Did King Arthur really exist? Simultaneously with the “Roman of Alexander”, the “Roman of Aeneas” appeared, going back to Virgil’s “Aeneid” and composed by an unnamed French author. Almost immediately it was translated into German by Heinrich von Veldeke and became

Did dragons really exist? Terrible dragons are characters in fairy tales and legends of many peoples living in all corners of our planet. They are depicted as huge, snake-like monsters, their very appearance terrifying people. Dragons breathed fire

What if it really isn’t written? Well, what if it really isn’t written? Well, it can’t be written, for the life of me! And it has nothing to do with the fear of a white sheet of paper! My head is dull, not a single thought - even after the third cup of coffee! And so for the fifth day in a row. And the fact that it’s forced on the keyboard is nonsense,

In fact, why did I sleep with him? I felt like I was forced to do it because he paid for the restaurant. It seemed like we had a lot in common. He told me he had a collection of butterflies! And I love butterflies! Even if they are dead... I wanted

Who was the real King Arthur? The legendary ruler who led the Knights of the Round Table in the quest for the Holy Grail, and whose wife Guinevere fell in love with Lancelot. According to legend, King Arthur never died - he slept on the magical island of Avalon, waiting for the day when Britain would again need saving.

But did King Arthur really exist? And if so, when did he live and die? Historians have put forward a number of theories about the real King Arthur, who likely lived around 500 as Britain fought off the invading Saxons. Although there is no written record of King Arthur, all the legends were written down several centuries after his death. A mysterious stone with the inscription “Artognu” discovered by archaeologists hints that there may be a real story behind the myth. But it is difficult to separate fact from fiction.

After the fall of Roman power in Britain in 410, the island was plunged into chaos and violence. Beginning in the 5th century, the Anglo-Saxons began to invade from what is now Germany in an attempt to establish new kingdoms. Wars raged throughout Britain. Historian and medievalist Norris D. Lacy writes in his books that rulers fought for every hill that was easy to defend. The people needed a good king who wanted to bring peace, and out of this chaos a legend was born.

The real Arthur was probably a military leader who defended Britain from an Anglo-Saxon invasion. Historians believe that Tintagel Castle flourished in the 5th century and was the home of King Arthur. The site was most likely an economic and political stronghold for the rulers of Devon and Cornwall. It was associated with the Mediterranean world. Fragments of pottery and glass from Greece, North Africa and Spain were found at Tintagel. But although the region flourished in the 5th and 6th centuries, it was mysteriously abandoned after the mid-7th century and remained forgotten for the next 500 years.

In 1138, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the first detailed account of King Arthur, called the History of the Kings of Britain. This text made the Arthurian legend world famous. The author mentioned Tintagel as the place where Arthur was born. Archaeological excavations show that Geoffrey's theory can be confirmed by historical data.

In 1998, archaeologists working on the island of Tintagel found a stone known as the Artognu Stone, or Arthur's Stone. It bore the inscription "Pater Coiavificit Artognov", or "Artognu, the father of the descendant of Col, built it." Nearby was Mediterranean pottery from the same period. According to Dr Geoffrey Wainwright, chief archaeologist at English Heritage, the stone is clear evidence that a 6th-century Tintagel king actually existed and was named Arthur. “This is where myth meets history,” Wainwright said.

King Arthur's Stone

In 70 AD. The Romans, who ruled Britain, built an amphitheater in the city of Caer-Legion, known today as Chester. Chester Amphitheater was the largest in Britain and was used for military training. Excavations have shown that it was fortified in the 5th or 6th century, just in the era of King Arthur. The circular amphitheater may have been converted into the legendary Round Table. It could accommodate 1600 warriors.

In 544, a British monk named Gilda the Wise wrote about a major battle that had taken place just a few decades earlier, in the year 500. According to Gilda, the Britons were led by a strong leader named Ambrose Aurelian, who helped them regain their strength. At the Battle of Badon Hill, Aurelian repulsed the Saxon invaders and won a major battle.

Around 800 AD. another monk named Nennius changed the name of Ambrose Aurelianus to Arthur and wrote that at the Battle of Badon Hill "nine hundred and sixty men fell in one day from one blow of Arthur." Let us add that the legendary king “won victory in all his campaigns.” Historian Peter Correll has argued that Ambrose Aurelian and King Arthur are the same person, which is consistent with the legend that Arthur won a major battle against the Saxons.

