Week 8 EC Reading Notes: Stories from Le Morte D'Arthur and the Mabinogion (A)

Of Arthur's Birth; And How He Became King

 Disneyland Sword in the Stone, by Dave Q from Wikimedia Commons

• Uther Pendragon ruled Britain
• Fell in love with Igraine of Cornwall, got rejected and fell ill
• Merlin offers to help Uther if Uther's son is given to him at the son's birth
• Uther agrees and Merlin gives Uther "the form of one whom Igraine had loved dearly"
• Igraine then marries Uther
• Merlin shows up to remind Uther about the deal 3 days before Arthur is born
• When Arthur is born, Uther commands for him to be taken to the 'postern-gate' to be given to an old man (Merlin)
• Uther fell sick not long after, gathered all his knights and barons and commanded them to obey his son
• By Merlin's suggestion
• Also says that his curse would be on his son if Arthur didn't take the throne
• Few people had seen Arthur, and were unwilling to be ruled by a child
• Civil war erupted
• Merlin had taken Arthur away to keep him safe from the upcoming civil war (which he had foreseen)
• Merlin gave Arthur to Sir Ector to raise alongside Ector's son Kay
• Didn't tell Ector that Arthur was Uther's son
• When Arthur was older ("tall youth"), Merlin advises the Archbishop of Canterbury and told him to call together "all the chief men of the realm"
• Merlin put a curse on the Archbishop to get him to comply
• When the men gathered, they saw a sword thrust through an anvil on a giant stone in front of the church
• Stone had "Whoso can draw forth this sword, is rightful King of Britain born" written on it
• Everyone present tried and failed to draw the sword
• Jousts were to be held in London at Easter for knights to show off their skill and try to draw the sword
• Ector rode to London with Kay and Arthur
• Kay and Arthur rode out, but Kay forgot his sword
• Arthur went back but the house was locked up
• Arthur thought of the sword in the stone and went to grab it
• Guards were gone due to tournament
• Arthur draws the sword and brings it to Kay, who shows it to Ector
• Ector and Kay pledge loyalty to Arthur
• They go to Archbishop and tell him what happened
• Arthur puts sword back in and draws it twice
• Others try to draw it after Arthur puts in back in the second time, but all fail again
• Arthur is sworn in as king

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(Reading is from Coming of Arthur up to How the Scabbard Was Lost)

Bibliography: Of Arthur's Birth; And How He Became King from Stories from Le Morte D'Arthur and the Mabinogion by Beatrice Clay. Web Source.