THE ARTHURIAN TAPESTRY The Diffusion of the Arthurian Legend in the Middle Ages

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THE ARTHURIAN TAPESTRY The Diffusion of the
Arthurian Legend in the Middle Ages
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RomanBritain1st-5th c.
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1st-4th Century Historical Antecedents

• 184 Lucius Artorius Castus, commander of a Roman
  detachment led his troops from Britain into Gaul
  to quell a rebellion -- 1st appearance of name
  Artorius in history
• 383 Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig) was
  proclaimed Emperor in Britain by the Roman
  garrison there -- conquered Gaul, Spain and
  Italy, but was defeated by Theodosius the Eastern
  Emperor in 388. Huge loss of Roman troops for
  Britain.

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5th Century Historical Background

• 402 Roman troops recalled from Britain to
  defend Italy against Alaric and Visigoths
• 406-7 Roman army in Britain elects series of
  usurping Emperors Marcus,Gratian and Constantine
  III
• 407 Constantine III withdrew remaining Roman
  legion to rally support in Gaul the end of the
  Roman Empire in Britain.

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5th Century Celtic Disarray

• 408 Devastating attacks by Picts, Scots and
  Saxons led Britain to declare independence from
  Rome in 410.
• 440-450 Civil war and famine in Britain.
  Country divided along factional lines
• 445 Vortigen authorized use of Saxon
  mercenaries against Scots and Picts
• 450 adventus Saxonum Hengest arrived with 3
  ships of warriors. Saxons increased settlements.

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5th Century The Historical Arthur

• 458-60 Migration of British aristocrats and
  urbanites across the Channel to Brittany
• 460-70 Ambrosius Aurelianus led Britons in
  containing Saxon settlement -- assumed
  High-kingship of Britain
• 485-96 Period of Arthurs twelve battles
  according to Nennius
• c. 496 Ambrosius and Arthur dux bellorum
  defeated Saxons at Mt. Badon. A generation of
  peace ensued

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5th CenturyInvasions and Migrations
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5th-7th Century Welsh Texts

• Annales Cambriae Welsh chronicle entries, 10th
  c. mss
• c.516 The Battle of Badon in which Arthur
  carried the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ for
  three days and three nights on his shield and the
  Britons were the victors.
• c.537 The Strife of Camlann in which Arthur
  and Medraut perished.
• mirabilia give Arthur a son, Anir, and a dog,
  Cabal.
• Welsh Triads composed (survive in 13th c. mss.)

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5th-7th Century Celtic Texts

• 5th-6th c Celtic noblemen named their sons
  Arthur.
• GildasDe Excidio c. 540, chronicles
  internecine strife amongst British Kings and
  mentions the Seige of Mt. Badon
• AneirinGododdin c. 600, used phrase"ceni bei
  ef Arthur"-"but he was no Arthur" to describe a
  great warrior

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9th-10th CenturyThe Legend Grows

• NenniusHistoria Brittonum, c.830
• Lists 12 battles with Anglo-Saxons
• Mentions Arthur, dux bellorum.
• Annales Cambriae compiled, c.970

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11th Century MSS. Versions of Older Welsh Oral
Tales

• Mabinogion, four branches collected c. 1050
• Culhwch ac Olwen, final version appears in
  writing, c. 1100
• Arthur becomes the king of a band of
  adventure-seeking heroes with marvellous powers
  and gains a queen, Gwenhyfar

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11th Century Archivolt of Modena
Cathedral,ItalyAbduction of Guinevere
Winlogee(Guinevere)
Arthur
Caradoc
Unnamedknight
Kay
Mardoc
Gawain
Durmart
Ider
Galeron
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11th CenturySaints Lives

• Legend of St. Goeznovius, c. 1019 Breton legend
  which mentions Arthur and calls him the King of
  the Britons
• c. 1090 Professional hagiographers write various
  saints lives which mention Arthur and his
  exploits, usually in unflattering terms
• Caradoc Life of Gildas Latin/Welsh
• St. Padarm, St. Cadog, St. Iltud, St. Carannog