The Roman city of Silchester, known as Calleva Atrebatum, was supposedly the site of King Arthur's coronation. During the Saxon invasion of Britain in the 5th century, it became an important strategic city with a well-defended perimeter. After the invasion of Britain, the Saxons walked around the city and ritually cursed it.

Perhaps Calleva is associated with King Arthur's magic sword, Excalibur. In fact, the name of the sword, which originally sounded like Caliburn, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, came from the word Calleva.

Historian John Morris argued in the 1970s that the name Arthur suddenly became popular in Britain around the beginning of the 6th century - for Morris, evidence that a real Arthur existed and may have been a ruler of Britain. The historian points to archaeological evidence that the Saxon advance into Britain was halted in the early 6th century and only resumed in the 570s AD. Was the short period of peace due to King Arthur?

There are historians who believe that King Arthur was not a real person, and his legend goes back to the Celtic myth of the divine bear. Perhaps the name itself Arthur may have been derived from a Celtic word meaning "bear". Thus, the legendary King Arthur may be the personification of the god of wild animals. This was common practice for the Celts. They often spoke of powerful creatures in their mythology.

The first mention of King Arthur in the sources is in the history of the Britons, written in the early 9th century by the monk Nennius. He described Arthur as a heroic Christian warrior who led his troops to victory in battles against invading Anglo-Saxon tribes. Nennius listed 12 battles that Arthur fought, but most historians argue that one man could not have fought most of them at the same time.

In the 12th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth created the legend of King Arthur by telling the story of his life and describing his amazing deeds. Geoffrey mixed history and myth in his wonderful book, The History of the Kings of Britain. The legend was then expanded by the 12th century author Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot and the Holy Grail, turning Arthur into the romantic hero of chivalric romances.

You and I are studying the English language, its grammar, methods of studying and teaching it; we read some texts, do exercises, write essays... What do we know about the country whose language we are studying?

The history of England, the Kingdom of England, dates back to ancient times. This is a very interesting subject for discussion, full of secrets and legends. I would like to leave grammar, phonetics, teaching English for a while and talk about the founding of Britain and the legendary King Arthur, whose reign can be considered the period of the formation of England!

The British people are the descendants of the tribes of Britons and Anglo-Saxons who inhabited Foggy Albion in ancient times. The exact year of the founding of England is not known, but the 5th century AD is known - the beginning of the landing of the Angles and Saxons on the British shores. And approximately in the V-VI centuries. There was a legendary leader of the Briton tribe - King Arthur.

The tales of King Arthur are a whole literary and historical epic! King Arthur is the central character of numerous chivalric romances, songs, ballads, stories, tales, poems and poems. Monuments and sculptures were erected in his honor. Historians still doubt the existence of such a person in British history. However, this did not stop the people of England from believing in him and creating legends about him. Even if he did not exist in reality, nevertheless, every nation needs its heroes. One thing is certain - this hero had a historical prototype.

Legend has it that King Arthur gathered the best knights at his court in Camelot, who entered the category of the so-called Knights of the Round Table. The most famous of them are Lancelot, Percival, Gawain and others. The exact number of knights is unknown, because different authors give different data: someone talks about twelve, someone mentions sixteen knights, etc.

What did Arthur and his knights do? Of course, first of all, these are feats of arms, battles, duels. They also tried to find the Holy Grail - the legendary cup into which the blood of Christ was collected during the crucifixion. And they were also engaged in rescuing beautiful ladies.

We lift the veil of the legend...

There are many legends about King Arthur, but they all boil down to approximately the same plot.

Uther Pendragon was the king of Britain. And he managed to fall in love with Igraine, the wife of Duke Gorlois of Tintagel Castle (as if there were no unmarried girls at that time!). To spend the night with her, Uther asked the wizard Merlin to give him the guise of the duke, her husband. Merlin agreed on the condition that the born child would be given to him to raise. Uther agreed, and a few years later he was poisoned and anarchy began in the country (this is what happens if you get involved with someone else's wife).

Merlin endowed the newborn Arthur with strength and courage, then gave him to the old knight Sir Ector to be raised. Twenty years later, Merlin presented the knights with a sword stuck in a stone, on which it was written that whoever could pull out the sword would be destined to be king. Guess who managed to pull out the sword? Of course it's Arthur. Merlin revealed to him the secret of his birth and origin. But you can't fool cunning knights! Everyone wanted to be the king of England. Arthur had to win his right to the throne with a sword in his hands.

