Changes

==Introduction==[[File: Merlin One.jpg|200px|thumb|left| A medieval manuscript with a drawing of Merlin and King Arthur]]__NOTOC__Merlin is perhaps the best-known wizard or magician in popular culture. He is one of the key characters in the much-loved Arthurian legends. In these stories, he is the court magician and mentor of the ruler of Camelot. Since the Middle Ages, Merlin has become a by-word for the practice of magic. He has been portrayed countless times, in books, plays, and movies. However, was Merlin based on a real-life character? This article will discuss if he was based on an actual historical figure or is he merely a fictional character, the product of medieval writers and poets. It will discuss possible candidates for the original Merlin, and these include a Scottish prophet, an early British king , and the theory that he was a Celtic priest, a druid. [[File: Merlin One.jpg|200px|thumb|left| A medieval manuscript with a drawing of Merlin and King Arthur]]Merlin One.jpg====The context of the story of Merlin==The Arthurian Cycle of stories and the legend of Merlin is based on more or less historical events that occurred in the wake of the collapse of Roman power in the West. In 410 AD the last Roman legion left Britain and the natives had to fend for themselves. There emerged a number of small Brythonic kingdoms who were faced with an invasion by pagan Saxons and other Germanic tribes. This was an era when great warlords emerged such as Vortigern, who fought against the barbarians. This is the time of legendary warrior-kings, such as Uther Pendragon and Arthur, were said to rule. The Brythonic kingdoms were all Christian, but they were also Roman-Celtic. They were pushed out of the rich lowlands of England into the highlands of Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland. At this time, popularly, known as the Dark Ages, many pre-Christian practices remained and much of the population was still half-pagan. There were still old-style magicians and prophets, who were believed to have special powers, such as those possessed by Merlin, even by clerics and monks <ref> Tolstoy, Nikolai. The Quest for Merlin (London, H. Hamilton, 1985), p 14</ref>. ==

==The sources of Merlin==There is no one fixed version of the story of MerlinBrythonic kingdoms were all Christian, but they were also Roman-Celtic. He is first mentioned in the ''History They were pushed out of the Kings of BritainEngland'' by Geoffrey de Monmouth. The same author then wrote a book which purports to be s rich lowlands into the prophecies highlands of Merlin (1130 AD)Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland. In these propheciesAt this time, well-popularly known histoircal figures were represented by animals and their futures told in riddles. Monmouth claims that the prophecies and as the figure of Merlin are based on ancient oral sources. He shows Merlin to be a key member of King Arthur’s inner circle. In his later workDark Ages, the Vita Merlinimany pre-Christian practices remained, he elaborated on the story and much of the wizard of Camelotpopulation was still half-pagan. Many have accused Geoffrey of Monmouth of simply inventing the famous wizard There were still old-style magicians and prophet. In the 13th century a French poetprophets, Robert de Boronwho were believed to have special powers, wrote an epic poem on the magician based on the work of Monmouthsuch as those possessed by Merlin, in the 13th century. Some of this work is lost but it was very influential in the popularity of the character of Merlin even by clerics and monks <ref> JankulakTolstoy, KarenNikolai. Geoffrey of Monmouth The Quest for Merlin (Cardiff: University of Wales PressLondon, H. Hamilton, 20101985), p. 1114</ref>. In later centuries, Thomas Mallory and other writers greatly elaborated on the story of the wizard. They did not emphasise his powers of prophecy but concentrated on his supernatural powers.

