Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Round Table

The Round Table is a legendary artifact central to Arthurian mythology, depicted as a massive circular table at King Arthur's court in Camelot where he and his knights convened as equals, with its round shape eliminating any hierarchical seating arrangement to prevent disputes over precedence.^[1] First mentioned in the 12th-century Anglo-Norman poem Roman de Brut by Robert Wace, the table was introduced as a solution to quarrels among Arthur's noble barons, allowing his many knights to sit without a designated head.^[1] This innovation symbolized unity, fellowship, and chivalric ideals such as honor, loyalty, and valor, embodying the egalitarian spirit of Arthur's realm.^[2] The concept evolved rapidly in subsequent medieval literature, with the 13th-century French writer Robert de Boron attributing its creation to Merlin under Uther Pendragon's commission, later passed to Arthur as part of Guinevere's dowry, and linking it symbolically to the Christian Last Supper to underscore spiritual purity and the quest for the Holy Grail.^[1] In the Vulgate Cycle of Arthurian romances, the table accommodated 150 seats, including the perilous Siege Perilous reserved for the knight destined to achieve the Grail—ultimately Sir Galahad—while annual Pentecost feasts added new members, reinforcing its role as a dynamic institution of knighthood.^[2] By the 15th century, Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur synthesized these traditions, portraying the Round Table as the pinnacle of Arthurian society, where knights like Lancelot, Gawain, and Percival swore oaths to protect the weak and pursue justice, though it ultimately dissolved amid betrayal and civil war following Arthur's death at the Battle of Camlann.^[3] Scholars trace potential historical inspirations to Celtic warrior bands or Roman-British council practices, but the Round Table remains a medieval literary invention without direct ancient precedents, reflecting 12th-century Norman and Angevin interests in unifying diverse nobility under a mythic British heritage.^[4] A tangible relic associated with the legend is the Winchester Round Table, a 18-foot-diameter oak panel from the late 13th century (c. 1250–1280), originally constructed for tournaments hosted by King Edward I to evoke Arthurian chivalry and bolster royal prestige, later repainted in 1520 under Henry VIII to include Tudor symbols and Arthur's name at the center.^[5] This artifact, now housed in Winchester Great Hall, underscores the enduring cultural impact of the Round Table as a motif for equality and heroic camaraderie, influencing literature, art, and even modern organizations from the 19th century onward.^[2]

Legendary Origins and Development

Earliest Mentions

The Round Table does not appear in earlier Arthurian texts, such as Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (c. 1136), which describes King Arthur's court and conquests but omits any reference to a communal table for his knights.^[6] This absence highlights the Round Table's emergence as a distinct element in 12th-century Norman literature, marking a shift toward emphasizing fellowship and courtly harmony in Arthurian narratives.^[7] The earliest explicit mention of the Round Table occurs in Wace's Roman de Brut (c. 1155), a verse chronicle in Anglo-Norman French that adapts Geoffrey's work while introducing novel details about Arthur's reign. In this text, Wace attributes the table's creation to Arthur's desire to quell disputes over seating precedence among his ambitious knights, portraying it as a practical solution to maintain order at court. He writes: "Because of these noble lords about his hall, of whom each knight pained himself to be the hardiest champion, and none would count him the least praiseworthy, Arthur made the Round Table, so reputed of the Britons. This Round Table was ordained of Arthur that when his fair fellowship sat to meat their chairs should be high alike, their service equal, and none before or after his comrade. Thus no man could boast that he was exalted above his fellow, for all alike were gathered round the board, and none was alien at the breaking of Arthur’s bread."^[7] This description underscores the table's role in fostering equality, without which rivalries might disrupt Arthur's assembly.^[8] Scholars have proposed possible influences from Celtic traditions on the Round Table's concept, drawing parallels to communal seating practices in ancient Gaul and Britain that emphasized tribal equality during councils or banquets. For instance, accounts of Gauls gathering in rings for discussions, as recorded by classical observers, suggest a cultural precedent for non-hierarchical arrangements that may have informed Wace's innovation.^[9] Similarly, elements in the Welsh Mabinogion (compiled in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral sources) hint at shared seating in Arthurian-linked tales, evoking a sense of collective authority among warriors, though no round table is directly depicted.^[10] These connections position the Round Table as potentially rooted in pre-Norman Celtic customs of egalitarian gatherings, adapted into the chivalric framework of medieval romance.^[8]

