The Birth of the Arthurian Expanded Universe: 12th Century Arthurian Literature

The 12th century completely changed the Arthurian Legend, as it saw some of the most influential Arthurian texts written, texts that would originate the huge romance tradition in medieval Europe, and that would fix Arthur as a historical king and legendary figure in the minds of medieval people. Some of the most memorable parts of the Arthurian Legend, such as the round table, the romance between Lancelot and Guinevere, and the famous sorcerer Merlin originate from the works of this century. Join me in taking a deeper look into some of these influential texts, in part two of my Arthurian Legend series.
If you’d like to watch the first part of the series, in which I explore the earliest of Arthurian texts, here’s the link: • The Origins of the Art...
Sources:
Primary:
Geoffrey of Monmouth, The History of the Kinds of Britain, Penguin Classics.
Chrétien de Troyes. Arthurian Romances. Penguin Books.
Wace, Roman de Brut, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10472.
Davies, Sioned. The Mabinogion. Oxford University Press, 2007.
Secondary:
Oliver James Padel. Arthur in Medieval Welsh Literature. Writers of Wales.
Alan Lupack. The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend. Oxford Paperback Reference, 2007.
Ceridwen Lloyd-Morgan. Arthurian Literature XXI: Celtic Arthurian Material (v. 21). D.S. Brewer, 2004.
Elizabeth Archibald, Ad Putter. The Cambridge Companion to the Arthurian Legend. Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Some of the images used in the video are from the wonderful British Library illuminated manuscript site, and you can find them all and explore them using the link below:
www.bl.uk/catalogues/illumina...
Royal 13 A. xxi, f. 40v
Egerton 3028, f.30
Additional 36614,
Latin 8501A
Latin 6040
Arundel MS 10
Additional 10293
Additional 12228
Royal MS 20 A. ii,
Harley MS 978
Royal 20 D.
Other Manuscritps:
BnF Français 343 archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr/a...
White Book of Rhydderch f.61.r
Music: Forest Walk by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com)Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 Licensecreativecommons.org/licenses/b...
0:00 Introduction
1:05 Geoffrey of Monmouth
5:58 The Brut
7:55 Chrétien de Troyes
14:01 The Mabinogion
15:25 The Impact of the 12th century

[@timsmart2365]

I enjoy your passion for Arthurian literature. I began reading Monmouth because of you and have learned a lot. You seem to be the only content creator that focuses on Arthurian literature as much as I would like. It would be nice if there was a video I could watch after reading a chapter or book as a review/critique. I took a course online for The Oddessy like what I am describing and it helps immensely. Great job. Keep it up

[@fellfair6305]

I’m so glad I found your channel! It feels like a hidden treasure

[@Medievalannie]

I'm so glad you like it, that means a lot! :)

[@jakegriffith6871]

I also love Eleanor of Aquitane! Did you ever see "The Lion in Winter"? Loving the Arthurian series by the way!

[@Medievalannie]

I've never seen it! But it looks great, will definitely watch it soon!! :)

[@3.k]

With every other video, I feel that there’s so much more to learn for me. I’m anxious to see more of it on your channel! As I’ve written before, I’m reading the subtitles while following your videos, because of all the names (How else would I understand words like “Mabinogion”? 😁) and so on. The subtitles were really helpful, thank you very much! It would be even better if the texts you are superimposing, like the chapter titles, would be written somewhere to the left or right, so that they’re not hidden behind the subtitles. Thank you for all the work you’re putting into these videos! 👍

[@Medievalannie]

I'm so glad the videos are being helpful to you! And it makes me really happy to hear you want to see more :) Thank you for the feedback, I'll definitely change that for the next video!

[@josemariaveneracion8700]

Really appreciate your content. This is realy an amazing channel. I read TH White and Thomas Malory yrs ago and I always wanted to get into the original sources but never really knew how. Can't wait to see your future videos on Arthurian lit and other medieval works as well. Sidenote: just finished the quest for the holy grail from the prose Lancelot. Absolutely love it and would love to read the whole cycle someday.