====The life and adventures sources of Merlin====According to most sources, Merlin was There is no one fixed version of the son story of an incubus or a preternatural being, often viewed as demonicMerlin. He may have been is first mentioned in the son ''History of a Royal Princess, from the north Kings of EnglandBritain'' by Geoffrey de Monmouth. He was baptized as The same author then wrote a Christian and this purified himbook that purports to be Merlin's prophecies (1130 AD). In these prophecies, but he was a paradoxical figure, good, but also tainted well-known historical figures were represented by his demonic inheritanceanimals and their futures told in riddles. Merlin was a powerful prophet and magician from an early age Monmouth claims that the prophecies and is shown as helping a Brythonic ruler to defeat the Anglo-Saxon invaders, while still a teenagerfigure of Merlin are based on ancient oral sources. He was often shown shows Merlin to be also a shapeshifter, who is at once an old man, a handsome youth and even a deer. One key member of his most famous feats was to build Stonehenge by transporting stones from Ireland. He is a key figure in the Arthurian legends and is shown as an advisor to King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragoninner circle. He helped Uther to disguise himself and to impregnate the wife of  In his enemy. From this actlater work, the future King Arthur was born. Merlin is a critical figure in the ‘Story of the Sword’. It is Vita Merlini, he who predicts that elaborated on the man who takes the sword from the stone (or anvil in some accounts) is the rightful monarch story of BritainCamelot's wizard. Merlin is typically shown to be the mentor and teacher Many have accused Geoffrey of Arthur. It is he who helps him to become King Monmouth of simply inventing the Britonsfamous wizard and prophet. In one versionthe 13th century, a French poet, offered by Geoffrey Robert de MonmouthBoron, wrote an epic poem on the wizard married a beautiful woman and retired to study the stars. However, in another version, Merlin becomes Arthur’s advisor and his court magician <ref>Tolstoy, p. 119</ref>based on Monmouth's work. Some stories make clear that Merlin was partly responsible for Arthurs victories. He of this work is also shown as helping him to gather enough knights for the fabled Round Table. In some French accountslost, the wizard is a but it was very important figure influential in the Holy Grail and the Knights popularity of the Round Tables quest for the chalice that held Christ’s blood. In some of the legends about Merlin, he is often associated with a famous woman's character. In one version of the legend<ref> Jankulak, he is the teacher of Morgan Le FayKaren. She is partly responsible for the downfall Geoffrey of Arthur and Camelot. In many modern renditions Monmouth (Cardiff: University of the legendWales Press, Merlin and Morgan La Fay are shown to be enemies<ref> Hoffman2010), Donald Lp. "Malory’s Tragic Merlin." Merlin: A Casebook (1991): 332-4111</ref>. This is not the case in the original sources. In another storylater centuries, he is shown to be infatuated with a beautiful young woman by Thomas Mallory and other writers greatly elaborated on the name wizard's story. They did not emphasize his powers of Vivianprophecy but concentrated on his supernatural powers. Merlin teaches her the arts of magic  ====The life and when she is powerful she rejects and imprisons him in a magical forest. In one adventures of the most popular stories on the death of Arthur, he is put to death by the enigmatic Lady of the Lake, the great sorceress, who was associated with the mystical sword Excalibur <ref>Tolstoy, p 119</ref>. Merlin====

==The Druid Theory==Monmouth who is credited with introducing According to most sources, Merlin was the character son of Merlin to an incubus or a preternatural being, often viewed as demonic. He may have been the wider world claimed that he was son of a figure Royal Princess, from historythe north of England. The wizard of Camelot He was based on some stories that were circulating in Wales or possibly Cornwall for centuries. These were areas, which still has baptized as a strong Celtic heritageChristian, in the Dark Ages and down to the present day. Some have speculated that Merlin this purified him, but he was based on a Druidparadoxical figure, good, who but also tainted by his demonic inheritance.  Merlin was a Celtic priest or member of the learned class. These Druids are often portrayed as sorcerers powerful prophet and magicians magician from an early age and were very powerful. It is possible, according shown as helping a Brythonic ruler to some sources that vestiges of druidism survived in defeat the British IslesAnglo-Saxon invaders while still a teenager. There He was often shown to be also a shapeshifter, who is evidence from Welsh hagiographies at once an older man, a handsome youth, and poems that ‘druids’ were still active in the 6th century, even though they had been officially suppressed by the Romansa deer. One 9th century Welsh poem, by Nenius refers to druids helping a Brythonic king and was of his court magician and most trusted adviserfamous feats was to build Stonehenge by transporting stones from Ireland. It He is quite possible that Merlin was based on some folk memory of a druid key figure in the Arthurian legends and that Monmouth heard of these tales<ref>Tolstoryis shown as an advisor to King Arthur’s father, pUther Pendragon. 