Arthur, King of the Britons

Arthur (probably 6th century), King of the Britons. Arthur was a leader of the Britons.

He led them in the wars against the invading Saxons. That is all we really know about him. But there are many legends about him.

The legends grew between 1150 and 1200, starting in a book called The History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

At this time, story-tellers amused people on long dark evenings and stories of King Arthur became very popular.

Later other writers added to the stories and in the 15th century Sir Thomas Malory set them down in Le Morte d'Arthur (The Death of Arthur).

Since then many famous books, poems, plays and films have retold the story.

Archaeologists have found the remains of a stronghold dating from Arthur's time at Cadbury Castle in Somerset. But they are still looking for something to prove that Arthur once lived there.

See GEOFFREY ASHE All about King Arthu