Legend has it that, having become king, Arthur made the city of Camelot the capital of England, gathering around him the best and strongest knights of the world, who sat with him at the Round Table (oh, that legendary Round Table!). He married the beautiful Queen Guinevere and a happy life began.

As they say, nothing lasts forever under the moon, and the Sword-of-Stone broke in Arthur's duel with Sir Pellinore. But Merlin did not leave his ward in difficult situations; he promised him another sword. The new sword Excalibur struck without a miss. It was forged by the elves of Lake Vatelin, and the Lady of the Lake herself gave it to Arthur with the condition that he would expose it only for a just cause and return it to her when the time came.

But not everything is so rosy! Once, during a walk, the beautiful Guinevere was kidnapped by the scoundrel Melegant. Lancelot, one of Arthur's best knights, without waiting for help, broke into Melegant's castle alone, killed him and freed the queen. Love broke out between them and Guinevere cheated on her husband with Lancelot.

The cunning Mordred, Arthur's nephew and, according to rumors, his illegitimate son, found out about this. He reported the treason to the king. Beside himself with anger, Arthur sent Mordred with a detachment to arrest Guinevere and Lancelot; the queen was in danger of being burned at the stake. But Lancelot freed Guinevere and together they fled across the sea. Arthur went in pursuit of them, leaving the treacherous Mordred as his deputy. He took advantage of the opportunity and seized power.

Having learned about this, Arthur was forced to return and restore order in the country. But the cunning Mordred was not going to give up power. The armies of Arthur and Mordred converged on the Cammlan field. During the battle, Mordred fell, struck by Arthur's spear, but he himself dealt a mortal blow to the king.

At Arthur's request, the sword Excalibur was returned to the Lady of the Lake, and the sad ladies escorted him on a boat to the island of Avalon. Legend has it that he still sleeps on this island, but at the right time he will come to save Britain. Thus ends the heroic tale of King Arthur.

King Arthur in English class

If you have chosen this topic for a lesson or extracurricular activity, then this is a very interesting decision. Holding such an event or lesson will be interesting for both the teacher, the children, and the guests present.

• Since this is the Middle Ages, you can decorate the classroom in the appropriate style. Let your students help you, it's a lot of fun. On the walls there can be images of ancient coats of arms, swords and shields made of cardboard, in general, whatever you think is necessary
• The guys themselves can be heroes of the legend, dressed in appropriate clothes: Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Lancelot, etc.
• Organize expressive readings of excerpts from the ballads about King Arthur. To do this, use the works of Alfred Tennyson, Terence White and other authors on this topic
• Perform short theatrical performances and dramatizations using stories from the life of Arthur and his circle, having previously composed dialogues in English
• Include excerpts from King Arthur-themed films or cartoons into your event
• The classroom can also be decorated with children’s drawings and posters. Since the exact year of the king’s birth is unknown, there may be an inscription on the board in English, made in the old style: “Once upon a time, in the Vth century...” (Once upon a time in the fifth century...).

We are writing an essay about a legendary hero!

Whether there was such a character in the history of England, whether it is a collective image or an invention of popular imagination, just a legend - every country needs heroes, those images that you can look up to, from whom you want to take an example. Still, there is reason to believe that such a person existed, because we find partial confirmation of this in English literature.

The story of King Arthur also has instructive sides. She teaches courage, strength, fearlessness, friendship, responsibility for one's duty. This is also an instructive tale about how, sometimes, a woman can become the culprit for everything: power is lost, the country collapses.

The Tale of King Arthur is a great topic for a history lesson, an English lesson, or an integrated English and history lesson. If you have received the task of writing an essay about this king and giving a detailed answer about him, then we bring to your attention how this can be done in English.

I want to tell you about the king Arthur. It is a legendary king of England. We don’t know the exact year of his birth. But we know that he had lived in the Vth century. England is very proud of this king; he is a British historical hero, one of the symbols of the country.

The king Arthur is famous by his strength, courage, justice. Everybody, and not only in England, knows about Camelot, the Knights of the Round table, the queen Guinevere, the knight Lancelot, Merlin, etc. All these personages are the heroes of British epic poems, songs and stories.

