King Arthur

The Once and Future King

Arthur’s Conception

• King Uther Pendragon has been at

war with the Duke of Tintagel. He hears of the beauty of the Duke’s wife, and makes a truce. Tries to get Igraine (Duke’s wife) to be his mistress. She refuses. War resumes. Merlin uses magic to make Uther look like the Duke, sleeps with Igraine, Duke gets killed, Igraine gets pregnant. Baby given to Merlin.

The Sword in the Stone

• Baby Arthur is given to Sir Ector to

raise. King Uther dies. Barons fight one another for the throne. Years pass. The people pray for a sign from God to show the true king. The Sword in the Stone appears.

• A tournament is held to earn the

right to try to pull the sword. Arthur’s brother Kay forgets his sword. Arthur pulls the sword from the stone.

Mordred’s Conception

• Arthur must fight barons who do not

want him to be king. During this time, King Lot sends his wife Margawse to spy on Arthur. They become lovers and conceive a child, Mordred. They do not realize they are half brother and sister (have the same mother). Margawse also has four sons with her husband: Gawain, Agravaine, Gareth, and Gaheris.

Lady of the Lake

• During all the fighting, Arthur breaks

the sword he pulled from the stone. Merlin says he will get him another. They go to the Lady of the Lake. A sword is held above the water by a hand. Lady tells Arthur to row out and take the sword and scabbard.

Guinevere & Round Table

• When peace is established, Arthur

decides it is time to marry. Chooses Guinevere in spite of Merlin’s warning that her destiny is to fall in love with Lancelot and he with her, and that many troubles will come of it.

• As a wedding gift, Guin’s dad

Leondegrance gives the Round Table, which he got from Uther, and 100 knights. Table seats 150.

Adventures

• Merlin seeks knights worthy to fill

the seats of the Round Table. Knights and Arthur have many adventures and defeat lots of monsters and bad guys.

Quest for the Holy Grail

• Lancelot’s son Galahad (fathered

when Elaine tricked Lancelot into sleeping with her) becomes a knight and comes to Camelot.

• Grail appears at court and then

vanishes. All the knights vow to search for it, hoping for a closer look.

End of the Grail Quest

• Three knights succeed in finding the

Grail: Galahad, Percival, and Bors.

• Galahad is virginal and pure of heart,

performs miracles, asks God to let him go to Heaven, is taken to Heaven by angels.

• Bors dies, Percival returns to

Camelot to tell what happened.

Slander and Strife

• Mordred is now a knight of the Round

Table. He and Agravayne decide to expose the affair between Lancelot and Guinevere

• Lancelot is caught in the Queen’s

room, kills Agravayne and ten others in his escape, Mordred is wounded.

• Guinevere is sentenced to be burned

at the stake for treason.

Slander and Strife, cont.

• Lancelot rescues Guinevere, kills

several knights in the process, including Gawain’s young brothers Gaheris and Gareth.

• Gawain vows revenge on Lancelot,

he and Arthur lead army to fight Lancelot at his castle Joyous Garde.

• Pope intercedes and orders Arthur to

forgive Guinevere, Lancelot returns her to Arthur.

More Trouble

• Lancelot is banished and returns to

France. Gawain insists they follow.

• While Arthur is in France fighting

Lancelot, Mordred is left in charge.

• Mordred fakes letters saying Arthur is

dead, has himself crowned king, and tries to marry Guinevere.

• Guin flees to the Tower of London. • Arthur hears what Mordred is up to

and heads home with his army.

Fighting

• Arthur’s and Mordred’s armies fight.

Gawain is killed, regrets his grudge against Lancelot.

• Arthur has a dream in which Gawain

warns him not to fight Mordred, but to stall until Lancelot can get there to help.

• Arthur makes a truce, but it is ruined

when a knight draws his sword to kill a snake and the armies charge in.

The Death of Arthur

• Arthur sees Mordred and charges at

him. Spears him through. Mordred drags himself up the spear and hits Arthur in the head, then dies.

• Arthur asks last knight left,

Bedevere, to throw Excalibur into the water, he finally does on the third try. Hand catches sword, waves 3 time, disappears.

• Arthur taken on barge with weeping

queens to Avalon.