and documentaries were made. Everyone
tried to find out who he is, how he looks, where he is buried, where he left his sword, crown,
treasure. But was he really, or is he a hero of Celtic mytho logy? So far, although the debate flowing
for centuries, historians have not yet agreed. Arthur does not appear in existing contemporary
sources regarding the Saxon invasion. About them, wrote the Celtic monk Gildas in the struggle
of Mons Badonicus in the year 500. Arthur appears only a few hundred years later in the writings
of a Welsh historian called Nennius that gives us a list of 12 battles that Arthur, the warrior king,
full of welsh poetry, battles take place in places and times so different that it would have been
impossible for a man to participate in everything.
The spell of King Arthur's legend has led scientists to seek historical truth. In 1965, the Camelot
Castle Search Committee was formed, whose founders wanted to discover the Round Table an d
the Holy Grail. After five years of digging at Somerset, committee archaeologists identified the
ruins of Cadbury Castle near Glastonbury as Camelot. The most striking discovery of Camelot
Castle seekers was finding ceramic objects that suggested that th e site had been used around 500
years by a British captain. And the chief was definitely a Briton who fight to defend Roman
civilization of barbarian attacks. The finds of the Camelot Castle Search Committee have not been
accepted by Norma Lorre Goodrich. She thinks that Arthur did not reign in England, but in the
north, in Scotland. Her exhaustive literary research goes to Stirling, northwest of Edinburgh, rather
than to Cadbury Castle, as a site of Camelot Castle.
One of the most famous legendary objects in the world is definitely Excalibur. And maybe one of
the most famous symbols. It's the name of the first weapon that comes to your mind. The most
famous story about the Excalibur sword is called "The Sword of the Rock". It is a legend about the
beginning s, about the king's formation and growth. How becomes king and sword from the rock.

But Excalibur was first mentioned in a legend that did not include a sword in the rock. Winning
the sword is following Merlin's advice that leads him to a magical lake. Her e, a mysterious hand,
the goddess's hand or a fairy of water appears and gives it the sword. The sword belongs to Lady
of Lake's story. This gives Arthur an indestructible sword and a sheath that will protect him.
Not many know this, but Excalibur was cal led Caladfwlch in the old stories. The name translates
as "heavy lightning." The sword could turn off the light of a candle, it was very fast and deadly.
The sword reaches the lake after Arthur's death. The story that spreads Arthur's fame to Europe
has a sword named Geoffrey of Monmouth, Calibrun. Hence it evolves in Excalibur.
In one of the most famous parts of the legend of Arthur, he pulls out a sword from the stone to
show downward and merit. Removing the sword, Arthur is demonstrating himself and thos e
around as worthy to lead Britain. This part of the Arthurian legend was added in the twelfth century
by a poet. It was called Robert the Boron. Later it was altered by other changes. This version shows
an Arthur that had been given away by his father, th e King. He had been raised as a noble son,
away from the royal palace. As in any story, Arthur does not know his royal descendant. When the
king dies, the whole of England remains without heir and ruler. The rivals and the lords are fighting
their throne. Wizard Merlin is called for advice and help. Merlin wanted to give Arthur a chance
to grow up and become a king. And he made a big stone rise up with an anvil at the top. In this he
entered a great sword with the inscription, "Who will bring this sword out of the stone is the rightful
king of all England." Thousands of people have tried to take the sword out of the rock, but no one
has succeeded. In time, the sword was forgotten. England had fallen into ruin. But the boy Arthur
grew up under Melin's carefu l guidance. On the 15th anniversary, he is taken to the stone. He takes
the sword by miracle and becomes the king of law, the promised king of England.
Lady of the Lake or Dame du Lac is a name that has been held by several women. Generally, it is
regarded as a well of water that lifted Sir Lancelot under the turbulent waters of her lake. However,
she is best known as the one who, at Merlin's request, presented to Arthur the magic sword
Excalibur.
Lady of the Lake is one of the supernatural, mythological be ings that plays an important role in
the story of King Arthur. It is a magical creature that offers his sword and escorts him later to the
place of life, Avalon. But the Lady of the Lake is not always portrayed as a good being. In some
stories she is to bl ame for sending Lancelot to the king and catches Merlin in a cave because she

was afraid of his power. She is known under different names: Nimue, Viviane, Viviana, Vivienne,
Elaine, Ninianne, Nivian, Nyneve, Nimueh and others.
Merlin is one of the great ma gicians in literature. Possibly, his image is at the base of an old British
deity. His appearance with the baton and hat is the same we have imagined since childhood. Even
Tolkien adopted it for Wizard Gandalf. Merlin the wizard was Arthur's teacher, mento r, counselor,
and friend. He played a big part in the story of the sword in the rock, in Arthur's seat on the throne
and in England's rule. Merlin was added to the legend by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He combined
the stories of a northern misty British prophet called Myddin Wyllt (also known as Merlinus
Caledonensis) with the story of a Roman general, Ambrosius Aurelianus. In the later stories,
Merlin was also represented as a semiside of Druidic belief and associated with magic. It is an
important figure even t oday in Wales and in their traditions.
In novels legend Arthur appears Figure wizard Merlin, which, moreover, it helped when King was
young, to bring in the cracks of lime, a sword giant, which had failed to pull out dozens of knights.
Besides, it is said that Merlin had even built the Round Table, where all the knights who were
doing great work were invited to sit. One place was always open: the one dedicated to the knight
who was to find the Holy Grail Chalice the emerald pot served Jesus Christ at the La st Supper and
where Joseph of Arimatheia gathered the blood escaped from the body of the Savior pierced by
the spear of the centurion Longinus .
In a dark castle, set on a rocky promontory that rises out of the sea, Igrayne is waiting for the return
of her husband Gorlois, head of Cornwall. But that night he did not get into her bedroom, but Uther
Pendragon, King of England, who helped the wizard Merlin, take his looks Gorlois to satisfy their
passion for Igrayne forbidden. A child is conceived. This is the story of legendary King Arthur, a
story that inspired countless writers and artists and has mastered people's imagination for centuries.
The child born by Igrayne is miraculously abducted by Merlin and given to Sir Ector to raise him
as his own son. Althou gh the King has no other children, Igrayne and Gorlois are blessed with
three daughters, two of whom are married to other kings, and the third is dedicated to the
monastery. This daughter, Morgana le Fay, manages to acquire witchcraft talents and ultimatel y
plays a crucial role in the destiny of his stepbrother.
Only after the death of the King, when Arthur reaches the age of 16, Merlin reveals his true
fatherhood only after he succeeds in pulling a sword stuck in an anvil placed on a marble slab in
a churc h garden. All those who had tried had failed, for only the "legitimate king of England"
could pass the test. Merlin also tells about the spell that Avalon's mourners, the realm of mystery,

have thrown on the infant. Arthur will be the best of all knights a nd the greatest of the kings, he
will live "more than any man thinks." As people kneel by swearing faith to the new sovereign,
the archbishop places his crown on his head.