The legend of King Arthur, great ruler of Britain, is one of history's most enduring tales. In the best known version of the King Arthur story, he resided in Camelot with his wife, Queen Guinevere, swinging his great Excalibur sword while conferring with his Knights of the Round Table. Arthur was a pillar of virtue, a knight in shining armor heralding chivalry, truth and honor. He fought nobly in the Crusades and sought the Holy Grail. Betrayed by Lancelot, King Arthur remains at rest, waiting to return. Most of these story elements were contrived in 1469 by Sir Thomas Malory in his classic Le Morte d'Arthur. Produced in 2010 for the Smithsonian Channel, Mystery Files: King Arthur casts the legend aside and makes an effort to look for the real-life inspiration behind the King Arthur tale. Dr. Tobias Capwell, Professor Christopher Snyder, Dr. Stuart Prior, Geoffrey Ashe and Blacksmith Hector Cole all contribute their expert opinions on the matter. The end conclusion is that the legendary King Arthur was likely based on two real-life 5th Century warriors: Ambrosius Aurelianus and Riothamus. Poetic license was taken and the two Roman-era warriors were seemingly merged into one hallowed character in 1134, when the first full account of King Arthur was published in the History of the Kings of Britain.