Arthur's tutor was the wise magician Merlin. He taught him about strength and wisdom. Arthur became a king after he had pulled the sword from the stone. He gathered the best knights from the entire world. Everybody knows about the Knights of the Round Table. His wife was the beautiful Guinevere.

King Arthur is the main hero of many legends, stories, poems, songs. He is a symbol of courage and wisdom.

This is the kind of essay-story we came up with. And here is his translation:

I want to tell you about King Arthur. This is the legendary king of England. We do not know the exact year of his birth. But we know that he lived in the fifth century. England is proud of its king; he is a British historical hero, one of the symbols of this country.

King Arthur is famous for his courage, strength, and justice. Everyone knows, and not only in England, about Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table, Queen Guinevere, the knight Lancelot, Merlin, etc. All these characters are heroes of British epic poems, songs and stories.

Arthur's mentor was the wise wizard Merlin. He taught him strength and wisdom. Arthur became king after he pulled the sword from the stone. He gathered the best knights from all over the world. Everyone has heard of the Knights of the Round Table. His wife was the beautiful Guinevere.

King Arthur is the main character of many legends, stories, poems, and songs. It is a symbol of courage and wisdom.

You can, of course, tell the legend in full, but it will take a lot of time. It is enough to outline in general terms what this legendary personality is.

King Arthur in cinema

This historical character still excites the minds and hearts of history and art lovers. King Arthur is a hero not only of the historical epic, but also of modern literature and cinema. Until now, many authors write about him, taking the legend of Arthur as a basis, but performing it in their own way. Arthur is also a hero of painting and sculpture. Directors and screenwriters do not ignore this legendary character.

We bring to your attention several films about the legendary king of England, which you can watch in English with Russian or English subtitles, or with Russian translation. These films will not leave you indifferent, but will help you discover something new in the image and character of Arthur.

• So, 1953, the American film “Knights of the Round Table”. You will plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages of England and the court of King Arthur. Wonderful acting and setting.
• The year is 1981, the film "Excalibur". This film is based on the novel by Thomas Malory. The film is stunning in its epicness and believability. Oscar Award and Cannes Film Festival Award. You will get great aesthetic pleasure from viewing.
• 1995 gives us the film “The First Knight”. This is a loose interpretation of the legend of the famous king, and much of the focus is on Lancelot. But the setting, costumes, castles, acting and Richard Gere in the title role do their job.
• Year 1998. A cartoon for children “The Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot” was released. This cartoon can be watched by the whole family. You will be captivated by the adventures and interesting situations that the main characters encounter every now and then.
• The famous 2004 adventure film King Arthur starring Clive Owen and Keira Knightley will keep you in pleasant suspense for two hours. But it's worth it! Beautiful costumes, the atmosphere of the era, a new performance of the legend about the king will help the viewer learn something new regarding this topic.
• Of the most recent works about the legendary king, 2014 should be mentioned, in which the start of filming of a new film on this topic was announced. The director of the film “Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur” will be the famous Guy Ritchie. The film tells the story of Arthur's youth and his rise as king.

We wish you pleasant viewing!

The epic of gloomy medieval England was illuminated by the wonderful era of the reign of King Arthur. The noble knight, wise ruler and valiant commander gave the country years of peace and stability. The character became the embodiment of knightly ideals, uniting the best warriors at the Round Table under the auspices of honor, courage and loyalty to the kingdom. Dozens of books, films, theatrical productions and even musicals are dedicated to the legend of Celtic legends.

Story

The mythology of England is as rich as the collection of legends about the glorious heroes of ancient Scandinavia, Germany, Rus' and Finland. King Arthur, who first appeared in the 600s, has taken a strong place in folk and literary art.

Researchers still cannot agree on who was the prototype of Arthur; they put forward three main versions. Some see the origin of the character in Welsh legends, in which the Welsh-born warrior, although he was seen in battles with the Saxons, never took the throne. Others claim that the prototype was Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman general. Still others refer to the personality of the Saxon winner in the battle of Badon, Ambrose Aurelian, also a Roman.

Unsteady, but still proof is that the 6th century saw the peak of popularity of the name Arthur, that is, then, most likely, there lived a legendary personality who aroused the sympathy of his contemporaries. Despite hypotheses about the hero’s roots, it is generally accepted that the British king is a collective image, uniting the biographies of various military men and rulers.

