Did king Arthur ever exist?

Everyone has heard of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table, of Lancelot and Guinevere, and the quest for the Holy Grail. Many stories have been told about the court of Camelot ever since the Middle ages, when such romantic tales were popular. But stories is all these legends are it is very doubtful whether Arthur, the romantic hero of legend, ever did the deeds he was supposed to have alone. However, it is certain that in the sixth century there was a chieftain, perhaps of Ramano British descent, who may have led his people in battles to defend Britain against Saxon invaders.

This chieftain may have been Arthur, although he is only referred to in old writings as Dux Bellorum, a Latin title meaning war lord. Nobody knows where Arthur’s capital city and palace of Camelot is, although many places all over Britain and in parts of France have claimed to be the site, and despite the lack of proof about Arthur’s existence, stories about him and his knights are still very popular. A very well known tale is that the king did not actually die in his last battle of Camlann, but was carried away to Avalon (which might to be another name for Glastonbury in Somerset) to sleep beneath the hills until his country needs him again in a time of great crisis.