Arthurian Legends Pwr Pt

The Knights of the Round TableAND

The legend of King Arthur began in early Britain as a number of folk stories. As the legend spread, it gave rise to a rich collection of art and literature.

An epic is a long verse narrative that tells the story of a hero who represents the values of a particular group of people.

Medieval Romance:

A forerunner to modern fiction, Medieval Romance is a story about a noble hero, his adventures, and his pursuit of love.

A lord would employ knights and give them the time and equipment they needed to practice; in return, they served their lord as vassals.

DUTIES OF A VASSAL:

~Fight in his lord’s army

~Guard his lord’s castle

~Give his lord financial aid

~Act as his lord’s messenger or ambassador

~Serve on his lord’s council

*In return, The knight was under his lord's protection, both legally and militarily.

Stages of Knighthood

PAGE

SQUIRE

KNIGHT

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It was the relationship between himself and his lord that defined the knight's life. The lord's position gave him considerable control over the knight's life, career, and future, including the final say in whom the knight could marry and the disposition of his estate after his death. The lord technically owned the land used by the knight to raise revenues, and while the property usually remained in the knight's family for generations, it was the lord's prerogative to revoke a knight's right to the land and give it to someone else.

Today, the word "knight" conjures up far more than war and service. Loyalty, courtesy, honor, glory, courage. And, indeed, as history unfolded, the knight's role in society altered from that of a cavalry soldier to a model of behavior. Yet, as we know, knights were only human, and did not always live up to the standards imposed on them by society.

The Code of ChivalryChoose 10 total from the 2 slides

Live to serve King and Country. Live to defend Crown and Country and all it holds dear. Live one's life so that it is worthy of respect and honor. Live for freedom, justice and all that is good. Never attack an unarmed foe. Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack. Never attack from behind. Avoid lying to your fellow man. Avoid cheating. Avoid torture. Obey the law of king, country, and chivalry. Administer justice. Protect the innocent. Exhibit self control. Show respect to authority. Respect women.

Exhibit Courage in word and deed. Defend the weak and innocent. Destroy evil in all of its monstrous forms. Crush the monsters that steal our land and rob our people. Fight with honor. Avenge the wronged. Never abandon a friend, ally, or noble cause. Fight for the ideals of king, country, and chivalry. Die with valor. Always keep one's word of honor. Always maintain one's principles. Never betray a confidence or comrade. Avoid deception. Respect life and freedom. Die with honor. Exhibit manners. Be polite and attentive. Be respectful of host, women, and honor. Loyalty to country, King, honor, freedom, and the code of chivalry. Loyalty to one's friends and those who lay their trust in thee.

The "Excalibur" was King Arthur's sword. Also known as the "Sword in the Stone" or the sword that Merlin helped him get from the Lady of the Lake. Unbreakable and it came with a magical scabbard (sheath) that prevents the wearer to be injured by man-made weapons.

Excalibur

Lady of the Lake Since King Arthur was always in battle, (the sword from the stone broken in battle), Merlin led Arthur to a lake, from the middle of which an arm protruded holding a sword. The sword, Excalibur, belonged to the Lady of the Lake, who gave it to Arthur.

It was the Lady of the Lake offering Arthur a magic unbreakable blade, fashioned by an Avalonian elf smith, along with a scabbard which would protect him as long as he wore it.

Towards the end of his reign, during the troubled times of Mordred's rebellion, Excalibur was stolen by Arthur's wicked half-sister Morgan le Fay.

Though it was recovered, the scabbard was lost forever. Thus when Arthur was mortally wounded at the Battle of Camlann, the King then instructed Bedwyr to return Excalibur to the lake from whence it came. However, when questioned about the circumstances of its return, Bedwyr claimed to have seen nothing unusual. Arthur therefore knew that Bedwyr had kept Excalibur for himself and sent him back to the Lake once more.

Hurling the sword into the misty waters this time, Bedwyr saw the mystic hand appear to catch Excalibur and draw it beneath the rippling waters for the last time.

Sword in the Stone Legend

The story of the Sword in the Stone is a story about Arthur's claim to the throne of Britain. According to legend, the Sword was Uther's sword, the sword of the High King of Britain. After Uther's death there is no known heir and the barons are fighting among each other who is to be the next High King of Britain.

Merlin, who was Uther counselor, has the solution: he takes Uther's sword and with his magic, he runs it into a rock. The one man who is able to draw the sword from the stone again will be the rightful heir. Many have tried: Lot, Uriens, even Leodegrance and many more, but no one was able to draw the sword.Until one day Sir Ector and his sons Kay and Arthur (not knowing he is not Ector's real son but fostered by him) come to the place where the sword is captured in the rock, they come for a tournament. Arthur, being squire to Ector and Kay, has to get Kay a new sword for his one is broken. He passes the rock and draws the sword, which he brings to Ector and Kay. Next, confusion is great, for how could this boy draw the sword from the stone.

Then Merlin makes his entrance again and declares that Arthur is Uther's son. To proof that he places the sword back in the stone and dares anyone to draw it. Again no one succeeds, but Arthur. And so he became High King of Britain at a very young age.

