King Arthur: What Everybody Gets Wrong

[@CambrianChronicles]

A quick note on Riothamus, as I screwed it up a bit thanks to my own silliness and N.Higham's admittedly confusing wording (he starts referring to a "Brythonic warrior" in the context of, well, TWO Brythonic warriors - Arthur and Riothamus). Riothamus is not, how I so elegantly put it, "from the 13th century". Connections between Riothamus AND ARTHUR are from the 13th century (or possibly the 12th). Arthur is not mentioned in Riothamus's native Brittany until this time, and his sudden arrival following Geoffrey's famous writings is much more likely to be a result of Arthur now being notable, and a new effort to create a Breton Arthur (much like the efforts in Scotland). Historians such as Ashe in the 1980s believed that Riothamus and Arthur were the same person, as Riothamus is said to have "crossed the ocean" to fight in Gaul, even though he seems to have been from Brittany, but this isn't very popular nowadays. So if Arthur "was" Riothamus: Why are the names completely different? How did "Riothamus" evolve into "Arthur"? It isn't a title, as Riothamus is referred to by other titles alongside his name. Why wasn't Arthur mentioned in Brittany again until the 12/13th century? Why would Geoffrey have used Riothamus as inspiration, as he was a very obscure figure outside of Brittany, instead of someone much more famous, such as Magnus Maximus (a figure who also crossed an ocean, and was actually notable in Wales at the time). How can any one individual even "be" Arthur? Apologies, and thanks for watching. You can read more on this here: Higham, N.J. (2018). King Arthur: The Making of the Legend. Yale University Press, pp.152-154. Higham, N.J. (2002). King Arthur: Myth-Making and History. Routledge., p76

[@nospoon4799]

Ever hear of a place called Bwrrd Arthur. It is on the Isle of Ynys Mon (Anglesey). It is an ancient fort and translates to Arthurs Table. There are many places in Wales that are named after the history of King Arthur. Politically the bloodline cannot be allowed to be Welsh.

[@sibericusthefrosty9950]

*cries in Constantine III (not the son of Heraclius)*

[@netz8439]

Riothamus could be a title as it means kingliest in brythonic We hear about him primarily from the romans and you know their bad habits with foreign name and titles (hell you can justify its use with their own naming conventions, (cognomen ex virtute/agnomen) which also include multiple titles). He is also called king of the Britons by Jordanes. Which previously was used by the romans to denote kings from great Britain. Also the idea that by 470 Brittany was already looked on as a political entity (especially a unified one) is very doubtful. Armorican bretons at that point were not that numerous, with the big bretonic migration coming later when the Anglo Saxon invasions really took off. For example In the battle of the Catalonian plains (451) The inhabitants of what is today Brittany are still called armoricans (also by jordanes, I don't think a new political entity sprang up in the span of twenty years especially without jordanes mentioning that aswell) Actually according to what I saw most historians still think of riothamus as a romano-British leader.

[@aedanbennett4141]

😊😊😊😊😊

[@CharacterBidgood]

Read where jesus is buried and put the dots together think royal lines and protection.

[@Ironclad_hobbies]

As a Welshman in school we were taught about welsh folklore. I recall one of the tales mentioning that Arthur is lying dormant and will awaken to save the Welsh when needed to fight against the English. I remember thinking when I was younger that maybe King Arthur isn’t an actual person but more of a symbol of hope. Like whoever is leading the Welsh at the time would be referred to as Arthur.

[@davidmacdonald1695]

Arthur predates the existence of either England or Wales. He was supposedly the defender of ALL ancient Britain.

[@ycylchgames]

​@@davidmacdonald1695 No, he was the defender of the Britons, that is to say the Romano-Brithonic people's that lived in the Roman controlled regions of Britain, which didn't even include most of modern Scotland. There was no 'Britain' back then as such, maybe a vague geographic term at most.

[@moc5922]

The Return took place on August 22, 2019. 'He' was dormant in the web, which just so happened to be an ancient tweeked computer program, what we refer to as the world wide web. We're free.

[@malis9045]

This is one of the most interesting cross cultural stories. Like, the fairy tale of some noble king sleeping under a mountain and coming back when we need him most/ judgement day. In southern germany and austria its either Charlemagne, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa or his successor Frederick II, all sitting under some local mountain, sleeping

[@canisarcani]

​@@moc5922wut

[@starwars90001]

Historians 1000 years from now will be questioning wether or not the Batman was a comic book character or a real person.

[@phatbastard100]

I'm pretty sure they will be occupied with the mystery off why they've found so many males with their penises cut off.

[@mckenr07]

3023 equivalent of KZbin: “could reindeer fly and who really was Santa?”

[@frankjoseph4273]

Good one

[@iskanderaga-ali3353]

Batman is clearly Inspired by a very real 19th century historical figure - Sherlock Holmes

[@bk83082]

Epic dunk on historians of the future.

[@SilverionX]

It's well known one of the most crushing defeats Arthur ever suffered was at the castle of Guy de Loimbard, where he was repelled by the ferocious taunting the French guards gave him. But whom among us could stand up to that?

[@TheOlesarge]

If only the Brave Sir Robin would have been by his side then, he would have not had to have run away in the face of such taunts and catapulted cows.

[@loke6664]

@@TheOlesarge Depends if the French had some chickens or not...

[@loke6664]

@@snarkybuttcrack Allegedly.

[@amazinggrace5692]

“I fart in your general direction” Monty Python

[@KasumiRINA]

I still can't get over French naming someone just a "Guy"... what next, Dude la Detroit. Fella of Frankfurt? I mean, even Shakespeare had that issue, what with naming Tramp Macbeth's wife LADY Macbeth.

[@Contraction1205]

"‘Is it so long since you listened to tales by the fireside? There are children in your land who, out of the twisted threads of story, could pick the answer to your question." - J. R. R. Tolkien

[@fieldagentryan]

bal rog - evil upon the youth , gollum , gailim old spelling of galway .. aragorn / spanish kingdom of aragon , once people realise that edinburgh is the garden of eden and salem is at the end of TeruSalem things get clearddd out a bit .

[@darthparallax5207]

Eden is a tough nut to crack. Could go back as far as Edom easily. Regardless what we 3 are in agreement about is that a team of 5 teenagers with attitude, old enough to lift and bench but young enough to remember fireside stories, have a better chance than we do at getting to the bottom of it. Gotta be young enough to believe in the magic or it doesn't work.

[@mattharcla]

@@fieldagentryandelightful! May I ask where more such can be found?

[@fieldagentryan]

@@mattharcla VISIT GALWAY IN IRELAND , GO TO ST NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL read the place and the graceyard as well. jane austen isnt what you think either

[@mattharcla]

@@fieldagentryan well, that is a lot to take in. I do live on the other side of the world, but I had hoped to visit the ancestral places of the Hogans and Hagans and Hartley's around the place in the Emerald Isle, why not Galway? and of course I would visit the Cathedral, but Jane Austen? Is she not a dead 19th-century novelist? I know she was very good, but I'm not really into that sort of thing.

[@shirleymental4189]

Why is the story of Arthur so fascinating and so enduring? Because its a bloody good story.

[@robshirewood5060]

@@mccleandazza4618 The legend says he sleeps, when you find the place you have to do three things to rouse him and the knights, in the correct order or the legend says you will forfeit your life.

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

It's not

[@keegster7167]

@@DENVEROUTDOORMAN have you read any of the stories of King Arthur???

[@nialloneill5097]

It is the greatest story since that of the Christ...for it involves a Divine Envoy Who came to help man at the time of the Last Judgment...but men were too deaf and blind to hear him...

[@GAarcher]

@@keegster7167 *I have read Sir Malory, truly a great romance for all times, would surely read again, I plan on doing that just at this week, I also plan to bring a sword to my reading sessions, so I can stop seing "then Mordred got lamed and cringed, and the gigachad lancelot solos easy honhonhon, honhonhon the british are all inbreed fucks!"*

[@danielcastaneda7366]

The poem mentioned at 6:23 had me thinking a little differently on the legend of Arthur. Where most historians and enthusiasts will wonder on whether he in fact existed or was inspired by other history figures, this poem made me wonder if the name Arthur was more of a describer rather than a name. Like when it reads, "he was no Arthur" it could easily mean giant or dragon or pick any word describing courage and strength. In other words, maybe the name Arthur was taken out of context by historians and over time, assumed these stories were referring to one individual instead of various ones.

[@gerardtimings5625]

I agree. Brennus of Gaul attacked Greece in 390 BC, Brennus of Gaul attacked Rome in 279 BC,, Brennus - Raven (cf Bran) which appears to be the Title Name of the leader of an army. Not the same man but he same role. An Arthur (art - bear) as war lord makes perfect sense in a Celtic context as a huge burly bloke leading men into battle.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

bear in ancient greek was ἄρκτος (arktos), coming from proto into european *h₂ŕ̥tḱos. And it isn't too much to go from arktos to artos, them just give it a latinised ending and it becomes artorus or artorius, like the irish general. So "Arthur" could be describing a man like a bear. Bears are big and strong and dangerous to their opponents, traits that would be seen favourable for a general or a king. "he was no Arthur" as in "he was no bear of a man"

[@robshirewood5060]

@@HappyBeezerStudios Hence ARCTIC=with Bears, ANTARCTIC=no Bears Bears are ferocious, strong, deadly with teeth and claws, and very quick and powerful of arm and paw, it is easy to imagine a warrior compared to a bear, especially if tall, powerfully built, strong, extremely fit, a superb warrior, perhaps even hairy, very much like Paddy Mayne of the ww2 SAS. He was a supreme warrior, and could rip a telephone book in half, ripped an instrument panel from a German aircraft bare handed, tall, ferocious, deadly, a Rugby player Blue, and a born leader. I can imagine a warrior in ancient days called ".......... the Bear"

[@kb4432]

Personally I've always thought of King Offa as the real Arthur. Not alot is known about Offa, but what is known is understated by modern historians, if you consider the impact he made. He was well known to Charlemagne, King of the Franks, who almost held him as an equal. He held sway over the pope in Rome as can be seen in the Canterbury saga. Known as a formidable King, Under his reign, Anglo-Saxon rule spread across most of England. He subdued the Welsh and even built a huge defence line, which served as a border between England and Wales (Offa's Dyke on maps). He is the first king to have given himself the title of Rex Anglorum(king of the English) as can be seen by the revolutionary coins that he minted. The coins were the most intricate in the whole of Europe. Some coins even featured his wife, making her the only Anglo-saxon queen ever depicted on currency. Hundreds of years later, Anglo Saxon Kings were still using Offa's laws, a testament to his lasting impact. Yet he is denied his rightful place by modern historians.