The details of the autocrat’s life also vary among the authors, but in general the main milestones are common. Arthur is the fruit of the adultery of King Uther Pendragon of Britain with Duchess Igraine (another variation of the name is Eigir). A wizard helped the king share a bed with someone else’s wife, turning Uther into the lady’s husband in exchange for taking the child to raise.

The wizard handed the baby over to the kind-hearted and wise knight Ector, who raised the boy as his own son, teaching him military skills.

Uther married his beloved Igraine, but the crowned couple failed to give birth to another son. After the poisoning of the autocrat of England, the question arose of who would take his place. The cunning wizard Merlin came up with a “test” - he sharpened the sword into stone. Whoever pulls him out will be the king. Arthur, who served as a squire to his elder brother, easily took out his weapon and, unexpectedly for himself, ascended the throne. However, the young man learned the truth about his royal origins right there, from Merlin.

King Arthur settled in the legendary Camelot Castle. The building is still sought after by Arthurian fans, but this is pure fiction - the castle was invented by the poet and writer Chrétien de Troyes in the 13th century. Camelot united about a hundred famous knights from all over the world. The list of the ruler's friends was supplemented by the warriors Gawain, Percival, Galahad and, of course, Lancelot.

Glorious men went down in history as defenders of the weak and disadvantaged, patrons of ladies, liberators of the lands of a subject state from barbarians and invaders, conquerors of mythical creatures and evil magicians. They are also famous for the fact that they were obsessed with the idea of ​​finding the Holy Grail, which would grant the owner immortality. As a result, the son of Lancelot managed to find the holy thing from which he drank.

The knights gathered at the Round Table. According to one version, the idea of ​​​​creating a piece of furniture of this shape belonged to the wife of King Arthur, according to another, the table, which equalized the rights and classes of everyone who sat at it, was given to the ruler by Merlin. The wizard often came to Camelot, not only to raise the morale of the knights, but also for educational purposes - he encouraged them to do good deeds, urged them to avoid lies and betrayal.

The reign of the noble King Arthur, who managed to save the state from internecine wars, dragged on for many years. But the hero’s life was cut short due to the betrayal of his own family.

Image

In literature, King Arthur appears as the main positive hero, an ideal ruler and a fair knight. The character is endowed with noble qualities: his character harmoniously combines courage, valor, and kindness. He is calm and reasonable, even slow, and will never allow a person to be executed without trial. Arthur's goal is to unite the state and bring it to a new level of development.

Appearance is interpreted differently, even medieval artists were unable to come to a common view on this issue - either the autocrat is depicted as moon-faced, with curly gray hair, or as a thin, dark-haired old man. I would like to believe the authors of novels and films where Arthur is tall and strong, with a wise look.

The magic sword Excalibur, which replaced the “sword of stone,” helped the crowned knight demonstrate his heroic strength. Once, in a duel with Perinor (an enemy who later became an ally), Arthur broke the weapon, thanks to which he ascended the throne. The wizard Merlin promised a wonderful gift and fulfilled his word - the young king received from the hands of the Lake Fairy a sword forged by the elves of Lake Vatelin.

The magical weapon hit the enemy without missing a beat, but the new owner pledged to use the sword only for good deeds, and when the time came, to return it to the lake, which was done after Arthur’s death.

Arthur's conquests

According to legend, Arthur participated in many bloody battles. The author of the first chronicles about the king, the Welsh monk Nennius, describes 12 of the most striking battles with the conquerors. The main triumph of the autocrat was the battle on Mount Badon, where the Britons, led by the king, defeated the Saxons. In this battle, Arthur, using Excalibur, defeated 960 knights of the opposing side.

The ruler of the Britons managed to defeat Glymory's army in Ireland, and England then received tribute. For three days Arthur besieged the Saxons in the Caledonian Forest and eventually escorted the enemies back to Germany. The battle in Pridina also brought victory - Arthur's son-in-law sat on the Norwegian throne.

Family

Having put on the crown, Arthur decided to get married. The choice fell on the beautiful, immaculate and feminine “beautiful lady” Guinevere, daughter of King Lodegrance, once saved by the hands of the autocrat of Britain. The young man’s heart melted from the girl’s charms at first sight. Married life was darkened only by the absence of children - Guinevere bore the curse of infertility received from an evil witch, which the couple did not suspect.

However, King Arthur had an illegitimate son, Mordred, from his half-sister. The wizard Merlin and the Maiden of the Lakes cast a spell on the boy and girl so that they would not recognize each other and would enter into a love affair. The bastard was raised by evil sorcerers, instilling deceit, anger and dreams of power into the boy.

