Arthurian material, courtly adventures, and the medieval world that shaped the romances.
Bulfinch's Mythology
King Arthur and His Knights
The Age of Chivalry
Arthurian material, courtly adventures, and the medieval world that shaped the romances.
Chapter list
Read within The Age of Chivalry
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
On the decline of the Roman power, about five centuries after Christ, the countries of Northern Europe were left almost destitute of a national government. Numerous chiefs,...
CHAPTER II
THE MYTHICAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND
The illustrious poet, Milton, in his "History of England," is the author whom we chiefly follow in this chapter.
CHAPTER III
MERLIN
Merlin was the son of no mortal father, but of an Incubus, one of a class of beings not absolutely wicked, but far from good, who inhabit the regions of the air. Merlin's...
CHAPTER IV
ARTHUR
We shall begin our history of King Arthur by giving those particulars of his life which appear to rest on historical evidence; and then proceed to record those legends...
CHAPTER V
ARTHUR (Continued)
After the great victory of Mount Badon, by which the Saxons were for the time effectually put down, Arthur turned his arms against the Scots and Picts, whom he routed at Lake...
CHAPTER VI
SIR GAWAIN
Sir Gawain was nephew to King Arthur, by his sister Morgana, married to Lot, king of Orkney, who was by Arthur made king of Norway. Sir Gawain was one of the most famous...
CHAPTER VII
CARADOC BRIEFBRAS; OR, CARADOC WITH THE SHRUNKEN ARM
Caradoc was the son of Ysenne, the beautiful niece of Arthur. He was ignorant who his father was, till it was discovered in the following manner: When the youth was of proper...
CHAPTER VIII
LAUNCELOT OF THE LAKE
King Ban, of Brittany, the faithful ally of Arthur was attacked by his enemy Claudas, and after a long war saw himself reduced to the possession of a single fortress, where he...
CHAPTER IX
THE ADVENTURE OF THE CART
It befell in the month of May, Queen Guenever called to her knights of the Table Round, and gave them warning that early upon the morrow she would ride a-maying into the woods...
CHAPTER X
THE LADY OF SHALOTT
King Arthur proclaimed a solemn tournament to be held at Winchester. The king, not less impatient than his knights for this festival, set off some days before to superintend...
CHAPTER XI
QUEEN GUENEVER'S PERIL
It happened at this time that Queen Guenever was thrown into great peril of her life. A certain squire who was in her immediate service, having some cause of animosity to Sir...
CHAPTER XII
TRISTRAM AND ISOUDE
Meliadus was king of Leonois, or Lionesse, a country famous in the annals of romance, which adjoined the kingdom of Cornwall, but has now disappeared from the map, having been,...
CHAPTER XIII
TRISTRAM AND ISOUDE (Continued)
After this affair Tristram was banished from the kingdom, and Isoude shut up in a tower, which stood on the bank of a river. Tristram could not resolve to depart without some...
CHAPTER XIV
SIR TRISTRAM'S BATTLE WITH SIR LAUNCELOT
Sir Tristram rode through a forest and saw ten men fighting, and one man did battle against nine. So he rode to the knights and cried to them, bidding them cease their battle,...
CHAPTER XV
THE ROUND TABLE
The famous enchanter, Merlin, had exerted all his skill in fabricating the Round Table. Of the seats which surrounded it he had constructed thirteen, in memory of the thirteen...
CHAPTER XVI
SIR PALAMEDES
While Sir Tristram and the fair Isoude abode yet at La Joyeuse Garde, Sir Tristram rode forth one day, without armor, having no weapon but his spear and his sword. And as he...
CHAPTER XVII
SIR TRISTRAM
On arriving in Brittany Tristram found King Hoel engaged in a war with a rebellious vassal, and hard pressed by his enemy. His best knights had fallen in a late battle, and he...
CHAPTER XVIII
PERCEVAL
The father and two elder brothers of Perceval had fallen in battle or tournaments, and hence, as the last hope of his family, his mother retired with him into a solitary...
CHAPTER XIX
THE SANGREAL, OR HOLY GRAAL
The Sangreal was the cup from which our Saviour drank at his last supper. He was supposed to have given it to Joseph of Arimathea, who carried it to Europe, together with the...
CHAPTER XX
THE SANGREAL (Continued)
Sir Launcelot rode overthwart and endlong in a wide forest, and held no path but as wild adventure lee him.
CHAPTER XXI
THE SANGREAL (Continued)
When Sir Boliort departed from Camelot he met with a religious man, riding upon an ass; and Sir Bohort saluted him. "What are ye?" said the good man. "Sir," said Sir Bohort, "I...
CHAPTER XXII
SIR AGRIVAIN'S TREASON
When Sir Perceval and Sir Bohort saw Sir Galahad dead they made as much sorrow as ever did two men. And if they had not been good men they might have fallen into despair. As...
CHAPTER XXIII
MORTE D'ARTHUR
Sir Modred was left ruler of all England, and he caused letters to be written, as if from beyond sea, that King Arthur was slain in battle. So he called a Parliament, and made...