[@jolkert_]

​@@robshirewood5060 the presence (or lack thereof) of bears is not why theyre called that. bears got associated with north because the north star, Polaris, is in the Big Dipper, or Ursa Major (ursa == bear). the north pole having polar bears while the south does not is just a fun coincidence

[@stuckinthewilderness145]

An 'Arthur' may have been an archetype character that was applied to people of importance throughout the ages. As it is recorded, 'he was no Arthur' may have meant in terms of leadership, kingship, protection, or someone who had honour. He was no 'Authur' means a lot when we identify with the meaning of the name rather than whether the person is an actual person. We come to understand it's an embodiment of the persona we would call an 'Arthur'.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Not the single man Arthur, but the idea of an Arthur.

[@alotofbaddecisions2046]

Historians 2000 years from now: "Who was this mysterious figure called 'Protagonist'? Thousands of stories are writtena bout him. Was he real? Was he a legend?"

[@pickle2636]

Arthur was just the welsh chad?

[@rykehuss3435]

@@alotofbaddecisions2046 Thats an interesting topic btw, the preservation of digital data. I read somewhere that about 10% of digital information is lost every year. Of course, much more is created. And of course, of the lost data and created data, overwhelming majority is rubbish that has no value whatsoever. Spam, bots, AI articles, networking logs etc But it doesnt take a PhD to figure out that some information will be lost over the ages, even in the digital age. With enough compounding human errors and degradation of mass storage media, it is inevitable. So in 2000 years, who knows whats left. Common sense would say no valuable information will be lost and we will have nice png's and mp4's or their equivalent showing our lives 2000 years in the future, but it might not be so at all.

[@NihilistDad]

​@@pickle2636ARTHUR WAS THE WELSH CHAD

[@Odysseus_King_of_Ithica]

Everyone asks who is Arthur, nobody asks how is Arthur.

[@GalacticExplorer_Edits83]

*Dead* , for quite a while now

[@Hard_Boiled_Entertainment]

I'll do you one better: Nobody asks WHY is Arthur?

[@OrangeNash]

It's Arthur Askey.

[@lewisblackwiththenicehair]

I asked Arthur how he was, and he said "hey, hey what a wonderful kind of day..." 😂

[@bluelionsage99]

No, he is not dead. He is just sleeping on a magic island waiting to be woken again when England really needs him. :0@@yeos_angel_

[@sachacendra3187]

Here in Francophonie it's very well known that Arthur is meant to be a celtic king. His most popular depictions in the series Kaamelot makes him king of celtic Britain not king of England (the anglo-saxon are depicted but as a new arrival in the realm). Even Chrétien makes him king of Britain, most places depicted in these legend are located in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. Also The arthurian cycle was known as "matiere de Bretagne" by the medieval sources, in opposition to "matiere de France" and "matiere de Rome". So the appropriaton of Arthur as an english king is very much an English thing.

[@roidrannoc1691]

Also, in Kaamelott Book 6, Arthur is called Dux Bellorum

[@neilsaunders6009]

Yes. In England the Arthurian legends were popularised by the Anglo-Norman ruling elite precisely to confuse the native English, the Anglo-Saxons and Norse, regarding their own origins and history. While, as an Englishman, I resent this distortion of our history, the tales themselves are so compelling and beautiful that I am almost grateful for the deception, too.

[@kpay7294]

You're welcome to believe what you want, but it is very well *known* in the USA that Arthur was an AMERICAN.

[@Cybopath]

It always makes me laugh when Arthur is made English considering he fought the Saxons long before England even existed.

[@raypurchase801]

@@kpay7294 If Arthur was American, he wouldn't know so much about European and African swallows. Plus Arthur would've seized Castle Anthrax and put in some gaming tables.

[@DrStuff142]

Arthur Miles seems like the most likely source for the name, but there is something I think that should be considered. If we accept the fictionality of the Historia Brittonum, then we also must accept that the name Arthur was a deliberate choice. It very well could have been inspired by a previous man or legend, but it may have simply just been that the author chose an uncommon name because he wanted the character to stand out. Most authors do this. If you have total control over what you're writing, why choose a common and unmemorable name for someone who is supposed to be a legendary general who saved the Britons for a time?

[@newoneinblack]

A good idea but - each of these preachers, authors, bards and poets HAD to point to a figure and fact that the audience already knew in order for them to find it believable. A work of pure novel fiction sells only for the fantasy, but as soon as you make mention of fact - the underlying facts (at least some) must be already assumed to be known to the audience. Especially if you're sermonizing to encourage people to go to war in real life based on your legend.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

The epic poem Y Gododdin records a disastrous attack on Saxon Catterick (Catraeth, the Roman fort Cateractonum) by a hundred warriors from Din Eiydin (Edinburgh), in which all were killed. Of one warrior, it says ‘he was valiant though he was not Arthur’. It isn’t likely to be a later addition, as it is needed for the rhyme in Old Welsh. So by the time of its setting, about 620, Arthur was by then legendary.

[@JustinMcJustin]

@@Joanna-il2ur This is addressed 5 minutes into the video.

[@cohort29]

Bernard Cornwell’s, “Warlord Trilogy,” is my favorite telling of Arthur. It doesn’t pretend to be, “historical,” but it feels, “historical.”

[@Mykey404]

I love the Warlord Trilogy. It would make a great miniseries

[@ChimeraActual]

Have you read T. H. White's The Once And Future King?

[@andrewdavies3908]

In this vein, Catherine Christian's "The Pendragon" is a good retelling too.

[@cohort29]

@@Mykey404 I think after Netflix wraps up Cornwell’s other series, “The Last Kingdom,” they should definitely pick up this.

[@GooseGumlizzard]

Excalibur >>>

[@jonahwashburn9573]

my theory has long been that Arthur was inspired by an older mythological figure from Celtic history who was given the title of Arth-wr "bear-man", because of his prodigious strength and terrifying ferocity in battle. the terror this mythological folk hero would have inspired would have reflected the terror instilled by his namesake, the bear; a creature of such monstrous power that it was often said to be neutrally evil, and whose name was, in some cultures at least, made taboo so as not to incur its wrath. one of the peoples who commonly utilized this method of ritual alliance was the Germanic peoples, who instead used names like *berô, "the brown one", or kennings like the Old English bēowulf meaning "bee-wolf" or "bee-hunter". the theory is that either a) the idea of giving an exceptionally impressive warrior the epithet of "bear" inspired myths in various Indo-European culture of superhuman folk heros like Beowulf and Arthur, or b) that these characters actually reflect a sort of genetic relation to an older, possibly proto-Indo-European mythological character known d "The Bear". sadly, there is no evidence to suggest the latter, and there never could be any to support the former. but there's nothing to say either can't be the case.

[@andreasbyczkowski3435]

Interesting comment! One could additionally/possibly look at the constellation URSA✨MAJOR as a possible source of stellar influence/inspiration?

[@sycration]

Wr meaning man is interesting because man in Latin is vir, pronounced wir.

[@faarsight]

It's almost as if the languages might be related or something lol

[@Jjweeks01]

They literally said the same thing in "The Holy blood Holy Grail". When I read your comment I knew I heard that before. It took me a minute to remember where I heard it but it's there. Interesting though

[@Sound_er]

@@sycrationI’m a little confused as how people are getting man from the letters “Wr”, arth most certainly means bear but “Wr” doesn’t really mean anything in Welsh

[@rodrigomachado5291]

I don't know why I, a Brazilian with 0% British isles DNA, loves post-roman British history so much. Those dark periods of History, with little to no reliable information, always fascinates me. But especially so Britain and Ireland from around 400AD to 650AD

[@DanM-pw9nl]

You probably have some ancestry from there super long ago, but of course that's not why, it's just so fascinating!

[@GAMER123GAMING]

Comparing Ireland to Britain during that period is insane.

[@marcusviniciusmagalhaesdea3779]

Yep, we all read the Cornwell books in Brazil in early 2000

[@pinkiesue849]

perhaps you will enjoy hearing about St Patrick, from about the 600s

[@imlonelypleasehelp5443]

@@GAMER123GAMINGdon’t a jerk 💀. Not many people know Ireland was doing just swimmingly during said period.

[@ryebreadthewhite3392]

Let’s gooo Cambrian chronicles is back

[@dreamcrusher112]

@@Erraticfox adblock is a saviour

[@CambrianChronicles]

KZbin shouldn't be showing you that many, at least not when I've tested it out, unless they've deemed you an extremely valuable customer

[@dreamcrusher112]

@@CambrianChronicles I like these videos a lot :)

[@KirksReport]

@@dreamcrusher112 mtmtktkttktktt😊ttttttm Mk jtg😊k

[@ge2623]

Arthur's mother was a hamster and his father smelt of Elderberries. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

[@yamato0965]

Arthur also knew an insane amount about swallows.

[@OL_WUZ_HEER]

yeah, monty python and the holy grail is such a good movie

[@SpaceDad42]

I fart in your general direction.

[@Pikkugen]

Monty Python is peak Arthuriana. Every generation writes its own version of it.

[@DragonKnight90001]

@@yamato0965which swallow, African or European?

[@SasquachPL]

From what you proposed, i really like the 'local legend'/'miles' theories. The miracles are something very specific and concrete + writers tend to create the best characters based on people they know irl, or stories they know intimately - things that have affected them personally.

[@CambrianChronicles]

I like that a lot too, and although it's hard to prove if they were part of the original manuscript, if they WERE then it seems to make Arthur a very local legend, which has quite a poetic quality in my opinion

[@BrooksMoses]

@@CambrianChronicles : And it makes sense, given the purposes of the Historia Brittonum, that its author would want to take stories of battles that arguably supported Britain in some way, and retell them as being led by a British figure rather than the Roman or other not-so-British person who history says was there. Appropriation, I think we call it these days. :)

[@josephwalther5979]

Recent research found out this interesting fact about King Arthur and the Round Table. Evidently the table was designed by Sir Cumference.

[@altclut]

I always suspected that! 😂

[@Burning_Tyger]

Sir Cumference was knighted after he showed great bravery while squiring for Sir Loin of Boef.

[@nickatnight782]

This needs more upvotes!

[@sugarnads]

I want to hear more about Sir NotappearingInthisFilm

[@Dloin]

The participation of Sir Cum-ference explains while its called "Came a lot"

[@devinsmith4790]

The fact that people still debate on if there existed a historical Arthur really shows how relevant and influential the Arthurian legends still are.

