King Arthur: In Fact and Legend

168 Pages·1971·13.12 MB·English

by  Geoffrey Ashe

King Arthur
In Fact and Legend
by Geoffrey Ashe
How did the Arthurian legend begin,
and in what forms have writers presented
it over the ages? Even more intriguing
a question: Did King Arthur and his
knights ever exist at all? Geoffrey Ashe
explores both paths—the fictional Arthur
and the Arthur of historical and archae­
ological fact.
Arthur, King of Britain, became a na­
tional hero between the years 1150 and
1200. The real ruler during most of that
time was Henry II, but the legendary
monarch was soon more widely re­
nowned than the actual one, and his
fame in romance has continued ever
since. Ashe traces the Arthur of fiction
from the Middle Ages to the present
day; he also tells the historical and ar­
chaeological facts of all that is known
about the king. This includes an account
of the results of recent excavations at
South Cadbury, now believed to be the
site of the original Camelot.
Superb illustrations, maps, and sug­
gestions for further reading make this a
book that will give the reader an excit­
ing beginning to his own research and
stimulate active interest in whatever as­
pect of Arthur most appeals to him—
past, present, or future.
Thomas Nelson Inc.

Arthur
Books by Geoffrey Ashe
Aucassin and Nicolette and Other
Mediaeval Romances and Legends
Gandhi
Land to the West: St. Brendan’s Voyage to America
The Quest for Arthur’s Britain
King
Arthur
I n F a c t a n d L e g e n d
b y
Geoffrey Ashe
THOMAS NELSON INC.
New York / Camden
Copyright © 1969, 1971 by Geoffrey Ashe
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Conventions.
Published by Thomas Nelson Inc., Camden, New Jersey
First U.S. edition
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 70-145922
Standard Book Number: 0-8407-6136-8
Manufactured in the United States of America
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 9
1 THE 'MATTER OF BRITAIN’ AND HOW IT GREW 11
2 MALORY’S STORY 31
3 IN SEARCH OF THE FACTS 49
4 THE CASTLE THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE 69
5 ‘HERE LIES DRUSTANUS’ 77
6 THE KINGS OF THE BRITONS AT HOME 83
7 THE TOMB AND THE TOR 87
8 IS IT CAMELOT ? 95
9 WHAT ARTHUR’S BRITAIN WAS REALLY LIKE 103
10 HOW ARTHUR DID RETURN 119
11 THE MAP 133
APPENDIX I
THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERS 147
APPENDIX II
SOME SUGGESTED BOOKS 153
INDEX 155
INDEX REFERENCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS 158