Arthurian Literature: A Full List of Old Books About King Arthur

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If there is one literary figure responsible for most of what we now consider modern fantasy, it’s that of King Arthur. While we can’t possibly list all of the media in the Arthurian Legends, even just the ancient texts, we can list some of the most significant. This is the Arthurian ancient text timeline.

Table Of Contents

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What’s on the Ancient Arthurian Text timeline?
Timeline of Texts
The Evolution of Arthurian Literature
Other International Arthurian Stories
Where to start reading the ancient Arthurian texts?
Cite This Article

What’s on the Ancient Arthurian Text timeline?

This timeline does not attempt to list everything with any connection to the Arthurian legends. Doing so would be all but impossible, even for ancient texts. But we do attempt to list most of the more significant contributions to the Arthurian tradition. And we’ve also attempted to keep our list to that which is easiest to obtain. Some stories are highly obscure and hard to track down. For this reason, we try and stick with the tales that you can easily get your hands on.

This timeline focuses on ancient texts that are related to King Arthur. While most of these are public domain, some of them have English translations that are copyrighted. We’ve tried to provide links to all public domain materials where possible. These texts are restricted to some of the most notable Arthurian texts, those that progressed the mythos forward in important ways.

Timeline of Texts

Below, you will find our timeline of ancient literature related to the Arthurian Legends. This timeline can be sorted and filtered in a variety of ways, and contain links to as many historical sources as we could find.