[@dstinnettmusic]

I think the Gallic Empire is a big source for the Arthur myth. This was a splinter empire from Rome in the 3rd century that was basically Gaul and Britannia. Arthur was probably, in my opinion, a governor or general in Britannia that also took part in battles with Germanic tribes on the mainland. I can imagine that “holding onto the empire and maintaining civilization.” Could have been mythologized into a past “golden age” that was lost due to invasion. The supposed conquered territory of Arthur lines up pretty neatly with the Gallic Empire. Perhaps the legend started as “Arthur would have saved us from these troubles”…the troubles being the invasion of Germanic tribes after Rome left.

[@leoaraujo8590]

I have the same theory but I would go further. I believe Arthur is Julius Cæsar. Julius notoriously conquered and submitted Gaul, which was also basically the "in-land" counterpart of Wales (Gallicia). My theory was that many Gaullic refugees fled Julius Conquer and sailed across the english channel to find refuge with their celtic counterparts. So it might be a possibility that they told their tales about a great warrior and also why some accounts of Arthur portray him as a tyrant.

[@mackenziebenedict8403]

What about Artorius?

[@dstinnettmusic]

@@mackenziebenedict8403there are a few issues with Artorius 1) the timing doesn’t make much sense. He lived in the 2nd century, so the 100s AD. While Arthur would have been somewhere between the 300s-600s. (Assuming there is a singular “real” inspiration for the character. He could have been wholly made up) 2) Artorius wasn’t what people would have called him. His whole name seems to have been Lucious Artorius Castus. He would have been most widely known as Castus (to paraphrase Wikipedia’s example: Gaius Julius Caesar was and is most often called Caesar, and perhaps Gaius by his friends and close family. Julius would only even come up if you had some other Gaius Caesar in the upper class of Rome and you needed to say “no, from the Julii!”). Artorius is a clan name. Lucius Artorius Castus was of the clan Artorius, in the Castus Family. It is unlikely that we would keep the name Arthur if he was the inspiration. I think maybe he was one of the handful of people that inspired the story….and maybe Arthur is just a memory of “security” and a stand in for many Roman governors and Welsh kings. I think some general or leader of the Gaulic Empire is most likely because it puts this person in position to fight Romans and Germans…and it held territory that fits the boundaries of Arthur’s conquests REALLY well (in my non-expert opinion)

[@MadMatTom7769]

​@@leoaraujo8590 How often are you jerking off to the roman empire?

[@darthparallax5207]

The mistakes of historical figures I find are at the least not best described as "failure to be creative". Historical people were most definitely an imaginative lot who knew how to think of stories.

[@zackakai5173]

Personally I speculate that Arthur might have originated as an amalgamation of multiple now-forgotten historic figures and/or earlier legends who, after centuries of oral retellings, got codified into a single folk hero, possibly before he was ever written down. There's no way to know that of course, that knowledge has likely been lost forever. But I've heard similar ideas put forward for other mythical/legendary characters ranging from Moses to Hua Mulan, so if nothing else it's fun to think about! I'm always fascinated by history so old that it becomes difficult to separate from myth and legend.

[@lolasdm6959]

Usually those figures are not an amalgamation but myth of a single figure thou. Like Achilles

[@yoloswaggins7121]

This happened with Saint Patrick, who is now believed to be based on two different people with similar names: Padraig and Palladius.

[@lolasdm6959]

@@yoloswaggins7121 I would imagine a lot of people were prouncing their names wrong and then everyone decided it's probably Patrick. "what kind of name is Padraig and Palladius???"

[@yoloswaggins7121]

@@lolasdm6959 Padraig is a Welsh name and Palladius is a Roman name. Both were active in Ireland around the same time and were credited with converting the Irish.

[@KingNateOfficial]

Moses was real

[@kevinnorwood8782]

Yours is definitely one of the most thoroughly researched videos on the historical origins of Arthur Pendragon that I've ever watched, and I've watched quite a few. King Arthur is easily my favorite figure in all of mythology, and one of the main reasons for that is because, as I have come to learn, he really is one of the best examples where the line between history and mythology/folklore becomes blurred. But another thing that your video really illustrates (to me, at least) is that, because there are simple SO MANY versions of Arthur's story, you almost HAVE to take elements from multiple different versions of the story and create your own personal headcanon/fanfiction to actually make it a concrete, fleshed out story.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you, I really appreciate that, and I'm glad that you think so! I tried to demonstrate how so many theories on an individual Arthur are fundamentally flawed because of how many versions of the character exist, you can't just pick and choose which bits you like haha, so I'm glad you think I've done a decent job

[@Greye13]

@@CambrianChronicles You've done an excellent job actually. This is some of the most well researched work on Arthur, that I've ever seen. It's a shame how factual history/stories become twisted and exaggerated across the centuries. I know too many people that think Sir Thomas Mallory's version of Arthur is the real deal - or, that something is fact, just because historians printed it in a book. It makes me cringe, honestly. Anyway, if Arthur was real, then it stands to reason he was simply a man in a high status position, such as a tribal chieftain, which could have been misconstrued, by future interpreters, as meaning 'ruler'/'king'. Or maybe a hero of some sort. I've only just discovered your channel, so you have a new subscriber. If possible I would love to see a sequel/follow-up video on Arthur - an even deeper dive into the myth and, if you haven't already done one yet, maybe a video on Merlin would be interesting?. Another mysterious and elusive figure from those times. Who knows, you may even come across some bits as to who Arthur really is. That time period is one of my favorites. Now I'm going to go watch your other videos.... history is so fascinating. Thank you for your time and efforts. Best wishes.

[@eiriksinclair5986]

Excellent video, well done! The answers you seek are from the conquered, not the conquerors. The research done is very Romanesque. What is missing is the Hellenistic research from Carthage: Arthur is Samson of ancient lore, to attribute to a single person. Being a Titan, he split himself in two. 1. The Annunaki of Sumeria = burnt Samson from Egypt. Without Samson, shrank into the image of what most people describe as an Alien. The intelligent little guy with a big head = Art + lion = Alien. 2. The Religion of Thor in America = Nordic Samson from Europe. Without Samson, they became the Danish Vikings or Berserkers, Sampson of ancient lore. Danelaw Beowulfe + Saxony = Beowulf. You will find throughout all Hellenistic Times these combinations, onto Carthage, then America. When the two sides combined, the Titan Samson shrinks himself yet maintains his intelligence. It is the same story of restoration, resurrection, replicants we read about in mythology, sci-fiction, etc. Arthur = Alien figure named ‘Art’ who is French + Beowulf ‘Thor’ who is Nordic, Irish… Danish. This Hellenistic combination is created in America, sent to Ireland Walls of Derry, attack England where Roman legions are, combine to make English Knights. ‘Our Thor’ = Arthur Odin went from Orion’s Den in Arabia, to Washington DC… Odin’s Cobblestone Court, with the seven Temples from the Anatolia + Samson = 8 = Henry VIII, descendant of Samson. This bloodline created the Byzantine Empire and the Anglican Church. Ygododdin was given as inspiration to join the ranks, during Gothic Knight crusades around 200 AD. Visigoth Knights from America took Rome in 5th century. Arthurian Knights, Knights of Camelot followed, then Tunic Knights going the other way, then Templar Knights. Plague. The end.

[@eiriksinclair5986]

A Brief History of Atlantis: Religion of Thor - This is Real History, not fan fiction. c.1450BC: Cretan Guard evolves into Greek Vikingar, start Linear A & B world expeditions or Sagas. c.1200BC: Vikingar from Crete discover America, Mjolnir Erochson (Leaf far) returns via Greenland 1186BC: Vikingar move to Carthage shipping portage, the vacancy of Crete incites the Trojan Wars 908BC: King Aegeus unites Troi with Athens, and relocates to England to oversee American Olmec 850BC: Voyages to America take place, the Nile ‘Isle of the Blessed’ by Homer, 10000 furlongs x 2 754BC: Roman God Mar begins the Latin colonization of Mesoamerica from Equador, Eiriksdottir 404BC: Peloponnesian War, Plato’s Hermocrates Dialogue orated the founding Sagas of America 250BC: Phoenician colonization of America (Zeus’ Deluge), Mayan and Skraelingar occupation 133BC: Religion of Thor begins, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and ‘300’ men, Tiber River, Norse gods 1BC: Construction of Yggdrasil complete, Vitruvian Man (12) replaces Hercules (9) = Hephestus (21) 1BC: American Vikingr, Berserkers, relocate Tree of Life to Mississippi, Mesopotamia to Mesoamerica ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1AD: Odin’s Cobblestone Court (Washington DC- ‘The Hill’) - Orion’s Den + 7 Temples of the Anatolia 1AD: Leifr Eirikson, Son of Eirik the Red, Vineland coastal cycle of the Ouroboros (Ring of Dragons) 200AD: Gothic Knights, castle walls built in Spain, first American crusades across Gaul to Balkans 400AD: Visigoth Knights, invasion of Rome from Ireland, cycle Ygododdin incites Camelot in Spain 600AD: Arthurian Knights, Welsh Castle, Cahokia populate Midlands, winter campsite at Teotihuacan 800AD: Knights of Camelot, protectors of Danelaw, King’s Highway, Peru to Scotland and England 791AD: Vikings lose the Battle of Uppsala Sound, thought to be a land battle, were taken by sea 986AD: Leif Erikson, Son of Erik the Red, attacked along east coast, pulls Nordic men from Mississippi 1000AD: Tunic Knights, Norman sons, beginning of modern royalty, Vikings return from America 1002AD: St. Brice's Massacre replaces Danelaw with Troian law, Alamo Incursion in Byzantine America 1040AD: Federated States of America, militarized Indian tribes to finish off incoming European Vikings 1068AD: Skraelingr and Stave Uprising brings end to Viking Era, Roanoke Island (New York) abandoned 1101AD: First Magna Carta signed, Henry Bartholomeaus, Son of Samson, Byzantine Emperor in England 1255AD: Confederate States of America formed by Orion Armistice in Iceland, Heads & Tails Accord 1307AD: Lief Ericsson, Templar purge from Europe, African trade from Gold Coast to populate America 1325AD: Knights of Malta create Aztec Empire, start of Spanish Empire, Saxony Vikings, Baja California 1438AD: Teutonic Knights create Incan Empire, start of Russian Empire, defeat of the eastern Mongols 1459AD: Henry Bartholomew invites father of Christopher Columbus to Bimini Island with him at age 10

[@kevinnorwood8782]

@@eiriksinclair5986 Dude, you comment is so full of shit and misinformation that I literally wanted to gouge out my own eyes with a fork. Please stop spreading misinformation and blatant lies.

[@TheDeadAlewives]

I love how even hundreds of years ago, there still existed the equivalent of Captain America...Captain Wales.