111</ref>. There is He helped Uther to disguise himself and to impregnate the real possibility that one wife of the Brythonic war-leadershis enemy. From this act, upon whom the character of future King Arthur is possibly based employed one such druid. In the Dark Ages, it was quite common for rulers to have court magicians, who legitimized their rule and gave them more powerborn. ==Was Merlin is a war-leader==In critical figure in the Welsh sources and even in some later English sources there are many references to Ambrosius Aurelianus. He is portrayed as a powerful war-leader or as a king ‘Story of the BritonsSword. In Bede’s History of ’ He predicts that the English People, he is portrayed as the last of man who takes the Romans and possibly descended sword from an Emperor. He rallies the scattered Britons after they had been defeated several times by stone (or anvil in some accounts) is the pagan invadersrightful monarch of Britain. He leads them Merlin is typically shown to victory over be the invaders mentor and he establishes a powerful kingdomteacher of Arthur. Ambrosius Aurelianus It is a rather paradoxical figure. At once he who helps him to become King of Roman descent, he is also a powerful magicianthe Britons.  In one Welsh accountversion, offered by Geoffrey de Monmouth, dating from the 9th century AD, he is shown as living in an enchanted castle guarded by dragons. In one story he is shown winning wizard married a duel with some Royal magicians beautiful woman and after this, he is able retired to simply demand study the lands of a powerful neighboring warlordstars. However, in another version, Merlin becomes Arthur’s advisor and his court magician.<ref>HoffmanTolstoy, p. 302119</ref>Some stories clarify that Merlin was partly responsible for Arthurs victories. Ambrosius Aurelianus He is also shown as helping him to have been a prophet and like Merlin, he was able to foretell gather enough knights for the rise and fall of Kingdomsfabled Round Table. According to In some sourcesFrench accounts, he prophesied the end of the Saxon kingdoms and the rise of the Normans. There are many who believe that Merlin was based on this sorcerer who was also wizard is a warrior-king. However, Geoffrey of Monmouth significant figure in his tales has Ambrosius Aurelianus as the uncle of King Arthur, who died before his birth Holy Grail and is a friend of Merlin. It is possible the character of Ambrosius Aurelianus, preserved in folktales and poems, may have been one Knights of the models Round Tables quest for the court magician of Camelot. It appears chalice that Monmouth in his Vita Merlini based some stories on the adventures of Ambrosius Aurelianusheld Christ’s blood. == Myrddin Wyllt==Many believe that In some of the original model of legends about Merlin was a Northern British bard, prophet, hermit, and madman. Myrddin Wyllt was a bard and he served is often associated with a powerful local king in what is now Southern Scotland. The lord is at war against other local kingsfamous woman. In a terrible battle in about 576 AD, Myrddin witnessed the death one version of his king and the destruction of his army. This war was to prove a disaster, for all the parties because it weakened the Britons so much that they easily succumbed to the invading Angleslegend, Saxons, and Jutes. Myrddin went mad after the death of his king and the destruction of his kingdom. He fled to the vast Caledonian forest and he lived with is the animals. He did not wear any clothes and still grieved over the death teacher of his king until his deathMorgan Le Fay. At some time, he acquired She is partly responsible for the gift downfall of prophecy Arthur and many came to consult him about the futureCamelot. There are In many prophecies attributed to him and these include a revival modern renditions of Celtic power in the British Isles. In some sourceslegend, he is known as Lailoken Merlin and he is Morgan La Fay are shown as living near a village in the Lowlands of Scotland. There was once a grave of Myrdin to be seen near the village of Pebbles in the Scottish Borders enemies.<ref>FordHoffman, Patrick KDonald L. "The Death of Malory’s Tragic Merlin in the Chronicle of Elis Gruffydd." Viator 7 Merlin: A Casebook (19761991): 379332-390 41</ref>. There are many who believe that Geoffrey of Monmouth based Merlin on Myrddin Wyllt. There are some similarities between This is not the case in the two figuressources. For exampleIn another story, the name Myrddin he is somewhat similar shown to be infatuated with a beautiful young woman named Vivian. Merlin. It has been speculated that Monmouth changed Myrddin’s name so that it was more acceptable to an English-speaking audience <ref>Jankulakteaches her the arts of magic, p. 113</ref>. Then Myrddin was a prophet and Merlin when she is primarily powerful, she rejects and imprisons him in a prophet in Monmouth’s workmagical forest. It is only in a later version In one of the Arthurian legend that Merlin became a powerful sorcerer. It seems that Geoffrey may have based the great magician most popular stories on the mad prophetdeath of Arthur, who roamed the Scottish forests. ==Conclusion==The character of Merlin is one that he is known put to many, even death by those who have never read or seen a story based on the Arthurian legends. Geoffrey de Monmouth was a crucial figure in the development enigmatic Lady of the character. However, while he was a fictional writer it does appear that he did base Arthur’s magicianLake, on a historical figure. Monmouth appears to have been aware of Ambrosius Aurelianus and this figure was influential in the development of the charactergreat sorceress, who was associated with the mentor of Arthurmystical sword Excalibur. There is also the real likelihood that de Monmouth may have based Merlin on some folklore about a druid or a number of druids. It seems likely that the wizard was based on the Scottish prophet and hermit Myrddin Wyllt. There are undoubtedly similarities between the mad Scottish prophet and Merlin. Most likely it appears that he was a composite character and is an amalgam of Myrddin<ref>Tolstoy, Ambrosius Aurelianus and some unidentified druid or druids.p 119</ref>

