King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Legends of Camelot created the impression ofthe greatness of the state where the knights in shining armor lived according to the code of honor, and the salvation of beautiful ladies was common. The stories of Camelot are so deeply entrenched in the minds of the English that it became not so important whether King Arthur really existed. There are numerous rumors and tales about the heroic deeds of knights, their struggle against injustice, the forces of evil and unthinkable monsters. Perhaps this famous hero of English folklore did not exist as such, but in history there are several prototypes that could well be described under this name. Among these historical personalities, for example, Lucius Arthorius Castus, Ambrose Aurelianus and Charlemagne.

Was there Camelot?

There is no historical evidence thatKing Arthur actually existed. The legends about this hero were based on books written by clerics of the Middle Ages. Based on these conjectures, it is impossible to say whether the city of Camelot, described in legends, existed as the capital of the state that Arthur ruled. One of the important works of that time - "The History of the Kings of Britain", written in 1136 by the priest Galfried of Monmouth - was the first work to tell about the life of King Arthur, but there were no mention of the capital in it. Archaeological excavations have been carried out to this day. Some of them confirm the existence of the city, others - refute.

The legend of King Arthur

The legend tells of the life of the great commanderand his exploits. The wizard Merlin, who knew about the intrigues at the court and the struggle for power, protected young Arthur and taught him military affairs. After the death of his father, Uther, the young man had to fight for the throne of the kingdom. Disputes about whether a young king can rule the kingdom, died down when Arthur could get the sword out of the stone. The sword was chained to stone, and for a long time no knight or other representative of the nobility could do this. It's as if fate led a young king to the throne and allowed Arthur to easily seize the legendary sword. After popular recognition, the struggle for power ceased, and the young monarch married Princess Guinevere.

Round table

It was at the court of King Arthur thatthe famous Round Table, after which all knights will feel the same, regardless of the place. Even the monarch was recognized as equal to the others during the round table discussions. The prototype of this symbol, which was introduced by King Arthur, is in the English city of Winchester, in the county of Hampshire.

King Arthur in modern cinema

Nowadays many famous directorsthey shoot feature films about the journeys and exploits of the great king. One of the popular works on this topic is a series called "Merlin". The picture, although distorting some significant details, but its creators adhere to the main storyline of the legends of Camelot. For example, the magician Merlin appears here as a young man, given to study to the court medic, but he constantly protects Arthur from death due to his gift.