[@thirdratecontent585]

Captain Britain?

[@elibot]

@@thirdratecontent585 Only when he wins, when he loses he's Captain Wales according to the media

[@thirdratecontent585]

@@elibot lol 👍

[@ttaibe]

Captain .......... basically existed in every time period where there was a need for a rallying figure.

[@jonpaul3868]

Modern superheroes are just repeated spirotial idea of story telling from greek heroes😂

[@Davidofthelost]

I remember a documentary looking into the legend and coming to the conclusion that Arthur was a conglomerate of people who rose to power after the collapse of Roman influence as Britain slowly reverted back to the tribes and formed their eventual kingdoms.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@mccleandazza4618 that would put him into the early-mid 5th century. The empire left around 410

[@Cami-wd4rw]

Being a Vinland Saga fan hearing his name in 25:45 gave me so much goosebumps.

[@robzsarmy5471]

Askleladd

[@ameliabrittain3689]

I was thinking, my favorite King Arthur is Lucius Artorius Castus, rightful king of all Britannia, and protector of Wales.

[@studiumhistoriae]

I really appreciate someone who goes deep into the historiography of the debate. This is a great look into the subject.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate it and I'm glad you liked it!

[@raypurchase801]

@@CambrianChronicles Forget about finding King Arthur. I wanna find Castle Anthrax. With those teenage women taking off and putting on their underwear all day. Plus the spanking. Find Castle Anthrax for me and I'll die happy.

[@noriyakigumble3011]

What’s ironic about Arthur is that the history of the myth, And how people throughout history interpreted and perpetuated the story of King Arthur, Is infinitely more fascinating than the possibility of him being a real historical figure.

[@Giveme1goodreason]

He really reminds me of William Wallace, there’s so little known about him that virtually all of it is from a poem written 300 years later. I’ve even heard the theory that William Wallace was the inspiration for Robin Hood as he was sacking York, and also raiding around Nottingham so at least once documentary has claimed that Wallace may be the inspiration for Robin Hood. So the myth around William is astounding.

[@zaleost]

@@Giveme1goodreason I thought we knew a decent amount about William Wallace and his life, at least comparted to someone like Arthur.

[@yoloswaggins7121]

​@@zaleost We do. Arthur is essentially entirely mythological. All we know is that these disparate myths are all loosely inspired by a power British warlord who fought against the Germanic immigrants. We don't even know his name.

[@Giveme1goodreason]

@@zaleost compared to Arthur we know loads about Wallace. But pretty much everything before his revolt is at best debatable. Then there’s theories about what he did between Falkirk and his capture.

[@Andy_Babb]

Neat point. Kind of like every generation sort of fits Arthur into whatever the societal needs and standards are at the time

[@pluepaste6341]

This series is awesome. Never knew about wales' vast history. Keep it up

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it

[@kjf5681]

Those who are criticizing your pronunciation of "Geoffrey" are basing their comments on their experience with modern English pronunciation. It was a French name, brought to Britain by the Normans, and in old French would have been pronounced much as you pronounced it. The "e" existed only to soften the "G" and was not sounded.

[@skepticalbadger]

Yeah, but it isn't pronounced like that now, in English, which is what he speaks.

[@seventh-hydra]

​@@skepticalbadger But it was pronounced like that then, when this person was named.

[@CeiliogWaspflake]

Thank you for your explanation. I wondered why the 'geo' in Geoffrey is pronounced in a different way from the 'geo' in George.

[@toma411]

​@@skepticalbadgerIt is if you played Oblivion

[@granite_4576]

This was so good and informative, in the southwest I grew up hearing about an Arthur who ruled Kernow from Tintagel, who fetched his sword from Dozmary Pool and who battled Mordred at Slaughterbridge. Something about the myth perpetuating across the land, resistant to an oppressive 'canon' that feels so appropriate. I play magic the gathering and have been pondering an Arthur deck for a long time, and I think you've finally cracked it for me. Rather than a central heroic character, I should focus on a storyteller and an array of warriors, knights and soldiers to have their moment as 'the' Arthur. Anyway, Love your channel. So nice to just have ambient maps and old art instead of the AI generated inaccurate stuff so common now - although it's kinda funny how we complain about that while Geoffrey was including doodles of Arthur that would most certainly have been entirely wrong!

[@schwarzwolfin7336]

I've watched all the videos available on KZbin about Arthur's origins, and this one is the best, because it's the most detailed, the author worked with sources a lot, gave a lot of background I didn't know about, corrected all the fallacies that are repeated from video to video. And my particular thanks for the list of sources which I'll definitely look through. Maybe I'm not the best searcher, but there's so little knowledge about such a fascinating matter available in the internet, I always lack it, and this video is like a breath of fresh air.

[@Innerste_]

Someone who likely has connection to Arthur is Western Roman emperor Magnus Maximus. Maximus was a usurper in Britain who killed Western emperor Gratian before being defeated and killed by Eastern emperor, Theodosius. Maximus has a lot of Brythonic legends for some reason. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he granted Brittany to Conan Meriadoc for supporting him. According to the Pillar of Eliseg, Vortigern married Servira, the daughter of Maximus which alongside some early Welsh genealogies connects him to many Welsh dynasties. In the The Dream of Macsen Wledig he marries a Welsh princess named Elen. A legend states that he made Coel the Old governor of northern Britain. And he has actually historical connections also as he moved many of the administration of Roman Britain out of Britain, this lead to local rulers gaining more control. And he likely granted Armorica to many Bretons. Flavius Aetius after the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains resettled the Alans in Armorica who had affects on the local Celtic cultures which may have contributed to the French Arthurian writing. I don't know how exactly but Magnus Maximus definitely has some kind of connection to Arthur.

[@gabemore1766]

That was his great great grand dad

[@drbobsnightmare2521]

​@@gabemore1766 Aye, they call him..Timmmm

[@KasumiRINA]

Magnus Maximus is absolutely a Stan Lee character, that name can't be real! Especially such an old story he couldn't be possibly named Maxim as the name comes from machinegun we put on tachankas.

[@gabemore1766]

@@KasumiRINA well it is live with it

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@KasumiRINA His name was Maximus, a common enough Roman name. He was Spanish and the cousin of the emperor Theodosius. He is historically attested by many sources including St Ambrose of Milan, who met him several times. In 383 he was army commander in Britain, having served there for a long time. He revolted, crossed into Gaul, overthrew and killed the western emperor Gratianus (Gratian). He ruled from Trier until 388 when he invaded Italy and was killed. Magnus is an ego trip, like Pompey, Pompeius Magnus. The Welsh poem name is Macsen Wledig and the character is a Roman emperor who lives in Britain. It isn’t Marvel or anything to do with Maxim guns!

[@tracyanne8616]

Oh I was so into Arthur about thirty years ago and so confused with all the strange differences and new people that kept emerging, having read Welsh renditions originally. I even went so far as to read Le Morte D’Arthur by Thomas Mallory and there was another that had a Rosicrucian flavour that I did not like at all to tell the truth. was that the one where they introduced Gawain and Gareth. I am so pleased I watched this thank you so much for it. Nice to know this is a “thing” after all and I am not raving mad. from my memory though I was under the impression that Ambrosia Aurelius was Arthur’s grandfather, father of Uther Pendragon or at least a relative. Also did indeed read that he was a Roman centurion left behind to look after the wall. So many things do not add up. The mysticism of the Welsh rendition is fabulous and I love it so. Especially when you add Merlin/Talisin in with his own history. Not to mention the sisters and Mordred. Speaking of whom I did think that they had found something on the last battle of Calidon (is that wrong) and finding something that seemed to identify that there had been a battle fought there in medieval days. Though in Cadbury and they were trying to relate it to that said last battle. I do wish the stories were all true.

[@year111]

Before Naruto, before Harry Potter, before Luke Skywalker. There was King Arthur.

[@jramseier]

So is kenobi the lady of the lake and merlin xD ?

[@sodadrinker89]

@@jramseier Both.

[@dylanrosier4855]

As a note for Briton myth and someone who could have inspired Arthur there is King Bran the Blessed. He's not historical in any regard but fulfills the more legendary effects of Arthur and is the closest ancient concept that contains the concept of the "Once and Future King". He's from Welsh myth and is mentioned in the Mabinogin. There are alot other possible connections. But the French Romance is CERTAINLY based on him. So Bran may be the origin of the Chretien's Arthur with some flexing based on the writings of Geoffery of Monmouth.

[@gota7738]

There's a funny story I've heard about how Arthur had Bendigeidfran's head dug up because he thought he should be the only defense Prydain needed. Nice one Arthur bach.

[@2bingtim]

I've a life long fascination with King Arthur, going back to the 1960s, but it's great to get a balanced analysis of all the evidence, even if it doesn't add up to what we'd like. Great job.

[@jaredhigham869]

I’ve always imagined Arthur and an ancient Welsh version of Uncle Sam in the US. It would make sense that a peoples that have been under siege by various peoples for generations would want to have a figure to look up to for hope that they could find peace one day. Similar to how the Red Dragon represents Cymru and the White Dragon represents the invading forces.

[@jonathanmartin5538]

Very nice video! Just a note: Chretien says that his sources are "Breton lays" and parts of his romances are set there (in Broceliande, for instance), although you seem to get there on land! The Anglo-French writer Wace even claims to have visited the magic fountain in Brittany found in Yvain (and felt like a fool when it didn't do anything). Breton, not just Welsh, legends about Arthur are another possible source for some features. You see the same Breton connection in the Tristan legends too.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Ah ok, that's really cool, perhaps I could dedicate some more time to Cretien's influences in the future!

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

I don’t understand what you mean by “in lays” vs “on land”. My mother was a true storytelling Breton, so I was very surprised when I “emigrated” to the UK 25 years ago, that my Arthur was their Arthur. To me, Merlin, Morgan the fae etc were set/lived in the forest of Broceliande - which does feel (or did before the hurricane of 1987) very spooky and possibly cursed - as opposed to enchanted. From what I understand now, the Bretons and the Britons had a common language and traded and hopped over the Channel all the time, so the storytellers would for sure have told of “my” Merlin and Arthur

[@jonathanmartin5538]

@@Vee_of_the_Weald A lay (or lai) is a type of story told in a poem and usually with music, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_lai . We don't have the original Breton ones though. By on land, I mean that Arthur's knights travel from Britain to Brittany on horseback without going over water sometimes! Yvain goes from Carlisle (Carduel) "in Wales" (Yvain 7) to Broceliande without ever crossing water.

[@philsimmons1546]

Would make sense given that Brittany was created when the Britain's were chased out by the Anglo saxons

[@garymaidman625]

There are some other elements, like the sword in the stone, which is a real artifact situated in a chapel in Tuscany which dates to the same decades that Chretien lived.