<dh-ad/>====The Druid Theory====Monmouth, credited with introducing Merlin's character to the wider world, claimed that he was a figure from history. Camelot's wizard was based on some stories circulating in Wales or possibly Cornwall for centuries. These areas still have a strong Celtic heritage, in the Dark Ages and down to the present day. Some have speculated that Merlin was based on a Druid, a Celtic priest, or a learned class member. These Druids are often portrayed as sorcerers and magicians and were very powerful. It is possible, according to some sources, that vestiges of druidism survived in the British Isles.  There is evidence from Welsh hagiographies and poems that ‘druids’ were still active in the 6th century, even though the Romans had officially suppressed them. One 9th century Welsh poem by Genius referred to druids helping a Brythonic king and was his court magician and most trusted adviser. It is quite possible that Merlin was based on some folk memory of a druid and that Monmouth heard of these tales.<ref>Tolstory, p. 111</ref> There is the real possibility that one of the Brythonic war-leaders, upon whom the character of King Arthur is possibly based employed one such druid. In the Dark Ages, it was quite common for rulers to have court magicians, who legitimized their rule and gave them more power. ====Was Merlin a war-leader====In the Welsh sources and some later English sources, there are many references to Ambrosius Aurelianus. He is portrayed as a powerful war-leader or as a king of the Britons. In Bede’s History of the English People, he is portrayed as the last of the Romans and possibly descended from an Emperor. He rallies the scattered Britons after they had been defeated several times by the pagan invaders. He leads them to victory over the invaders, and he establishes a powerful kingdom. Ambrosius Aurelianus is a rather paradoxical figure. At once of Roman descent, he is also a powerful magician. In one Welsh account, dating from the 9th century AD, he is shown as living in an enchanted castle guarded by dragons.  In one story, he is shown winning a duel with some Royal magicians, and after this, he can simply demand the lands of a powerful neighboring warlord.<ref>Hoffman, p. 302</ref> Ambrosius Aurelianus is also shown to have been a prophet, and like Merlin, he was able to foretell the rise and fall of Kingdoms. According to some sources, he prophesied the end of the Saxon kingdoms and the rise of the Normans. Many believe that Merlin was based on this sorcerer, who was also a warrior-king.  However, Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his tales, has Ambrosius Aurelianus as the uncle of King Arthur, who died before his birth and is a friend of Merlin. The character of Ambrosius Aurelianus, preserved in folktales and poems, may have been one of the models for the court magician of Camelot. It appears that Monmouth in his Vita Merlini based some stories on the adventures of Ambrosius Aurelianus. <div class="portal" style='float:right; width:35%'>====Related Articles===={{#dpl:category=Historically Accurate|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=9}}</div> ==== Myrddin Wyllt====Many believe that the original model of Merlin was a Northern British bard, prophet, hermit, and madman. Myrddin Wyllt was a bard, and he served a powerful local king in what is now Southern Scotland. The lord is at war against other local kings. In a terrible battle in about 576 AD, Myrddin witnessed his king's death and the destruction of his army. This war was to prove a disaster for all the parties because it weakened the Britons so much that they easily succumbed to the invading Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. Myrddin went mad after the death of his king and the destruction of his kingdom. He fled to the vast Caledonian forest, and he lived with the animals. He did not wear any clothes and still grieved over the death of his king until his death.  He acquired the gift of prophecy, and many came to consult him about the future. Many prophecies are attributed to him, including a revival of Celtic power in the British Isles. In some sources, he is known as Lailoken, and he is shown as living near a village in the Lowlands of Scotland. There was once a grave of Myrdin to be seen near the village of Pebbles in the Scottish Borders <ref>Ford, Patrick K. "The Death of Merlin in the Chronicle of Elis Gruffydd." Viator 7 (1976): 379-390 </ref>. Many believe that Geoffrey of Monmouth based Merlin on Myrddin Wyllt.  There are some similarities between the two figures. For example, the name Myrddin is somewhat similar to Merlin. It has been speculated that Monmouth changed Myrddin’s name so that it was more acceptable to an English-speaking audience <ref>Jankulak, p. 113</ref>. Then Myrddin was a prophet, and Merlin is primarily a prophet in Monmouth’s work. It is only in a later version of the Arthurian legend that Merlin became a powerful sorcerer. It seems that Geoffrey may have based the great magician on the mad prophet, who roamed the Scottish forests. ====Conclusion====Merlin's character is known to many, even by those who have never read or seen a story based on the Arthurian legends. Geoffrey de Monmouth was a crucial figure in the development of the character. However, while he was a fictional writer, he did base Arthur’s magician on a historical figure. Monmouth appears to have been aware of Ambrosius Aurelianus, and this figure was influential in the development of the character, who was the mentor of Arthur.  The real likelihood that de Monmouth may have based Merlin on some folklore about a druid or several druids. It seems likely that the wizard was based on the Scottish prophet and hermit Myrddin Wyllt. There are undoubtedly similarities between the mad Scottish prophet and Merlin. It appears that he was a composite character and is an amalgam of Myrddin, Ambrosius Aurelianus, and some unidentified druid or druids. ====Further Reading====

 ====References====<references/> [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:British History]] [[Category: Historically Accurate]] Updated December 5, 2020