Britain in the Age of Arthur

Britain in the Age of Arthur
Author: Ilkka Syvanne
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2017-03-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781473895201

King Arthur is one of the most controversial topics of early British history. Are the legends based on a real historical figure or pure mythological invention? Ilkka Syvanne's study breaks new ground, adopting a novel approach to the sources by starting with the assumption that Arthur existed and that Geoffrey of Monmouth's account has preserved details of his career that are based on real events. He then interprets these by using 'common sense' and the perspective of a specialist in late Roman military history to form a probable picture of what really happened during the period (roughly AD 400-550). This approach allows the author to test the entire literary evidence for the existence of Arthur to see if the supposed events of his career match what is known of the events of the period, the conclusion being that in general they do. Arthur's military career is set in the context of the wider military history of Britain and Europe in this period and along the way describes the nature of armies and warfare of the period.

The Age of Arthur

The Age of Arthur
Author: John Morris
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Total Pages: 665
Release: 1993
Genre: Britons
ISBN: 9780297813750

The classic work on the Arthurian era and its fundamental role in the birth of Britain today.

The First Kingdom

The First Kingdom
Author: Max Adams
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2021-02-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 1788543467

The bestselling author of The King in the North turns his attention to the obscure era of British history known as 'the age of Arthur'. 'Not just a valuable book, but a distinctive one as well' Tom Holland, Sunday Times 'An accessible and illuminating book' Gerard de Groot, The Times 'A fascinating picture of Britain's new-found independence' This England Somewhere between the departure of the Roman legions in the early fifth century and the arrival of Augustine's Christian mission at the end of the sixth, the kingdoms of Early Medieval Britain were formed. But by whom? And out of what? The First Kingdom is a skilfully wrought investigation of this mysterious epoch, synthesizing archaeological research carried out over the last forty years to tease out reality from the myth. Max Adams presents an image of post-Roman Britain whose resolution is high enough to show the emergence of distinct political structures in the sixth century – polities that survive long enough to be embedded in the medieval landscape, recorded in the lines of river, road and watershed, and memorialized in place names.

Arthur's Britain

Arthur's Britain
Author: Leslie Alcock
Publisher: Viking Press
Total Pages: 437
Release: 1990
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780140136050

This book assembles a wealth of information about the Arthur of history by delving into the shadowy period of the past in which he lived. Drawing on evidence from both written adn archaeological sources, Leslie Alcock sifts history from fiction to take us back to life between the fourth and seventh centuries, a time of warfare and feuding, when Celtic Britain had shaken off Roman rule, and fell victim to floods of raiding Scots, Picts, and Anglo-Saxons. He also provides details on how the Britons lived, worshipped, dressed and fought, to create a vivid picture of the Arthurian age and its warrior hero.

British Forts in the Age of Arthur

British Forts in the Age of Arthur
Author: Angus Konstam
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008-11-18
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781846033629

When the Romans left Britain around AD 410 the island had not been fully subjugated. In the Celtic fringes the unconquered native peoples were presented with the opportunity to pillage what remained of Roman Britain. By way of response the Post-Roman Britons did their best to defend themselves from attack, and to preserve what they could of the systems left behind by the Romans. The best way to defend their territory was to create fortifications. While some old Roman forts were maintained, the Post-Roman Britons also created new strongholds, or re-occupied some of the long-abandoned hill-forts first built by their ancestors before the coming of the Romans. Packed with photographs, diagrams and full color artwork reconstructions, this book provides a unique examination of the design and development of the fortifications during the Age of Arthur, analyzing their day-to-day use and their effectiveness in battle. It closely describes the locations that are linked to the most famous warlord of the Dark Ages, the legendary Arthur - Tintagel, Cadbury and "Camelot". Although these great bastions were to eventually fall, for a few brief decades they succeeded in stemming the tide of invasion and in doing so safeguarding the culture and civilization of Post-Roman Celtic Britain.

Arthur and the Kings of Britain

Arthur and the Kings of Britain
Author: Miles Russell
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
Total Pages: 455
Release: 2017-03-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 1445662752

A fresh look at the text which introduced for the first time some of the key figures in British myth and legend.

The Discovery of King Arthur

The Discovery of King Arthur
Author: Geoffrey Ashe
Publisher: Macmillan
Total Pages: 262
Release: 1987-01-15
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780805001150

The author offers convincing proof that King Arthur existed by tracing the legend of King Arthur to its roots in the 12th century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars

Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars
Author: David Nicolle
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 1984-03-26
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780850455489

The Arthurian Age; the Celtic Twilight; the Dark Ages; the Birth of England; these are the powerfully romantic names often given to one of the most confused yet vital periods in British history. It is an era upon which rival Celtic and English nationalisms frequently fought. It was also a period of settlement, and of the sword. This absorbing volume by David Nicolle transports us to an England shrouded in mystery and beset by savage conflict, a land which played host to one of the most enduring figures of our history – Arthur.

Britain A.D.

Britain A.D.
Author: Francis Pryor
Publisher: HarperCollins (UK)
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2004
Genre: History
ISBN:

In this book, which accompanies and expands on his Channel 4 television series, leading archaeologist Francis Pryor retells the story of King Arthur, legendary king of the Britons, tracing it back to its Bronze Age originsThe legend of King Arthur and Camelot is one of the most enduring in Britain's history, spanning centuries and surviving invasions by Angles, Vikings and Normans. In his latest book Francis Pryor -- one of Britain's most celebrated archaeologists and author of the acclaimed Britain BC and Seahenge -- traces the story of Arthur back to its ancient origins. Putting forth the compelling idea that most of the key elements of the Arthurian legends are deeply rooted in Bronze and Iron Ages (the sword Excalibur, the Lady of the Lake, the Sword in the Stone and so on), Pryor argues that the legends' survival mirrors a flourishing, indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain, and the subsequent invasions of the so-called Dark Ages.

Myth and National Identity in Nineteenth-Century Britain

Myth and National Identity in Nineteenth-Century Britain
Author: Stephanie Barczewski
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2000-03-02
Genre: History
ISBN: 0191542733

Scholars have become increasingly interested in how modern national consciousness comes into being through fictional narratives. Literature is of particular importance to this process, for it is responsible for tracing the nations evolution through glorious tales of its history. In nineteenth-century Britain, the legends of King Arthur and Robin Hood played an important role in construction of contemporary national identity. These two legends provide excellent windows through which to view British culture, because they provide very different perspectives. King Arthur and Robin Hood have traditionally been diametrically opposed in terms of their ideological orientation. The former is a king, a man at the pinnacle of the social and political hierarchy, whereas the latter is an outlaw, and is therefore completely outside conventional hierarchical structures. The fact that two such different figures could simultaneously function as British national heroes suggests that nineteenth-century British nationalism did not represent a single set of values and ideas, but rather that it was forced to assimilate a variety of competing points of view.