Evolution in Literature

The concept of the Round Table began to evolve in the late 12th century through the works of Chrétien de Troyes, whose Arthurian romances, such as Erec and Enide (c. 1170), indirectly influenced its development by depicting King Arthur's court as a center of chivalric fellowship and equality, building upon earlier mentions in Wace's Roman de Brut without explicitly naming the table itself.^[11] Chrétien's narratives emphasized the court's role in resolving disputes among knights through courteous assembly, laying groundwork for the table's symbolic unity, though his focus remained on individual quests and romantic entanglements rather than the artifact.^[11] A key development came in the works of Robert de Boron (c. 1190–1210), particularly his poems Joseph d'Arimathie and Merlin, which first attributed the Round Table's creation to the wizard Merlin under the commission of Uther Pendragon. De Boron portrayed the table as a mystical artifact modeled on the Last Supper to symbolize Christian fellowship and spiritual purity, seating 50 knights and later passed to Arthur as part of Guinevere's dowry. This innovation linked the Round Table to the quest for the Holy Grail, transforming it from a secular symbol of equality into a sacred institution foreshadowing divine trials for Arthur's knights.^[12] By the early 13th century, the Round Table received its first significant adaptation in English literature with Layamon's Brut (c. 1200), which portrayed it as a central element of Arthur's court, seating up to 1,600 knights in a grand hall to symbolize impartial justice and prevent quarrels over precedence.^[13] Layamon expanded on its role by describing a magical carpenter's construction, where the table's circular design and portability allowed it to be moved between locations, underscoring Arthur's reign as one of harmonious governance and knightly equality.^[14] The French prose cycles of the 13th century, particularly the Vulgate Cycle (c. 1215–1235) and its successor the Post-Vulgate Cycle (c. 1230–1240), elevated the Round Table to a mystical object crafted by Merlin during Uther Pendragon's time in imitation of the Last Supper, featuring 150 seats reserved for Arthur's most worthy knights to evoke apostolic equality.^[15] In these cycles, the table's magical properties included transportability via enchantment, enabling it to be relocated from Uther's court to Leodegrance's and finally to Arthur's at Camelot, while the perilous Siege Perilous—a deadly seat for any unworthy occupant—added a layer of divine judgment tied to the impending Grail quest.^[16] The Post-Vulgate further intensified its spiritual dimensions, positioning the table as a sacred fellowship that foreshadowed the knights' moral trials and the kingdom's eventual fall.^[15] Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (1485) synthesized these traditions into a comprehensive English narrative, detailing the Round Table's inheritance by Arthur from Leodegrance, complete with the enchanted 150 seats including the Siege Perilous, which only the pure Galahad could claim during the Grail quest.^[17] Malory highlighted its role as the pinnacle of chivalric order, but also its tragic destiny, as the table was shattered and its fellowship dissolved amid the chaos of the Battle of Camlann, symbolizing the collapse of Arthur's ideal realm.^[18]

Knights and Fellowship

Key Members

The Round Table fellowship, presided over by King Arthur as its sovereign head, represented the pinnacle of chivalric elite status in Arthurian lore, with membership denoting unparalleled valor and loyalty to the realm. Queen Guinevere exerted significant courtly influence on the group's dynamics, fostering an atmosphere of romantic idealism and interpersonal tensions that often tested the knights' bonds.^[19]^[20] Among the core knights, Sir Lancelot du Lac stood as the paramount figure, renowned as the greatest warrior despite his profound flaw of adulterous love for Guinevere; originating from the court of his father, King Ban of Benwick, Lancelot's arrival at Camelot elevated the fellowship's martial prowess to legendary heights.^[21] Sir Gawain, Arthur's nephew and a solar hero whose strength waxed with the sun's ascent, served as a steadfast companion and defender of the king's honor, embodying familial loyalty within the Round Table.^[20] Sir Perceval, the innocent quester from Welsh traditions, joined as a symbol of youthful purity and spiritual seeking, his membership highlighting the table's role in nurturing untested potential.^[19] Sir Galahad, Lancelot's son and the epitome of uncorrupted virtue, achieved the ultimate distinction by occupying the Siege Perilous, a supernaturally reserved seat at the Round Table fated for the knight destined to succeed in the Grail quest.^[22] Sir Tristan, a Cornish knight and nephew to King Mark of Cornwall, represented a later addition to the fellowship, bringing expertise in music, hunting, and combat from Breton-Celtic tales integrated into the Arthurian canon.^[23] The table's capacity varied across sources, accommodating 50 seats in the early 13th-century account by Robert de Boron—evoking the Last Supper's symbolism—and expanding to 150 in the Vulgate Cycle, underscoring the fellowship's growth into a vast order of elite warriors.^[24] Notable exclusions and rivals marked the table's exclusivity; for instance, Mordred, Arthur's incestuous son and a knight whose treacherous ambitions ultimately shattered the fellowship, claimed a seat through deceit, portending the order's downfall.^[25]

