In loving memory of my sister Margaret The Lost Tomb of KING ARTHUR “Another must-read for anyone interested in the often inconvenient truth of history from the audacious and persuasive graham Phillips. This book will challenge much of what you think you know about Arthur—but in a good way!” LYNN PICKNETT, COAUTHOR OF THE TEMPLAR REVELATION AND TURIN SHROUD: IN WHOSE IMAGE? THE TRUTH BEHIND THE CENTURIES-LONG CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE “The history of King Arthur, and whether he truly existed, has been studied by many scholarly disciplines—it is an immense jigsaw puzzle. in this book, graham Phillips brings these pieces together to form a coherent picture of who the historical Arthur actually was. Always engaging and informative, this book penetrates the mystery of one of England’s iconic heritage figures.” STORM CONSTANTINE, AUTHOR OF THE MAGRAVANDIAS CHRONICLES “Just when you thought the legend of King Arthur was a fairytale, graham Phillips shatters the illusion with historical facts, discoveries, and theories that challenge everything you thought you knew about the once and future king. Compelling read for all questers of the truth.” ANDREW GOUGH, WRITER, PRESENTER, AND EDITOR OF THE HERETIC MAGAZINE PRAISE FOR OTHER BOOKS BY GRAHAM PHILLIPS “graham Phillips has always been noted for his meticulous historical research, depth of vision, and ability to follow the threads of a mystery throughout history.” NEW DAWN MAGAZINE “Of the many books out recently shedding new light on ancient history, this attempt to prove that the Bible is nearer historical truth than skeptics maintain is one of the best.” DAILY MAIL REVIEW OF ATLANTIS AND THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT “Compelling evidence that the Knights Templar may have taken the Ark of the Covenant to the British isles.” THE GUARDIAN REVIEW OF THE TEMPLARS AND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT Acknowledgments The author would like to thank the following people for their invaluable help: Deborah Cartwright for the wonderful photography; Yvan Cartwright for compiling the index and for fantastic IT support; my researcher Maia Wille; Jodi Russell for extra research material; Sally Evans, Dave Moore, and Claire Silverman in helping with translations; and Jon Graham, Kelly Bowen, Mindy Branstetter, Jeanie Levitan, Manzanita Carpenter, and all the team at Inner Traditions. Contents Cover Image Title Page Dedication Epigraph Acknowledgments Introduction: A Flesh-and-Blood Historical Figure Chapter 1: Here Lies King Arthur Chapter 2: Camelot Chapter 3: Swords of Power Chapter 4: Avalon Chapter 5: Morgan and Her Sisters Chapter 6: The White Land Chapter 7: Last of the Romans Chapter 8: Merlin the Bard Chapter 9: A Historical Figure? Chapter 10: Capital City Chapter 11: The Name of the King Chapter 12: Camlann Chapter 13: The Once and Future King Appendix: Chronology Endnotes Bibliography About the Author About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company Books of Related Interest Copyright & Permissions Index 9 A Historical Figure? Before continuing with our investigation in the area of Britain that once comprised the adjacent kingdoms of Gwynedd and Powys, we need to directly appraise the case for Arthur’s existence. In the first chapter I said that even before I began my search for his final resting place, I had compelling reason to believe King Arthur had been a historical figure. It is time to elucidate. I have left it until now, because to appreciate my reasoning requires knowing something about the period in which Arthur is said to have lived; for example, the Roman occupation of Britain, the fall of the Western Empire, and the political and military upheavals in both Europe and the British Isles during the fifth century. We would also need to have examined the Anglo-Saxons and the Celts, the division of Britain into separate kingdoms, where these kingdoms were, who ruled them, and so forth. By the time we got round to considering evidence specifically concerning Arthur himself, we would be halfway through the book. Instead, I have now covered such relevant background material while recounting my search for the man behind the legend, just as it occurred. Furthermore, we have also explored the various themes within the Arthurian saga, discovering how, when, and why they emerged, preparing us to address the principal argument against King Arthur as a historical figure. So before presenting the case for him having been a real living person, let’s evaluate the case for the opposition. The way I see it, the essential reason most skeptics refuse to believe King Arthur could possibly have existed is that the tales about him are just too unbelievable. In which case, they would argue, why bother searching for any truth behind the Arthurian legend? Consequently, merely to associate your name with such an investigation is enough to prompt scorn in academic circles, which is why many historians, archaeologists, and literary scholars tend to steer clear of the subject altogether. (Indeed, this is one of the main reasons that the true origins of the legend remained uncovered for so long.) The skepticism is quite understandable. Initially, the story of King Arthur seems completely fictitious. It