King Arthur, Death and Burial

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The earliest sources show us polar opposite concepts of his death, originating from the local Arthurian folk-tales from the 10th century at the latest. Early legends of the King, allow the possibility for him to return and claim, that he is sleeping in a magical cave until Britain is in need of him again. Several candidates for the cave he is in are, Alderley Edge and King Arthur's Cave close to the town of Ganarew. Some writers even say that he transformed into a raven.

 

The whole idea of King Arthur never dying is depicted in the Black Book of Carmarthens of the mid to the late 9th-century. The poem is a record of the burial locations of ancient and medieval heroes, named as belonging ‘to legend and folklore rather than history’. The concept of Arthur’s return was spread far and wide by the 12th-century and was recorded in Breton, Welsh and Cornish folk lore.

 

So two different traditions have emerged. Either he was killed in battle or he is still alive in Avalon, waiting to be needed by the British. The ‘still alive’ version of the ancient story is the early version while the ‘killed in battle’ version arose later in history.

The third, strange account of the story is that King Arthur turned into a raven, however this bird is strongly linked with myths and legends.

 

The Early Story of the death of King Arthur

 

In the fifteenth century, a man Sir Thomas Malory told the story of Arthur’s

birth, his triumphs, his friendship with Merlin and his unrequited death.

 

Arthur began searching for Lancelot and Guinevere and were found at

Lancelot’s castle located in Whales. After months of Arthur's men laying siege

to Lancelot’s castle, peace was reached where his wife Guinevere would return

to Arthur and Lancelot would be sent to France, in exile.

 

Arthur however, was still angered. Lancelot, his best friend, his best knight had

betrayed him in the most unimaginable way possible and wanted his revenge.

He trailed Lancelot into France, leaving his son Mordred in charge of Camelot.

Arthur soon received the news he feared most of all: In his absence, Mordred

had declared himself king and taken Guinevere as his queen. Now, for this

reason, Arthur had no choice but to return to Camelot to defend his kingdom from his own son.

 

In a dream that Arthur had one night, he was warned to not fight Mordred straight away, so instead he sent messengers into Mordred’s camp to try and negotiate. During their negotiation, one of Mordred's men was bitten by an adder (A European Viper). As the soldier drew his sword to kill the venomous snake, the sun reflected off his blade. Both Mordred and Arthur’s armies mistook this as a sign that someone had drawn their sword

to fight, causing the battle to commence.

 

The battle continued through the day and by nightfall, every last man was fighting for their lives. In the commotion, Arthur had let go of Excalibur and it’s scabbard (a sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger, typically made of leather or metal.). Looking up and seeing Mordred, he picked up a spear and charged at him with full force while Mordred charged back with a sword. The sword moved forward and severed Arthur’s skull just as Arthur drove his spear through his son’s heart.  

 

As Arthur fell to the floor, dying from the injury sustained by his son, his last request was that Excalibur and the scabbard would be thrown back into the lake from where they originated.  

 

Out of the bottom of the lake, Three Fairy Queens appeared. They moved Arthur’s body onto a barge (boat) and accompanied him, sailing off to the magical Isle of Avalon to cure him of his wounds from battle. Some say he still lies there, sleeping inside a hollow hill, and that one day he will awaken to defend Britain, When Britain is in need of him, when they need their true king.