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12th Century British Historians

• William of Malmesbury
• c.1125 Gesta Requm Anglorum (Deeds of the
  English Kings)
• c. 1129 De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiaea
  (a history of Glastonbury Abbey)
• Geoffrey of Monmouth
• c.1136 Historia Regum Brittaniae.(History of
  the Kings of Britain)
• c.1150 Vita Merlinei (The Life of Merlin)
• WaceRoman de Brut, c. 1155, Anglo-Norman
  (French) translation of Geoffrey
• Lazamon Brut, c. 1190, Anglo-Saxon (English)
  translation of Geoffrey

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William of Malmesbury

• calls Arthurian legends "fabulous lies but says
  Arthur should be recognized as one who long
  sustained his tottering country and gave the
  shattered minds of his fellow citizens an edge
  for war.

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Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia

• One of the greatest works of medieval fiction
  which was accepted as history for 600 years
• British foundation myth
• Created a hero-king whose vast empire reflected
  Norman ambitions
• Captured latest fashions in courtly behaviour
• Wildly popular in original Latin version and as
  the basis for other chroniclers and romance
  writers

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Geoffrey gave Arthur a father, Uther Pendragon a
mother, Igerne and a sister, Anna. He
elaborated the story of Arthurs begetting,
birth and surrender to Merlin And told of the
death of Arthur in battle with Mordred.
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Wace, Roman de Brut

• Anglo-Norman translation of Geoffrey, dedicated
  to Eleanor of Aquitaine, introduced the Round
  Table

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Lazamons Brut Anglo-Saxon translation of
Geoffrey first English appearance of Arthur
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Glastonbury

• 1184 Fire ravages Glastonbury Abbey, destroying
  the Old Church
• 1190 Digging at a spot described by a bard,
  monks claim to discover the grave of Arthur and
  Guinevere between two markers at Glastonbury
  Abbey At seven feet down, they found a stone
  slab with an inset lead cross at 16 feet down
  they found a hollowed out log that contained the
  skeletal remains of an exceptionally large man
  and a delicate woman.
• Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales)
• 1192-3 Liber de Principes Instructione reports
  the finding of Arthurs grave
• 1216 Speculum Ecclesiae again recounts the
  discovery
• 1278 Edward I and Queen Eleanor officially
  rebury the remains of Arthur and Guenevere.
  Edward proclaims his son, Edward, the Prince of
  Wales.

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HIC IACIT SEPVLTVS INCLITVS REX ARTHVRIVS,
IN INSVLA AVALONIA Here lies entombed the
renowned King Arthur on the Isle of Avalon."
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12th Century French Romances

• Marie de France Lais, Anglo-Norman, c.1160-80
• Chevrefueil
• Lanval
• Chretien de Troyes 5 Arthurian romances Erec
  et Enide, Cliges, Lancelot, Yvain, Perceval, c.
  1160-90 four continuations by others
• Beroul, Roman de Tristan, c. 1170-90
• Thomas dAngleterre, Tristan, Anglo-Norman, c.
  1175

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The Lais of Marie de France

• Breton troubadour influence
• Courtliness and magic
• Investigations into the intricacies of love and
  honor
• Explores questions of sovereignty in
  relationships

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Chretien de Troyes

• Attached to the Court at Champagne, under the
  patronage of Countess Marie de Champagne,
  daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII of
  France
• First to depict Round Table as center of chivalry
  and to name Camelot as Arthurs capital.
• Morgan la Fee appears as Arhurs sister and a
  famed healer

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The Knight of the Cart, or Lancelot Introduced
the French knight, Lancelot and the concept of
amour courtois (courtly love) into Arthurian
romance Lancelot becomes the queens champion,
protector, and lover
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Perceval The Story of the Grail

• First Grail Romance
• Grail not here associated with the cup of the
  Last Supper or the cup used to catch Christs
  blood
• A symbol of beauty and mystery, but not of
  religious devotion

