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King Arthur
The legendary ruler of the ancient
Britons, who embodied all the virtues of
knighthood and chivalry.
The hero of a famous cycle of legends
and romances, Arthur was said to have been born at
Tintagel in
Cornwall. He became King of
Britain and held court at Camelot
as the leader of a band of noble warriors, the Knights of the Round Table.
The knights
rode out to seek adventure and great deeds, notably in the quest of the Grail — in Christian
legend the holy cup used by Christ at the
Last Supper. Arthur was betrayed by his wife Guinevere and his nephew, or son, Mordred.
Wounded in battle against Mordred, he was carried away by three fairy queens to Avalon,
the land of immortal heroes, from which he will return to lead his countrymen in the time
of their greatest peril.
The character of King Arthur is strongly
identified with occult legends. Not only do we find his court a veritable
center of happenings more or less supernatural, but his mysterious origin
and the subsequent events of his career contain matter of considerable
interest from an occult standpoint.
As a shadowy 'historical' figure, King
Arthur is first mentioned under the Latin name Artorius in the late 7th century
Historia
Britonum (usually known by the name of
Nennius, its 9th century editor),
leaving much time for Arthurian fancy to combine with any Arthurian facts
that might have existed.
Arthur, as Dux Bellorum (Roman War
Duke, a military appointment by the Emperor), not king, is said to have led the
Britons against the
Saxons
in 12 great battles culminating in the great victory of
Mons Badonicus
(fought between 493 and 516).
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