The session covered:
The historical context and where he would fit in to what is known of the people, social and political structures and the geographical location of people and tribes of the time.
There are no surviving early written references to Arthur at a time when the Romans and others kept good records.
When looking at historical records it is important to consider what influences there may be on the writer and their interpretation of events.
There are myths and legends of King Arthur and his followers in Europe as well as Britain.
Traders, warriors, settlers, entertainers etc. moved freely around the west coast of Britain in the time period. There is an oral tradition of a great warrior hero in the centuries after 500AD which originated in the North of England and down the West Coast 5th C onwards. Stories of Arthur and resistance appear 960 onwards, 400 years after he may have lived.
There was a discussion on two written references to Arthur in the British Historical Miscellany Welsh Annals. The first was to the Battle of Badon in 518 AD and the second to the strife of Camlann in 539 AD which is a long time period after the battle Badon. Some sources put the battle of Camlann even later which would mean a very long time frame of 21+ plus years between the two battles. The Miscellany is probably dated c960-970 AD so is from over 400 years after the events recorded. The consensus is it at least records an early tradition of a warrior called Arthur at the Battle of Badon.
At the next session we shall look at Nennius and the History of the Britons.
Last Updated on October 4, 2018