Pre-Arthurian Times

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King Uther Pendragon

• Father of Arthur

• Fierce warlord and knight

• Makes a deal with Merlin to spend night with Lady Igrain, must give his son to Merlin as payment

• Merlin uses magic to transform Uther to look like Sir Gorlois

www.mythmentor

Merlin• A druid (old pagan

religion)• Supposed mother is Queen

Mab• In love with Lady of the

Lake (his aunt)• Foster mother is Ambrosia• Wizard with ability to

manipulate nature• Places Arthur into foster

care• Serves as Arthur’s mentor

mythical.realms.com

Sir Gorlois

• Husband of Lady Igrain

• Father of Morgana

www.time-scapes.co.uk

Lady Igrain

• Mother of Arthur and Morgana

• Wife of Sir Gorlois

www.wysteria.mania.serv.com

Morgana (Morgan le Fay)

• Daughter of Igrain and Gorlois

• Half-sister to Arthur

• Despises Arthur and plots to destroy him

• An evil sorceress trained by Merlin, who later uses her magic against him

• Castle Charyot is her stronghold.

www.timelessmyths.com

Sir Ector

• Foster father of Arthur, father of Sir Kay

• Keeps Arthur’s birth and parents a secret until Arthur is ready to become King

www.kingarthurknights.com

Sir Kay

• Foster brother of Arthur

• Son of Sir Ector• Arthur is his squire

(second stage before knighthood)

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Lady of Lake

• Mythological creature (a water nymph) of old pagan religion who creates and guards Excalibur

• Sister of Queen Mab• In some stories, she is

mischievous and tries to trick Merlin (who loves her)

www.kingarthurknights.com

Queen Mab

• Supposed mother of Merlin, did not raise him (raised by a foster mother - Ambrosia)

• A malicious sorceress (a woodland nymph) who desires to save the pagan religion and ways

• Mercutio referred to her as the queen of dreams in Romeo and Juliet

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Arthurian Times

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King Arthur Pendragon

• Son of Uther Pendragon and Lady Igrain

• Married to Queen Gwynevere• Becomes king by drawing

sword from stone (this sword is sometimes Excalibur)

• Mentored by Merlin• Established Camelot as his

kingdom• Creates the Round Table as a

meeting place for his knights

www.camelotintel.com

Gwynevere

• Wife of Arthur• Has forbidden affair

with Arthur’s most trusted knight Sir Launcelot

• Exiled to live in a convent for her sin

www.kirkland.cc.us

Camelot

• Name of Arthur’s kingdom and castle

• A beautiful, peaceful, and lavish place

www.divine-nolwenn.com

The Round Table

• Reserved for the best and bravest knights of the kingdom

• The table was round to promote equality between all knights

www.brtiannia.com

Siege Perilous

• Seat reserved at Round Table for purest knight

www.librochester.edu

The Knights of the Round Table

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Sir Launcelot du Lake

• The best warrior of all the knights• Speculation regarding his mother

being the Lady of the Lake and his father being Merlin

• Handsome and charming• Has affair with Queen Gwynevere• Forced to leave Camelot and live in

exile• Unable to attain Holy Grail because of

his sinful past• Father of Sir Galahad

www.camelotintl.com

Sir Galahad

• Son of Sir Launcelot du Lake

• Only knight worthy of the Siege Perilous

• In some stories he finds the Holy Grail, drinks from the cup and ascends into Heaven

www.timelessmyths.com

Sir Perceval

• Finds the location of the Holy Grail but in some stories is unable to attain it

www.mythfolklore.net

Sir Bedwyr

• In some stories he returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake prior to Arthur’s death

Camelot.celtic-twilight.com

Sir Gawain

• Defeated the fearsome Green Knight

• Marries the hideous Lady Ragnell to uphold Arthur’s honor

www.whitedragon.org

The Quest for the Holy Grail

• In order to save his kingdom Arthur sends out his knights to find and return the Holy Grail

• Arthur and his kingdom are a symbiotic relationship www.illusionsgallery.com

The Holy Grail

• Cup used at the Last Supper between Christ and his disciples

• Cup used to catch his blood at his crucifixion

• Located in the Castle of Corbenic.

www.unf.edu

Sir Mordred

• Son of Arthur and Morgana, identity is a secret

• Destined to kill Arthur• In some stories he is a one of the

Knights of the Round Table, other stories have him as an enemy of the kingdom

• Some stories have him possessing enchanted armor that cannot be pierced by normal weapons

Avalon

• The final resting spot for Arthur

• Arthur is transported to isle on a funeral barge escorted by the Maidens of the Mist

www.isleofavalon.co.uk

Queen Mab

Mordred

Sir Galahad

Morgana (Morgan le Fay)

Sir GorloisLady IgrainKing Uther

Queen Gwynevere

King Arthur

Sir Kay

Sir Ector

Lady of the Lake

Sir Launcelot du LakeMerlin

Ambrosia

The End