Rules and Traditions

The fellowship of the Round Table was governed by a set of customs and oaths designed to foster unity, justice, and chivalric honor among its members, as depicted in medieval Arthurian literature. Central to these traditions was the annual Pentecostal feast, during which new knights were inducted and all members reaffirmed their vows, a practice symbolizing spiritual renewal in alignment with the Christian feast of Pentecost commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit.^[26]^[27] The core oaths binding the knights emphasized defense of the weak, pursuit of justice, loyalty to King Arthur, and mutual aid within the fellowship. In Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, these principles were formalized in the Pentecostal Oath, sworn yearly by all knights, old and young, which prohibited outrages or murders, mandated fleeing treason, required granting mercy to those who sought it (upon pain of forfeiting honor and lordship), commanded aid to ladies, damsels, gentlewomen, and widows (upon pain of death), and forbade engaging in wrongful quarrels over law or worldly goods.^[26]^[28] This oath, often referred to as the Pentecostal Oath in scholarly analyses of Malory, encapsulated the practical protocols for maintaining the Round Table's communal integrity.^[27] For specific endeavors like the quest for the Holy Grail, additional vows were required, including a commitment to chastity to ensure spiritual purity, as only chaste knights such as Galahad and Percival could fully achieve the Grail's mysteries in Malory's narrative.^[29]^[28] The oath also explicitly prohibited treason, reinforcing loyalty to Arthur and the fellowship as a bulwark against internal division.^[26] Disputes among knights were resolved through quests or tournaments rather than arguments over precedence, a protocol enabled by the Round Table's circular design, which symbolized equality and eliminated hierarchical seating to strengthen communal bonds.^[27]^[30] Breaking these rules carried severe consequences, including expulsion from the fellowship or death, as seen in the conflicts involving Agravain, whose betrayal of secrets involving Lancelot and Guinevere fractured the Round Table's unity and led to his death during Lancelot's escape.^[31] Ultimately, Malory portrays the Table's prophesied end through Merlin's foretellings, where violations of the oaths culminate in the fellowship's dissolution amid civil war and Arthur's downfall.^[32]^[28]

Symbolism and Themes

Equality and Unity

The Round Table's circular design served a deliberate purpose in promoting equality among King Arthur's knights, as first articulated in Wace's Roman de Brut (c. 1155), where it is described as a table crafted so that "all of the noble barons whom he called to his court would be equal, with none higher or lower in rank."^[33] This shape eliminated the head and foot typical of rectangular tables, preventing any knight from claiming superiority in seating or service, and fostering a sense of shared status at court. In the Vulgate Cycle, the Round Table also symbolizes the Last Supper, emphasizing spiritual equality among the apostles, while later traditions like Malory link its round shape to the world's roundness, representing universal brotherhood.^[33] In the legendary tradition expanded by Layamon in his Brut (c. 1200), the wizard Merlin plays a pivotal role in the table's creation, advising its round form to resolve violent quarrels over precedence among the British nobility during a feast.^[33] This intervention aimed to unify the fractious barons, enabling them to stand together against external threats such as Saxon invasions, thereby transforming potential division into collective strength.^[33] The table's innovative structure contrasted sharply with the linear arrangements in other medieval courts, where hierarchical seating reinforced feudal ranks and lord-vassal distinctions, underscoring the Round Table's anti-feudal symbolism of egalitarian fellowship.^[34] The Vulgate Cycle (c. 1210–1230) further emphasizes the Round Table's thematic role in cultivating brotherhood, portraying the knights as co-equals under Arthur's leadership, bound by mutual loyalty and a shared chivalric purpose.^[33] This unity, however, faced severe tests in later narratives, such as Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (c. 1470), where the illicit affair between Lancelot and Guinevere exposes fractures within the fellowship, sparking accusations and civil strife that nearly dismantle the order.^[35] Despite these disruptions, the table's rituals—such as the annual Pentecost gatherings where knights reaffirmed their oaths—served to restore cohesion, symbolizing the enduring ideal of harmony even amid betrayal.^[35]

