5 – King Arthur
I’m assuming that no one actually believes King Arthur is real but we’ll look at this myth just in case. The legend of King Arthur is actually a collection of various tales created by different writers. The majority of them suggest that Arthur lived in the 5th or 6th century and fought against Anglo-Saxon tribes to ensure Britain remained safe from invasion.
A writer called Nennius is accredited with the first Arthur stories which he wrote in 830 in History of the Britons. Two centuries later, Geoffrey of Monmouth created a more detailed story which included information on Arthur’s life from birth to death. The figures of Merlin and Guinevere also saw the light of day for the first time. Further stories about the mythical king were published throughout the Middles Ages and in the modern era, television programs and movies have been made about the gallant leader and warrior.
It seems as if the legend is probably based on several real people although historians can’t agree on the identity of these individuals. For instance, some believe Arthur is based on a warrior of Roman affiliation who helped the British defeat Anglo-Saxon forces in the 6th century. Yet in The Ruin and Conquest of Britain, a contemporary work outlining the Saxon invasion, there is no mention of any warrior named Arthur.
Yet another theory claims that Arthur was actually a Roman centurion called Lucius Artorius Castus who fought against the Picts in Britain. The trouble is, Lucius lived in the 3rd century which is at least 300 years before the age of Arthur. It is even claimed that Camelot was located on the site of Cadbury Castle in Somerset.
Whether the life of Arthur is loosely based on one person or several, the entirety of his legend is utter fiction. It is hard to say how many people ever believed in the myth of Arthur. What we do know is that today, everyone sees it for what it is; an entertaining fairy tale.