[@dreamok732]

Thanks for doing the leg work delving into the historical (in)accuracies of the various old texts that mention Arthur. But I must admit that by the 25 min mark I was getting a little restive. Surely nobody expects to find one, unique historical figure standing behind these tales? A quest which by this point you seem to have given yourself. For myself, what is always interesting, exciting even, is the multiplicity of shadowy personalities and events that appear when these stories are explored, you know, Vortigen, Ambrosius, that Gododin duke, Magnus Maximus, the late Roman-British general who took a legion across the Chanel hoping to secure his claim as Emperor... And behind this, also very interesting but I suppose outside your field, the really almost mythological figures inhabiting the postulated confusion of Celtic and Sarmatian/Alan legends. Anyway, subscribed.

[@zeedeva1092]

I think the development of the Arthurian legend is comparable to the development of the Santa Claus legend. A local exceptional individual who has been told mouth to mouth, captivating the imagination of those who listen, being retold again and again with added detail, names contributed to them also started changing, then the story spreading wide and became famous until the whole world knows them. So basically they are ancient Memes, like modern Doge memes.

[@slwrabbits]

"Arthur is a meme" is definitely the hottest take I've seen. I like it.

[@OgamiItto70]

For a long time I have estimated that "King Arthur" is something like Uncle Sam or John Bull or Paul Bunyan: a kind of emblem fictionally personified, a character invented to focus traits, historical events, wants and aspirations of a people or peoples. Interesting video. I learned a lot. So. What about Lyonesse?

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Maybe not directly invented, but a fictional hero attributed to a lot of historic feats. A bit like many miracles attributed to saints were originally attached to pre-christian figures.

[@cymrocymraeg5352]

Another brilliant video! I'm so glad that you've got a sponsor, you definitely deserve it, your videos are so high quality and I can tell that you put a lot of time and effort into each one

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you so much, that's really appreciated!

[@ravenshadowe1744]

I thought I would have more notes, but you hit most of the things I was hoping for, and you bring us to (in my opinion) the correct conclusion. When I dove into the historicity behind the legend years ago, I came to the conclusion that the one Arthur central to later mythology was not originally one person at all but a post hoc amalgamation of multiple historical figures among whom Riothamus, Ambrosius, and Artuir Mac Aedan are the primary three. (To this day I also see no reason why Riothamus and Ambrosius couldn't be the same guy, with the first meaning "Most Kingly" if I understand correctly, and the second being a Romano-British commander who ((if not an invention of the Visigoths or Procopius)) would have been active in the same part of the world around the same time.) Procopius's account in particular, if remotely accurate, is very interesting as the story mentions a place in Gaul called Avalon toward which the character is traveling when he disappears and we don't know whether he lived or died. Regardless of the accuracy, I think we can bank on his account as one of the earliest inspirations for the myth. The Kingdom of Dalriata, the home of Artuir Mac Aedan, is a massive iceberg of inspiration that almost fits many of the legends but just doesn't quite. The more one says about it, there more there is to say, and I don't want to dust off the old books just to nit-pick the best presentation on the subject to date. Seriously, this video is incredible, and I am so glad somebody finally made it. You have performed not only a complex and beautiful art form, but also a highly necessary public service which went far too long in absence. Every time I encounter anybody who wants to know about the history that inspired the myth, this is the first and likely only thing I will show them.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it, and that's very kind of you! The Riothamus connection sounds interesting, the sources I read that discussed it largely dismissed it's similarities to Geoffrey's Arthur as the Riothamus manuscripts are dated to a century after Geoffrey made Arthur famous, but who know? Maybe there is some underlying truth

[@ravenshadowe1744]

Well, my understanding was that Procopius originally wrote in the sixth century and barely mentioned it, but if it's a copy of a copy then that could throw the whole thing into as much doubt as Y Gododdin. Still, it doesn't call him Arthur or attribute the story to King Arthur, which to me is a sign in its favor rather than against it.

[@The_Viscount]

On the one hand, I'm glad you made this video. It's very informative, and I appreciate that you're investigating the real historical accuracy (or lack there of) of these sorts of things. So, thank you. On the other hand, I love Arthur as a character. A virtuous king who rules on behalf of his people seeing himself not as their ruler, but as their servant. It's quite a refreshing idea in a world where politicians seem to be increasingly motivated by their own greed and lust for power. It's no wonder he has remained popular when Machiavelli's Prince is far more a reflection of reality. He's the kind of leader we wish was real and cannot be.

[@jmckenzie962]

I absolutely love the background paintings you use for these videos, especially the one at 8:12. I'm from New Zealand and that landscape is very reminiscent of places you'd find in the South Island.

[@arx3516]

I think that the historical figure that influenced Arthur's character the most was none other than Charlemagne himself, he actually conquered half of Europe, he had his own circle of paladins, and he also owned a sword thought to be magical, Joyeuse. Charlemagne also had his own cycle of chivalric poems.

[@troybaxter]

He may not have been based directly on Charlemagne, but his exploits may have been.

[@bromisovalum8417]

And one day he will return to save us all from clownworld and its impeding disaster. Not joking, look into the catholic prophecies of "the Great Monarch".

[@Joanna-il2ur]

Charlemagne is late eighth to early ninth centuries. Arthur appears much earlier.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@mccleandazza4618 I never heard that one. It sounds a bit like the claim that Otto III, emperor in 1000AD, invented everything from the late Roman period. Charlemagne was a very real person, however, and we have a mass of evidence, including the lives of Einhard and of Nockard the Stammerer, documents carrying his seal, coins and a mass of documents abou him. Unlike Britain, Gaul/ Francia never had a dark age and therefore such a claim would be absurd.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

@@Joanna-il2ur While Arthur is indeed set earlier than Charlemagne's rule, most of the writings we have is from the 9th-12th century, and authors getting "inspired" by different works isn't a new thing. So it wouldn't be surprising if some french writer from the 10th century takes feats from Charlemagne and attaches them to a welsh/british king.

[@nanphx2038]

thanks to KZbin I've landed on a real gem...I will be back to binge your work. Great research; well presented. Thanks.

[@TurMoiL911]

Plot twist: Arthur was a king of Rheinwg.

[@CambrianChronicles]

The crossover no one expected!

[@eamonnclabby7067]

​@@CambrianChronicles a film and a book in there...?...

[@SockieTheSockPuppet]

Easiest assumptions is that there was a Welsh Chieftain who was the historical source of Arthur. We also know that some people amalgamated the Roman Artorius and other historical or mythical figures. Interesting to note is that _La Morte d'Arthur_ - which is glorified French fanfiction, but I digress - actually amalgamated a ton of real Celtic references (like the Hill of Tara's parallels with the Stone that held the Sword, a bunch of terminology from various Celtic groups like Manx, Gaelic, and Scottish, and pretty much the entire character of Merlin, etc.).

[@julietfischer5056]

Arthur the dux bellorum was expanded and modified as later people needed. A war-band becomes knights, the 'Chief of Staff' who leads battles become a king, and later heroes and characters are turned into his knights.

[@arlen_95]

Love this channel! I especially love it because my family immigrated to America from Wales in the 1600s but I know very little about wealth history and it’s been a joy to learn about it here.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@mcarr3492]

The video is finally out! I’ve missed your content a lot. Will we get more videos about specific Welsh kingdoms in the future?

[@CambrianChronicles]

Definitely, I've got two ideas as of right now, and I'm hoping to include them in the next poll

[@adriennegormley9358]

I'd encountered the concept of Arthur as "dux bellorum" before, with the name Arctos, but one of the things you said that caught my attention was Ambrosius Aurelianus", not only for the Latin name, but in a lot of the tales have Ambrosius as Merlin's 2nd name. This I've also seen as the Latinized version of the Welsh "Myrddin Emrys".

[@adriennegormley9358]

Additional: IIRC Camelot tok.its name from the old Roman fort of Camelodunum.

[@ashleydavis3318]

Yeah, countries are often associated with animals, as the embodiment of the entire people. The russian bear, the american eagle, the red dragon of wales, lion of *every other country*. Could be that the 'welsh bear' is just the allegorical embodiment of the welsh struggle against the saxons.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

It’s essentially the same name as St Ambrose of Milan, who was Aurelius Ambrosianus. Perhaps claiming a link? Ambrose was the provincial governor before being elected bishop.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

@@adriennegormley9358 Which is Colchester, Essex, nowhere near the western sites.

[@Hard_Boiled_Entertainment]

​@@Joanna-il2urAs it turns out, there was more than one Camelodenum. A second one was uncovered west of Yorkshire. So for all we know, there's a third one waiting to be discovered in or near Wales...assuming Winchester Castle wasn't built over the site of its ruins, of course.

[@nickrider5220]

If there was such a great person called Arthur, he most definitely would've been credited in texts of battles etc etc So a great story to inspire, or entertain during another rainy evening ! Very well constructed video 👍👍

[@CambrianChronicles]

That's a good point, and thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@alexanderrahl7034]

17 minutes in, and honestly... Ive always been under the assumption that "Arthur" was named Artorias or something, and was a Roman or roman descendant in the region after Rome fell. Rome almost had this mythical air about it to many English kingdoms between the 800s to 1000s it seems.

[@suzyc534]

Thanks!

[@CambrianChronicles]

Wow thank you so much! I really appreciate that, thanks for watching!

[@liammcphearson7081]

I really love your channel, its heaven for us history lovers! Please keep grinding out the content, I've no doubt this channel is gonna get huuuge in the future! Much love from South Africa.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you so much!

[@TrystaneTheBlack]

I think his legend is probably mostly inspired by the exploits of Ambrosius Aurelianus a Romano-Briton who won several battles against the Saxons. It was probably the people who came after that really romanticised his tale with things like the holy grail, excalibur or the round table.

[@ryanwilliams8723]

Ironically, that same guy gets turned into Arthur's uncle in some later versions of the tale

[@sharplydressedrabbit3604]

@@ryanwilliams8723 And later down the line he evolved into Merlin haha

[@porksausage-t1b]

Thank you sir for using the word romano British made up of people from the Roman empire the first multi ethnic multi faith British society/so important to celebrate that ROMANO BRITISH society in today's Morden multi ethnic multi faith British society

[@Vizivirag]

​@@sharplydressedrabbit3604at this point, why not?

