“This is a legend that has captivated the attention of man in our western civilization. It is a dominant modern myth that has served as a fundamental template for the cultural socialization of European society. Over the past eight centuries, many versions and commentaries about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have been written, and adaptations of this myth are still deeply rooted in the oral tradition of most European nations. Many cities had their own portrayal of this legend, telling the story of a king or a great knight who sleeps with his company.
An essential characteristic of the Arthurian myth is not only the archetypal depiction of something that happened in the past, but also the fact that the content of the myth endures until the moment in the future when King Arthur and his knights will awaken again and restore peace and justice to the land.
Origin of the myth: Regardless of the historical facts that speak of the actual existence of the British leader Arthur in the 5th century, fragments of the Arthurian myth emerged with the rise of chivalry in the Middle Ages.” ku.
Namely, written fragments of myth are found only at the end of the 11th century as a response to the spiritual quests of people in Europe at that time.
Approaching the millennium after Christ, there was a sudden increase in fear of the end of the world. This phenomenon was associated with the Hebrew tradition of the coming of the Antichrist and the new Messiah. One king, one country – that was the slogan that was raised at that time. Furthermore, there were also some natural disasters: epidemics, famine, and ominous signs such as the appearance of comets and solar eclipses… A climate of pessimism and catastrophism was created, which almost paralyzed the economy of the 11th century.
When the year 1033 passed (a thousand years after Christ’s death), the collective fear and penance subsided. Europe only then began to develop its own civilization through the development of economy, religious and political activities, as well as art and science. In Germany, France, and England, centralized power was established through the establishment of a local administration system that was tasked with maintaining the king’s law. St. By wielding such strong authority, the problem of feudal anarchy was resolved, the middle class grew, and the development of cities followed.
At that time, numerous groups of idealists were organizing, who, although failing, caused long-term changes in the Church and society. Using symbols such as King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Holy Grail, they channeled their aspirations. Initially, they used these symbols to seek salvation and escape from the harsh reality, but later they found something worth living for and fighting for within them. Thus, knightly orders and spiritual knighthood emerged.
On the other hand, the beginning of medieval chivalry is associated with the emergence of mounted warriors, especially in France in the late 10th century, when mounted knights became the most important military force. Mounted knights emerged due to the nobility’s and the Church’s need for defense against enemies or bandits and robbers on the roads. The Church increasingly favored this type of warrior who adapted to the Christian spirit: fighting against injustice and unbelief. The glory of the knightly orders and spiritual knighthood stems from the Church. Even the writers of Arthurian myth, like Robert de Boron in the late 12th century.
Chivalry takes on European proportions and from the 12th century becomes a form of social, moral, and religious code of conduct, with a special emphasis on the virtues of bravery, honor, and service.
The merging of two different moral understandings gave rise to chivalric ethics. On one hand, chivalry was Militia Christi, a mediator between divine forces and men, and on the other hand, it was influenced by courtly ethics in which the heroic effort of the knight was inspired by his love for his lady. Ethically speaking, the lady was the personification of the knight’s soul, and the love referred to here is what we call platonic love.
Parallel to the emergence of this social structure, the stories of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Holy Grail appeared in written form and inspired the ideal of medieval chivalry. Until the 11th century, the legend of Arthur was passed down orally, and in the 12th and 13th centuries, it was written down. In the most important stories of the Arthurian myth, they are more or less Christian adaptations of Celtic and Germanic legends and myths, thus conveying ancient teachings dressed in the characteristics of the time in which they originated.
In Christianity, Arthur was a defender of faith, a king who opposes the forces of evil. However, the knightly ideal, although Christian, transcended strict religious frameworks and expressed a secular, cultural, and deeply ethical character. European royal courts, following the example of Arthur’s Camelot, were places where this ideal was shaped. All the famous writers who transmitted this myth were under the protection of nobility or kings.
Brief summary of the legend
English knight Uther fell in love with a beautiful lady named Ygerna, the wife of Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall. Using Merlin’s magic, Uther disguised himself as Gorlois and thus Arthur was conceived. At the same time, Gorlois died in battle, which allowed Uther to marry Ygerna. As a return favor to Merlin, Uther promised to entrust the child to him. The Sword in the Stone
Once upon a time, shortly after birth, Merlin takes Arthur and entrusts his upbringing to the honorable knight Hector.
After the death of Uther, in order to prevent discord in the kingdom and to bring Arthur to the throne, Merlin places a stone with an anvil on which a sword had been stuck. On the blade of the sword were engraved these golden letters:
“Whoever pulls this sword from this stone and anvil shall be the rightful king of England.”
A commotion started around the extraction of the sword because many ambitious nobles desired the English throne. However, none of them succeeded in pulling out the sword. Arthur happened to pass by and pulled out the sword almost by chance.
