Arthurian legend

Also known as: Arthurian romance, matière de Bretagne, matter of Britain

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 7, 2024 • Article History

Sir Bedivere and the sword Excalibur

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Category: Arts & Culture

Key People:: Thomas Malory; Chrétien de Troyes; Marion Zimmer Bradley; Hartmann von Aue; Raoul de Houdenc

Related Topics:: romance

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Arthurian legend, the body of stories and medieval romances, known as the matter of Britain, centring on the legendary king Arthur. Medieval writers, especially the French, variously treated stories of Arthur’s birth, the adventures of his knights, and the adulterous love between his knight Sir Lancelot and his queen, Guinevere. This last situation and the quest for the Holy Grail (the vessel used by Christ at the Last Supper and given to Joseph of Arimathea) brought about the dissolution of the knightly fellowship, the death of Arthur, and the destruction of his kingdom. Stories about Arthur and his court had ...(100 of 667 words)

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