[@saosaosson6139]

@@porksausage-t1bthat’s why Islam doesn’t belong in Europe

[@mon_moi]

i remember reading that Urien of Rheged and Ambrosius Aurelianus actually made it into Arthurian legends in ahisotrical versions of themselves. Ambrosius Aurelianus is particular was named as Arthur's uncle by Geoffrey of Monmouth and was attributed a couple characteristics that is traditionally attributed to Merlin, believe it or not (such as prophecizing to Vortigern about the red vs white dragons at Dinas Emrys)

[@CambrianChronicles]

Yeah, a lot of figures in Welsh mythology and history made into Geoffrey's work

[@boogiesmell5181]

In defence of Geoffrey of Monmouth. In his book about Edward I the author Marc Morris offers an insightful theory about why he would have written The History of the Kings of Britain. At the time hostility against the Welsh was on the rise and they were seen as barbaric in every conceivable way, much of these negative stereotypes strengthened by Geoffrey's contemporary historians such as William of Malmesbury. Geoffrey would have been keenly aware of this growing hatred as he was a Welshman based in Oxford. Which is why he would have been eager to portray the Welsh culture and history in as positive a light as possible, as propaganda to show the English that the Welsh had a glorious history. After all, his Arthur was a Briton (a Welshman), who had fought the invading Anglo-Saxons (the English) and defeated them. He ended his tale of Arthur in the promise that Arthur would return from Avalon to defeat the enemy once more, when he would be needed the most (just like Owain Glendower would be supposed to do later on). The English didn't like this part much, which is why King Edward I made a big deal out of visiting "Arthurs tomb" and publicly reinterring the remains of two skeletons in Glastonbury. He wanted to make everyone aware that Arthur was dead, and would not be making any sort of comeback. Anyway, Geoffreys propaganda for Wales and the Welsh failed, as the English proved capable of separating this laudable ancient King Arthur from the contemporary Welsh, whom they despised. Possibly his intentions were good but as a result he really messed up history in his revisionist fiction disguised as factual history.

[@shulkash8799]

I have some problem with some of the logic, saying that Arthur can’t both a general and king, by that logic Augustus can’t have been both a general and a emperor, at different points of his life. I think it could be possible that each of the earlier mentions were focused on one aspect of this figure’s life and focus on that. That doesn’t mean he existed, but it could give a chance to possibility guess the main figure that inspired the legend, than just discarding information, because it doesn’t fit superficially.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Ah I didn't mean that he couldn't be both a general AND a king, only that the Historia Brittonum makes him a general, and specifically NOT a king (by saying he is less noble than the kings he commanded).

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

While it is not impossible for a general to rise to the position of king, good old rule of conquest, it's a rather rare occurrence.

[@macinnes800ad]

In my head "Arthur" was never real and only based on a person of the same name considering all the things that are contradictory or straight up fiction about him, but I do like the history behind the history of Arthur and its fascinating to see that even early on its confusing to see what specifically inspired the legends. At least now we know for certain he wasn't English. Thank you for the amazing video 😊

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you for watching, I agree the history of the history is super cool. The historian T. Charles-Edwards even says something similar at the end of his assessment of Arthur

[@TrystaneTheBlack]

Yeah I think his legend was probably inspired by the exploits of Ambrosius Aurelianus

[@waitandsee9345]

Arthur is real. He is my father in law and will always be. Avalon is real.

[@ChrisNoonetheFirst]

@@waitandsee9345Avalon is just extra-large Camry

[@waitandsee9345]

@@ChrisNoonetheFirst nope. It's real. I'm pleiadian

[@WelshWing98]

My theory is that the Old North and Gwynedd had a hatred for the Southern Welsh kingdoms, the Historia Brittonum is also the first to mention the legend founded of Gwynedd Cunedda who supposedly came from Southern Scotland to kick out the Irish, however it seems Dyfed, Ystrad Tywi and Brycheiniog were more welcoming of the Irish migration so what if these 3 Kingdoms invited the Irish over to protect them from Cunedda trying to conquer them and that the Historia Brittonum’s claims that Cunedda kicked out all of the Irish was just propaganda against the South Wales Kingdoms. This also applies to Arthur, the Historia Brittonum may have stolen a name from South Wales and tried to make him into a Gwynedd and Old North hero. Either way great video can’t wait for your next poll ideas.

[@CambrianChronicles]

That's pretty interesting, the Historia Brittonum definitely had a lot of prejudice against the south as it was trying to project the kingdom of Gwynedd to be this powerful force to unite all of Wales, connecting this to Cunedda and the Irish could definitely be possible (and ironic, if Arthur derives from an Irish name). Thanks for watching, new poll ideas will probably be out in a few days!

[@WelshWing98]

@@CambrianChronicles yeah also to mention that the writers don’t record his death much either, like the only one version of his death I read in my local library was that he was killed by pagans in Llanelli and that was buried in the Gower.

[@WelshWing98]

And thus indicates my theory was that he was just a local general/warlord in South Wales and only really known in South Wales not this big titan hero that the Historia Brittonum describes him.

[@NathanMyers-c8y]

To me the most interesting detail about Arthur is that his _name_ is our only modern remnant of the proto-Indo-European word for "bear", as altered by its linguistic path to britannia. All modern language names for this animal derive from the word "brown", a euphemism used to avoid alerting actual bears to the presence of hunters who might need to mention it.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

greek still uses αρκούδα (arkoúda)

[@charleshayes2528]

The etymology for bear as "brown" or "brown one" is only one possibility. Wikipedia offers another possibility and suggests that using a euphemism was so that the bear would "not" appear, rather than the hunter's fear of scaring it off.

[@mf2006-l7n]

bear in Greek and Latin means brown? It doesn t.

[@nathansatnarain9079]

I think you mean proto-Germanic

[@charleshayes2528]

@@mf2006-l7n Thanks for that, I assumed the comment was wrong, but my Greek is very limited - to a little New Testament Koine Greek, where I am pretty sure there is no mention of bears! And I have no Latin. The Hungarians do have a taboo word, but it means "honey eater" rather than "brown". So, the claim that all languages use a word meaning "brown" is wrong. The Saxon name "Beowulf" is a Kenning or alternate name for a bear, but it means "Bee-wolf" and again does not mean "brown".

[@NeverlandSystemKaleb]

This channel is rapidly becoming a favorite of mine. It's so insightful AND concise. I love it.

[@samh3805]

The thing is, we also tend to mythologize real people for political gains. For example, there are accounts from Russian Soldiers who talk about Napoleon as the literal Antichrist, and farther back, historical figures are hyperbolized to make caricatures of themselves and what they represented, take Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh, or Ramesses II in the Old Testament. Arthur could’ve possibly been a real person, it’s just that his legend outlived his memory.

[@walleras]

Ramses wasn't the paroah in the Torah

[@DogMechanic]

People easily overestimate the amount of time it takes for events to be mythologised and for stories of individuals to be pieced together into a legendary figure. Really, it only takes a handful of decades for truth to be obscured by storytelling. There could even have been multiple, different localised mythological figures that got cobbled together, with the stories of later historical figures added in as facts were forgotten. It can be seen in a lot of mythological-historical figures and it makes perfect sense that it applies to Arthur, too.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Yeah, combining local legends into a single larger-than-life mythological hero seems very plausible. Add the usual trend to exaggerate and you get the tale of a man who fights a hundred alone with a sword given to him by a goddess and conquers half the world, when there was one guy who won against three in a bar brawl, a second guy who lucked out and broke his opponents sword in a duel and a third who conquered a neighboring chiefdom.

[@teathesilkwing7616]

People already occasionally mythologize the world wars, and even sometimes the Vietnam war

[@dinolil1474]

I love this video; Very well-informed. As someone from England, I always did find it ironic that he's a figure often drawn into English stories when he's pretty consistently (as consistent as old, biased sources get) been fighting *against* the kingdoms that would eventually become modern England; Though I do wonder if this may partially have been due to the Britons that *did* live in said Saxon kingdoms, though it's much more likely 1. The term 'King Of Britain' confusing people and 2. Most likely from the *French* sources (given I know that the age of Chivalry rose in England after the 100 Years War so it'd make sense they might dig up those) as well those Victorians (I swear, every time there is a misconception or a lie about the Saxons or the Britons or Celts, it's *them*). I think it's more likely he's an amalgamation of both myths and of real Britons who fought in battles against the Saxons. It'd make sense that a population under-threat would come up with stories of a hero to save them.

[@ianstrickland9750]

My grandfather was Scottish, (his grandmother was Welsh), he told me there were two King Arthurs born 300 years apart, one fought the romans and the other fought the Saxons and both were Welsh. Idk if it's true but that is the story i am stuck with. Thanks for the memories my friend.

[@gazeboist4535]

Concerning "though he was no Arthur..." : suppose our only description of one of the other Achaeans in the Trojan war was a parallel line describing Telamonian Ajax. "Though he was no Odysseus, ... a palisade was Ajax" or "though he was no Achilles, ... a palisade was Ajax". Both are (to my limited understanding of the Homeric cycle) apt comparisons, but by using different figures in the "Arthur" spot, we emphasize different features of Ajax. Reversing the comparison to imagine Arthur being chosen as the appropriate figure for whatever point is being made about Gwawrddur, we can see a lot of very different versions of this "Arthur" fellow.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

my own shot-in-the-dark idea about Arthur's murky past: the reason so few people seemed to use the name Arthur, and the reason the one Arthur kept showing up in wildly different settings and times, is that Arthur _is_ a common name, but for some reason the old chroniclers conflated all of them. maybe because they're bad at chronicling, maybe because one of the Arthurs was that one bit more famous, maybe even because The Arthur had such a boring background that the chroniclers felt compelled to make stuff up. do i have proof? obviously not but neither does Geoffrey

[@slwrabbits]

I actually have the same theory as to why Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn't bother changing his last name when he settles on Tatooine: suppose it's a very common last name, so he saw no reason not to hide in the haystack it conveniently provided.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

I always believed that Arthur was some random Warlord in Gwynedd, a hell of a good tactician/strategist who's history got combined with that of a bunch of similarly-named warlords. Writers centuries later just wanted to attach fiction to him, as the "real" history (or, more accurately, the fiction of of a load of different Arthurs) had so much in it already! Fantastic video, well worth the wait. The most comprehensive piece of writing on the topic of Y Brenin Arthur I've ever seen!

