There is nothing more rooted in the British history than the very story of King Arthur. Whether it’s a sad of a hopeful story, the making of a legend always starts in its very own context.

We are in the fifth century. As the Roman Empire began its slow and painful descent into the annals of history, the fabric of its vast territories started to fray and crumble under the pressure of internal strife and external invasions. In fact, the empire was none other than the shadow of itself, and many migrations waves started to corrupt the power in place, and this at every levels. This added to years, if not a century of constant political instability, with many emperors assassinated or overthrown, and the empire, in order to remain afloat, had to be divided in two parts: the occidental empire, and the oriental empire, which is later to be known as the Byzantine Empire. And as the Great Invasions started, as, of course, many corrupt Roman generals took advantage of the situation to bring to an end the old lady struggling to remain alive that was the occidental empire, helped their friends to settle in the empire. Those friends were the Huns, the Ostrogoths, the Angles, the Franks, and many German tribes. And, amongst the new tribes settling a bit everywhere in the ashes of what the empire was, there was Britain. This period, often shrouded in the twilight of history, sets the stage for the emergence of one of the most enduring legends of Western culture: King Arthur.

In the wake of the Roman retreat, Britain transformed from a well-ordered province, crisscrossed with Roman roads and fortified settlements, all mostly economically orbiting around the city of Londinium, later to be known as London, into a patchwork of competing kingdoms and tribal lands. The Roman departure left behind a legacy of literacy, as well as Christianity, and a semblance of Roman law and order, but the protective mantle was gone. Into these void, stepped raiders and settlers from the continent, Saxons, Angles, and Jutes, eager to claim a piece of the fertile and strategically important islands. This was a time of turmoil and transformation, where the remnants of Roman Britain struggled against the tide of these new arrivals. It was a period marked by frequent skirmishes, shifting allegiances, and the slow but steady emergence of new kingdoms, because Britain, later to become a superpower in history, was just an island where tribes fought against each other for getting a semblance of power in a profoundly disunited country. Amidst this chaos, there was still that leader emerged and was narrated as a hero, a unifying figure who, according to tales and poems that would emerge centuries later, led the defence of Britain against its invaders and sought to maintain a semblance of civilization amidst the collapse of Roman order. His name? Arturus Rex.

Welcome to Tintagel, which is today a small village in Cornwall, where a castle is. You can visit the village of Tintagel, it really exists, as well as the castle, and I assure guys, if you are nearby, it worth the trip. But, back in the days, Arthur's story commenced not with grand battles or royal lineage, or at least not entirely, but with the complex manipulation of destiny by an enigmatic wizard, named Merlin. According to the mythos that has enveloped Arthur's story, his birth was the result of complex machinations involving magic, deceit, and prophecy. Uther Pendragon was the King of Britain, in a troubled country where many tribes were fighting and he struggled to unite everyone. But Uther had a secret: he was in love for this woman, Igraine, who was the wife of Gorlois. But Igraine didn’t love him back, even though Uther Pendragon was certainly the kindest man around Igraine, but you know what it is, she said no, it meant no. Yeah but that’s the problem, Uther was really badly in love for Igraine. So… he had an idea.

One evening, he went to see his friend the wizard Merlin. Merlin, on the request of Uther, made him a potion that would act like this: if Uther goes to see and spend a night with Igraine, he will be looking like Gorlois at her eyes, and so they could spend the night that… he wanted. After all, Gorlois was gone to fight the Saxons, so, no-one would really know, right? Meh. But nothing is for free in this world, so Merlin, in return, said to Uther this: during that night, Igraine will become pregnant. And a little boy will be the result of this night. So that’s the deal, you have your evening with Igraine, no problem. But the kid will be mine. Arthur's father, aided by the sorcery of Merlin, was able to disguise himself and lay with Igraine, Arthur's future mother. This union, underpinned by Merlin's conditions and foresight, set the stage for Arthur's birth, a child born of magic and mortal ambition, destined to become Britain's greatest king. So the story started very well straight from the start.

