Winning of Knighthood notes (lecture, reading) Flashcards
Who is King?
Uther Pendragon
What country is Uther over?
Britain
Who is Uther’s wife, and who does she come with?
Igraine = wife. Widow of Gerlois, brings daughters Margaise (m. Urien) and Morgana le Fay (m. Lot)
What does Merlin prophesy?
a. Uther will die of fever
b. Child endangered bc men will come to take kingdom.
c. He asks to bring Arthur to safety
How does Uther Pendragon respond to Merlin’s prophecy?
He responds with calmness and evenness of mind, saying that God will help him depart in cheerfulness. He gives permission
What happens after Uther dies?
Many kings rise to get the kingdom. Evil knights start to pay tolls on travelers, sometimes capturing them as prisoner for ransom, or killing them
As a result of the turmoil in the country, what happened?
Archbishop of Canterbury asks Merlin to get a king.
What does Merlin say in reply to the Archbishop’s request for a king?
Merlin said that soon, they would have a king greater that Uther Pendragon who was of the direct line. IN order to test the validity, he will work magic.
What “magic” did Merlinwork?
He placed a heave 4 squared block of marble in front of the cathedral door. On top of it was an anvil (iron block) with a golden, embroidered, gemmed, sword. Whoever takes it out and puts it back in is going to be the next king.
What does Merlin command the Archbishop to do?
Call all of the nobles, kings, and chief people for Christmastide.
WHat does Merlin suggest the king might be?
One who might be unnamed/ seemingly unworthy would be worthy
Who is Sir Ector?
a. Trustworthy knight - known for trustworthiness and loyalty
b. Has 7 castles in Wales
c. Has two sons: Kay and Arthur
What does Ector and his two sons do once arrival in Londan?
They go to the fields, set up a green silken tent, and put up the banner of a griffin (gryphon). ON the fields are 12 other kings and 7 dukes.
What’s the first activity
The knights fight on a field. 20,000 nobles around them (like a wall).
What does Sir Kay do when he hears the challenge?
He asks his father for permission to fight for his house’s glory. Ector consents.
Where is the Archbishop on the field?
center of the nobles on his throne with a purple canopy, a figure of st. George, and crosses that have St. George on it.
Describe the competition
- Herald blows the first time for the men to prepare, on the 3rd blow, both sides attack each other
- Break - injured are brought o safety, everyone grabs their swords. On the 2nd horn call, they fight again.
How was kay in battle?
He was the best- Sir Balamorgineas challenges him to the fight. He hits him like never before, but then his sword breaks. Three friends come to his rescue, and he runs back to the barriers, drinks spiced wine, and tells Arthur to get a sword from the Pavilion.
What does Arthur do?
Nobody is in the pavilion, so he grabs the sword from the anvil and brings it to the stunned, white-faced, Sir Kay.
What does Sir Kay decide to do?
He wants to gain advantage of Arthur’s innocence and tells ARthur to give him the sword wrapped in the cloak and call Ector to the pavilion.
Describe what happens in the Pavilion
Kay tells Ector that he has the sword, and the surprised Ector says that he must be able to pull out the sword also. He says that the one who does will be able to be king. Ector hopes that he will be able to plunge the sword back in since his little brother was able to.
Describe the scene of the cathedral
no matter what, Kay cannot pierce the iron, and so Arthur volunteers, saying that he pulled it out in the first place. Smoothly, he plunges it in and pulls it out and in again.
b. Ector tells the story. Arthur mourns that he has lost his father. He promises Kay Seneschal when he is king. He seals this with a kiss
c. Merlin and Ulfius appear
Christmas comes. Nobody can draw it. What do the kings suggest?
They tell Archbishop that Merlin desires to shame them - Archbishop should choose a king
What does the Archbishop say in response to the 6 kings?
He wants to wait patiently for Merlin
Merlin comes with the 3 men and say what?
He recounts the story and says that ulfius and Ector can agree with him. Arthur proves the sword thing three times.
Many men do not like Arthur as a king… why?
He is beardless
He does not have a known identity
Only three can prove his birthright
When did Arthur live?
6th century
When was the 1st written word about Arthur?
9th century
What is the history of Britain?
a. Britain - home of celtic speaking tribes
b. Romans invade 55BC
c. Romans rule for 350 years.
d. Britons escape and go to Brittany, France - they tell many stories of Arthur
e. Battle of Hastings (William the Conquerer) in 1066 - Britons make the North army - French stories brought back to England.
A man was said to have led the British at Badon Hill. Who was he and what date?
185 A.D. Lucius Artorius Castus, known as a king
Who is Gildas the wise?
Monk in 540 AD who said that one leader was at Badon hill (leader is unnamed), and this led to a generation of peace
Who is Nennius?
829 AD, meant ions that Arthur led the Britons, including at Badon. They fought on horseback (from Romans) and he had a dog in war
What is the Annales Cambriae
annals of welsh that say that Arthur died in 537
Who is Geoffrey of Monmouth?
1100 AD, influenced by Celtic stories
What book and when did Geoffrey write?
History of the Kings of Britons in 1136
What does he say in his bok?
a. Britons were established by Aeneas
b. Early forms of Merlin
c. Isle of Avalon (place buried)
d. Arthur had to revenge against Rome, leaving Mordred behind (son of Arthur/morgana), who destroyed the place
Who is Wace?
1100-1174, Norman, translates Geoffrey’s book to French verse.
What did Wace write?
Roman de Brut 1155, he gets the idea of the roundtable and Merlin as a wizard.
What important thing did Wace write about?
A quote from Arthur saying that force is not enough.
Layamon
He wrote “brute” in 1190 (English alliterative poem about the Holy Grail - Joseph of Aramathea supposedly had the grail)
