chapter six summary

Author: * Walensis Volcae - 25 Posts on this thread out of 64 Posts sitewide.
Date: May 28, 2004 - 08:57

* We have examined the few historical sources which cover the late fifth and early sixth centuries, the period that King Arthur is thought to have lived, in search of hard evidence for his existence. One battle in which Arthur is to said have fought, historically occured, and two warriors associated with him are known to have existed.

1. There are two important Anglo-Saxon historical sources that cover the dark ages: the Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People), written by the monk Bede around 731, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, compiled during the reign of Alfred the Great, between 871-899, seemingly under Alfred's personal supervision. The fact that neither work contains reference to Arthur has long cast a shadow of doubt over his historical authenticity. However, Bede may not mention Arthur because he was writing an ecclesiastical history of the Saxons, whereas the Chronicle was Alfred's attempt to promote the successful exploits of his own Saxon ancestors.

2. The most important work in the search for King Arthur, the De Excidio Conquestu Britanniae (On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain), was written by the monk Gildas in the mid-sixth century. Gildas fails to mention Arthur, although he does verify the victory of the Britons at the battle of Badon without naming the leader.

3. Writing just before Geoffrey, William of Malmesbury is a reliable historian. In the Gesta Regum Anglorum he tells us that Arthur aided the warrior Ambrosius Aurelianus in fighting the Angles. Ambrosius is named by Gildas as the leader of the Britons who launched a successful counter-offensive against the Saxon invaders sometime during the 460s or 470s. William of Malmesbury also says that Arthur triumphed at the siege of Mount Badon.

4. The Annales Cambriae were completed in the 950s. Regrettably, the Annales are little more than a list of dates, coupled with brief notations. However, there are two entries relating to Arthur: the first in 518, says that Arthur was victorious at the battle of Badon; the second in 539 saying that Arthur and Medraut perished in the battle of Camlann.

5. The Historia Brittonum was compiled sometime around 830. Written by a monk named Nennius, it tells us that Arthur fought against the Saxons on the death of the Saxon King Hengist, who, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle confirms, died in 488. Nennius also provides a list of twelve battles in which Arthur fought, including the battle of Badon. The most surprising element in Nennius is that he does not refer to Arthur as a King, but simply as a 'warrior' who was merely a 'leader of battles'.

6. From the Historia Brittonum, the Annales Cambriae and the Gesta Regum Anglorum, we discover that Arthur was a warrior who lead the Britons against the Anglo-Saxons during the late fifth or early sixth centuries. Three elements these documents collectively associate with Arthur provide good evidence of his existence: The battle of Badon, the British leader Ambrosius and the Saxon warrior Hengist. Badon and Ambrosius are both mentioned by Bede, and more importantly by Gildas, who wrote within living memory of the period in question, while Hengist is referred to by Bede and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.