#	Get It	Name	Media	Author/Director	Date	Time	Notes
1		De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae	Text	St. Gildas	0500-01-01	6th Century	Mentions the Battle of Badon Hill, long associated with Arthur.
2		Y Gododdin	Text	Aneirin	0600-01-01	7-8th Century	The first mention of Arthur in any text
3		Historia Britonum	Text	Nennius	0828-01-01	9th Century	Chronicles the Battle of Badon and the Saxon conquest of the britons.
4		Annales Cambriae	Text	Anonymous	0900-01-01	10th Century
5		Preiddeu Annwfn (The Spoils of Annwn)	Text	Taliesin	0900-01-01	10th Century	The text recounts an expedition with King Arthur to Annwfn or Annwn, the Welsh name for the Celtic Otherworld.
6		Trioedd Ynys Prydein (Triads of the Isle of Britain)	Text	Anonymous	1000-01-01	11th Century	Contains The Triads of the Horses, Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain, and Twenty-four Knight sof Arthur's Court.
7		The Legend of St. Goeznovius	Text	Anonymous	1019-01-01	11th Century
8		Vita Sancti Cadoc	Text	Lifris of Llancarfan	1086-01-01	11th Century
9		Englynion y Beddau	Text	Anonymous	1090-01-01	11th Century	Part of the Black Book of Carmarthen
10		Pa Gur yv y Porthaur	Text	Anonymous	1090-01-01	11th Century	Part of the Black Book of Carmarthen
11		Vita Sancti Euflami	Text	Anonymous	1100-01-01	12th Century
12		Culhwch and Olwen	Text	Anonymous	1100-01-01	12th Century	One of the earliest stories concerning King Arthur and his court.
13		Vita Sancti Carannog	Text	Anonymous	1100-01-01	12th Century
14		Vita Santi Gildae	Text	Caradoc of Llancarfan	1120-01-01	12th Century
15		Vita Sancti Paternus	Text	Anonymous	1120-01-01	12th Century
16		Gesta Regum Anglorum	Text	William of Malmesbury	1125-01-01	12th Century
17		Historia Anglorum	Text	Henry of Huntingdon	1129-01-01	12th Century
18		Historia Regum Britanniae	Text	Geoffrey of Monmouth	1136-01-01	12th Century
19		Vita Merlini	Text	Geoffrey of Monmouth	1140-01-01	12th Century	Often included in editions of the History of the Kings of Britain.
20		De Ortu Waluuanii	Text	Anonymous	1150-01-01	12th Century
21		Roman de Brut	Text	Wace	1155-01-01	12th Century
22	Check Price	Tristan	Text	Béroul	1170-01-01	12th Century
23		Tristan	Text	Thomas of Britain	1170-01-01	12th Century
24		Lanval	Text	Marie de France	1170-01-01	12th Century
25		Chevrefoil	Text	Marie de France	1170-01-01	12th Century
26		Erec and Enide	Text	Chrétien de Troyes	1170-01-01	12th Century
27		Cligés	Text	Chrétien de Troyes	1170-01-01	12th Century
28	Check Price	Folie Tristan d'Oxford	Text	Anonymous	1175-01-01	12th Century
29		Yvain, the Knight of the Lion	Text	Chrétien de Troyes	1180-01-01	12th Century
30		Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart	Text	Chrétien de Troyes	1180-01-01	12th Century
31		Life of Saint Kentigern	Text	Jocelyn of Furness	1185-01-01	12th Century
32	Check Price	Perceval, le Conte du Graal	Text	Chrétien de Troyes	1190-01-01	12th Century	Incomplete
33	Check Price	Works of Robert de Boron	Text	Robert de Boron	1190-01-01	12th Century	Consisting of Joseph of Arimathea, Merlin, and Perceval
34		Vita Sancti Illtud	Text	Anonymous	1190-01-01	12th Century
35	Check Price	Lanzelet	Text	Ulrich von Zatzikhoven	1194-01-01	12th Century
36		Brut	Text	Layamon	1200-01-01	13th Century
37		Didot Perceval	Text	Anonymous	1200-01-01	13th Century
38	Check Price	Lancelot-Grail (The Vulgate Cycle)	Text	Anonymous	1210-01-01	13th Century
39	Check Price	Tristan	Text	Gottfried von Strassburg	1210-01-01	13th Century
40		Perlesvaus (High History of the Holy Graal)	Text	Anonymous	1210-01-01	13th Century
41		Parzival	Text	Wolfram von Eschenbach	1210-01-01	13th Century
42	Check Price	Diu Crône (The Crown)	Text	Heinrich von dem Türlin	1220-01-01	13th Century
43	Check Price	Daniel von Blumenthal	Text	Der Stricker	1220-01-01	13th Century
44		Durmart le Gallois	Text	Anonymous	1220-01-01	13th Century
45	Check Price	Jaufre	Text	Anonymous	1225-01-01	13th Century	No translation in the public domain.
46		Tristram's Saga	Text	Anonymous	1226-01-01	13th Century
47		Claris et Laris	Text	Anonymous	1228-01-01	13th Century
48	Check Price	Prose Tristan	Text	Luce de Gat, Helie de Boron	1230-01-01	13th Century
49	Check Price	Post-Vulgate Cycle	Text	Anonymous	1240-01-01	13th Century
50	Check Price	The Lancelot-Compilatie	Text	Anonymous	1250-01-01	13th Century
51	Check Price	L'âtre périlleux (The Perilous Cemetery)	Text	Anonymous	1250-01-01	13th Century
52	Check Price	Garel von dem blühenden Tal	Text	Der Pleier	1250-01-01	13th Century
53	Check Price	Tandareis und Flordibel	Text	Der Pleier	1250-01-01	13th Century
54	Check Price	Meleranz	Text	Der Pleier	1250-01-01	13th Century
55		Brut y Brenhinedd	Text	Anonymous	1250-01-01	13th Century
56		Sir Tristrem	Text	Thomas of Britain	1250-01-01	13th Century
57		The Black Book of Carmarthen	Text	Anonymous	1250-01-01	13th Century
58		Of Arthour and Merlin	Text	Anonymous	1250-01-01	13th Century
59	Check Price	Roman de Silence	Text	Heldrius de Cornwall	1260-01-01	13th Century
60	Check Price	Melech Artus	Text	Anonymous	1279-01-01	13th Century
61		The Dream of Rhonabwy	Text	Anonymous	1290-01-01	13th Century	Part of the Red Book of Hergest and associated with the Mabinogion.
62		Stanzaic Morte Arthur	Text	Anonymous	1300-01-01	14th Century
63		Sir Perceval of Galles	Text	Anonymous	1300-01-01	14th Century
64		The Avowyng of Arthur	Text	Anonymous	1300-01-01	14th Century