He effortlessly pulled it out and brought it to his brother, Kay, who needed it for a tournament. Kay immediately recognized the sword and demanded the throne of England. Seeing through Kay’s cunning, Sir Hector finally extracted the truth from him. The sword was once again embedded in the stone, and Arthur effortlessly pulled it out as proof in front of everyone, even several times… Excalibur, King Arthur’s sword that he pulled out of the stone and anvil, served as a test of royal ability. Before becoming the king of the people, the ruler of men, the true king, one must first be the master and ruler over oneself. Before attempting to bring order and justice to his kingdom, he must consolidate them within himself.
Therefore, the sword in the stone is a symbol of man’s condition: a spirit enclosed in matter, a soul as a prisoner and servant of physical, emotional, and mental desires and passions. This symbol tells us that most people are not free to behave as they truly wish.
Arthur is the one who achieved freedom, overcoming his lower nature that tied his spirit to the urges of the body. He pulled the sword from the stone, which means that he liberated his own will from the power of his selfish intentions. In this way, he was able to rule himself, which is a fundamental prerequisite for wise and just governance.
The Round Table is the central symbol of the Arthurian myth, representing. The way to achieve the knightly ideal, and Arthur and his knights are archetypal examples of those possibilities within humanity. The Round Table, carved by Merlin, possesses the ability to transform people, turning leaden flaws into golden knightly virtues of man, thus perfecting him. It has the power to realize ideals by creating criteria, a healthy sense of shame and responsibility. It awakens inspiration that directs people towards noble action and elevates them to the level achieved by those who have attained the ideal.
The Round Table is a symbol of divine order or honorable arrangement of interpersonal relationships, much like that between celestial bodies, reflecting the harmony of the spheres, or the harmoniously arranged universe. The table is round like the universe and represents the unity of the knights who gather around it.
According to the same analogy, the Round Table is a symbol of the natural hierarchy of values that potentially exists within every person: Arthur is the ruling principle, the spirit, and the knights are subordinate And the elements are being refined and transformed (physical, emotional, and mental levels) and in collaboration with the spirit, they bring justice and order to the soul. When Arthur becomes king, he gathers the best knights around him, and together they fight against rebellious and selfish barons, eventually defeating them after many battles. This symbolizes the battle that awaits each of us. Without a king, selfish elements seize their opportunity and cause a chaotic state. They declare war not only against the spirit but also provoke each other, so they themselves are not in harmony. Only a king, but not one chosen among greedy barons, can bring peace to the soul. It must be a true king, a natural king, the only one capable of pulling the sword from the stone. Arthur, the future king within each of us, awaits his call to battle, the beginning of an inner struggle to ultimately replace injustice, hatred, and anarchy with justice, peace, and order.
The Ideal of Chivalry
Therefore, the ideal of chivalry is the ideal of the Round Table, whether in an individual or collective context. In the Middle Ages, it wasn’t just about wearing armor and weapons or occasional battles in tournaments. It was merely an outward expression, a real representation or an invented one for pedagogical reasons and a specific characteristic of Europe at that time.
What mattered was the spirit of chivalry, the state of consciousness and inner combativeness. A true knight embodied the virtues of a warrior and a mystic within himself. However, this did not refer to what we now call war and mysticism, but rather to the aforementioned internal struggle, noble action, and ethical aspiration to fulfill the chivalrous ideal. In the Arthurian legend, the ultimate achievement of the chivalrous ideal is symbolically depicted in the quest for the Holy Grail.
When the Round Table achieved its goal of establishing justice on earth, Arthur and his knights were presented with a vision of the Holy Grail. Among other things, it is said to be a chalice in which Joseph of Arimathea brought the blood of Christ to Britain. In Celtic mythology, we find something very similar, the so-called cauldron of abundance. The eternal waters can satiate the hungriest and thirstiest person. It is obvious that both the cauldron and the chalice contain the same thing – the waters of eternal life.
Out of all the knights who searched for the Holy Grail, only one of them saw it completely. That was Galahad, the knight of pure heart. It is said that only those who have become as pure as the waters of eternal life are allowed to taste them. The complete vision of the Holy Grail represents the final stage in human evolution, and once Galahad has achieved perfection, he has nothing more to accomplish on Earth. Therefore, he soon dies in his own quest.
The Round Table then disbands because it has achieved its purpose. The cycle is complete. King Arthur is severely wounded in the final battle against the treacherous knight Mordred and is taken by boat to the magical island of Avalon, where his wounds will be healed. But before Arthur sailed away, he promised to return again when the same cycle is repeated. Another Galahad will appear, and perhaps even more, who will achieve the complete vision of the Holy Grail. The myth tells us about the reign of the spirit over matter. Even though the power of the spirit and matter cyclically interchange, the return of Arthur and his knights will always establish the correct order of the world, where the power of the human spirit will surpass the power of matter, enabling the progress of humanity on the evolutionary path of gathering experiences. Unfortunately, today this myth is mostly used for the entertainment of children and romantic leisure. It has been forgotten to what extent it was an inspiration and ideal for people of the late Middle Ages, who laid the foundation for modern civilization. But most importantly, it has been forgotten that Arthur sleeps within each of us and before we attempt to establish justice and peace in this world, we must establish them within ourselves. Screwing oneself up.