Calling for a Hero III Once and Future King


Arthur is the great legendary British king. There so many versions of his life that it is confusing to write for the blog but I did best. Arthur was the son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine. Igraine was the wife to Duke Gorlois of Cornwall, at the time she had conceived Arthur. Through Merlin's magic, Uther was transformed to look exactly like her husband. Uther made love to Igraine, when Gorlois was absence. When Gorlois was killed, Uther immediately married Igraine. Arthur had three half-sisters: Morgause, Elaine (Blasine) and Morgan le Fay. Morgause had married King Lot of Orkney, Elaine (Blasine) was married to King Nentres of Garlot, while Morgan was wife of King Urien of Gorre, brother of Lot.
However these were very troubled times and Merlin, a wise wizard, advised that the baby Arthur should be raised in a secret place and that none should know his true identity.
As Merlin feared, when King Uther died there was great conflict over who should be the next king. Merlin used his magic to set a sword in a stone. Written on the sword, in letters of gold, were these words: “Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is the rightwise born king of all England.” Of course all the contenders for the throne took their turn at trying to draw the sword, but none could succeed. Arthur, quite by chance, withdrew the sword for another to use in a tournament. Following this he became King.
He gathered Knights around him and fought back against the Saxons who, since the Romans left Britain, were slowly but surely taking the country over. After many great battles and a huge victory at Mount Badon the Saxons' advance was halted.
Arthur's base was at a place called Camelot. Here he built a strong castle. His knights met at a Round Table. They carried out acts of chivalry such as rescuing damsels in distress and fought against strange beasts. They also searched for a lost treasure, which they believed would cure all ills - this was the 'Quest for the Holy Grail'.
Under the guidance of Merlin, Arthur had obtained a magical sword from The Lady of the Lake. This sword was called 'Excalibur" and with this weapon he vanquished many foes.
Queen Guinevere, Arthur's beautiful wife brought romance to the story while his equally beautiful half sister Morgan le Fay added a dark side.
Arthur said to have no children from his wife Guinevere. However, Lohot (or Loholt) was said to be Arthur's son, not by his wife Guinevere, but by a woman named Lisanor. His most famous son was Mordred. Normally, in the early tradition, (by Geoffrey of Monmouth), Mordred was Arthur's nephew, because Mordred was the son of King Lot and Morgause, the sister of Arthur. But as early as the Huath Merlin and the prose Merlin (Vulgate version), it was implied that Mordred was his son by Arthur's half-sister, Morgause. In the Suite du Merlin (a continuation of the Vulgate Merlin), Arthur had unwittingly slept with Morgause, because he did not know that she was his half-sister. Some even say that Morgan le Fay was Mordred's mother.
In the Mort Artu (Vulgate Cycle), Gawain did not know that Mordred was only his half brother until Mordred had seized power during their absence in the wars against Lancelot and the Romans. The only person who knew of Arthur relationship with Mordred was Morgause and Merlin.
I wonder was King Arthur gay?  I mean a large majority of the "royalty" were homosexual. The reason for this was that many of the kings and princes of that day took women to prove their masculinity and produce an heir. The knight and squire relationship remind of the Greeks’ pederasty. It makes the mind wonder what really goes on back in Medieval Ages.  

 

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