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

[@Mankorra_Gomorrah]

King Arthur, the original “inspired by true events” narrative lol

[@pastorofmuppets9346]

Ey, we meet again (mox)

[@eiriksinclair5986]

Excellent video, well done! The answers you seek are from the conquered, not the conquerors. The research done is very Romanesque. What is missing is the Hellenistic research from Carthage: Arthur is Samson of ancient lore, to attribute to a single person. Being a Titan, he split himself in two. 1. The Annunaki of Sumeria = burnt Samson from Egypt. Without Samson, shrank into the image of what most people describe as an Alien. The intelligent little guy with a big head = Art + lion = Alien. 2. The Religion of Thor in America = Nordic Samson from Europe. Without Samson, they became the Danish Vikings or Berserkers, Sampson of ancient lore. Danelaw Beowulfe + Saxony = Beowulf. You will find throughout all Hellenistic Times these combinations, onto Carthage, then America. When the two sides combined, the Titan Samson shrinks himself yet maintains his intelligence. It is the same story of restoration, resurrection, replicants we read about in mythology, sci-fiction, etc. Arthur = Alien figure named ‘Art’ who is French + Beowulf ‘Thor’ who is Nordic, Irish… Danish. This Hellenistic combination is created in America, sent to Ireland Walls of Derry, attack England where Roman legions are, combine to make English Knights. ‘Our Thor’ = Arthur Odin went from Orion’s Den in Arabia, to Washington DC… Odin’s Cobblestone Court, with the seven Temples from the Anatolia + Samson = 8 = Henry VIII, descendant of Samson. This bloodline created the Byzantine Empire and the Anglican Church. Ygododdin was given as inspiration to join the ranks, during Gothic Knight crusades around 200 AD. Visigoth Knights from America took Rome in 5th century. Arthurian Knights, Knights of Camelot followed, then Tunic Knights going the other way, then Templar Knights. Plague. The end.

[@eiriksinclair5986]

A Brief History of Atlantis: Religion of Thor - This is Real History, not fan fiction. c.1450BC: Cretan Guard evolves into Greek Vikingar, start Linear A & B world expeditions or Sagas. c.1200BC: Vikingar from Crete discover America, Mjolnir Erochson (Leaf far) returns via Greenland 1186BC: Vikingar move to Carthage shipping portage, the vacancy of Crete incites the Trojan Wars 908BC: King Aegeus unites Troi with Athens, and relocates to England to oversee American Olmec 850BC: Voyages to America take place, the Nile ‘Isle of the Blessed’ by Homer, 10000 furlongs x 2 754BC: Roman God Mar begins the Latin colonization of Mesoamerica from Equador, Eiriksdottir 404BC: Peloponnesian War, Plato’s Hermocrates Dialogue orated the founding Sagas of America 250BC: Phoenician colonization of America (Zeus’ Deluge), Mayan and Skraelingar occupation 133BC: Religion of Thor begins, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and ‘300’ men, Tiber River, Norse gods 1BC: Construction of Yggdrasil complete, Vitruvian Man (12) replaces Hercules (9) = Hephestus (21) 1BC: American Vikingr, Berserkers, relocate Tree of Life to Mississippi, Mesopotamia to Mesoamerica ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1AD: Odin’s Cobblestone Court (Washington DC- ‘The Hill’) - Orion’s Den + 7 Temples of the Anatolia 1AD: Leifr Eirikson, Son of Eirik the Red, Vineland coastal cycle of the Ouroboros (Ring of Dragons) 200AD: Gothic Knights, castle walls built in Spain, first American crusades across Gaul to Balkans 400AD: Visigoth Knights, invasion of Rome from Ireland, cycle Ygododdin incites Camelot in Spain 600AD: Arthurian Knights, Welsh Castle, Cahokia populate Midlands, winter campsite at Teotihuacan 800AD: Knights of Camelot, protectors of Danelaw, King’s Highway, Peru to Scotland and England 791AD: Vikings lose the Battle of Uppsala Sound, thought to be a land battle, were taken by sea 986AD: Leif Erikson, Son of Erik the Red, attacked along east coast, pulls Nordic men from Mississippi 1000AD: Tunic Knights, Norman sons, beginning of modern royalty, Vikings return from America 1002AD: St. Brice's Massacre replaces Danelaw with Troian law, Alamo Incursion in Byzantine America 1040AD: Federated States of America, militarized Indian tribes to finish off incoming European Vikings 1068AD: Skraelingr and Stave Uprising brings end to Viking Era, Roanoke Island (New York) abandoned 1101AD: First Magna Carta signed, Henry Bartholomeaus, Son of Samson, Byzantine Emperor in England 1255AD: Confederate States of America formed by Orion Armistice in Iceland, Heads & Tails Accord 1307AD: Lief Ericsson, Templar purge from Europe, African trade from Gold Coast to populate America 1325AD: Knights of Malta create Aztec Empire, start of Spanish Empire, Saxony Vikings, Baja California 1438AD: Teutonic Knights create Incan Empire, start of Russian Empire, defeat of the eastern Mongols 1459AD: Henry Bartholomew invites father of Christopher Columbus to Bimini Island with him at age 10

[@brennan_]

the early middle ages are so fascinating

[@CambrianChronicles]

Couldn't agree more!

[@edmundgrondine4393]

I have to say that Arthurian analysis has vastly improved since the early/mid 1970's. You may want to take a look at my analysis of the asteroid or comet fragment impact at Bazas, which is available in the Cambridge Conference archives, with discussion on the archaeologica internet site. One Aedan Artur is mentioned In Adomnan's Life of Columba. There was also a Prophatio Merlinii, which appeared to be an attempt to read an Anglo Saxon document as Welsh. I am very pleased to see the recent work done in the Carlisle area. I think there was significant metalworking done a little further to the north, around Girvan and Ayr. Then you have the Pelagian heresy to deal with as well. The swamp of sub Roman Britain. Good luck.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

My favourite fiction about the Athurian legends is by Mary Stewart. It starts as a trilogy about Merlin, with the first book being just about Merlin, and second and third still focusing on Merlin but also featuring Arthur. She did a final forth book to finish off Arthur's story. Other than Merlin having 'the sight', she removed almost all the fantastical elements and made a much more realistic story.

[@ZeMarkKrazee]

I would agree that there has been significant inconsistencies and mythology and embellishments attributed to Arthur, but I would hesitate to outright deny the existence of Arthur. It’s completely possible the earliest records were lost (detailing the real version of Arthur or who he was based on). One of the most interesting examples (referring to a thing instead of a person) is the Antikythera device/mechanism. There’s only one known and the level of complexity was previously not thought to have happened until much later. Sadly, it’s unlikely we will ever reach a definitive conclusion about Arthur (unless concrete evidence for against his existence is found).

[@nozrep]

that was amazing. mind blowing! well to hyperbolize at least. Anyways very fascinating indeed. Have always assumed he was a real person based on various pop-culture articles sort of, like, piecemealing together some of the events and, or historical people you talked about. You broke it down real real procedurally though! And I love it when youtubers do that and really dig down harrrrrrd in such a way. Again, bravo!

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you!

[@brajorngaming9543]

Absolutely neat. As a Celtic philologist, I expected to rage-watch your content. Boy was I wrong... And I'm happy about it

[@CambrianChronicles]

Haha I know the feeling (as I've complained about excessively in this video), I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@teiloturner2760]

I remember watching this hugely popular channel once with such a soy English voiceover and it was so bad I think he even was mentioning EngLanD. I wanted to knock his teeth in

[@teiloturner2760]

And the video magically ( no doubt ) got recommended to me after watching this it's by Ted Ed

[@williamwood7338]

I could easily believe in the possibility of a soldier, becoming a general then a king. I also think that given the scarcity of written documents pre 9th century that a famous person could be lost to legend alone. People often attribute events to people that didn’t do them, I think it unlikely that someone writing of various battles a few hundred years later could think they happened in a similar period. Most people though that the Trojan war was a myth written in the Illiad, but it is now accepted such an event occurred do to archeological finds. There is something at the root of Arthurian mythology, but what that is will likely never be known.

[@Dr.Yalex.]

I agree with you. IMHO; Itself, the word/term "king" literally means "Stead Rider". Etymology; King alternative forms kyng, kynge (archaic) kinge (obsolete) from Middle English king, kyng, from Old English cyng, cyning (“king”), from Proto-West Germanic *kuning, from Proto-Germanic *kuningaz, *kunungaz (“king”), equivalent to kin +‎ -ing. Doublet of cyning and Knez. Knez from Belarusian князь (knjazʹ) and Ukrainian князь (knjazʹ) (from Old Ruthenian кнѧзь (knjazʹ); all from Old East Slavic кънѧзь (kŭnęzĭ), кнѧзь (knęzĭ), from Proto-Slavic *kъ̏nędzь (“prince”), from *kъnęgъ. from native Proto-Slavic *kъnъ +‎ *-ędzь = prince *kъnъ = кон • (kon) m horse, steed, (in chess) knight. *-ędzь = ѣзд-окъ m rider/driver from ѣздa/ ězda f ride. stallion/stud + rider/driver Riding atop a stallion, was always reserved for the best, in human societies. I am not a horse person, but I understand there are rules about who can ride which type of horse. Studs were reserved for heroes and nobility. The sun gods also rode stallions across the sky. The meaning of King has everything to do with Stallions and their male riders. Koning Kon + ing literally means Stalion God IMHO..

[@melchiordelaunay2539]

This is like the king Mérovée in France or the emperor Jinmu in Japan. There is indeed very often a mythical and/or divinity linked ancestor to royal dynasties.

[@hubertjaworski673]

I find it very interesting to learn about histories from early medieval period, especially from the country that wasn't very much covered in my history classes (I'm from Poland). Putting together little shards of informations that we have, from various sources and trying to make some consistent story from them is really selling me this type of content. I'm glad I found this channel, looking forward for new videos.

[@everygamersdream72]

Fascinating tidbit near the end about the actual spelling of the name being a Welsh translation of an Irish short version of a Roman name. I don't ever remember reading about any Artor's or Arthor's. So the Arthur we're looking for was called Artur by his kin and Arthur by the Welsh. I wonder how an Irishman who's assumed a Roman name came to be associated with the Vortigern and Ambrosius tale of stopping the Germanic, Irish and Pictish invasions?

[@cmdr.jabozerstorer3968]

As an aside, the name Vortigern is likely analagous with the Irish name Foirtchern.

[@everygamersdream72]

@@cmdr.jabozerstorer3968 Wow, also kind of interesting that the most likely Arthur was Ambrosius, who obviously also had a Roman name, perhaps he was Irish? Wouldn't that be fascinating?

[@scotth6814]

Excellent video. Thank you for sorting out the BS regarding Arthurian tales. While watching this, I could not help comparing Arthur to Dracula, where one fictional source (Bram Stoker's) has been re-adapted countless times, constantly changing the time he lives in (from 0 AD to 4000 AD), his origin (from Judas Escariot to an extraterrestrial), and his deeds. Also, similarly to the Arthurian situation, some stories attempt to link the fictional character Dracula to a real historical figure of the same name (Vlad Tepes aka Dracula), although it's not known if the original author, Bram Stoker, intended that.