[@Medievalannie]

Thank you so much! I'm really happy to hear you enjoy the channel! Much more to come on Arthurian literature :) That's so great that you've just finished it, it's a great read!

[@chrisphaeton4762]

Another excellent video. Thank you. I hope you will do more , especially on the Conte du Graal , Robert de Boron and Wolfram

[@brankagavrilovic2531]

I’m delighted with your fantastic and incredibly useful video! Thank you very much!

[@thevintageplaylist7191]

Amazing 😍 your videos are always so intersting I could re-watch them eternally

[@Medievalannie]

Thank you so much!! I'm so glad you enjoy them!

[@ErenTheWarcriminal]

Super interesting as always, thank you :)

[@Medievalannie]

I’m glad you found it interesting :)

[@majuchimello3922]

omg, this video is just ✨flawless✨! congratulations

[@Medievalannie]

Thank you so much!!

[@tessa5094]

Omg I just bought a copy of the mabinogion i'm so excited to read it! And thanks for the video🥺

[@Medievalannie]

I hope you enjoy it!! It's really great :)

[@Enriqueguiones]

My favorite! I'm a big fan of Chretien de Troyes :)

[@laetitiasherrypurnama5593]

hi love your channel

[@davidgilman-frederick7040]

I just found your channel and I can't wait to share it with my students. I'll be teaching Marie de France soon . . . do you know of an earlier instance of the sort of "true lover's knot" in the "Chevrefoil"? The same sort of thing shows up at the end of later English ballads like "Barbara Allen" and "Lord Lovell" -- two plants tangling together inseparably -- & I've always wondered if Marie was the first to write about it. She does imply that Iseult immediately recognizes the folk motif of the hazel & the honeysuckle . . . .

[@afsanajahan377]

Thanks a lot!❤

[@Medievalannie]

You're welcome 😊

[@alejandrarodriguez8410]

Not my trying to see the titles of the books in the background to add them to my whislist haha

[@Medievalannie]

Hahah, well let me help you: it is "The once and future king" by T.H. White, "Arthurian romances" by Chrétien, "The Lais of Marie de France" by Marie herself, and "Le Morte Darthur" by Thomas Malory! :)

[@alejandrarodriguez8410]

@@Medievalannie thank you so much😍 I want them all

[@alejandromonroy8726]

Call me crazy , but I feel one of your past lives , was in the arturian age. Thank you 😊

[@doggesforthebowe.5048]

Great channel - are you going to delve into Spencer's the faerie Queene ? Arthur and i think Morgana le fay pop up in that. Not sure/cant remeber about Merlin. or is the poem to late for yr remit ?

[@fabioferreiragomes]

ESPETACULAR . INCRÍVEL MARAVILHOSA

[@carlyraeepsom5525]

Since you seem to appreciate other nerd culture mediums I thought you might like this new comic series called Once and Future If you haven’t heard of it already. It’s basically a Indiana Jones esque adventure story about this man and his grandmother trying to stop these Nationalists who have revived Arthurian legends from the dead and use them for power. Lots of references and fresh new takes on the legends!

[@starpenta]

I'm planning on writing a book that highlights the fact that Morgana, according to G. of Monmouth, was the one to take Arthur to the Isle of Avalon. Is there a video or book you'd recommend that gives more information about what books she was mentioned in before Le Morte de'Arthur was written?

[@jakeralph2011]

Do you still plan on continuing this series Annie?

[@RalphEllis]

Why fhe early 12th century? Because the story came back from the Near East with returning Templars. That is why Wolfram von Eschenbach starts his story in Mesopotamia, ….with the father of Perceval working for King Barus (King Abgarus of Edessa). The conception story of Arthur is copied from the conception of Hercules. …just to confirm that Arthur is a demi-god. R

[@Lumiere_]

Can it be that Arthur is the story of Jesus (PBUH)? Didn’t did and was taken to a place to heal (sounds like it) willl one day return (Self-explanatory)