Chivalric Ideals

The chivalric ideals of the Round Table integrated courtly love, martial prowess, and Christian piety, casting knights as protectors of the faith and noblewomen in medieval Arthurian literature. This fusion, described by historian Maurice Keen as an ethos blending "martial, aristocratic and Christian elements," emphasized knights' roles in defending Christianity through valorous deeds while upholding courteous service to ladies, as exemplified in Chrétien de Troyes' romances where a knight "must protect the lady he is escorting."^[36]^[36] The Pentecostal Oath, renewed annually by the knights in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, formalized these principles by requiring avoidance of wrongful quarrels, extension of mercy to enemies, and succor to "ladies, damosels, and gentlewomen," thereby linking personal honor to communal moral duty.^[37] As a microcosm of ideal kingship, the Round Table reflected Arthur's embodiment of restraint, justice, and balanced leadership, where he combined battlefield prowess—such as slaying hundreds with his sword Caliburn—with generosity and wisdom to guide his fellowship.^[38] Arthur's model influenced knightly conduct by prioritizing ethical decision-making over mere conquest, as seen in his merciful treatment of foes and invocation of the Virgin Mary in battle, setting a standard for piety-infused rule.^[38] These ideals paralleled the communal valor in epics like the Song of Roland, which glorified loyalty and martial duties among Charlemagne's paladins, but introduced an egalitarian twist by fostering unity among diverse knights without rigid feudal hierarchies.^[39] The Quest for the Holy Grail represented the ultimate test of chivalric purity, elevating the Round Table from a secular fellowship to a spiritual institution where knights confronted their moral failings. In Malory's narrative, the quest demanded unwavering devotion and chastity, succeeding only for the pious like Galahad while exposing others' worldly attachments, thus critiquing secular chivalry's limitations.^[40] Literary motifs of decline further underscored these ideals' fragility, as corruption—such as Mordred's treacherous ambition and usurpation—eroded the fellowship's unity, leading to internal betrayals that foreshadowed Arthur's fall and the Table's dissolution.^[38]

Historical Representations

Edward III's Initiative

In 1344, during the early phases of the Hundred Years' War, King Edward III of England sought to emulate the legendary Arthurian Round Table by establishing a real-life chivalric order, drawing inspiration from medieval romances to foster national unity and rival the prestige of French knighthood.^[41]^[42] On January 22, 1344, at the conclusion of a grand tournament at Windsor Castle, Edward proclaimed the creation of the Order of the Round Table, envisioning a fellowship of 300 knights who would swear oaths of loyalty and chivalry, with the king positioning himself as a modern Arthur to symbolize English sovereignty and martial prowess.^[43]^[41] The initiative included elaborate ceremonial events mirroring Arthurian traditions, such as a lavish feast attended by queens, countesses, and noblewomen, followed by jousts from January 21 to 23 where Edward and 19 select knights competed successfully against challengers, culminating in endowments to support the order's activities and a solemn oath-taking by earls, barons, and knights to convene again at Pentecost.^[43]^[44] These gatherings served political aims, reinforcing Edward's leadership amid wartime tensions by promoting ideals of equality and brotherhood among the nobility, while the order's structure aimed to recruit and motivate knights for campaigns against France.^[45]^[46] To house the order, Edward commissioned a purpose-built circular hall at Windsor Castle starting in February 1344, employing hundreds of stonecutters, carpenters, and laborers with materials like timber and lead; work progressed for about 40 weeks until late 1344 but was never fully completed, as subsequent efforts halted.^[45] The project reflected Edward's ambition to create a physical emblem of Arthurian revival, yet it was abandoned following the Black Death's arrival in England in 1348, which devastated the population and disrupted royal plans.^[45] By mid-1348, Edward shifted focus to the Order of the Garter as a more practical successor, limiting membership to 24 knights plus the sovereign in a linear hierarchy rather than a round assembly, though it echoed Arthurian themes through its patron saint, St. George, and emphasis on chivalric honor.^[41]^[45] This transition marked the end of the Round Table initiative, redirecting resources to Garter-related constructions like St. George's Chapel while preserving symbolic ties to legendary fellowship.^[45]