Now you guys certainly wonder: had Igraine found out she’s been fouled? Yes, she did. And you wanna know how she did know she’s been abused by Uther Pendragon? You remember when I said that Gorlois, the husband, went to fight the Saxons? Well, guess who died during the night in an ambush made by the Saxons, when Igraine and Pendragon were having sex? Igraine was informed bipe one of her servants the morning after. 

Happy Monday, I suppose.

But either way, the circumstances of Arthur's conception and birth are wrapped in the magic and mystery that is so characteristic of the Arthurian legend. As Gorlois died, Uther Pendragon, having abused Igraine, forced her to marry him as he told her he was the one taking the appearance of Gorlois and, I believe in one of what was certainly the happiest marriage ever, she married him. Merlin's role as a guide and protector began even before Arthur's birth, ensuring that the child would be raised away from the court's dangers and intrigues. Which was why, as soon as Arthur was born, in the term of the pregnancy, he was snatched away from the hands of Igraine, and this clandestine beginning imbued Arthur's eventual rise with a sense of destiny and divine favour, marking him as a leader different from those who had come before. He was snatched away, whilst Uther Pendragon was here, as well as Morgan, Arthur’s half-sister. And that, seeing her mother in profound despair, would mark Morgan, to the point that she swore an oath that she’d revenge her mother one day.

Anyway, now that the deal was fulfilled, away and raised by Merlin, Arthur's path to kingship was anything but ordinary. It was prophesied and facilitated by Merlin's magic, culminating in an event that would forever etch his name into the annals of legend: the drawing of the sword from the stone. This sword, Excalibur, was a symbol of divine right and kingship, embedded in stone by Merlin and accessible only to the rightful sovereign of Britain. After all, Britain was in desperate need for a leader and Uther, besides having a questionable relationship to women, tried his best but was not the greatest leader.

But before that, our young Arthur was still a kid. His childhood and teenage years are shrouded in myth and mystery, largely undocumented but richly imagined in the embroidery of Arthurian legend. Following his birth, as I said, Arthur was whisked away by Merlin, the wizard who had orchestrated the events leading to his conception, and besides keeping the kid away from the court, this was for another purpose: to protect him from the enemies of his father. Merlin entrusted Arthur to the care of Sir Ector, a loyal nobleman, under whose guidance Arthur was raised and well educated. In this period of anonymity, Arthur knew nothing of his royal lineage, growing up as a squire and a son to Sir Ector, learning the ways of knighthood and the values of honour, courage, and chivalry. The making of a leader, in a way. And despite his royal blood, Arthur's upbringing was marked by humility and hard work. His early years were spent in the verdant landscapes of Britain, amidst the rolling hills and the vast forests that defined the medieval wilderness. These formative years were crucial in shaping the character of the future king. Arthur grew strong and valiant, educated and trained in the most advanced tactics of combat, and he also showed early signs of leadership and a natural affinity for justice.

He had the life of a normal boy. His days were filled with training; he learned to ride, to fight, and to understand the code of conduct that would later govern the lives of his knights. Yet, he remained unaware of his destiny, living the life of a squire with dreams that reached no further than serving with honour, love and devotion to his work, and humility in his daily routine. But his daily routine would change soon enough. Why? Well, because Uther Pendragon, the actual king, was not eternal. In fact, he died when Arthur, still a handsome young man, turned eighteen. And, of course, the death of the father came with its joys: the country in revolt, uprisings, battles, who would become the next king, and everything.

The usual, in a country that lost its unity.

But in the middle of this fabulous mess, Merlin felt that he had the power to bring unity in the Island of Britain. One day, he placed the sword Excalibur in a stone, after having proclaimed that only the rightful king could pull it from its resting place. This challenge was met by knights and nobles from across the land, all aspiring to the throne but none succeeding in the task of pulling the sword out of the stone. Only the Gods would elect the right one to pull the sword, and thousands tried, unsuccessfully. Arthur, attending a tournament with Sir Ector and his son Sir Kay, found himself thrust into the limelight of legend when, on that day, before many witnesses, he effortlessly drew the sword from the stone. The surprise must have been immense when he did this. Yet, unbeknownst to him, this act was not merely about showcasing his strength or fulfilling a challenge; it was about claiming his birthright and embracing his destiny as Britain's rightful ruler.

