Arthur was the legendary King of medieval Britain, and the hero of one of the most exciting and often recounted cycle of legends and romances. Camelot, the enchanted sword called Excalibur and the Holy Grail are all a part of this amazing legend. He is said to have been born in Tintagel in Cornwall, son of King Uther Pendragon and the Duke of Tintagel's wife Igraine. The sorceror Merlin arranged the deceit that allowed the joining of the two, and asked that the product of that union, Arthur, be turned over to him for nurturing and learning. Arthur went on to become King of Britain and, with the help and support of his advisor Merlin, he held court at Camelot as the leader of the Knights of the Round Table (which is George Lucas' primary inspiration for the Jedi Council and the Jedi Knights). The knights rode out to accomplish great deeds and to seek adventure, their most notable mission, the quest for the Holy Grail- in Christian legend the holy cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. Betrayed by his wife Guinevere and his son or nephew Mordred, he was mortally wounded in battle against Mordred and carried away to Avalon, the land of immortal heroes. Legends tell that he will return from Avalon to lead his countrymen in the time of their greatest peril.
Little is known of the real Arthur, though most historians agree that the Arthur of legend is probably based on a British war-chief of the 6th century A.D named Roman Artorius. He was likely a leader of the Romanized Britons against the Saxon war-bands which invaded Britain from around 450 A.D onwards. In the Book of Complaints written by Gildas around the year 540 AD, it says that the Saxons were defeated in a great battle at Mount Badon in about the year 500. Although Arthur isn't mentioned by name in that account, Nennius' History of the Britons written in the early 9th century says that Arthur was dux bellorum of the Britons -- war chief -- or general, at the Battle of Mount Badon. The Cambrian Annals written in the 10th century say that Arthur defeated the Saxons at Mount Badon in 516, and also mentions the battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut (Mordred) fell.
Before 1100 there were various stories of Arthur and his adventures which were popular in Wales and Cornwall, and well known also in Brittany. Wandering Breton poets translated the tales into French, embroidering and embellishing them, and the stories spread into France. Bards and storytellers, who made their living telling tales from court to manor house, further developed the details and the variations of the Arthurian legends. By 1100 the tales had spread as far as Italy.. |
Monmouth's History has been on one hand described as the most successful work of fiction ever composed and on the other condemned as an outrage on historical truth. He tells how King Arthur, with his sword Caliburn which is forged in Avalon, subdued the Scots, and conquered Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and France. In later variations, the sword becomes Excalibur. Merlin and Arthur went 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. When Arthur dies and is carried away to Avalon, the sword is returned to the lake. Arthur marries Guinevere, and by some accounts is gifted with the Round Table, which seats 150, by his father in law as a wedding present. His sister married Loth, Duke of Lothian, and by him had two sons, Gawain and Mordred. Later stories tell that Arthur, not realizing that Loth's wife was his own sister, slept with her, and conceived Mordred; it was this liason which brought Arthur and the Round Table to destruction, as prophesied by Merlin. Could Anakin's liason with some mysterious individual in the prequels bring the end to both Anakin and the Jedi Knights as well?
There is a tradition that Glastonbury was the Isle of Avalon. In 1191, the monks of Glastonbury unearthed an oak coffin from 16 feet underground, which they claimed to be Arthur's. The inscription on a lead cross found within the coffin read Here lies buried the renowned King Arthur with Guinevere his second wife in the Isle of Avalon. It was said that written on his tomb was Here lies Arthur, the once and future king. |
Some speculate that the Sequel Trilogy (Episodes 7, 8 and 9) focus of the story of Anakin Skywalker's return from death in order to help his son, Luke Skywalker, re-establish the Old Republic and the noble Jedi Knights. However, the story line to the Sequel Trilogy is known only to George Lucas at this point and is kept safely hidden away from prying eyes in his spiral notebooks.
And so they rowed from land, and Sir Bedivere beheld all those ladies go from him. Then Sir Bedivere cried: Ah my lord Arthur, what shall become of me, now you go from me and leave me here alone among mine enemies? Comfort thyself, said the king, and do as well as thou mayst, for in me is no trust for to trust in; for I will into the vale of Avilion to heal me of my grievous wound: and if thou hear never more of me, pray for my soul. |