A chart of the sources and growth of the Arthurian legend
| British Latin Sources | Breton, Welsh & Cornish Sources | English/English Latin Sources | Continental Sources | |
| Before 500 | Lucius Artorius Castus, Roman general in Britain 181-5 AD
A king of the Britons, Riothamus, fought in Gaul in the late 5th century (according to the 6th c. Roman historian Jordanes). |
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| 6th c. | Gildas, On the Ruin of Britain, 540, mentions a battle of Mount Badon of Romanized Christian Britons against Saxons, in 500 (?)–does not name Arthur | (Battle of Llongborth, subject ot the “Elegy for Geraint” in which Arthur is named) |
Gallic Chronicles and other historical works and letters do not mention Arthur | |
| 7th C. | Y Goddodin, heroic poem of uncertain date referring to 7th c. events, compares a hero to Arthur (see 13th c.) | 673. Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation does not mention Arthur | ||
| 8th c. | “Nennius,” History of the Britons, lists 12 battles of a general, Arthur, against the Saxons, including Mt. Badon “Nennius” also describes the footprint of the soldier Arthur’s dog Cabal, and Arthur’s son’s grave, as marvels worth a visit. |
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| 9th c. | “Elegy of Geraint,” heroic poem of uncertain date, mentions emperor/warrior Arthur (see 7th and 13th c.) | 890. Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (in Old English) do not menton Arthur. | ||
| 10th c. | 970. Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals): Arthur carried a cross at Badon in 517 and died with Medraut at Camlann in 540. | |||
| 11th c. | ||||
| early 12th c. |
Saints’ lives (Illtud, Gildas, Padarn, Cadoc, Carradog) depict King Arthur and his companions, Kei and Bedwyr, as contemporaries of the saints | 1113 Canons of Laon visiting Cornwall find that the Cornish believe King Arthur will come to liberate them, and note that the Bretons have the same legend. The canons also record landscape features named after King Arthur. | 1125 William of Malmesbury in his Deeds of the English Kings mentions the stories of Arthur, the victor of Badon, adding that much nonsense has been written about him.. | ca. 1100 A church portal in Modena depicts a captured woman being rescued by knights; the knights are labelled Artus de Bretannia, Gawain, Kay; the woman is Winlogee (Guinevere) |
| 1136 |
Geoffrey of Monmouth writes the History of the Kings of Britain, presenting King Arthur’s reign, companions, etc. in detail.
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| later 12th c. |
1169 Etienne de Rouen, a Norman, finishes his Draco Normannicus, which includes an account of King Arthur’s healing by Morgan. Arthur is now living in the Antipodes and grants Henry II the right to rule Brittany.1180s King Arthur’s grave is discovered at Glastonbury. Gerald of Wales describes the discovery. | Marie de France translates/adapts into Norman French a number of Breton Lais, including Lanval, which depicts Arthur as a king who is evidently an acknowledged cuckold, ruled by his barons. Lanval also implies an opposition between the values of Arthur’s court and the superior ones of Escavlon, a fairy land. Another lai tells of the love between Tristan and Iseut. | 1190 Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History is translated into English by Layamon (Lawman), who emphasizes Arthur’s fairy connections. | 1155 Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History is translated into Norman French by Wace, who adds the story of the Round Table. The story of Tristan is written down in French and German; one version places it a generation after Arthur, while others see Tristan as contemporary with Arthur. Chretien de Troyes writes romances about Arthur’s knights, including Yvain, Erec, Lancelot, and Perceval. First mention of Grail. Ulrich v. Zatzikhoven writes Lanzelet drawing on a non-Chretien Lancelot tradition. |
| 13th c. | The early life of Gawain is the subject of a prose romance in Latin, De ortu Walwani. | Welsh poetry collections, including Triads, ” Pa Gur,” Y Goddodin, and Geraint’s elegy (see above), some of which were older than this date. Some manuscripts of the “Mabinogion” Arthurian stories are produced | ca. 1290-1300: Winchester Round Table constructed, probably for Edward I. |
Chretien’s work and the Tristan stories are translated into German, Old Norse, Italian etc.. His Grail romance is continued by several writers, and is the foundation of the German Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzifal.
The Grail story is changed radically by Robert de Boron, who includes stories of Joseph of Arimathea and identifies the Grail as a relic of Christ’s passion. French prose cycles are written incorporating the entire story of Arthur’s birth, rise, reign, Grail quest, and death (Vulgate Lancelot-Grail). Another growth spurt incorporates the Tristan story into a massive work (Prose Tristan). Another revision shortens and changes the elements (Post-Vulgate). |
| 14th c. | The Welsh story collection known as the Mabinogion includes tales of Arthur, including Culwych and Olwen and also versions of Chretien’s stories with alternate details. The Book of Taliesin collects older Arthurian poems, among other Welsh works. |
English poems with Arthurian themes (Stanzaic Morte, Alliterative Morte, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight). |
The French prose romances become the Tavola Ritonda cycle in Italy. |
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| 15th c. | 1470: Malory’s Morte Darthur gives a coherent form to the prose cyclical romances taking Arthur from birth to death. | |||