The Legend of Camelot

Camelot refers to the castle and city that was said to be the residing place of King Arthur, and the capital city of the land which he governed. It is assumed to be fictitious since it only appears in the legends of King Arthur. It has appeared in many early stories and poems, some dating back as far as the 12th century. It is said that it was one of the grandest cities of its time, encompassed by a giant wall and home to the castle at which
King Arthur resided when he wasn't off on his grand adventures. It was also the home of the round table and the brave knights who surrounded it.

The Knights of the Round Table were the highest order of knights in the court of Arthur. The table was created without head or foot to signify equality between al of the members. Different stories have had different amounts of knights, but some of the most well known are Sir Bedivere, Sir Gawain, and Sir Lancelot. Sir Lancelot was known as one of Arthur’s best and well trusted knights, but eventually played a part in the downfall of Arthur when he had an affair with Arthur’s wife.

The legend of Camelot, King Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table have provided storytellers and artists inspiration for thousands of years. Camelot is one of the most famous castles in Arthurian legends, and by the 1200’s it had come to be the center of the legends. Camelot is also said to be the starting point for the quest of the Holy Grail, in which Arthur and the nights of the round table searched for the grail that Christ used in the final supper. This is only one of Arthur’s famed adventures that take place in the legends of Camelot.

In 1999 a stone was found in an excavation on the island of Tintagle, which is supposedly where Arthur was born, that had the name “Artognov” on it. Could this be evidence of Arthur’s existence, or just coincidence? One legend states that Arthur became king by drawing the sword of destiny from a stone which had been placed there to determine who would become king. Arthur is also later given a sword by the lady of the lake, which has always been known as the mystic sword Excalibur.