Okay, when I said that people were surprised… let’s say that there was a bit of both: people said that, yeah, he may have been lucky, because so many people pulled on that sword, so why him? So he replaced the sword in the stone. And he pulled it again and lifted it in the air. Now, everybody came to the evidence: yes, he is the king.

Arthur's transition from obscurity to prominence was not without its challenges. The revelation of his royal heritage and his subsequent ascension to the throne were met with a mix of awe, scepticism, and envy. Many tried, after all, to pull that sword from the stone, and everybody failed, so why a young guy popping out of nowhere from Tintagel would be better than us all to rule over us? Yet, the very qualities that defined his childhood and teenage years, from his bravery, his fairness, and his innate sense of justice, became the bedrock upon which he would build his reign, and that was probably why the Gods chose him and not someone else. Not only that, but Arthur was also famous for his exploits on the battlefield: he was the one who pushed back the Saxons, and was already known and seen to be a natural leader. His early life, steeped in the ordinary yet marked by the extraordinary, laid the foundation for a king who would be remembered not just for his deeds in battle but for his vision of a united and fair kingdom where everyone could thrive.

With Excalibur in hand and the endorsement of Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, still the handsome young man who was the new king and the successor of Uther Pendragon began his reign over a Britain fraught with danger and division. In fact, everything was to be built and even though he had many ideas, he still needed to have a court that would reflect his value as a king and what he always wanted for his kingdom. His first task was to fortify his rule, quelling the dissenting voices of rival lords and consolidating his power, but this wasn’t his worst challenge. But for that he needed a stronghold. So, he asked his friend Merlin. And, in the space of a few days, Merlin built for him the most beautiful castle, a castle meant for a king with such a prestige like him. And this castle would be to be known as Camelot.

The establishment of Camelot, and its court, marked the beginning of a golden age for Britain. Camelot wasn’t just a simple castle or a city; it was an ideal, or, should I say, his ideal: a representation of Arthur's vision for a kingdom ruled by justice, chivalry, and a commitment to the common good. Building a great country for great people. Camelot became the heart of Arthur's kingdom, a place where the ideals of the Round Table flourished. A round table, so he could welcome his knights so they could share fantastic tales of adventures they all had. The stories of dragons being fought, of invaders being repelled, of civilians being protected. This legendary table, where Arthur and his knights convened, was a symbol of the new order Arthur sought to create, an order where merit, and not birth right, defined their vision of the world. The knights who gathered around this table committed themselves to quests that defended the weak, sought justice, and pursued the holy grail of Christian legend. These stories and quests not only added to the mythic stature of Arthur and his knights but also encapsulated the moral and ethical code that Arthur's reign aspired to embody. And this was the golden age of Camelot. And now that Camelot was ready to welcome a court, many people would come.

Starting by this beautiful young blonde girl named Guinevere. In fact, she met Arthur during a party and she was said to have been the most beautiful woman in the place. She was the daughter of the King Leodegrance of Carmelide (who was one of the Knights of the Round Table) Arthur fell in love with her right away, and this may have been one positive event in Arthur’s life, one person would not really appreciate this union: Merlin. Standing as a strong advisor to Arthur, Merlin said that this woman would precipitate his downfall.

Another important protagonist here is to be mentioned. Lancelot du Lac. Also known as Lancelot of the Lake, he is one of the most celebrated and complex characters in the Arthurian legends. According to the legend, Lancelot was raised by the Lady of the Lake, a mystical figure who nurtured him after the death of his father, the mythical King Ban, making Lancelot the heir to a lost kingdom. This upbringing away from society, in an enchanted realm, endowed Lancelot with unparalleled skills in chivalry and combat, setting the stage for his future as the greatest knight of the Round Table. But there was just a tiny little problem: Lancelot had a pretty bad crush for Guinevere. And that would have some consequences in the future.

