King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table examines the fact and the fiction behind Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin, Guinevere, and Galahad, among others, as well as the quest for the Holy Grail. King Arthur most probably never existed yet he is one of the most famous Britons, while Excalibur and Camelot are perhaps the world’s best-known sword and castle. Beginning in the twelfth century, the book explores what factual basis there is for the tales and how the characters, stories, and motifs developed through histories, epic poems, and prose. It also charts the revived interest in Arthurian romance in the nineteenth century and considers how the tales still hold the popular imagination today. Illustrated with artworks, photographs, and maps, King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table is an expertly written account of where literature, mythology, and history meet.