Arthur survived his beloved wife's betrayal with his friend Lancelot. Betrayal marked the beginning of the fall of the wonderful era of the reign of a just king. While the ruler of Britain was resolving personal issues, chasing the fugitives Lancelot and Guinevere, Mordred seized power into his own hands. In the battle on the Cammlan field, the entire army of England fell. Arthur fought with the bastard, but it was a draw - the son, struck by a spear, inflicted a mortal wound on his father.

Books

The reign of the glorious King Arthur is glorified in poetry and novels. The noble autocrat first appeared in Welsh poems in 600 AD. as the main character of Welsh folklore. The Latin chronicle “History of the Britons” was continued in the collection “History of the Kings of Britain” authored by Geoffrey of Monmouth. This is how a full-fledged story about Arthur’s life saw the light.

Since the Middle Ages, the legends of King Arthur and the valiant Knights of the Round Table began to take on modern form, coming from the pens of Chrétien de Troyes, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and then Thomas Malory. The character inspired Alfred Tennyson, Mary Stewart and even co. It is believed that the creators of the fantasy genre started from British mythology.

Let's note the most iconic books based on the Arthurian epic:

• 1590 – “The Faerie Queene”, Edmund Spenser
• 1856-1885 – “Idylls of the King”, Alfred Tennyson
• 1889 – “The Adventures of a Yankee in the Court of King Arthur”, Mark Twain
• 1938-1958 – cycle of stories “The Once and Future King”, Terence White
• 1982 – “The Mists of Avalon”, Marion Zimmer Bradley
• 1975 – “The Mirror of Merlin”, Andre Norton
• 2000 – “Beyond the Distance of the Waves”,

Films and actors

Following the writers, the image of Arthur was picked up by cinema. The first film with the Lord of the Britons was directed by Richard Thorpe in 1954. Knights of the Round Table, in which Mel Ferrer wears Arthur's costume, received critical praise and was nominated for an Oscar and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

TV viewers of the late 70s watched with interest the life of the leader of the knights and the performance of actor Andrew Burt in the adventure series “The Legend of King Arthur.”

Before the start of the new millennium, the film industry gave Arthurian fans seven more films starring different actors:

• 1981 - “Excalibur” (Nigel Terry)
• 1985 - “King Arthur” (Malcolm McDowell)
• 1995 - “The Adventures of a Yankee in the Court of King Arthur” (Nick Mancuso)
• 1995 - “The First Knight” (Sean Connery)
• 2004 - “King Arthur” (Arthur was played by Clive Owen, Guinevere’s makeup and dress were tried on by Keira Knightley, and Ioan Gruffudd appeared in the role of Lancelot)

Then the directors decided to take a break, and by 2017, with renewed vigor, they began to embody the King of the Britons in cinema. The action film “King Arthur: The Return of Excalibur” was presented by Anthony Smith in early spring. The director of the filming process invited Adam Bayard, Nicola Stewart-Hill, and Simon Armstrong to play the main roles.

Following this premiere, the final trailer for the new film from the director of The Sword of King Arthur was released, which was presented to the viewer in May 2017. This time he appeared in the guise of Arthur. The picture has almost nothing in common with the original concept of the legends about knights. The main character puts on the mask of the leader of a gang of robbers who seeks to overthrow the autocrat Vortigern. The soundtrack for the film was written by Daniel Pemberton, winner of the 2016 Golden Globe for best film music.

The character also took its rightful place in the animation heritage. The cartoon "The Sword in the Stone" based on the book of the same name by Terence White about Arthur's childhood was filmed at the Disney studio. And 30 years later, the hero was portrayed by Warner Bros. artists in the cartoon “The Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot.”

• In the 12th century, during the restoration of Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset (England), they came across a grave on the cross of which the name of King Arthur was allegedly engraved. In the 16th century, the monastery was abolished, and the burial site was hidden under the ruins. Today, a sign reminds tourists of the possible grave of the great ruler.
• In the early 80s, a crater on Mimas, a satellite of the planet Saturn, was named after King Arthur.
• The statistics of the latest film about the valiant knight are impressive. There are 40 Excaliburs used in The Legend of King Arthur, with only 10 forged from metal, the rest are made from plastic. 130 horses took part in the main battle, and in Camelot they built a bridge 60 meters long, so strong that it could withstand a dozen horsemen galloping across it at the same time.