The Golden Age of Camelot is often heralded as the pinnacle of King Arthur's rule, a luminous epoch where the ideals of chivalry, justice, and unity shone brightest. It was a period marked by the illustrious deeds of Arthur and his knights, underpinned by a vision of a realm governed by the highest moral and ethical standards. At the heart of this golden era stood the universe of Camelot, their knights and the Round Table, not just as Arthur's seat of power but as a symbol of the utopian society he endeavoured to create. The kingdom thrived under his wise and just rule, attracting the bravest and most virtuous knights to his Round Table, where each was considered an equal, their worth measured by their valour and adherence to the chivalric code.

Queen Guinevere, Arthur's consort, was a central figure in the court of Camelot, embodying the grace and beauty that the era celebrated. However, her role extended far beyond mere royalty; she was an inspiration of soft strength and compassion, qualities that complemented Arthur's leadership and added depth to the court's dynamics. The queen's presence brought a sense of completeness to Arthur's reign. The chivalric adventures of Arthur's knights, tales of gallantry, quests for the Holy Grail, and battles against formidable foes, were not only martial prowess but also moral and spiritual trials. Many stories of those heroic acts made by those knights echoed, many narratives, rich in allegory and symbolism, celebrated the virtues of courage, faith, and the pursuit of excellence. Sir Lancelot's unequalled skills as a knight were matched only by a few. Sir Gawain, with his loyalty and moral compass, Sir Galahad, the embodiment of purity and the successful seeker of the Grail, and Sir Percival, whose innocence and faith also led him to the Grail, each played a role in illustrating the multifaceted nature of knighthood and virtue.

This era also witnessed the knights heading on the quest for the Holy Grail, the most sacred of their pursuits, symbolising the ultimate spiritual and moral journey. What was the Holy Grail? Well, it was the small cup where the blood of Jesus Christ was taken, and it was said that whoever would find the Grail would become the Master of the Universe. This quest, along with the many adventures of the Round Table, enriched the Arthurian legend, weaving themes of faith, redemption, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Perhaps values that reflected so deeply the human race, in some ways, values that highlighted an era of unparalleled nobility, heroism, and moral questing. It was a time when the ideals of the Round Table influenced not just the conduct of knights but the aspirations of a kingdom striving towards a vision of perfection, ideas that our real kings have tried to imitate. Yet, the court of Camelot, with King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, was built on a frail equilibrium, and the valiant knights, with all their aspirations and resolution to bring the mission to a success also had its flaws. And, Queen Guinevere? Yes, they tried to have a little kid. The problem was, she was sterile.

Remember Morgan, Arthur’s half-sister? One day, Arthur came back from the battlefield, exhausted. And Morgan was there, waiting for him. She prepared Arthur a beverage, and Arthur drank that beverage. Little was known to him that the beverage was in fact spiked by some magic potion, and Arthur started feeling unwell straight after. What happened next? Well, Morgan removed her clothes, and jumped on Arthur who, according to the legend, had sex with her. Yes, that’s Middle Ages. It nevertheless remained that Morgan became pregnant of Arthur. And nine months later was born Arthur’s biggest pain in the back: Mordred. His only heir.

Because, just like any beautiful story, each have to come to an end. And this end wouldn’t be glorious.

With Mordred born, the fall of Camelot slowly started, and a tale emerged from the threads of betrayal, heartbreak, and the erosion of ideals, marks a sombre chapter in the Arthurian legend, where the luminous epoch of the Golden Age dims into twilight. This period, rich in narrative complexity, underscores the tragic imperfections within the human heart and the relentless march of destiny, revealing the vulnerability of even the most idyllic societies to the forces of internal discord and external threats. Central to the unraveling of Camelot's unity was the deeply personal tragedy of the love triangle involving King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot. As the scandal of the birth of Mordred emerged, Queen Guinevere started to develop feelings for Lancelot. So, at first it started by small kisses stolen in the corridor and feeling of guilt that she probably felt since she truly loved Arthur, but things changed very suddenly. This affair, though rooted in profound love and passion, breached the chivalric code that was the bedrock of Camelot's existence.

