Excalibur: The Legendary Sword Of King Arthur
The Excalibur was King Arthur of Camelot's sword. It is one of the most famous swords in European folklore. People who read about King Arthur said that the magical sword kept the king and his guards safe.
There are several stories about how he got the sword, but the most important thing is the same. In this blog, let us look at the Excalibur's history, King Arthur's rise to power, and some interesting facts about the sword.
The Rise of King Arthur
People said that Arthur was born at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall and that the wizard Merlin took him from his royal parents. His name was Arthur Pendragon. Then Merlin gave the child to Sir Ector, a knight, to raise as his kid.
Merlin and King Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, were the only ones who knew that Arthur was the king's son. People looked down on him because he was weak and an orphan.
King Pendragon died not long after giving away his only son. People turned to Merlin for help because no one else was willing to take over and run the Kingdom. Merlin made a plan because he promised to look out for little Arthur's well-being.
He made a big stone in a grave in Westminster, London. There was an anvil sticking out of that stone, and a plague nearby said, "He who pulls his sword out of this stone is wise and born King of all England."
Many people from the town and far away tried to pull the sword out of the big stone. Nobody was able to succeed. Soon, no one remembered the stone, and the country fell further into ruin.
Merlin started to get involved in Arthur's life as he grew up. The boy and Merlin became friends, and Merlin spent much time teaching him. He taught him that smarts were stronger than strength.
Merlin told small, shy Arthur one day, when he was 15, to try his hand at the sword in the stone. As more people came together, the boy grabbed the anvil. He couldn't believe it when the sword came off in his hands.
Where did King Arthur Acquire Excalibur?
Since Arthurian mythology is based on myths, the story of how King Arthur got Excalibur is full of flaws and extra details. When Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote about it in the 1200s, he said it came from the Isle of Avallon, which took away from its magical beginnings.
Later stories, like Robert de Boron's poem Merlin, add the idea that the sword is buried in a stone, which differs from Excalibur, found in a lake after it breaks in battle. But these reports are retellings of stories that were told orally for hundreds of years, and historical accuracy is often overshadowed by romanticizing the events.
Putting together different stories about the swords shows how the tale has changed. The truth is still hard to find, but Excalibur will always be appealing because it represents Arthurian bravery, no matter where it came from—forged in Avallon or found in magical seas.
Appearance of Excalibur Sword King Arthur
From one story to the next, Excalibur looks very different. Topaz and jacinth were some of the valuable stones that Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote about in Idylls of the King. In many forms, the sword blade has the words "Take me up" and "Cast me away" written on opposite sides. Some said it was so bright that it made Arthur's enemies blind.
Other writers and storytellers wrote their things about the sword. Some ideas for modern copies of Excalibur come from ancient swords, especially the longsword.
In the famous movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, the Excalibur sword has a patterned Damascus steel blade and a crystal on the handle to make it look nice. The movie's writers used written language on the blade's engraving.
Interesting Facts About Excalibur Sword
Caliburn
The name Excalibur comes from the Welsh language Caledfwlch, which is also known as Calesvol in Cornwall and Kaledvoulc'h in Breton. The Caledfwlch appears in early Welsh writing, mainly in Culhwch and Olwen, one of the first Arthurian stories.
Late in life, Geoffrey of Monmouth changed the name to Latin and spelled it Caliburnus from Escalibor to Excalibur in Old French texts.
Cut Steel
The French poet Chrétien de Troyes wrote the Arthurian tale Perceval. In it, he called the Escalibor the best sword because it could cut through iron just as easily as wood. So, some writers thought that the French word Escalibor meant to cut metal, wood, and iron.
Sir Thomas Malory, an English author, eventually suggested that the name Excalibur meant "cut steel."
Caladbolg Sword of an Irish Hero
The great sword that the Irish hero Fergus Mac Róich used was called Caladbolg, sometimes called Caladbou, which means "hard fighter" in English. With it, Fergus cut off the tops of three hills in the Irish county of Meath, creating the hills we see today.
Because the Welsh name Caledfwlch and the Irish name Caladbolg sound alike, some people think the swords are connected. Still, some experts believe that the names were just general names for swords. In British tradition, the Caledfwlch became the sword of King Arthur.
Magical Powers
The scabbard on King Arthur's sword was amazing; it kept him and his troops safe from all harm. Because of this, Arthur's sister Morgan, also known as Morgause, stole the scabbard from Excalibur, leaving him open to attack.
In the battle of Camlann, his traitorous son Mordred tried to take over the country from him and killed him.
Used by Other Warriors
The Excalibur, also known as Caledfwlch in the Celtic story of Culhwch and Olwen, is one of Arthur's most important possessions. His fighter, Llenlleawg, killed the Irish king Diwrnach and stole the so-called magical cauldron at the same time.
The story of Excalibur began to grow in texts from the Vulgate Cycle and the Post-Vulgate Cycle. Arthur's nephew and knight Gawain also used the Excalibur, even though later stories said the magical sword only belonged to the king.
The Excalibur in Pop Culture
Authors and directors are still getting ideas from the story of King Arthur and his Excalibur sword. Many versions of the Arthurian tale have been successfully changed and updated. Before it got to Arthur, the famous sword was in the hands of Uther Pendragon in the movie Excalibur.
The plot was a little different in the Cursed drama series. The woman who wields the sword is named Nimue, and her job is to bring the Excalibur to Merlin. Because of the meaning of a sword of power, the Arthurian tale also impacted the Lord of the Rings movie series.
As a result, Excalibur is also famous for costumes and live-action role-playing games (LARP), where people can play King Arthur or one of the Knights of the Round Table.
The Bottom Line
To sum up, Excalibur is the famous spirit of King Arthur, who was Britain's legendary king. Its mysterious vibe stays the same across many stories, going beyond time and space. The story of Excalibur and its lasting meanings have made it famous in literature, movies, and even immersion activities like cosplay and LARP.
Its owners and names may change, but the sword's reputation as a sign of power, bravery, and the supernatural stays the same, charming audiences and inspiring awe as a timeless symbol of heroic legend.