However, everyone convinces themselves that King Arthur, as a child, took the sword out of the stone. Whether this is true or not, let's find out.

According to Welsh legends, Arthur's sword was called Caledfolch. The Latinized version of Geoffrey of Monmouth is Caliburn or Caliburnus, which continental Arthurian authors later transformed into Escalibor. After which it was renamed the famous Excalibur.

How priceless the sword was for the king can be seen from the ancient Welsh legend "Ciloch and Olwen". When Kiloch turned to King Arthur with a request to accept his gift, he replied: “Since you want it, I accept your gift as long as the wind blows, while the rains pour, while the sun shines, until the sea overflows its shores, until the ground is solid underfoot. Witness this is my crown, and my mantle, and my sword Caledfolch, and my spear Rhongomiant, and my shield Vinebgortuhir, and my dagger Carnuenchan, and my wife Gwenhwyfar.”

According to legends, Excalibur was forged on the mythical island of Avalon. It replaced Arthur's scepter, consecrating and confirming the legitimacy of royal power. The sword appeared at the beginning of his reign and disappeared at the end, throughout his reign it helped the king fight enemies and pretenders to the throne. The sword Excalibur thus played an extremely important role in Arthur's life. Without him, neither power nor any abilities were worth anything. Excalibur throughout the narrative remained a powerful symbolic sign of Arthur's greatness, his supremacy, sanctified from above.

According to legend, Excalibur emitted a dazzling radiance “brighter than thirty torches.” In the Welsh legend “The Vision of Rhonabwy,” two snakes were visible on the golden hilt of Arthur’s sword, and when the king drew the blade, flames erupted from the reptile’s mouth, which was scary to look at. Among the Thirteen Treasures of Britain was the sword of Ridderch the Generous - Dirnvin (White Handle). It instantly ignited if it was taken out of its scabbard by someone other than Ridderch.

In all Arthurian legends, there are always two memorable scenes: in one of them, Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone, in the other, the king received the sword Excalibur from his hand, stretching out of the water in the middle of the lake. Thomas Malory in the novel Le Morte d'Arthur reported that the name of the sword was given by the Maiden of the Lake (Lady of the Lake in Malory), and it meant “cut steel.” Arthur needed it after his sword broke during the battle with King Pellinore. The sorcerer Merlin led King Arthur to the lake where the mysterious Maiden of the Lake lived. But it wasn't her hand that was sticking out of the water. The Maiden of the Lake was its mistress and lived in a castle on the shore. Arthur and Merlin saw the maiden walking towards them on the water.

In a number of Arthurian novels, Excalibur was owned by Sir Gawain, King Arthur's nephew and one of the Knights of the Round Table. For example, in Chretien de Troyes' novel Perceval, or the Tale of the Grail, Excalibur, which Gawain wielded, also “cuts iron like wood.” In the alliterative Le Morte d'Arthur, written around 1400, the king has two swords: Excalibur and Clarent. The second blade was used in knightly tournaments. Mordred stole it and dealt a fatal blow to King Arthur.

Towards the end of Arthur's epic, Excalibur returned to the Maiden of the Lake. This happens after the Battle of Camlan, when the king was mortally wounded. Arthur instructed Sir Bedivere, who was constantly next to the dying king, to throw the sword into the lake. Bedivere twice tried to deceive the king and hid the sword under the roots of a tree, regretting throwing away such an expensive weapon. But Arthur saw through his trick every time.

The third time the knight did not dare to disobey the king and threw the sword far into the lake. And before the shining blade reached the water, a hand in a traditional white silk sleeve rose from the lake, caught the sword, shook it three times, waved it and disappeared under the water. Thus ended the heroic story of the most famous symbol of the Arthurian legends.

Excalibur's return to the lake reflects the ancient Celtic tradition of throwing the sword into the water. During the Iron Age, the Celts threw their swords into lakes and rivers as donations. For this purpose, they were even specially broken or damaged. It was believed that swords, leaving our earthly, mortal space, entered another world, the world of the immortal Celtic goddesses of water. Excalibur is said to lie at the bottom of lakes, bays and rivers in Wales, Scotland and England, including Llyn Llydow in Snowdonia, the River Brough in Somerset and Dozmery Pool in Cornwall.