Finding Arthur: The True Origins of the Once and Future King

306 Pages·2013·2.85 MB·English

by  Adam Ardrey

A A A
LSO BY DAM RDREY
Finding Merlin:
The Truth Behind the Legend of the Great Arthurian Mage
Copyright
This edition first published in hardcover in the United States and the United
Kingdom in 2013
by Overlook Duckworth, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc.
NEW YORK
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New York, NY 10012
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For bulk and special sales, please contact [email protected],
or write us at the above address.
LONDON
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[email protected]
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Copyright © 2013 by Adam Ardrey
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval
system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from
the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in
connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or
broadcast.
ISBN: 978-1-4683-0843-3
For Dorothy-Anne, Claudia, Kay, and Eliot

Contents
ALSO BY ADAM ARDREY
COPYRIGHT
MAPS
CHRONOLOGY
GLOSSARY OF NAMES
INTRODUCTION
1. The Four Horsemen of History
2. The Would-Be Arthurs
3. Why Arthur Is Lost to History
4. A Fragmented Kingdom
5. La Naissance d’Arthur
6. The Sword in the Stone
7. Camelot
8. The Scottish Civil War
9. The Great Angle War
10. The Legend Is Born
11. Finding Camlann: The Last Battle
EPILOGUE: ÁRYA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
NOTES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX
About the Author
Argyll, Scotland
The Nennius Battles
A. GLEIN (ARGYLL)
B. THE FOUR BATTLES OF DOUGLAS (LOCH LOMOND)
C. BASSAS (CIRCENN-CHIRCHIND-CARPOW)
D. CALEDONIAN WOOD
E. GUINNION (STOW)
F. CITY OF THE LEGIONS (TRIMONTIUM, MELROSE)
G. TRIBRUIT (RIVER TEVIOT)
H. BREGUION / AGNED (BENDERLOCH)
I. BADON’S (BADDEN, ARGYLL)
Chronology
410The Romans leave Britain.
c.The traditional time of Arthur.
475
to c.
548
c.Fergus Mor Mac Erc, Arthur’s great-great-grandfather, invades Argyll and
500becomes king of the Scots of Dalriada-Scotland.
c.Death of Fergus—Domangart Mac Fergus, Arthur’s great-grandfather
501becomes king of the Scots.
c.Death of Domangart—Comgall Mac Domangart, Arthur’s great-
507granduncle, becomes king of the Scots.
c.Gabhran Mac Domangart, Arthur’s grandfather arrives in Manau.
525
c.Birth of Aedan Mac Gabhran, Arthur’s father.
530
c.Comgall Mac Domangart, Arthur’s great granduncle, abdicates—Gabhran
538Mac Domangart, Arthur’s grandfather, becomes king of the Scots.
c.Birth of Merlin-Lailoken and his twin-sister, Languoreth, at Cadzow-
540Hamilton.
c.The Angles arrive under the warlord Ida.
544
547Ida stages a coup and founds the Angle kingdom of Bernicia.
553Emrys leads resistance to the Angles.
c.Emrys takes the title Pen Dragon.
557
c.Arthur’s grandfather, Gabhran Mac Domangart, king of the Scots, defeated
558by Bridei Mac Maelchon, king of the Picts. Gabhran dies this year or
perhaps the following year. Conall Mac Comgall, Arthur’s second cousin
once removed, becomes king of the Scots.
c.Birth of Arthur Mac Aedan (Arthur).
559
c.Gwenddolau becomes the second Pen Dragon, the “other” or Uther
563Pendragon.
563Columba-Crimthann arrives in Scotland.
c.The rebel lords rise against Conall, king of the Scots. Columba-Crimthann
568is given Iona.
c.Aedan, Arthur’s father, becomes king of Manau.
570
573Battle of Arderydd. Merlin goes into exile in the Caledonian Wood.
574Aedan, Arthur’s father, becomes king of the Scots of Dalriada. Arthur
takes the sword from the stone and becomes tanist and warlord of the
Scots.
c.Scots civil war—Battle of Delgon and Arthur’s Battle of Glein.
574
to c.
575