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The Celtic Tale of Tristan and Isolt becomes
attached to the Arthurian legend French Beroul,
Roman de Tristan and Thomas dAngleterre,
Tristan German Eilhart von Oberge, Tristan
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The love triangle of Tristan-Isolt-Mark
parallels that of Lancelot-Guinevere-Arthur
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12th Century The Spread of Romance

• Hartmann von Aue, Erek and Iwein, German,
  c.1195-1205
• Ulrich Von Zatzihoven, Lanzelet, Swiss,
  c.1194-1203

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Courtly Love

• Humility
• Courtesy
• Adultery
• The Religion of Love

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The "rules" for this game

• Moans of unsatisfied desire
• Heroic deeds of valor which win the lady's heart
• Consummation of the secret love
• Endless adventures and subterfuges
• Tragic end

• Worship of the chosen lady
• Declaration of passionate devotion
• Virtuous rejection by the lady
• Renewed wooing with oaths of eternal fealty

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13th Century Welsh Romances

• The Black Book of Carmarthen Geraint son of
  Erbin and Merlin poems, c. 1250
• Mabinogion final version, c. 1250
• Geraint and Enid
• Peredur
• Owein

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13th Century German Romances

• Wirnt von GravenbergWigalois, c. 1204-10
• Wolfram von EschenbachParzival, c. 1204-12,
  the greatest medieval German romance (Wagners
  Parsifal)
• Gottfried von StrassburgTristan und Isolt, c.
  1210 (Wagners Tristan)
• Arthurian tales appear in Austria, Scandinavia,
  and Holland

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13th-14th CenturyFrench Grail Romances

• Robert de Boron, Joseph dArimathie and Merlin,
  c.1202-12
• Didot Perceval Perceval le Gallois ou le Conte
  du Graal, c.1210-20
• Vulgate prose cycle French Cistercian retelling
  of Estoire del Saint Graal, Estoire de Merlin,
  Lancelot du Lac, Queste del Saint Graal, and Mort
  Artu, c. 1215-30
• Roman Du Graal and Lancelot Cycle variant
  versions of the Vulgate Cycle, c. 1230-1320

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Cistercian Spirituality

• Transforms the grail into the Holy Grail -- the
  cup in which Joseph of Arimathea caught the blood
  dripping from Jesus wounds
• Claims that Joseph of Arimathea brought the grail
  to Britain
• Grail quests become the central activity of the
  Arthurian knights, especially Gawain, Perceval,
  and Lancelot none of whom can achieve the grail
  because of their impurities.

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Introduction of Galahad, son of Sir Lancelot and
the maiden Elaine, who, because of his purity is
able to attain The Holy Grail Morgan la Fee
becomes a sorceress and enemy to Arthurs court,
especially to Guenevere Emphasis placed on the
fallen nature of Camelot, especially on the
treasonous adultery of Guenevere and Lancelot
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14th Century Emergence of English Arthurian
Romance

• Alliterative Morte Arthur, c. 1360
• Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knight, c.1390
• Chaucer, The Wife of Baths Tale, c.1392-94
• Stanzaic Mort Artu, c. 1400
• Various anonymous English romances,14th-15th c.

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15th Century Sir Thomas Malory, Morte Darthur

• Ultimate compilation of the Arthurian legend
• Composed in early Modern English prose in the
  1460s during the Wars of the Roses, probably
  while Malory was in prison
• Sources include the French Vulgate and Grail
  cycles, Layamons Brut, the English Mort Artu and
  Morte Arthur, and Welsh tales
• Scholarly controversy over hoole book or eight
  separate, but related tales.
• First masterpiece of English prose

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Sir Thomas Malory, Morte Darthur

• Part One The Coming of Arthur and the Round
  Table
• Part Two Arthurs War Against the Enperor Lucius
• Part Three Sir Lancelot du Lake
• Part Four Sir Gareth of Orkney
• Part Five Sir Tristam of Lyoness
• Part Six The Quest of the Grail
• Part Seven Lancelot and Guenivere
• Part Eight The Death of King Arthur

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