Arthurian Legends

Medieval England Medieval Society

Nobles Clerics Commoners

Knighthood
The term knight was applied to a young man after he was admitted to the privilege of bearing arms. Conditions: (1) males of a privileged families (2) trainees under a master (3) must serve a man of rank

A Knights Training
At age 7 boys are moved to the house of their future patron to serve as pages Jobs include : waiting on their lords Training: taught in falconry, hunting, fishing, wrestling, military horseback. At 14, the page becomes an esquire:
Continued training: vaulting on a horse, wielding battle axes, running, horseback riding; Personal attendant to a knight

 At 21, the esquire becomes a knight when his training in courtesy and devotion to a lady is perceived as coming to an end. A ceremony of Investiture takes place : 3 strokes of a sword on the shoulder (accolade) In the name of God, of St. Michael and St. George, I make thee a knight; be valiant, courteous and loyal The helmet, shield and spear are given.

Code of Chivalry
Ideas associated with medieval knighthood (Sir Thomas Malorys Le Morte DArthur) Honor Courtly Love Courage Gentleness Loyalty to the King

The Age of Chivalry

Arthur and his Knights practiced the Code of Chivalry

Courage

Faith

Justice
Mercy Generosity

Nobility
Hope

The Legend Begins

Arthur is the son of King Uther Pendragon and Igrayne, wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Merlin the Magician forced the King to swear a solemn oath to allow Merlin to bring up Arthur as he chose. Merlin delivered the newborn unchristened child to Sir Ector. Sir Ector christened the child and raised him as his own, not knowing he was the future king.

Whoso pulleth this sword out of this stone and anvil is rightly King of all England
King Uther died two years after Arthurs birth, leaving England in turmoil a country without a king Several years passed, until all the lords of the realm gathered on Christmas Day looking for a miracle to show them who should rightly be King. The Sword in the Stone appeared in the church courtyard, bearing the famous inscription.

Who would be King?

It was decided that a tournament would be held to determine who would win the right to pull the sword out of the stone. Sir Ector and his son, Sir Kay, traveled to the tournament. Sir Kay forgot his sword and asked his younger brother, Arthur to retrieve it.

Arthur decided to get the sword that was in the stone and give it to Sir Kay.

Arthur becomes King

Sir Ector and Sir Kay both knelt down to Arthur and told him of his true identity.
The Lords were upset because they did not want a boy who was not of high blood to govern their country. The commoners finally cried out that Arthur was the rightful King and should be crowned.

Arthur was first knighted, then crowned, by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Arthur swore to his Lords and Commoners to be a true King, and to govern with true justice.

The Land Called Camelot

Arthur ruled in peace for many years
Guinivere, daughter of King Leodegrance, married Arthur Sir Lancelot, son of the Lady of the Lake, Arthurs First Knight Merlin, wizard and advisor to the King Other Knights of the Round Table: Sir Gawain, Sir Galahad, Sir Percivale, Sir Bedivere

Excalibur
Excalibur the sword given to Arthur by Merlin. It was different from the Sword in the Stone. From the Lady of the Lake

The Round Table

The Round Table - first mentioned by Wace in his "Roman de Brut" - was not only a physical table, but the highest Order of Chivalry at the Court of King Arthur. Its members were supposedly the cream of the British military who followed a strict code of honour and service.

The Round Table

Sir Thomas Malory outlines this as: To never do outrage nor murder Always to flee treason To by no means be cruel but to give mercy unto him who asks for mercy To always do ladies, gentlewomen and widows succor To never force ladies, gentlewomen or widows Not to take up battles in wrongful quarrels for love or worldly goods

Knights of the Round Table (Winchester Table)

Launcelot du Lac Galahad Gawaine Percivale Lionel Tristram de Lyoness Gareth Bedivere Dagonet Degore Brunor del Noir Alymere Bleoberis La Cote Male Taile Lucan Palomedes Lamorak Bors de Ganis Safer Pelleas Kay Ector de Maris Le Bel Desconneu Mordred

Siege Perilous
Specially reserved seat at the Round Table for the knight who was destined to quest for and return with the Holy Grail Sir Galahad- only knight who sits in it.

The Holy Grail

The chalice or vessel used by Christ in The Last Supper Brought to Britain by Joseph of Arimathea The holiest of relics The object of a Quest Guarded by the Fisher King

Le Morte DArthur
Arthur is fatally wounded in the Battle of Camlann. Geoffrey of Monmouth dates this to 542 A.D. Arthur requests Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur, his sword, into the lake. After Arthurs third request, Sir Bedivere throws Excalibur into the lake, where it is reclaimed by Lady of the Lake.

The Death of Arthur

Le Morte DArthur

The Tales of King Arthur

Le Morte DArthur Sir Thomas Malory The Once and Future King & The Sword in the Stone T.H. White Camelot, a musical Alan J. Lerner & Frederick Loewe King Arthur-The Marvel of the Sword Mary Macleod

Sources
Haskell, Merrie. People in Arthurian Legend. Merrie Haskells King Arthur Page. November 2002. http://www.personal.umich.edu/>8 June 2004. Farrell, Scott. The Seven Knightly Virtues. Chivalry Today. 2002 Shining Armor Enterprises. www.chivalrytoday. 10 June 2004.

Prentice Hall. Literature. Bronze ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:Prentice Hall, 2000.
Price, Brian. A Code of Chivarly. The Knighthood, Chivalry, and Tournaments Resource Library. 2003. <http:// www. Chronique.com>. 8 June 2004.