Winchester Artefact

The Winchester Round Table is an 18-foot (5.5-meter) diameter wooden tabletop, constructed primarily from English oak planks forming a radial frame, with a canvas stretched over the surface for painting; it weighs approximately 1.2 tons (1,200 kilograms) and is now displayed on the wall of the Great Hall at Winchester Castle.^[47]^[48] Built as a legless, portable structure, it functioned as a ceremonial prop for elite feasts and tournaments, evoking chivalric fellowship rather than serving as a practical dining table for everyday use. The table was likely commissioned by Edward I for "Round Table" tournaments, symbolizing unity among the nobility from its creation.^[47] Scientific examination in 1976, including dendrochronology of its timbers, dated the core structure to 1250–1280 during the reign of Edward I, with possible decorative modifications or reinforcements added around 1348 under Edward III, establishing its 13th- to 14th-century origins and dispelling myths linking it to the legendary 5th- or 6th-century King Arthur.^[49]^[47] The original structure was likely unpainted or simply decorated for tournament use; the current Arthurian imagery, featuring King Arthur at the center surrounded by 24 knights, was added during the 1520 repainting, adapting it to symbolize unity and equality in line with Tudor chivalric ideals and the Order of the Garter.^[47] In 1520, during the reign of Henry VIII, the table underwent major repainting, incorporating Tudor heraldic motifs such as the central Tudor rose and portraits with the king's likeness as Arthur, alongside named knights including Galahad, to reinforce Tudor claims to Britain's ancient Arthurian heritage.^[50] This refurbishment preserved the artefact's visual impact while adapting it to Renaissance political symbolism, ensuring its survival as a tangible link to medieval chivalric traditions.^[47]

Cultural Impact

Medieval Tournaments

Medieval tournaments in the 13th to 15th centuries often drew inspiration from the Arthurian legend of the Round Table, serving as both a thematic framework and an organizational model that emphasized chivalric equality and fellowship among knights. These events transformed the Round Table's symbolic ideal of unity—where no knight held precedence—into practical formats like melees, large-scale mock battles where participants formed teams without hierarchical lineups, allowing for fluid, egalitarian combat that echoed the table's design.^[51] Such tournaments blended martial displays with feasts, dances, and role-playing, fostering a sense of noble camaraderie and reviving the glamour of Arthur's court.^[9] In the late 14th century, pas d'armes—chivalric challenges where knights defended a symbolic site against comers—began incorporating Arthurian motifs at legendary locations, evoking the quests of the Round Table knights. By the late 13th century, this influence expanded, as seen in the 1279 Round Table tournament at Kenilworth Castle hosted by Roger Mortimer, attended by King Edward I, which celebrated Arthurian chivalry through jousting and feasting to promote courtly unity.^[52] King Edward III further elevated the Round Table's role in tournaments during the 1340s, organizing events at Windsor Castle that directly emulated Arthur's fellowship. In January 1344, following a grand jousting festival, Edward swore a corporal oath with approximately 40 knights to establish a new order modeled on the Round Table, binding them in Arthurian-style vows of loyalty and mutual aid amid his campaigns in France; this included plans for a circular hall to house 300 knights, though the full order evolved into the Order of the Garter by 1348. These Windsor jousts featured equal participation in melees, with no assigned precedence, reinforcing the Round Table's theme of brotherhood.^[42] French tournaments in the 14th century also adopted Round Table elements, incorporating theatrical pavilions and knightly personas from Arthurian romance. The 1390 tournament at Saint-Inglevert near Calais, organized by three French knights including Boucicaut, featured round pavilions symbolizing equality and roles mimicking Lancelot and Gawain, as challengers from across Europe faced the hosts in a month-long pas d'armes that blended combat with diplomatic feasting during a truce in the Hundred Years' War.^[51] Chronicled by Jean Froissart, this event highlighted the Round Table's enduring influence on chivalric manuals and narratives, portraying tournaments as noble spectacles of honor and skill.^[53] By the late 15th century, the Round Table-inspired tournament format declined sharply due to the rise of gunpowder weapons, which rendered traditional melee and jousting obsolete in warfare and shifted focus to more theatrical, less martial displays.^[51] Despite this, Froissart's chronicles preserved their legacy, influencing later chivalric texts that idealized equality and unity in knightly gatherings, ensuring the Round Table's model persisted in cultural memory even as practical tournaments waned.^[54]

