THE ARTHURIAN TAPESTRY
The Diffusion of the Arthurian Legend in the Middle Ages
RomanBritain
1st-5th c.
1st-4th Century: Historical Antecedents
184: Lucius Artorius Castus, commander of a Roman detachment led his troops from Britain into Gaul to quell a rebellion -- 1st appearance of name Artorius in history
383: Magnus Maxim's (Macsen Wledig) was proclaimed Emperor in Britain by the Roman garrison there -- conquered Gaul, Spain and Italy, but was defeatedby Theodosius the Eastern Emperor in 388. Huge loss of Roman troops for Britain.
5th Century: Historical Background
402: Roman troops were recalled from Britain to defend Italy against Alaric and Visigoths
406-7: The Roman army in Britain elected a series of usurping Emperors: Marcus,Gratian and Constantine III
407: Constantine III withdrew remaining Roman legion to rally support in Gaul: “the end of the Roman Empire in Britain.”
5th Century: Celtic Disarray
408: Devastating attacks by Picts, Scots and Saxons led Britain to declare “independence” from Rome in 410.
440-450: Civil war and famine in Britain. Country divided along factional lines
445: Vortigen authorized use of Saxon mercenaries against Scots and Picts
450: adventus Saxonum: Hengest arrived with 3 ships of warriors. Saxons increased settlements.
5th Century: The Historical Arthur
458-60: Migration of British aristocrats across the Channel to Brittany
460-70: Ambrosius Aurelianus led Britons in containing Saxon settlement -- assumed High-kingship of Britain
485-96: Period of Arthur’s “twelve battles” according to Nennius
c. 496: Ambrosius and Arthur dux bellorum defeated Saxons at Mt. Badon. A generation of peace ensued
5th CenturyInvasions and Migrations
5th-7th Century: Welsh TextsAnnales Cambriae: Welsh chronicle entries,
10th c. mss: c.516: “The Battle of Badon in which
Arthur carried the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ for three days and three nights on his shield and the Britons were the victors.”
c.537: “The Strife of Camlann in which Arthur and Medraut perished.”
mirabilia give Arthur a son, Anir, and a dog, Cabal.
Welsh Triads composed (survive in 13th c. mss.)
5th-7th Century: Celtic Texts
5th-6th c: Celtic noblemen named their sons Arthur.
Gildas:De Excidio: c. 540, chronicles internecine strife amongst British Kings and mentions the Seige of Mt. Badon
Aneirin:Gododdin: c. 600, used phrase"ceni bei ef Arthur"-"but he was no Arthur" to describe a great warrior
9th-10th Century:The Legend Grows
Nennius:Historia Brittonum, c.830 Lists 12 battles
with Anglo-Saxons
Mentions Arthur, dux bellorum.
Annales Cambriae compiled, c.970
11th Century: MSS. Versions of Older
Welsh Oral Tales Mabinogion, four branches
collected c. 1050Culhwch ac Olwen, final version
appears in writing, c. 1100Arthur becomes the king of a
band of adventure-seeking heroes with marvellous powers and gains a queen, Gwenhyfar
11th Century: Abduction of Guinevere Archivolt of Modena Cathedral, Italy
Unnamedknight Ider
Arthur
Durmart
Winlogee(Guinevere)
MardocCaradocGawain
Galeron
Kay
Arthur rescues the abducted Guinevere
11th Century:Saints’ Lives
Legend of S.t. Goeznovius, c. 1019: Breton legend which mentions Arthur and calls him the King of the Britons
c. 1090: Professional hagiographers wrote various saints’ lives which mention Arthur and his exploits, usually in unflattering terms Caradoc: Life of Gildas:
Latin/Welsh St. Padarm, St. Cadog, St.
