Le Morte DLe Morte D’’ Arthur Arthur

The story of King Arthur begins with his The story of King Arthur begins with his father, father, Uther PendragonUther Pendragon, the High King of , the High King of Britain. Britain.

The office of High King was created so that all The office of High King was created so that all the little kingdoms and duchies of Britain the little kingdoms and duchies of Britain could unite under one leader in their fight could unite under one leader in their fight against the invading Saxons.against the invading Saxons.

After a decisive victory over the Saxons, After a decisive victory over the Saxons, Uther decided to have a celebration to which Uther decided to have a celebration to which all the kings and dukes of Britain could all the kings and dukes of Britain could attend. attend.

The most powerful of these was The most powerful of these was Gorlois Gorlois Terrible, or the Duke of CornwallTerrible, or the Duke of Cornwall, a man , a man in his forties who was married to the most in his forties who was married to the most beautiful woman in all Britain, beautiful woman in all Britain, YgraineYgraine. .

Duke Gorlois Terrible bragged that he had the most Duke Gorlois Terrible bragged that he had the most beautiful wife, and he made his wife dance for all of the beautiful wife, and he made his wife dance for all of the men.men.

Uther fell in love with Ygraine, and his actions (sitting her Uther fell in love with Ygraine, and his actions (sitting her beside him at all the banquets, leading all the dances beside him at all the banquets, leading all the dances with her, and other things) made Gorlois so jealous that with her, and other things) made Gorlois so jealous that he violated one rule of court – never leave without the he violated one rule of court – never leave without the permission on the king.permission on the king.

Gorlois took Ygraine to Gorlois took Ygraine to his stronghold of his stronghold of Tintagel (located on a Tintagel (located on a rocky spit of land rocky spit of land connected to the connected to the mainland by a narrow mainland by a narrow causeway), and then causeway), and then he gathered his army he gathered his army to await the arrival of to await the arrival of Uther.Uther.

Uther gathered his army to Uther gathered his army to punish Gorlois, first for punish Gorlois, first for showing disrespect to the showing disrespect to the office of High King, and office of High King, and second for taking Ygraine second for taking Ygraine away. away.

Uther was obsessed with Uther was obsessed with Ygraine. He had had other Ygraine. He had had other women, but none inflamed his women, but none inflamed his passion as she had. passion as she had.

He sought help from He sought help from Merlin the Merlin the MagicianMagician who was skilled at who was skilled at deception, magic, and deception, magic, and foresight. foresight.

Merlin agreed to help Uther on Merlin agreed to help Uther on one condition – the child one condition – the child conceived during the night conceived during the night Uther spent with Ygraine would Uther spent with Ygraine would be given to Merlin to raise.be given to Merlin to raise.

Merlin had discovered not only that Gorlois Merlin had discovered not only that Gorlois would slip away from his army once or twice would slip away from his army once or twice a week to spend the night with Ygraine, but a week to spend the night with Ygraine, but also the watchwords that would allow one also the watchwords that would allow one access to Tintagel. access to Tintagel.

So, using magic and make up, Merlin got So, using magic and make up, Merlin got Uther into the castle about midnight.Uther into the castle about midnight.

Three hours later Uther left, but soon after, Three hours later Uther left, but soon after, a message came from Gorloisa message came from Gorlois’’ army – at army – at midnight he had attacked Uthermidnight he had attacked Uther’’s camp s camp and had been killed. and had been killed.

Then who, the folk of the castle wondered, Then who, the folk of the castle wondered, had been with Ygraine? had been with Ygraine?

It must have been GorloisIt must have been Gorlois’’ spirit, held to spirit, held to earth by his love for her for one more tryst.earth by his love for her for one more tryst.

Uther was furious with Uther was furious with Merlin – why did he not Merlin – why did he not tell Uther that Gorlois tell Uther that Gorlois would die so soon? would die so soon?

