Changes

The origin of the Arthurian legend is in the Dark Ages, when as we have seen warlords carved out their own kingdoms and fought endless wars. Now an examination of Romano-British and Celtic culture can help us to understand the inspiration for the story about the gallant knights. Arthur was based on one or more Brythonic warlords, who would have had an elite group of fighters <ref>Sutcliffe, p 17</ref>. They would typically be high-born warriors who had been trained since childhood in the art of war. These may have been sub-kings or chieftains and they often helped him to administer his territory. These elite warriors would have been similar to the ‘sworn swords’ who had pledged to fight for their lord or king and often acted as his personal bodyguard. They were the companions of the monarch and expected to die for their ruler. Furthermore, they were expected to abide by a good of honor. There are definite similarities between these Dark Age warriors and the Knights of the Round Table. The noble swordsmen who fought for Arthur and can be considered to be a Christianised version of an older warrior tradition <ref>Sutcliffe, p 101</ref>.