One day, looking for his wife everywhere in Camelot, Arthur entered the room of Sir Lancelot, who found Guinevere in his arms. Having lived that myself with my ex, I can imagine how Arthur has felt at this moment, but that’s what he did: not only he kicked Lancelot out of his castle, but applied the sentence for an adultery woman to Queen Guinevere and sentenced her to death. But, on the day she was meant to be executed, Sir Lancelot surged out of a forest and freed her, taking her to his forest where they could live their life. Being already humiliated, Arthur wanted to settle the score with the Knight he respected the most in his table, and when he found him, taking Excalibur, he fought Sir Lancelot in a duel, to death.

Who won the duel? Lancelot. Yes. Even though Arthur had the most powerful sword, it seems like the God started to give up on him. But, Lancelot did not kill Arthur, as the duel was meant to finish. Why? Arthur may have been the person cheated upon; he was still the king. And we don’t kill the King. Yet, the revelation of Guinevere and Lancelot's betrayal did not merely tarnish personal relationships; it struck at the very heart of the Round Table, sowing seeds of division among its members. Knights, once brothers-in-arms, were now divided, their loyalty torn between their king and the realm's most celebrated hero. The scandal weakened the moral authority of Arthur's court, casting a long shadow over Camelot's hallowed halls and diminishing its radiance in the eyes of the people and the knights themselves. But Lancelot’s betrayal was not Arthur’s single problem.

This biggest problem had a name and was also a knight, now that he grew up. The name? Mordred. Arthur presented him as his nephew, but everybody knew the truth about him. Forced by Morgan to have him made a knight, his illegitimate son promptly emerged as a catalyst for Camelot's downfall. Mordred's treachery was unfortunately big, exploiting the fissures within the Round Table and Arthur's preoccupation with the matters of the heart to assert his claim to the throne. Just like Rome, Mordred was an internal enemy of the Round Table, and made sure to assert his position as a troublemaker, until Arthur made this mistake: when he left for Rome, on a diplomatic mission, he named Mordred as a regent.

Was that a good idea? Not really.

In fact, it took a certain time to Arthur to come back to Britain. And what did Mordred do? He told everyone that Arthur was now dead. After all, no-one could really say what was happening, since Mordred was the only one who knew everything. But Arthur was still alive. So, a few things started to change during the regence: Mordred started to impose his own law and started to try to do everything to be seen as the new legitimate king. After all, he was the son of Arthur Pendragon, so it was normal that he would succeed him to the throne of Britain? Things started to go quite well for Mordred as the army of Britain swore allegiance to him, until that day: a soldier came to say that he had no legitimacy to assume the throne. For the reason that Arthur was alive, and was coming back. This led to the ultimate confrontation between Arthur and Mordred: the Battle of Camlann. It was a cataclysmic event, a duel steeped in personal betrayal and the shattering of familial bonds.

But before Camlann, Merlin declared that his mission for the kingdom was over, so he withdrew himself to the Forest of Broceliande, in Brittany, where he eventually died. Merlin, Arthur’s forever light in the tunnel was gone, Lancelot having betrayed and Mordred ready to snatch the throne of his father… This was the perfect recipe for the final clash.

