Camelot was a place that prided itself on its chivalry, friendship, and love, but ironically, what brought about the ruin of the kingdom and its great leader, King Arthur, was the cruel betrayal of his heart. It is also described as a fictional city like Lemuria, set in the Kingdom of Logres ruled by King Arthur.
It is believed to be located in Great Britain and is the seat of the legendary Round Table of Arthurian legends. The city of Camelot is described in romantic literature as being situated next to a river and surrounded by forests and fields. Within its walls, there is said to be a beautiful cathedral dedicated to Saint Stephen.
Origin
According to sources, Arthur, the king of Camelot, is first mentioned in a Welsh poem by the medieval poet Aneirin in 594 AD entitled Y Gododdin. In 830 AD, Arthur is mentioned in the History of the Britons, written by Nennius.
The first mention of Camelot appears in 12th-century French romantic novels. It appears in the poem Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart by Chrétien de Troyes in the 1170s. A more detailed description appears in the 13th century in a series of French literature called the Vulgate and Post-Vulgate cycles.
Researcher Norris Lacy claims that the Vulgate cycles were composed between 1215 and 1235 by an anonymous group of authors. Here, Camelot is depicted as the main city in Arthur’s kingdom. Lacy claims that the Post-Vulgate cycles were also written by an anonymous author or group of authors, and here the literature describes Camelot in greater detail, including the adventure and fantasy elements of the myth.
Location of Camelot
Although Camelot is believed to be a fictional place, there has been much speculation about where it may have been located. Chrétien de Troyes and the author Geoffrey of Monmouth believed that Camelot could have been located in Wales, in Caerleon. Since Arthur was considered a Romano-British and the Welsh are direct descendants of the Romano-British, this may add plausibility to the Caerleon claim.
Another Welsh contender for the location of Camelot is the fictional town of Carduel, which was based on the town of Carlisle. In Sir Thomas Malory’s book, Morte d’Arthur, Camelot is said to be in Hampshire, in a town called Winchester. Winchester Castle has displayed a wooden round table for hundreds of years, with the names of King Arthur and 24 of his knights painted on it.
The city of Winchester was the capital and court of King Alfred the Great in the 9th century. The king was said to be a great warrior, a wise leader, a lawmaker, and a great statesman, traits that are also synonymous with King Arthur. Another potential location in the UK is Cadbury Castle in Somerset County, according to antiquarian John Leland.
Archaeological finds at the site indicate that it was a well-fortified place. Evidence suggests that the inhabitants were wealthy and engaged in trade, possible claims that it was the castle of a king in the Middle Ages. In Roman Britain, there were two towns called Camulodunum, known today as Colchester and Outlane. Camulodunum may have been the source of the name Camelot.
Early Camelot
The Vulgate cycles mention Joseph of Arimathea visiting Camelot, bringing with him the Holy Grail. There, he is said to have converted thousands of inhabitants to Christianity and built the church of St. Stephen.
King Arthur’s Camelot
The meadows of Camelot were large enough to host jousting tournaments. During the frequent tournaments, stands were built for the numerous spectators. One of the stands was supposedly 1.5 miles long! There are no definitive descriptions of the actual size of the city or its facilities, but during a particularly lavish court, most of the nobles could not be accommodated in Camelot and were instead housed in tents and pavilions in the fields.
The city’s defenses must have been formidable, as they survived many wars, including invasions by the Saxons and the Corsairs. Camelot would have been at its peak when the search for the Holy Grail began in approximately 453 AD.
The Round Table
The Vulgate cycles discuss the quintessential object of the Arthurian legend, the Round Table, in detail. The text states that the Round Table was a wedding gift from Guinevere’s father, King Leodagan. One hundred knights were already part of the Round Table at that time. The remaining 50 members were chosen by Merlin, on Arthur’s behalf, to bring the number up to the full contingent. The names of the knights were engraved on their chairs, except for chair one, which was called the dangerous chair, to be occupied by a great knight. The prestigious chair was taken by Sir Galahad.
The betrayals of Camelot
Although the premise of Camelot is courtesy, chivalry, and perhaps mercy, these ideals were not always upheld. It is no surprise that the deviation from these ideals was the ever-present scourge of romantic betrayal. Queen Guinevere’s romance with Lancelot causes Arthur to start a war with him. During the war between Arthur and Lancelot, the kingdom is entrusted to the king’s son, Mordred. Mordred betrays his father and takes over the castle in his absence. The king tries to kill Mordred and wounds him mortally. Mordred then strikes Arthur a fatal blow and kills him.
Modern references
In the 15th century, Sir Thomas Malory, in his book Morte d’Arthur, wrote about Camelot and the legends of Arthur. His work influenced writers such as Alfred Tennyson, Mark Twain, and John Steinbeck. In the 20th century, the name Camelot was used to describe the presidency of John F. Kennedy after his death.
Camelot and magic
The magical themes associated with Camelot may be closely linked to the pagan traditions of the time. The spread of Christianity may have convinced authors to include a mixture of old and new forms in the Arthurian legends. Elements from both Christianity and paganism were needed to highlight the main themes of the story—such as good, evil, and magic—and are essential to creating the conflict necessary in any good story.
Many irrationalthoughts, decisions, and actions have arisen in myth and in the real worldbecause of a woman’s love. The fragile hearts of men can be strengthened with cynicism and retaliation, but if only King Arthur had been able to maintain his original ideals, perhaps his mythical kingdom would have continued and his heart would have remained whole through emotional strength.