Iltud, St. Carannog
12th Century: British Historians
William of Malmesbury: c.1125: Gesta Regum Anglorum (Deeds of the
English Kings) c. 1129: De Antiquitate Glastoniensis
Ecclesiaea (a history of Glastonbury Abbey)Geoffrey of Monmouth:
c.1136: Historia Regum Brittaniae.(History of the Kings of Britain)
c.1150: Vita Merlinei (The Life of Merlin) Wace:Roman de Brut, c. 1155, Anglo-Norman
(French) translation of GeoffreyLazamon: Brut, c. 1190, Anglo-Saxon (English)
translation of Geoffrey
William of Malmesburycalls Arthurian
legends "fabulous lies” but says Arthur should be recognized as “one who long sustained his tottering country and gave the shattered minds of his fellow citizens an edge for war.”
Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia
One of the greatest works of medieval fiction which was accepted as history for 600 years
British foundation myth Created a hero-king
whose vast empire reflected Norman ambitions
Captured latest fashions in courtly behaviour
Wildly popular in original Latin version and as the basis for other chroniclers and romance writers
Geoffrey gave Arthur a
father, Uther Pendragon, a
mother, Igerne, and a sister, Anna
He elaborated
the story of Arthur’s
begetting, birth and
surrender to Merlin
Camelot
And told of the death
of Arthur in battle with Mordred
Wace, Roman de BrutAnglo-Norman translation of Geoffrey,
dedicated to Eleanor of Aquitaine, introduced the Round Table
Lazamon’s Brut Anglo-Saxon translation of
Geoffrey: first English
appearance of Arthur
Glastonbury 1184: Fire ravages Glastonbury Abbey, destroying the
Old Church 1190: Digging at a spot described by a bard, monks
claimed to discover the grave of Arthur and Guinevere between two markers at Glastonbury Abbey: “At seven feet down, they found a stone slab with an inset lead cross; at 16 feet down they found a hollowed out log that contained the skeletal remains of an exceptionally large man and a delicate woman.”
Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales) 1192-3: “Liber de Principes Instructione” reported
the finding of Arthur’s grave 1216: “Speculum Ecclesiae” again recounted the
discovery 1278: Edward I and Queen Eleanor officially reburied
the remains of Arthur and Guenevere. Edward proclaimed his son, Edward, the Prince of Wales.
HIC IACIT SEPVLTVS
INCLITVS REX ARTHVRIVS, IN INSVLA AVALONIA:
“Here lies entombed the renowned King Arthur on the Isle
of Avalon."
12th Century: French
Romances
Marie de France: Lais, Anglo-Norman, c.1160-80“Chevrefueil”“Lanval”
Chretien de Troyes: 5 Arthurian romances: Erec et Enide, Cliges, Lancelot, Yvain, Perceval, c. 1160-90 + four continuations by others
Beroul, Roman de Tristan, c. 1170-90
Thomas d’Angleterre, Tristan, Anglo-Norman, c. 1175
The Lais of Marie de France
Breton troubadour influence
Courtliness and magic
Investigations into the intricacies of love and honor
Explore questions of sovereignty in relationships
Chretien de Troyes
Attached to the Court at Champagne, under the patronage of Countess Marie de Champagne, daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII of France
Chretien de Troyes
First to depict the
Round Table as center of
chivalry and to name
Camelot as Arthur’s capital.
Morgan la Fee appears as Arthur’s sister
and a famed healer
The Knight of the Cart, or Lancelot
Introduced the French knight, Lancelot and the concept of amour courtois (courtly love)
into Arthurian romance
Lancelot becomes
the queen’s champio
n, protector
, and lover
Perceval: The Story of the Grail
First Grail RomanceGrail not here
associated with the cup of the Last Supper or the cup used to catch Christ’s blood
A symbol of beauty and mystery, but not of religious devotion
The Celtic Tale of
Tristan and Isolt
becomes attached to
the Arthurian
legend
Tristan and Isolt
French:Beroul, Roman de TristanandThomas d’Angleterre, Tristan
German:Eilhart von Oberge, Tristan
The love triangle of
Tristan-Isolt-Mark
parallels that of Lancelot-
Guinevere-Arthur
12th Century: The Spread of
RomanceHartmann
von Aue, Erek and Iwein, German, c.1195-1205
Ulrich Von Zatzihoven Lanzelet, Swiss, c.1194-1203
Chivalry
Chivalry was a peculiarity of the practice of war in medieval Europe.
