King Arthur, as we know of him, was probably not a real person. Stories of Arthur and his adventures vary widely depending on the author. He is supposed to have lived in the 5th century, and he was a king who led the Britons in defeating and pushing back their Anglo-Saxon enemies in the power void left when the Roman Empire retreated from the British Isles.
The first mention of King Arthur, as we've come to know him, was in Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain. It was written after the Duke of Normandy invaded and conquered England. The book glorified past rulers,, including one named Arthur, and connected them to the contemporary ruling family. It is believed that many of the stories in this book were embellished. It was an incredibly popular book at the time, and spread throughout Europe, particularly France. Merlin appears for the first time there as well.
Chretien de Troyes was a French author who wrote poetry in the 12th century. He wrote for Countess Marie, whose mother and stepfather were Queen Eleanor and King Henry II of England. The focus here was more on knighthood, heroic tales, courtly love, and chivalry.
Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory appeared in the late 15th century. These tales added more characters and stories to the established Arthurian legends, including Grail Quest stories. This was shortly after the Holy Land was lost to European powers during the Crusades, so it is thought that tales of brave knights finding the Holy Grail helped heal some of the wounds of the painful loss of the Crusades. His work served as a model and reference for many later writings.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King in the late 19th century, and drew heavily upon Le Morte d'Arthur. Tennyson's work was a series of narrative poems about Arthur's drive to create a peaceful, perfect kingdom and the adventures of his knights.
Overall, Arthurian legend derives its information from many sources, including ancient British, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, and French tales. It also relies on a lot of embellishment and imagination.
Find more information here and here
The first mention of King Arthur, as we've come to know him, was in Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain. It was written after the Duke of Normandy invaded and conquered England. The book glorified past rulers,, including one named Arthur, and connected them to the contemporary ruling family. It is believed that many of the stories in this book were embellished. It was an incredibly popular book at the time, and spread throughout Europe, particularly France. Merlin appears for the first time there as well.
Chretien de Troyes was a French author who wrote poetry in the 12th century. He wrote for Countess Marie, whose mother and stepfather were Queen Eleanor and King Henry II of England. The focus here was more on knighthood, heroic tales, courtly love, and chivalry.
Le Morte d'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory appeared in the late 15th century. These tales added more characters and stories to the established Arthurian legends, including Grail Quest stories. This was shortly after the Holy Land was lost to European powers during the Crusades, so it is thought that tales of brave knights finding the Holy Grail helped heal some of the wounds of the painful loss of the Crusades. His work served as a model and reference for many later writings.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King in the late 19th century, and drew heavily upon Le Morte d'Arthur. Tennyson's work was a series of narrative poems about Arthur's drive to create a peaceful, perfect kingdom and the adventures of his knights.
Overall, Arthurian legend derives its information from many sources, including ancient British, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, and French tales. It also relies on a lot of embellishment and imagination.
Find more information here and here