The familiar medieval Arthurian myths of a noble King ruling over his kingdom from camelot, supported by his Round Table of loyal and brave knights who seek for the Holy Grail and slay dragons, is a legend that has been engaged with by English kings ever since the 13th Century. By the 14th Century, these tales provided a model for their kingship.
What you may not know about, is the clash of cultures that occured in the 12th Century, that led to the making, breaking and redefining of Arthur's story.
Join author and medieval historian Matt Lewis as he delves deep into the historical context of the Arthurian legend, visiting Glastonbury Abbey and Winchester Cathedral along the way. Featuring historians Dr Cindy Wood and Dr Katherine Weikert.
For centuries the city of Timbuktu was famed as a golden metropolis situated on the southern fringes of the Sahara; tales of its immense wealth and its reputation as a key centre of learning obsessed travellers and adventurers for many hundreds of years. Timbuktu certainly has one of the most ill...
The mystery and legend of King Arthur has fascinated mankind for centuries. Was there really a fifth-century warrior king at war with the Angles and Saxons? Did he have a round table of knights? Where was Camelot? Now, twenty-first century forensic archaeology allows us to suggest new answers to ...
Henry V's exploits both as a King and as a young man have been cemented in the popular imagination thanks to Shakespeare’s plays. But how much of Shakespeare's depiction is true? Anne Curry, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History from the University of Southampton, answers key questions about thi...
12 Comments