Modern Interpretations

In the Victorian era, Alfred Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King (1859–1885) revived the Round Table as a symbol of democratic equality and moral order, contrasting the chivalric fellowship with the social upheavals of industrialization and imperial expansion. Tennyson depicted the table as a unifying force under Arthur's leadership, emphasizing themes of brotherhood and justice to address contemporary anxieties about class division and national unity. This poetic cycle, drawing on medieval sources but reimagining them for a modern audience, influenced public perceptions of Arthurian legend as a blueprint for ethical governance. Twentieth-century literature further adapted the Round Table to explore egalitarian politics and gender dynamics. T.H. White's The Once and Future King (1958) portrayed the table as a model for merit-based democracy, where knights like Lancelot and Gawain collaborate without hierarchy, critiquing authoritarianism in the lead-up to World War II. Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon (1983) offered a feminist reinterpretation, centering female perspectives and reimagining the table's unity as a patriarchal construct disrupted by women's agency, thus challenging traditional chivalric narratives. These works highlighted the table's versatility in addressing modern social issues, from political equality to gender roles. In film and television, the Round Table has been visualized to emphasize communal bonds in contemporary storytelling. John Boorman's Excalibur (1981) dramatized the table as a mystical emblem of knightly solidarity, with its circular design underscoring themes of fate and collective destiny amid visual spectacles of medieval warfare. The BBC series Merlin (2008–2012) modernized these dynamics by portraying the table's fellowship through youthful camaraderie and moral dilemmas, adapting the legend for a global audience while retaining its core ideal of inclusive leadership. Contemporary society continues to draw on the Round Table's equality metaphor in practical and cultural contexts. The term "round table" in corporate meetings and discussions derives directly from the Arthurian symbol of non-hierarchical dialogue, promoting collaborative decision-making in business and diplomacy since the mid-20th century. Global Arthurian societies, such as the International Arthurian Society founded in 1948, host themed events and conferences that reinterpret the table's legacy, fostering scholarly and performative engagements with its themes of unity. Recent post-2000 scholarship has examined postcolonial dimensions, interpreting the table as a metaphor for imposed colonial unity in African American adaptations, such as in Tracy Deonn's Legendborn cycle (2020–2023), which blends Arthurian motifs with Black girl magic and critiques systemic racism and imperial legacies.