The feudal knight was supposed to be devout, honest, selfless, just, brave, honorable, obedient, kind, charitable, generous, and kind to women.
complex rituals and rules
Courtly Love
Humility
Courtesy
Adultery
The Religion of LoveC.S. Lewis
The "rules" for this game
Worship of the chosen lady
Declaration of passionate devotion
Virtuous rejection by the lady
Renewed wooing with oaths of eternal fealty
Moans of unsatisfied desire
Heroic deeds of valor which win the lady's heart
Consummation of the secret love
Endless adventures and subterfuges
Tragic end
13th Century: Welsh Romances
The Black Book of Carmarthen: Geraint son of Erbin and Merlin poems, c. 1250
Mabinogion: final version, c. 1250Geraint and EnidPeredurOwein
13th Century: German
Romances
Wirnt von Gravenberg:Wigalois, c. 1204-10
Wolfram von Eschenbach:Parzival, c. 1204-12, “the greatest medieval German romance” (Wagner’s Parsifal)
Gottfried von Strassburg:Tristan und Isolt, c. 1210 (Wagner’s Tristan)
Arthurian tales appear in Austria, Scandinavia, and Holland
13th-14th Century:French Grail Romances
Robert de Boron, Joseph d’Arimathie and Merlin, c.1202-12
Didot Perceval: Perceval le Gallois ou le Conte du Graal, c.1210-20
Vulgate prose cycle: French Cistercian retelling of Estoire del Saint Graal, Estoire de Merlin, Lancelot du Lac, Queste del Saint Graal, and Mort Artu, c. 1215-30
Roman Du Graal and Lancelot Cycle: variant versions of the Vulgate Cycle, c. 1230-1320
Cistercian Spirituality
Transforms the grail into “the Holy Grail” -- the cup in which Joseph of Arimathea caught the blood dripping from Jesus’ wounds
Claims that Joseph of Arimathea brought the grail to Britain
Grail quests become the central activity of the Arthurian knights, especially Gawain, Perceval, and Lancelot: none of whom can achieve the grail because of their impurities.
Introduction of Galahad, son of Sir
Lancelot and the maiden Elaine, who, because of his purity is able
to attain “The Holy Grail”
Morgan la Fee
becomes a sorceress and
enemy to Arthur’s court,
especially to Guenevere
Emphasis placed on the fallen nature of Camelot, especially on
the treasonous adultery of Guenevere and Lancelot
14th Century:Emergence of
English Arthurian Romance
Alliterative Morte Arthur, c. 1360Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knight, c.1390
Chaucer, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale,” c.1392-94
Stanzaic Mort Artu, c. 1400Various anonymous English
romances,14th-15th c.
15th Century: Sir Thomas Malory,
Morte Darthur Ultimate compilation of the Arthurian legend Composed in early Modern English prose in
the 1460s during the Wars of the Roses, probably while Malory was in prison
Sources include the French Vulgate and Grail cycles, Layamon’s Brut, the English Mort Artu and Morte Arthur, and Welsh tales
Scholarly controversy over “hoole book” or eight separate, but related tales.
First masterpiece of English prose
Arthur’s Family in Malory
Gorlois (1 Igrayne 2) Uther PendragonDuke of King of Britain
Cornwall
Uriens Morgan Lot Morgawse Arthur Gwenhwyfar Lancelot Elayne King of King of King of Britain Rheged Orkney
Uwaine Gawain Aggravaine Gareth Gaheris Mordred Galahad
Part One:
“The Coming ofArthur and theRound Table”
The Sword in the Stone
Merlinand
Niniane
The Lady of the Lake
and Excalibur
Arthur and the Giant
Part Two:Arthur’s War Against theEnperorLucius
Part Three: Sir Lancelot du Lake
Part Four:Sir Gareth of Orkney
Part Five
Sir Tristamof Lyoness
Part SixThe Quest of
the Grail
Part SevenLancelotand Guenivere
Arthur on the Wheel of Fortune
Part Eight:The Deathof King Arthur
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