Round Table (Arthurian legend)
The Round Table is a central element in Arthurian legend, symbolizing equality and unity among King Arthur's knights. Located at Camelot, the Round Table was unique in its circular design, which eliminated hierarchical seating arrangements typical of royal gatherings. This design fostered a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among the knights, who were bound by vows of honor, valor, and loyalty. The table is also associated with the quest for the Holy Grail, a significant narrative in Arthurian tales, where knights like Sir Galahad and Sir Percival sought this sacred relic. The Round Table could seat 150 knights, although only a limited number were often present, with new members being added annually. Notably, one seat, known as the Siege Perilous, was reserved for a knight of pure heart destined to find the Holy Grail, highlighting themes of virtue and destiny. The concept of a round table may have roots in earlier Celtic traditions and has also been linked to Christian symbolism, notably the Last Supper. The legacy of the Round Table continues to influence literature and popular culture, resonating with ideals of chivalry and fellowship.
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Round Table (Arthurian legend)
Culture: British
The Round Table appeared in the Arthurian legends as the place where the British king Arthur met with his warriors. In the tales dating from the fifth century, this great circular table was at Arthur’s court at Camelot. The shape of the table was highly significant. Although the king traditionally sat at the head of a royal table with members of the court seated along the sides in order of importance, the Round Table eliminated this arrangement. No one at the Round Table took precedence over the others; there were no seats of honor, and no knight could claim a place that was more important than the others. Thus, the Round Table became a symbol of equality and a place of harmony.
The Round Table gained importance as the Arthurian tales expanded through the centuries; the fellowship and camaraderie at the table gave those sitting there a distinct reputation. King Arthur’s knights took vows of honor, valor, honesty, and loyalty, and only those who were worthy could be admitted to the fellowship of the Round Table. In this way, the Round Table came to refer to Arthur’s entire court and to stand for its purpose. The high moral code of the Round Table became a model for the numerous chivalric orders that flourished in medieval times throughout Europe.
In Mythology
According to a popular version of the legend, the magician Merlin built the Round Table for King Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. At some point, the table came into the possession of another king, Leodegran of Camelide. When Leodegran’s daughter Guinevere married King Arthur, her father offered the table as part of her dowry. The table could seat 150 knights. At the time he made the gift, Leodegran could only spare one hundred knights. As a result, Arthur asked Merlin to find fifty more chivalrous knights. However, as recounted in the story, Merlin was only able to find twenty-eight men who were worthy of the Round Table. When he had assembled the knights, Merlin told them that the table would bring joy and friendship; he urged the knights to embrace one another in brotherhood.
The names of the knights were engraved in magical gold paint on their chairs. Included among these Round Table heroes were Sir Gawain, Sir Tristam, Sir Kay, Sir Lionel, Sir Bedivere, Sir Gareth, Sir Alymere, and Sir Lancelot. New knights were added each year at Pentecost, a religious holiday celebrated fifty days after Easter Sunday. When a knight died or left Arthur’s court, only a man who was braver than the departed knight could take the seat. However, one chair was left empty. This empty chair was known as the Siege Perilous. A prophecy stated that the chair could not be used without peril except by a knight so pure that he would someday find the Holy Grail. According to tradition, the Holy Grail was a vessel, such as a cup or dish, used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. It was said that any knight who falsely sat in the Siege Perilous would be thrown out by a magic force.
Some works suggest that the Round Table was modeled after a table made to honor the Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples. The maker of this table was Joseph of Arimathea, a man who lived during biblical times. In this story, Joseph’s table also had an empty chair, one that stood for Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus.
The hunt for a divine vessel appeared in early Arthurian tales and was reintroduced in the twelfth century by writers such as Chrétien de Troyes of France. Finding the Holy Grail was the greatest quest of the Round Table knights. Many adventures centered on this search. In some stories, it was ultimately Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Lancelot, who gazed upon the grail after entering the chapel where it lay. Thus, the Siege Perilous became the seat of Sir Galahad. Other versions of the legend named Sir Percival as the hero who found the Holy Grail.
After the death of Arthur and many of his knights at the battle at Camlann, the fellowship of the Round Table dissolved. In some legends, King Arthur of Cornwall, an enemy once defeated by Arthur in battle, destroyed the table in revenge.
Origins and Cults
The concept of a round table most likely predates the Arthurian tales. Some scholars have pointed out that Celtic warriors sometimes formed circles when meeting, perhaps to maintain equality the way Arthur’s knights did. The Round Table of King Arthur also continues the tradition of the Gospels. Historians have noted that in the writings of the apostle St. Luke, Jesus and his disciples sat at a round table during the Last Supper.
In his book Le Morte D’Arthur,published in the late fifteenth century, Sir Thomas Mallory
identifies Camelot as the English town of Winchester. It was there that Arthur, the first son of Henry VII, was born in 1486. King Henry VII was the founder of the Tudor dynasty; by giving the young prince the name Arthur, Henry linked his lineage to the fabled King Arthur and justified his own claim to the English throne. Although Prince Arthur did not live to become king, his younger brother rose to the throne when he became King Henry VIII in 1509. At Winchester, Henry VIII set about restoring a large wooden disk hanging on a wall in Winchester Castle. This tabletop had been made during the time of King Edward I (1239–1307). Henry had the round table repainted in green and white and adorned with a Tudor rose. Henry himself was represented as Arthur on the table. The existing round table, still at Winchester Castle, is made of 128 pieces. It measures eighteen feet across and is three inches thick. It weighs almost one and a quarter tons and seats twenty-four.
Bibliography
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