Because, said Merlin, Because, said Merlin, the child that would be the child that would be the greatest king of the greatest king of Britain had to have Britain had to have been conceived that been conceived that night.night.

True to his word, Uther True to his word, Uther gave the baby – Arthur gave the baby – Arthur – to Merlin. – to Merlin.

After all, reasoned After all, reasoned Uther, he and Ygraine Uther, he and Ygraine could have more could have more children. children.

So Merlin took the baby to Northumbria to a So Merlin took the baby to Northumbria to a poor but loyal knight, poor but loyal knight, Sir EctorSir Ector, who agreed to , who agreed to raise the child with his own son raise the child with his own son KayKay. .

So Arthur grew up safe in the north of Britain, So Arthur grew up safe in the north of Britain, never knowing his family.never knowing his family.

Meanwhile, Uther and Ygraine had no more Meanwhile, Uther and Ygraine had no more living children, and Uther grew old fighting the living children, and Uther grew old fighting the Saxons. Saxons.

Uther knew he needed an heir so that the kings Uther knew he needed an heir so that the kings and dukes of Britain would not squabble over and dukes of Britain would not squabble over who would be the next High King when he died – who would be the next High King when he died – doing so would leave Britain open to attack. doing so would leave Britain open to attack.

Merlin promised Uther that the Britons Merlin promised Uther that the Britons would accept Arthur as the rightful king.would accept Arthur as the rightful king.

He and the Bishop of London took He and the Bishop of London took UtherUther’’s sword, engraved it with the words s sword, engraved it with the words ““He who pulls this sword from this stone is He who pulls this sword from this stone is rightwise the king of England,rightwise the king of England,”” and made it and made it pierce an anvil and a stone set up in a pierce an anvil and a stone set up in a churchyard in London.churchyard in London.

When Uther died, all the kings and dukes When Uther died, all the kings and dukes and knights came from the length and and knights came from the length and breadth of England to try pulling the sword breadth of England to try pulling the sword from the stone – but it would not budge.from the stone – but it would not budge.

So the decision was So the decision was made to hold a made to hold a tournament, the winner tournament, the winner of which would be the of which would be the High King, for the High King, for the Saxons were delighted Saxons were delighted that their nemesis that their nemesis Uther was dead and Uther was dead and were preparing to were preparing to invade. invade.

Sir Ector brought his boys Sir Ector brought his boys to the tournament. Kay to the tournament. Kay had become a knight, and had become a knight, and Arthur was his squire. Arthur was his squire.

Arthur, knowing nothing of Arthur, knowing nothing of his family, was content his family, was content with his lot as a squire, with his lot as a squire, knowing that without the knowing that without the proper family background proper family background he could never be a knight.he could never be a knight.

On the first day of the tournament, Arthur prepared On the first day of the tournament, Arthur prepared KayKay’’s equipment – but there was no sword! s equipment – but there was no sword!

Arthur had left it at the inn! Arthur had left it at the inn! He raced back, but everybody was at the He raced back, but everybody was at the

tournament and the inn was locked! tournament and the inn was locked! Racing back, he noticed in a churchyard a sword Racing back, he noticed in a churchyard a sword

sticking out of an anvil. sticking out of an anvil. He tried to pull the sword from the stone; it He tried to pull the sword from the stone; it

wiggled, then pulled it out and took it to Kay.wiggled, then pulled it out and took it to Kay.

At the tournament, the knights recognized the sword, but At the tournament, the knights recognized the sword, but they disbelieved that Arthur had pulled it. they disbelieved that Arthur had pulled it.

They marched him back to the churchyard and had him They marched him back to the churchyard and had him replace the sword; then, one by one, they all tried to pull it replace the sword; then, one by one, they all tried to pull it out, but failed. out, but failed.

Arthur then pulled it out. (In some versions of the story, Arthur then pulled it out. (In some versions of the story, they made him pull the sword three separate times.) they made him pull the sword three separate times.)

