Arthur (3 December 455 – 537) was Duke of Somerset from 490 to 537 and the leader of the Britons during the Battle of Badon of the 6th century.
Is the legendary ruler of Britain, the central character in the collection of medieval legends known as the Matter of Britain, around whom hundreds of tales of knights, ladies, squires, villains and supernatural figures all revolve.
According to these medieval pseudo-histories and romances, Arthur led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century, then went on to reign throughout a period of peace and abundance. The details of Arthur’s story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.
Family
Early Welsh sources give Arthur a large family. Besides his father Uther Pendragon he had a brother Madoc and two nephews, Eliwlod and Gwalchmei. Historia regum Britanniae identifies Uther as his father, Igraine as his mother, and his cousin Gawain. Also has a full younger sister, Anna but there is some confusion on the issue in the text.
Chretien first identified Morgan le Fay as Arthur’s sister.
Arthur’s Children
Despite his childlessness (at least in marriage) often being a key factor in the tragedy of Camelot, different legends give Arthur a fair number of offspring.
In the earliest record, Historia Brittonum, Nennius writes that Arthur had a son, Anir, killed by Arthur himself.
In the Vulgate Cycle longtime antagonist and sometimes nephew Mordred is revealed as Arthur’s son through unwitting incest with his half sister Morcades. In Erec et Enide and Perlesvaus he has a son, Loholt, who is slain by his brother Kay.
Wolfram von Eschanbach‘s Parzival gives Arthur an illegitimate son named Illinot. Arthur had a daughter, Melora, in the Irish tale of Melora and Orlando. The Icelandic Thiðrekssaga gives King Arthur a daughter named Hilde. Malory names Arthur’s son Borre, who goes on to be a proud Knight of the Round Table.
