King Arthur’s Birth

Uther Pendragon, King of Britain, summonsed his barons to an Easter feast in London. A great banquet was ordered. The King went to the kitchens and made sure everything was fresh and prepared to the highest standard his chefs could manage, he wanted the meal to be especially delicious. The table was well attended with knights, barons, ladies and many servants filled the hall. Duke Gorlois of Cornwall was there with his wife Igraine, the most beautiful woman in the land. No one present could have failed to notice that Uther spent the entire meal flirting with the Duchess Igraine. Draping his arm across her shoulders, he fed her the sweetest foods. He told her many tales of his adventures and even tried a bit of singing.

Now, Igraine was a good woman, loyal to her husband and she resisted the King’s advances. Igraine turned to her husband: ‘Gorlois, we must leave Uther’s court. Take me home to the safety of our castle.’ 

And so the Duke and Duchess left the banquet early, without saying goodbye.

However, the attentions of a King are not so simple to refuse.  Uther was furious at the slight, gathered a mighty army that marched to Cornwall burning land and castles as they went. Gorlois only had a small army, he asked his Irish allies for help and sent Igraine to Tintagel, his coastal fortress, for safekeeping. He waited for reinforcements at Castle Dimilioc, 20 miles away.

Uther grew impatient, he wanted Igraine so much but there was no way he could get  into Tintagel Castle which was surrounded by wild sea, it’s only access a precipitous narrow stone walkway guarded by three strong knights. He would have to resort to magic. He called for his sorcerer Merlin.

‘This will be simple enough my king, but first you must grant me a wish.’

In his loved up state Uther waved away Merlin’s solemnity. ‘What is it you wish for, Merlin? I can give you anything you wish. Anything.’

‘Well in this case, I wish you to give me your first born son,’ said Merlin. ‘You must give him to me unchristened. I will do with him as I wish.’

Something in Uther turned at this request. Was not a son the reason he wanted Igraine? Perhaps not, she was radiantly beautiful and Merlin must be jesting. After all, what would Merlin want with a baby? He was always disappearing, wandering the land, up to nothing of use. ‘Come Merlin,’ said Uther, ‘Let us go to Igraine.’

‘We will disguise ourselves as the Duke of Tintagel and his knights,’ instructed Merlin.

With Merlin’s help, Uther changed into Duke Gorlois, Merlin disguised himself as Sir Jordanus, and a knight as Sir Brastions. Together the three of them approached Tintagel, and were welcomed with open arms. Ingraine slept with “Gorlois” that night, little did she know that the man in her arms was not really her husband.

That night Uther’s army attacked Castle Dimilioc, and Gorlois was killed.

A messenger  rode hard to Tintagel to bring Igraine news of her husband’s death.

‘That cannot be,’ she cried, ‘Gorlois isn’t dead. Look, here he is beside me.’

Uther smiled, then rode off to ‘investigate’. Igraine felt sick when the reports of Gorlois' death were confirmed, sick with grief, sick to the core that something very wrong had gone on, sick with morning sickness - she was pregnant.

Uther returned, took Tintagel Castle, took the newly widowed Igraine as his bride. Uther had quickly gained all he desired.

Igraine’s prayers went unanswered, her son was born and Merlin came to take him. ‘I will never forgive you Merlin,’ cried Igraine. ‘You have no use for a child in your watery cave.’ But Merlin did not take the baby to a cave, he didn’t walk with him through forests and cliff paths. No, Merlin had his plan perfected and he took Arthur straight to the home of Sir Ector, who had a new baby of his own. Merlin instructed Ector to bring baby Arthur up alongside his own baby, and Arthur grew up without knowledge of his real parents.

It wasn’t until many years later, when he drew the sword from the stone, that Arthur knew he was a King.