My book, Conqueror and the Hart is inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. A Welsh monk named Geoffrey of Monmouth, whose grandfather fought at the Battle of Hastings with William the Conqueror, wrote the first book of King Arthur, The History of the Kings of Britain. The book was not a fictional tale of courage and heroics but a nonfiction book on the qualities of a good King. To gain local support for his book, Geoffrey incorporated a Welsh mythological figure named Merlin. This medieval book was a big hit – a best seller and it influenced many other books, call them medieval fan fiction. Let’s jump across the channel to France, where a poet named Chrétien de Troyes introduced us to the Knights of the Roundtable – Lancelot, Gawain, Percival, etc. The legends of King Arthur and his Knights span both England and France. Conqueror and the Hart characters, King Henry and the Noblemen of the Roundtable are based on real-life people from a century prior to when Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote his megahit. Curiously, in my research, King Henry and his noblemen share similar qualities of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable.
When we study history, and historical characters in depth, we can find the legends are not far from the truth. All these men were legends of their time, and possibly, an inspiration for a French poet who wrote stories of Kings and Knights.
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AuthorAuthor and painter working on a historical fiction/fantasy middle grade book series, featuring young Count Raoul of Valois and his cousin, Walter. Explore Medieval history, mythology and folklore. Archives
July 2022
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