References

[1]
Frequently Asked Questions about the Arthurian Legends
What is the Round Table? The twelfth-century chronicler Wace first introduces the notion of the Round Table, which he says Arthur had made so that all of the ...
[2]
Round Table (Arthurian legend) | Research Starters - EBSCO
The Round Table appeared in the Arthurian legends as the place where the British king Arthur met with his warriors. In the tales dating from the fifth century, ...
[3]
[PDF] The Development of Arthurian Legends
The Arthurian legend began with a brief mention of Arthur, evolved through hundreds of years, and culminated with Malory's Morte d'Arthur, reflecting medieval ...
[4]
[PDF] How the Figure of King Arthur Shaped a National Identity and the ...
Arthurian scholar Geoffrey Ashe has proposed several theories about the origins of the Arthurian legend, even writing that “The Arthurian Legend, however.
[5]
King Arthur's Round Table: An Archaeological Investigation
Aug 9, 2025 · The Arthurian round table, which hangs in the great hall at Winchester Castle, was probably made in 1290 for a royal tournament of King ...
[6]
King Arthur in History and Legend - jstor
Round Table, not mentioned by Geoffrey, of whic. Bretons tell many tales. Arthur's purpose in establishin preserve equality among his vassals so that none ...
[7]
[PDF] Wace The “Arthurian” Portion of the Roman de Brut
Near this lake, in this very country, lies a water held in a cup, not round but square. ... praiseworthy, Arthur made the Round Table, so reputed of the Britons.Missing: quote | Show results with:quote
[8]
Arthur's round Table - jstor
familiarly referred to than Arthur's Round Table. From. 1155 when Wace first mentioned it down to the present day the Round Table has symbolized the idea of ...
[9]
The Round Table - Vault
The Round Table is a medieval invention, possibly from early Christian altars, symbolizing fellowship, peace, and a place for knights from all countries. It ...
[10]
the influence of celtic myth and religion on the arthurian legends
Apr 30, 2004 · This thesis will establish three tracts from which the Arthurian legends derive their roots from Celtic mythology and Celtic Christianity.
[11]
https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=utk_interstp2
[12]
Layamon's "Brut", the Earliest Source of the Legends of King Arthur ...
The first work in the English language to discuss the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
[13]
[PDF] Fairies, Arthur, and Ideal Kingship in Lawman's Brut
Round Table “not as a threat but as a source of truth. Negotiating the very multivocality that Wace blames is the hopeful act of the truth seeker” (32) ...
[14]
Lancelot-Grail 10: Chapter Summaries for the Vulgate and Post ...
It consists of five works: the longest is Lancelot, a kind of chivalric history of the Round Table, which leads into the quest for the Grail and Arthur's death.
[15]
Merlin's Conception by Devil in William Rowley's Play - jstor
Jul 6, 2018 · through the Vulgate Cycle version that Merlin's French romance conception ... Round Table tournaments, Prince Arthur, and refurbished Round ...
[16]
The Search for the Holy Grail: Scholars, Critics and Occultists - jstor
and adds the Siege Perilous for the successful grail- seeker. Merlin ... Press, 1989. Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur. Intro, by Sir John. Rhys ...
[17]
[PDF] LE MORTE DARTHUR AND MALORIAN TRAGEDY By EMILY
Morte was always going to end with Arthur and. Mordred's final battle and the destruction of the Round Table. Malory's challenge was to arrive at that moment ...
[18]
King Arthur and His Round Table | Robbins Library Digital Projects
"Arturum expectare" is no longer a taunting proverb. Arthur is come again! Bardic prophecy and popular tradition, after all, spoke truly.
[19]
Gawain | Hero of Arthurian Legend - Britannica
Oct 11, 2025 · A nephew and loyal supporter of King Arthur, Gawain appeared ... Arthur's knightly fellowship (the Knights of the Round Table). Using ...
[20]
Lancelot of the Lake - Nightbringer.se
In some versions of the legend, one of Lancelot's first tasks as a knight was to fetch Arthur's bride, Guenevere, to Camelot for their wedding. During this ...
[21]
The Siege Perilous | Robbins Library Digital Projects
The Siege Perilous is a seat at Arthur's Round Table for a chosen knight, often Galahad, and is linked to the Grail Table. It is also called the Feared Seat.Missing: primary source
[22]
Tristan - Nightbringer.se
Notable new elements include his friendship with knights such as Lancelot, Dinadan, and Lamorat, his appointment to the Round Table, his love-hate relationship ...
[23]
Round Table - Nightbringer.se
It is first mentioned by Wace in Roman de Brut, who says that Arthur seated his knights at a round table to avoid disputes about precedence; since there is no ...
[24]
Mordred the Traitor - Nightbringer.se
Mordred was a knight who rebelled against Arthur, causing his downfall. He was Arthur's nephew, and later, in some accounts, his son, and became a traitor.
[25]
Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of ...
Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; ...
[26]
(PDF) On King Arthur's Oath and Malory's Conception of Chivalry
Abstract. Early in Malory's Morte d'Arthur, King Arthur makes his knights swear an oath to abide by the standards he expects of them.
[27]
Embodied Justice in Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte Darthur" - jstor
with describing just and unjust actions and their consequences and exp the terms of embodied justice through oaths. The oath depending upon the body's faith ...
[28]
Le Morte Darthur / by Syr Thomas Malory ; the original edition of William Caxton now reprinted and edited with an introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer ; with an essay on Malory's prose style by Andrew Lang | Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections
### Oaths and Rules for the Grail Quest from "The Tale of the Sankgreal" (Book Eleven, Le Morte Darthur)
[29]