[@Vizivirag]

Interesting take! For me, how a Wallachian prince was transformed into a Szekler count (which is odd in itself) was always just weird.

[@skepticalbadger]

It IS known - he absolutely didn't intend that until late in the writing process and the backstory he came up with is NOT correct for Vlad III. He wrote the book about "Count Wampyr" from Styria, found a book that mentioned Vlad II and Vlad III and concocted a fictional backstory that doesn't fit either of them and took the name Dracula instead of Wampyr.

[@emperorofpluto]

Fascinating. Recall watching some BBC documentary years ago, where some historian claimed Tintagel was “the real Camelot” because there was supposedly an epigraphic reference to “Artorius” carved into a stone found at the site. The hypothesis was that Artorius was a warlord or ruler who (supposedly) emerged from the anarchy after the withdrawal of the legions from Britannia.

[@AC-bp3tg]

Your videos take me back to my college history lectures. Love this.

[@CarlsLingoKingdom]

Diolch yn fawr! Love how in-depth you went in this video. Is there any legitimacy to Adam Ardrey's "Finding Arthur" and "Finding Merlin" books?

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you! Unfortunately Adam Ardrey's approach is very flawed, and while the idea of Scottish influence in the figure of Arthur is a good one (such as with the figure of Artur mac Aedan discussed in this video), Ardrey instead approaches the topic from the top down. He believes that Arthur is from Scotland, so looks for evidence to support that, and ignores evidence that disagrees. He also regularly desperately tweets and Bangor Uni trying to get peoples attention, which put me off on a personal level haha. I think there is merit in every discussion on the figure of Arthur, but seeking evidence only to prove your idea is the complete wrong way to go about it.

[@CarlsLingoKingdom]

@@CambrianChronicles Ahh, makes sense. That's kind of the vibe I got too.

[@garklein8089]

I love myths, and this was a great video that dove very deeply into Arthur. It's nice to see videos like these among all the shallowly researched content. Also, this style reminds me of Historia Civilis : )

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you, he's definitely a big inspiration, hopefully I don't look like a rip off lol

[@garklein8089]

​@@CambrianChronicles Don't worry, you definitely have your own content and style! btw, I find that some of the borders around the drawings like at 31:17 and 21:06 look a little pixely/blocky

[@ftumschk]

I'm thoroughly confused... so you clearly did the subject justice! Nice work :)

[@CambrianChronicles]

Haha thank you, hopefully it wasn't too confusing! I'm happy to answer any questions if you have them

[@DavidM_10]

"King Arthur" starring Clive Owen is my favourite Arthur movie. I love how it ties Arthur into real history and into the birth of modern Britain following the Roman exodus.

[@spunkychops7484]

It's rubbish

[@pmurnion]

It's not real history and it has nothing to do with "modern Britain". The real British were Celts who did have a revival after Rome fell. That was all destroyed by the Anglo Saxons. Modern Britain is an English invention (17th century) to justify English domination of Wales and Scotland. Britain is like the USSR or Yugoslavia, a made up multinatiinal state. You can always tell by the language. Everybody in the USSR used Russian, everybody in Yugoslavia uses Serbian. In Britain, it's English.

[@paulwhite6745]

Rosemary Sutcliff wrote a very good novel depicting an historical Arthur, or Artos as she called him, as a post-Roman British war leader. It's obviously fiction, and events almost certainly didn't unfold the way she depicts, but they quite believably could have, even if they almost certainly didn't. That alone makes it a good read.

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

This is quite an interesting look into the quest to find "King Arthur"! I knew about the theoretical connection to Rome (either through Ambrosius or Artorius), but now, I learned just how many different "Arthurs" there are in speculations and in myths! "Arthur" is at once a king, a general, and an ordinary soldier, a Christian and a pagan, a 5th-century one and a 7th-century one, a defender of Britain and a conqueror of Europe. Whoever "Arthur" was, he has become easily the greatest character in all of Welsh literature. Thanks for making this!

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thanks for watching!

[@trevor4821]

Been waiting for this one! Already looking forward to the next Cymru am byth 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

[@redleaderantilles1263]

God Dux Bellorum Arthur immediately sounds amazing. Hell of a figure, not royalty, not British like later versions, not infallible, but a propaganda hero for the Britons in the face of what they saw as a near-overwhelming invasion. Puts the character into a very sympathetic context, not as a great unifier of an ideal England, but as a representation of a specific point in time and the anxieties of the Britons. Something very endearing about that if that makes sense. Edit: this was beautifully done. Glad to see someone asking, for any legendary figure quiet frankly, "what do you mean by the "real ___"?" It is true for Robin Hood, it is true for Herakles, or King David, or the Yellow Emperor, etc. Not only are we talking about going backwards from fictional stories with attributes that we have no reason to assume are real or let alone meant to be taken in tandem, but the premise that there is a singular figure is looking at it the wrong way. Those old Briton generals, the local folk heroes, they all tell us more about the real people who wanted to hear the stories that became the fictional Arthur than they do about an actual figure. It is less that some historical person inspired the legends, than it is that the sentiments historical figures and movements represent for people are replicated and reinforced. Maybe intentionally, and maybe not. Arthur exists because the people the writer of Historia Brittonum was sermonizing and galvanizing needed/wanted a national hero, the figures that maybe have inspired that fit either because they were used as inspiration, OR, and this is what I get giddy about with history, other people in other times in the same general place faced similar challenges and LIVED the kind of lives later peoples needed the strength to live. That the Welsh in the 9th century faced invasions by the Anglo-Saxons that seemed hopeless, just as the Britons did against the Northumbrians, and the remaining Romans did against the Saxons at Baden, etc. The purpose Arthur served in those stories is reflective of a very real situation, and thus history will provide examples of people fulfilling those needs in their times and places. Sometimes in the same location, or against the same foe, because the individuals are in static points in time but the social and political dynamics are...well dynamic Oh and between Higham's two books on Arthur how much of a difference is there? Should I read the most recent one because the information is newer? I am specifically interested in the mention about Artur Mac Aedan and Higham's views on him as a possible inspiration for certain aspects. Thanks

[@CambrianChronicles]

My thoughts exactly, Arthur is much more interesting when he's made out to be a stop-gap solution rather than some grand liberator with superhuman abilities, I'm glad you liked the video! As for Higham, his mentions of Artur mac Aedan are here: Higham, N.J. (2018). King Arthur: The Making of the Legend. Yale University Press, pp.168-171. Although he doesn't elaborate on him all that much, he does cite some sources though which may be worth checking out. There are some differences between the two books but I think you should be able to get a good picture if you read either one of them!

[@jackwhitehead5233]

There is no archaeological evidence for an Anglo-Saxon invasion. The history is far more complex than that it seems.

[@SnapDash]

Fascinating video! From the description of the Historia Brittonum, it sounds like the idea of Arthur is the embodiment of patriotic defence... Maybe in a few hundred years, people will be scouring American history looking for the "real" Uncle Sam. I am planning a trip to Wales (from Canada) in May. I'm looking forward to getting in lots of history... Though perhaps stuff a bit more solid that Arthur. Any suggestions for good historical spots? I've got a plenty of the common touristy places on my itinerary: Conwy, Caernarfon, and Caerphilly castles, Chirk, Wrexham, Snowdon, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth, the Elan Valley, the caves at Craig-y-Nos, and pops into Llandudno, Llanfairpwll, Tenby, Burry Port, and Cardiff. I'd like to visit some religious ruins (Valle Crucis? Neath Abbey?) but I'm not sure time will permit that.

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you! I think you've got most of the visually impressive spots covered, I hope you enjoy your trip!

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@CambrianChronicles maybe the shrine of Saint Winifrid at Hollywell/Tryfynon,...?... and the ancient Roman city of Chester...?...

[@stephenchappell7512]

In the far southeast are the Roman sites at Caerwent and Caerleon in close proximity to each other and a little further north are the '3 castle's' of Gwent In the north the seaside town of Barmouth would make an excellent base for exploring the Snowdonia region

[@riadoc7001]

Perhaps you might try Strata Florida Abbey, founded in 1164, the burial place of numerous Welsh Princes and steeped in Welsh history.

[@defennia]

As someone who has both Welsh and English inside of them I am extremely excited for the content of this channel.

[@GameHammerCG]

If I get to the end of this video and it turns out Arthur is Odin or something, I’m going to laugh so hard.

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

I had been so looking forward to viewing this that I had guarded myself for disappointment. I am happy to report that I was exceptionally pleased and as well as garnering some wonderful knowledge I was also thoroughly entertained. Diolch yn fawr Like deployed 👍

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you so much, I'm really glad you weren't disappointed!

[@xleplex7070]

This is just a theory which I have no evidence for, but I couldn’t help but notice that in Y Gododdin, the name Gwawrddur sounds a lot like Arthur. Although this Poem was written in the 13th century, the author had to of got the story of Gwawrddur form somewhere. So what I am thinking is that if Gwawrddur was a powerful warrior from the 600’s according to this poem, by the time that the Historia Brittonium was written, Gwawrddur’s name could have been changed to Arthur and thus the Historia Brittonium could of used his name and his story as one of the inspirations for the legend of Arthur. Then when Y Gododdin was composed Arthur was already a popular folk figure, hence the comparison between Gwawrddur and Arthur.

[@CambrianChronicles]

That's true that Gwawrddur definitely originated from somewhere, if I remember correctly he is referenced in both manuscripts of 'Y Gododdin', meaning that he might be from the 6th century (if this poem really is set then). I'm not sure if the names could've been conflated though, we only have one older form of "Gwawrddur" that's from the 11th century, where it's spelt "Gwaredur", while Arthur likely comes from the 5th century Irish "Artur". He definitely could've been an inspiration though, and that's a pretty interesting theory, thank you for sharing.

[@jamescobban857]

The hard G in Welsh parallels a similar pronunciation shift in early medieval Romance, for example the name Wilhelm has become Guillaume in French. In the 5th century it was still a W-glide. For example in Roman era documents the district of Gododdin was the territory of the tribe Votadini. So Gwarddur would have been pronounced with a W-glide, something like Wardher.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

Y Gododdin is probably early seventh century.

[@allwhitelegos]

Amazing information in this, thanks. Are you familiar with bards? What were they, where did they come from and what was their role? Maybe you know any books or sources?

[@maksiksq]

9th century writer: I'll come up with a random name and story because I'm bored 2024 Historians: send help

[@SyuaibZulkarnain]

This is simply incredible man, great breakdown of the "history" of Arthur

[@CambrianChronicles]

Thank you!