This battle became the end of Arthur’s legend. Or, depending of your point of view, the very beginning. This fateful confrontation, foretold by Merlin and feared by those who remained loyal to the king, was the ultimate clash of a hero, who was admired by the entire country, even though his own lieutenants were all willing to betray him as they saw him being weaker and weaker, and the illegitimate son, product of betrayal and failed ambition. Arthur faces Mordred, his own kin, in a battle marked by despair and the foreknowledge of doom. The fields of Camlann, drenched in the blood of the fallen, bear witness to the end of chivalric dreams and the harsh toll of internecine war. During this battle and its culmination to the duel between a father and a son, Arthur became gravely wounded, and this laid bare the twilight of his reign. But despite the injury, out of a final breathe of despair and fury, Arthur suddenly put his sword in Mordred’s stomach, killing him instantly, and leaving him to die next to him. The Battle of Camlann terminated here, with two people dead, which saw the fall of both father and son, symbolized the end of an era, leaving the land leaderless and its people in despair.

In the aftermath of Camlann, as the legend unfolds, Arthur’s remains are carried away to the mystical isle of Avalon, a place that exists in the liminal space between the worlds of the living and the dead. Excalibur, his sword, is given by Arthur to one of his knights, to be returned to the Lady of the Lake. As the knight approached the lake, it is said that he launched the sword to the lake and a hand grabbed it, to vanish with it right away. Avalon, shrouded in mists and mystery, is said to be a place of healing, where the wounded king might be restored. Yet, the ambiguity of Arthur's fate, whether he dies or lies in a state of enchanted sleep, awaiting a time when Britain will once again require his leadership, fuels the mythic dimension of his story. This enigmatic end, neither fully alive nor truly dead, elevates Arthur from the realm of mortal kings to the status of a legendary figure, a hero destined to return in his country's direst hour.

So, erm… Arthur should be back very shortly. No, sorry, that’s just me thinking.

With Arthur's departure, Camelot's glory fades into the annals of legend, its ideals of justice, chivalry, and unity remaining as a poignant reminder of a dream unfulfilled. The fall of Camelot does not merely signify the end of a kingdom, it represents the loss of a moral compass, a guiding light for a better world. The knights of the Round Table dispersed or perished afterwards, their quests and battles becoming the stuff of legend, tales told and retold as moral exemplars and cautionary fables. The dream of Camelot, though shattered, endures in the collective consciousness, a symbol of hope and aspiration amidst human imperfection. King Arthur's mysterious end, straddling the threshold between life and death, history and myth, ensures his perpetual place in the cultural heritage. But… How much of this legend, since I mentioned absolutely no dates apart from the fifth century, has in fact real historical grounds?

Well, that’s where the mystery starts.

Around 1191, King Edward I and Queen Eleanor of England wanted a revival of the tales of the King Arthur, as, certainly in an attempt to promote their legitimacy to the throne of Britain, they said that they were their legitimate heir. Several years before, in 1184, a great fire destroyed the abbey of Glastonbury and as they rebuilt it again, years afterwards, the monks there made a certain discovery: a tomb under what was the nave has been discovered, with two bodies in it. The body of a man, a quite tall man, and the body of a woman, who was said to have intact long blonde hair, and a cross. On that cross, we could read Here lies interred the famous King Arthur on the Isle of Avalon, written In Latin. Was that the real body of Queen Guinevere and King Arthur? This wasn’t known. All that we know was that King Edward I took big credit of that discovery and offered to the coffin a proper burial, where today you can actually visit. It is said that King Arthur is really buried in there.

But… is this really King Arthur under this stone? On that, the mystery will forever remain.

As we conclude our exploration into the mist-shrouded legend of King Arthur, we're left standing at the crossroads of history and myth. A mythological tale, brought from the threads of bravery, betrayal, love, and loss, has echoed through the ages, inviting us to ponder the essence of heroism and the power of legend. In the grand scheme of things, Arthur's story challenges us to reflect on the nature of leadership and the eternal quest for a just and noble society. As you turn over the stones of Camelot in your mind, I invite you to share your reflections in the comment section below, and to subscribe to the channel if you want to know more about my future episodes. What truths can we draw from the Arthurian legends in our modern quest for meaning and morality? Until our next rendezvous with the enigmatic and the inexplicable, keep your minds questing and your hearts valiant. See you next week, fellow seekers of the unknown!