[PDF] ISSUES OF TOURNAMENT AND IDENTITY IN THE CHIVALRIC ...
Malory's chivalric world of tournaments and quests remains in a liminal area that folds history and romance into a unified whole. Le Morte's uncertainties all ...
[30]
The Death of King Arthur | Research Starters - EBSCO
Cracks continue to fissure the Round Table when Lancelot kills thirteen knights, including Agravain, in his escape from Guinevere's chambers.
[31]
[PDF] Le Morte Darthur and the Extratextual Significance of Prophecy ...
Prophecy is the driving force of Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur. The Morte emerged from a tradition of prophecy that existed long before its creation, and.
[32]
The Round Table | Robbins Library Digital Projects
In the Vulgate Queste del Saint Graal, the Round Table is said to represent the world, a significance supported by the fact that knights come to it from all the ...Missing: 150 primary source
[33]
(PDF) Re-examining Wace's Round Table - Academia.edu
This paper re-examines Wace's so-called 'invention' of the Round Table, the generally accepted notion that Wace's description of Arthur's Round Table in the ...
[34]
[PDF] The Book of Kyng Arthur: The Unity of Malory's Morte Darthur - CORE
The tragic consequences of the Lancelot-. Guinevere affair are best seen as resulting from a struggle between the adulterous courtly love of the last days of ...
[35]
Knights of the Round Table: Knighthood in History vs. Medieval ...
Jan 27, 2023 · This paper compares fictional knights in Arthurian literature to real knights in England and France, focusing on the historical reality of the ...
[36]
Historical Context: The Middle Ages and the Code of Chivalry
### Summary of Historical Context of Chivalry in Middle Ages Related to Arthurian Legend
[37]
[PDF] Nostalgia for the Failed Ideals of Arthurian Legend
This dissertation examines nostalgia for the ideals of King Arthur's court as represented in medieval versions of Arthurian legend.
[38]
[PDF] The Unbought Grace of Life: Chivalry in Western Literature
Thus the chivalric literature of the period demonstrates that the Catholic Church's project of creating warriors for Christ had evolved even further to control ...
[39]
[PDF] CHIVALRY AND THE HEROIC KNIGHT IN ARTHURIAN TRADITION
While most modern Arthurian interpretations focus on romantic love over the brotherly love of the Round Table, the medieval versions show greater declarations ...
[40]
The Order of the Garter - College of St George
In 1344 Edward III made a spectacular demonstration of his interest in Arthurian legend during a massive joust at Windsor. On this occasion he promised to ...Missing: sources | Show results with:sources
[41]
Edward III's Abandoned Order of the Round Table (I)
On Thursday, 22 January 1344, rounding off in grand style a lavish tournament at Windsor Castle, King Edward III of England (r. 1327–1377) swore a 'corporal ...
[42]
A Tournament at Windsor (1344) - Original Sources
On the Thursday following the tournament of the sons, the lord king gave a banquet at which he founded the order of the Round Table, and under a certain form ...
[43]
Elfinspell: Cheney, The Culmination of the Reign of Edward III
ĪIn the year 1344, the king, Edward III, ordered a great tournament to be held on the nineteenth day of January in the place of his birth, that is, in the ...
[44]
Windsor castle: Architectural history
In February 1343–4 Edward III began a hall or house for a proposed order of the Round Table and the work continued for forty weeks, hundreds of men being ...
[45]
In Search of the Once and Future King: The Soul of Chivalry
Nov 5, 2020 · Edward III, fastidiously adorned in the trappings and iconography ... 1344 with the formation of the Order of the Round Table. By 1344 ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[46]
King Arthur's Round Table: An Archaeological Investigation
Built in the reign of Edward I, it was probably the centrepiece of a feast held at Winchester after a forgotten tournament celebrating marriage plans for the ...Missing: summary | Show results with:summary
[47]
The Round Table of Knights Fame - Atlas Obscura
Aug 4, 2016 · Constructed from English oak dates in the later years of the 13th century, the round tabletop hangs in the Great Hall of Winchester Castle, ...
[48]
Project MUSE - <i>King Arthur's Round Table
King Arthur's Round Table is a fascinating and complex account ofthat investigation and its conclusions. All angles are covered, from the Table's literary ...Missing: significance | Show results with:significance
[49]
Arthur's Round Table - BBC Learning English - Beyond the postcard
The table was painted (or, just possibly, re-painted) in 1520, on the instructions of King Henry VIII. Indeed, there are those who say that the face of the ...
[50]
'And the Crowds Went Wild!': Tournaments in the Middle Ages
Jun 25, 2022 · The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw gunpowder weapons evolving into the normal weapons of warfare. Charging with a lance was not ...Missing: Froissart | Show results with:Froissart
[51]
When Knights were Bold by E. M. Tappan - Heritage History
There is one at Beaucaire in France seven hundred years old, where all sorts ... KING ARTHUR'S ROUND TABLE. At this point, the story of Arthur and his ...
[52]
Rubbing the wrong face in the dirt - of Mortimer, King Arthur and ...
Feb 21, 2018 · In 1279, Roger the elder hosted a magnificent Round Table tournament at Kenilworth Castle. The event was a huge success, with both King Edward I ...
[53]
The Tournament at Saint-Inglevert (1390): Chivalry, Diplomacy and ...
Jul 19, 2024 · In March and April 1390, three French knights jousted against over one hundred knights and squires who had travelled from across Europe to challenge them.Missing: Noiron | Show results with:Noiron
[54]
[PDF] Knight's Tournaments in England and France from the 11th to the ...
For example, Froissart's Chronicle depicts the St. Inglever Tournament of 1389, where a barrier separating rivals was presented. In fact, the barrier was put ...