Searching for King
Arthur — Gildas
Gildas
was a 6th Century monk who was born in the year of the Battle of Mons
Badonicus, or, The Battle of Mount Badon, as we now know it. Mount Badon is, of
course, the famous battle where King Arthur halted the Saxon invasion for a
time.
Gidas's
great work — On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain, is no easy read. In fact,
it reads like a damning sermon. He
certainly did not mince his words! He target five particular kings - goodness
knows what they had done to upset him - and he isn't particularly forgiving of
his fellow priests.
"Britain
has priests, but they are fools; numerous ministers, but they are shameless;
clerics, but they are wily plunderers."
He
seems to be more than a little obsessed with the Book of Daniel, and the Book of Revelations.
However,
Gildas's work is considered one of most important sources on the history of
Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries, simply because, for once, it was written
by someone who was actually there and although it is not considered a primary
sources it is about as close as we are going to get.
However,
Gildas gives the word 'vague' a whole new meaning. He gives us very few names
and no firm dates. He misses out chunks of history if they do not serve his
purpose or his message.
What does Gildas say about Arthur?
Nothing.
The
only 5th century person he does talk about is a man called Ambrosius Aurelianus.
"...
a gentleman who, perhaps alone of the Romans, had survived the shock of this
notable storm. Certainly his parents, who had worn the purple, were slain by
it. His descendants in our day have become greatly inferior to their
grandfather's excellence..."
Now
this is where it gets a little confusing. Ambrosius appears to be of Roman
descent. He organises Briton and leads them in battle against the Saxons. Some
historians believe that Ambrosius was Arthur, but I am not convinced with that
argument. The Venerable Bede clearly states in his work — An Ecclesiastical
History of the English People — that they are two separate people.
So
what is going on?
Gildes
is very vocal about many things, but not Arthur. He doesn't mention him. At
all.
War is coming...
