An up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the history of the ‘Arthurian’ phenomenon - the imaginary and historical world of the great British warlord and one of the huge historical mysteries of early and medieval Britain. The Arthurian story, based on fact and fiction, is central to Britain’s ‘creation myth’ and the concept of Britain’s heroic past. This is a deeply researched and scholarly but essentially accessible history and analysis for general readers and specialists and based on an impressive array of sources including Romano-British, Anglo-Saxon, rare medieval English, French and German sources, and archaeology - essential for modern historical research in early history. Modern and contemporary historiography is covered including ‘debunking’ treatments. The study surveys King Arthur in fact and fiction, his family, knights, and the legends that have grown up around them and developed to the enduring interest from history, literature to TV and film. AUTHOR: Timothy Venning obtained his BA and PhD from King’s College, University of London, specialising in Cromwell’s foreign policy and is a gifted historian, deep and critical researcher and attractive writer with a wide range of historical interests. He can slip easily from and effectively into early history, the middle ages, the early modern period including Britain and Europe. He combines academic rigour with accessibility for general readers and specialists. Publications include: Dictionary of National Biography (OUP - contributions); Cromwellian Foreign Policy (Palgrave); A Compendium of British Office-Holders (Palgarve); A Chronology of Byzantine Empire (Palgrave); A Chronology of the Roman Empire (Continuum); A Chronology of the Crusades (Routledge); A Chronology of Early Medieval Britain and Europe Ad 450-1066 (Routledge; Anglo-Saxon Kings and Queens; The Kings and Queens of Wales; The Kings and Queens of Scotland; Lords of the Isles: Rulers of the Highlands, Hebrides, and Man; King-Makers: Lords of the Welsh Marches (Amberley); If Rome Had Survived; An Alternative History of Britain; The Anglo-Saxon Age; The Hundred Years War; Norman and Plantagenets; The Tudors; The English Civil War (all Pen and Sword); plus 8 titles forthcoming including academic titles: Cromwell’s Failed State and the Monarchy; The Fall of the British Republic and the Return of the King: From Cromwell’s Commonwealth to Stuart Monarchy, 1657-1670: plus more Royal Mysteries as above and the pipeline. (All Pen and Sword).
16 b/w illustrations