This is the untold story of who Arthur, the ancient hero whose life gave rise to the myth of the Once and Future King, really was.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
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"Blake and Lloyd's significant reappraisal of the earliest Arthurian traditions questions many fundamental aspects of the world's most enduring legend. Their depth of research and refreshing viewpoint present a very convincing argument."--Ashley Drake, Welsh Academic Press
From the Back Cover
The Arthur portrayed in popular literature and the romances of old is a figure far removed from the warrior remembered in the early writings and traditions of his own people. The original story of Arthur belongs to the Dark Ages, a time of chaos and war, when his people were forced to retreat to the western reaches of their territory. Their oppressors sought to strip them of everything—their lands, their lives, even their history. Tales of Arthur’s exploits were reworked to fit a new political agenda and then circulated across medieval Europe, the real origins of the legend obscured. But in his native land the truth survived.
Using half-forgotten sources and clues hidden in the ancient Welsh landscape, historians Steve Blake and Scott Lloyd lead us on an adventure every bit as exciting as the legend itself. Arthur’s family tree is traced, his warriors named, and his battlegrounds pinpointed. Blake and Lloyd reveal that Arthur was not the shining Christian king of popular romance—not even, in fact, a king at all—but a fearsome figure known to his followers as, simply, the “Leader of Battles.” And they shed new light on one of the greatest mysteries of British history: the
location of Arthur’s final resting place.
Using half-forgotten sources and clues hidden in the ancient Welsh landscape, historians Steve Blake and Scott Lloyd lead us on an adventure every bit as exciting as the legend itself. Arthur’s family tree is traced, his warriors named, and his battlegrounds pinpointed. Blake and Lloyd reveal that Arthur was not the shining Christian king of popular romance—not even, in fact, a king at all—but a fearsome figure known to his followers as, simply, the “Leader of Battles.” And they shed new light on one of the greatest mysteries of British history: the
location of Arthur’s final resting place.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Real Arthur,
By Scout (VA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Pendragon: The Definitive Account of the Origins of Arthur (Paperback)
Pendragon: The Definitive Account of the Origins of Arthur does indeed come closest of all the Arthurian literature to identifying the real 6th century man. Mssrs. Blake and Lloyd do a great job of peeling away the later Medieval romanticist mythology to get at the northern Welsh warband leader as depicted in the original Welsh texts. Their examination of the geographic locations associated with Arthur and his compatriots is much more plausible an explanation than any other. Enlightening and again sound is their assertion that he fought most, or even all, of his battles against fellow Welsh Britons rather than Saxons (except possibly at Badon).
If there is one criticism it would be that the authors failed to follow their own evidence to what seems to me to be an obvious conclusion. They claim that Arthur was only a war leader and never a king but admit that Arthur is not a Welsh name. From their own information, it is possible that he started as a war leader under King Maelgwn of Gwynneth, where one of Arthur's hill fort 'courts' resides and where the early documents reveal to be his original homeland. Yet, he may have later become a king in his own right, the one they identify as Cuneglasus of the Bear's Stronghold. (Arthur comes from the Latin Artoris, which means The Bear.) He may well have been one of the adulterous underlings that Gildas criticized but also later one of the five kings who Gildas likewise lambasted. The second hill fort 'court' they identify lies within the small realm of that minor Welsh king. It is a real possibility that Arthur was Cuneglasus. As they point out, it was Gildas who attached animal names to the five kings he criticized, that one being the Bear. They also cite several early Welsh texts that call him a king or sovereign as well. Their analysis of the origin of Pendragon, as part of that discussion, is ingenious. All in all, for anyone who is interested in clearing away the Medieval Romance and finding out about the real Arthur, this is probably the most important tome to read. I heartily recommend it.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Painstakingly researched,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Pendragon: The Definitive Account of the Origins of Arthur (Paperback)
Pendragon is Blake and Lloyd's second book, and builds creditably on their first one, Keys to Avalon. They have painstakingly documented the evidence which leads them to the conclusion that Arthur was Welsh and lived, fought, and died in Wales. The evidence for this appears incontrovertible, even if the particular details are not necessarily as easily fleshed out. If nothing else, this is an incredibly important gift to Arthurian research, which hopefully will eventually supercede the always dubious, Arthurian claims of regions from Cornwall to Scotland.
As an anthropologist, I most appreciate their attention to the differences in language and culture which prompted later chroniclers and authors to shift Arthur from his original location to Great Britain as a whole. Anyone looking for the 'real', historical Arthur will find him here.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pendragon, The Definitive Account of the Origins of Arthur,
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This review is from: Pendragon: The Definitive Account of the Origins of Arthur (Hardcover)
One of the best written historical references I have had the pleasure to read. Gives a historical document based evaluation of the Authurian theory.
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