King Arthur

Also known as Arthur Pendragon

legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries

AI overview

King Arthur was a legendary British leader from the late 5th and early 6th centuries who became the central figure of a vast body of stories that have captivated Western culture for centuries. His tales, which blend historical uncertainty with magical elements, continue to influence literature, film, and popular imagination, making him one of the most enduring figures in Western mythology.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Image: William Morris King Arthur and Sir Lancelot.png

Show 7 more facts

Commons category: King Arthur
floruit: 0500-00-00
name in native language: Arthur
P12749: Charles Alten
date of birth: 0500-00-00
date of death: 0600-00-00
P8168: Dzhelepsko

Sources (10)

via Wikidata · CC0

~40 min read

Article

Tapestry showing Arthur as one of the Nine Worthies, wearing a coat of arms often attributed to him. c. 1385 King Arthur (Welsh: Brenin Arthur; Cornish: Arthur Gernow; Breton: Roue Arzhur; French: Roi Arthur) was a legendary king of Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.

In Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a leader of the post-Roman Britons in battles against the Anglo-Saxons in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. He first appears in two early medieval historical sources, the Annales Cambriae and the Historia Brittonum, but these date to 300 years after he is supposed to have lived, and most historians who study the period do not consider him a historical figure. His name also occurs in early Welsh poetic sources, such as Y Gododdin. The character developed through Welsh mythology, appearing either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, and was sometimes associated with the Welsh otherworld Annwn.