Merlin and the Bishop of London explained to the crowd Merlin and the Bishop of London explained to the crowd who Arthur was, and they accepted him as the High King.who Arthur was, and they accepted him as the High King.

Soon after, the Saxons invaded, and the Soon after, the Saxons invaded, and the Britons, united under Arthur, defeated them. Britons, united under Arthur, defeated them.

In the celebration following their victory, In the celebration following their victory, Arthur, like many of the men, enjoyed the Arthur, like many of the men, enjoyed the company of a woman. company of a woman.

However, this was a disaster, for the woman However, this was a disaster, for the woman was was MorgauseMorgause, Arthur, Arthur’’s half sister. s half sister.

He had no knowledge of her existence, He had no knowledge of her existence, but she knew of his, and she was but she knew of his, and she was determined to lead him into a sin that determined to lead him into a sin that would give her control over him.would give her control over him.

Merlin discovered them the morning Merlin discovered them the morning after. Arthur, ashamed at what he had after. Arthur, ashamed at what he had innocently done, believed that Morgause innocently done, believed that Morgause was just as innocent as he. was just as innocent as he.

Merlin knew her conniving nature, Merlin knew her conniving nature, however, and arranged for her marriage however, and arranged for her marriage to King Lot of the Orkney Islands in the to King Lot of the Orkney Islands in the extreme North.extreme North.

Arthur spent most of the Arthur spent most of the next fifteen years driving next fifteen years driving the Saxons from Britainthe Saxons from Britain’’s s shores and establishing shores and establishing peace with his neighbors.peace with his neighbors.

It was now time for him to It was now time for him to marry and get himself an marry and get himself an heir. heir.

As part of a peace treaty As part of a peace treaty with a Welsh king, Arthur with a Welsh king, Arthur married married GuinevereGuinevere, with , with whom he was in love. whom he was in love.

She, although she She, although she loved him as a good loved him as a good man and a great king, man and a great king, was not was not inin love with love with him. him.

This caused great This caused great problems later with the problems later with the arrival of the French arrival of the French knight knight LancelotLancelot who, who, hearing of the great hearing of the great deeds of Arthur and deeds of Arthur and his court, wished to be his court, wished to be part of it. part of it.

Guinevere and Guinevere and Lancelot fell in love, Lancelot fell in love, but they could do but they could do nothing about it. nothing about it.

There was no such There was no such thing as divorce, and a thing as divorce, and a queen in love with a queen in love with a man other than her man other than her husband is guilty of husband is guilty of treason, punishable by treason, punishable by burning at the stake.burning at the stake.

All went well for years until the arrival of All went well for years until the arrival of MordredMordred, son of Morgana. , son of Morgana.

The world and King Lot believed Mordred The world and King Lot believed Mordred was Lotwas Lot’’s son, but he was Arthurs son, but he was Arthur’’s.s.

Arthur, once more Arthur, once more filled with the guilt of filled with the guilt of his great sin, declared his great sin, declared that, since he and that, since he and Guinevere had no Guinevere had no children, Mordred children, Mordred would be his heir.would be his heir.

Mordred was just as conniving Mordred was just as conniving as his mother who had raised as his mother who had raised him to hate Arthur.him to hate Arthur.

Finding out the secret Finding out the secret of Guinevere and of Guinevere and LancelotLancelot’’s love, s love, Mordred arranged for Mordred arranged for them to be caught them to be caught alone together on a alone together on a night when Arthur was night when Arthur was away on a hunt. away on a hunt.

Lancelot fought his Lancelot fought his way to freedom, way to freedom, killing a few knights killing a few knights during his flight. during his flight.

In France, he raised an army to rescue In France, he raised an army to rescue Guinevere who had been condemned to be Guinevere who had been condemned to be burnt at the stake for her treasonous love. burnt at the stake for her treasonous love.

Depositing her at a nunnery, Lancelot went Depositing her at a nunnery, Lancelot went back to France with his army to await back to France with his army to await ArthurArthur’’s army. s army.