65		Arthur and Gorlagon	Text	Anonymous	1300-01-01	14th Century
66	Check Price	Tavola Ritonda	Text	Anonymous	1325-01-01	14th Century
67	Check Price	Perceforest	Text	Anonymous	1344-01-01	14th Century
68		Peredur, son of Efrawg	Text	Anonymous	1350-01-01	14th Century	Part of the Red Book of Hergest and associated with the Mabinogion.
69		Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain	Text	Anonymous	1350-01-01	14th Century	Part of the Red Book of Hergest and associated with the Mabinogion.
70		Geraint and Enid	Text	Anonymous	1350-01-01	14th Century	Part of the Red Book of Hergest and associated with the Mabinogion.
71		Mabinogion	Text	Anonymous	1350-01-01	14th Century
72		Sir Libeaus Desconus	Text	Thomas Chestre	1390-01-01	14th Century
73		Sir Gawain and the Green Knight	Text	The Pearl Poet	1390-01-01	14th Century
74		Yvain and Gawain	Text	Anonymous	1390-01-01	14th Century
75		The Awntyrs off Arthure	Text	Anonymous	1390-01-01	14th Century
76		Sir Cleges	Text	Anonymous	1390-01-01	14th Century
77		Lancelot of the Laik	Text	Anonymous	1390-01-01	14th Century
78		Sir Launfal	Text	Thomas Chestre	1390-01-01	14th Century
79		Alliterative Morte Arthure	Text	Anonymous	1400-01-01	15th Century
80		King Arthur and King Cornwall	Text	Anonymous	1400-01-01	15th Century
81		Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle	Text	Anonymous	1400-01-01	15th Century
82		Birth of Arthur	Text	Anonymous	1400-01-01	15th Century
83		Prose Merlin	Text	Anonymous	1450-01-01	15th Century
84		The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle	Text	Anonymous	1450-01-01	15th Century
85		Le Morte d'Arthur	Text	Sir Thomas Malory	1485-01-01	15th Century
86		Orlando Innamorator	Text	Matteo Maria Boiardo	1498-01-01	15th Century
87		Arthur of Little Britain	Text	Anonymous	1500-01-01	16th Century
88		The Boy and the Mantle	Text	Francis James Child	1500-01-01	16th Century
89		The Greene Knight	Text	Anonymous	1500-01-01	16th Century	Part of the Percy Folio.
90		The Jeaste of Sir Gawain	Text	Anonymous	1500-01-01	16th Century
91		Eachtra Mhelora agus Orlando	Text	Anonymous	1500-01-01	16th Century
92		The Knightly Tale of Gologras and Gawain	Text	Anonymous	1508-01-01	16th Century
93		Historia Gentis Scotorum	Text	Hector Boece	1527-01-01	16th Century
94		Due Tristani	Text	Anonymous	1551-01-01	16th Century
95		The Misfortunes of Arthur	Text	Thomas Hughes	1587-01-01	16th Century
96		The Faerie Queene	Text	Edmund Spenser	1590-01-01	16th Century
97		Eachtra an Mhadra Mhaoil	Text	Anonymous	1600-01-01	17th Century
98		Tom a Lincoln	Text	Richard Johnson	1607-01-01	17th Century
99		The History of Tom Thumbe, the Little, for his small stature surnamed, King Arthurs Dwarfe	Text	Richard Johnson	1621-01-01	17th Century
100		Tom Thumbe, His Life and Death	Text	Anonymous	1630-01-01	17th Century
101		The Birth of Merlin, or, The Childe Hath Found His Father	Text	William Rowley	1662-01-01	17th Century
102		King Arthur (Opera)	Text	John Dryden	1691-01-01	17th Century
103		Prince Arthur: An Heroick Poem in Ten Books	Text	Richard Blackmore	1695-01-01	17th Century
104		King Arthur: An Heroick Poem in Twelve Books	Text	Richard Blackmore	1697-01-01	17th Century
105		On King Arthur's Round-table at Winchester	Text	Warton, Thomas	1777-01-01	18th Century
106		The Grave of King Arthur	Text	Warton, Thomas	1777-01-01	18th Century
107		Vortigern and Rowena	Text	W. H. Ireland	1799-01-01	18th Century
108		The Lady of Shalott	Text	Alfred, Lord Tennyson	1833-01-01	19th Century
109		The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights	Text	James Knowles	1862-01-01	19th Century
110		The Boy's King Arthur	Text	Sidney Lanier	1880-01-01	19th Century
111		Tristram of Lyonesse	Text	Algernon Charles Swinburne	1882-01-01	19th Century
112		Idylls of the King	Text	Alfred, Lord Tennyson	1885-01-01	19th Century
113		A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court	Text	Mark Twain	1889-01-01	19th Century
114		Childe Rowland	Text	Joseph Jacobs	1890-01-01	19th Century
115		The Story of King Arthur and His Knights	Text	Howard Pyle	1903-11-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
116	Check Price	Kairo-kō	Text	Natsume Sōseki	1905-01-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
117		The Life of Sir Aglovale de Galis	Text	Clemence Housman	1905-01-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
118		The Story of the Champions of the Round Table	Text	Howard Pyle	1905-01-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
119		The Story of Sir Launcelot and His Companions	Text	Howard Pyle	1907-01-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
120		Launcelot and Elaine	Short Film	Charles Kent	1909-11-13	20th Century (No Copyright)
121		The Story of the Grail and the Passing of King Arthur	Text	Howard Pyle	1910-01-01	20th Century (No Copyright)
		Tristrant	Text	Eilhart von Oberge		12th Century
		Elucidation	Text
		Enfances Gauvain	Text			13th Century
		Floriant et Florete	Text			13th Century
		Garel von dem bluhenden Tal	Text			13th Century
		Gest of Sir Gawain	Text			13th Century
		Erec	Text	Hartmann von Aue		12th Century
		Iwain	Text	Hartmann von Aue		12th Century
		Life of Merlin	Text	Thomas Heywood		17th Century
		Historia Meriadoci	Text
		Hunbaut	Text			13th Century
		Huon de Bordeaux	Text			13th Century
		Huth-Merlin/Suite du Merlin	Text
		Livre d'Artus	Text
		Lybius Desconus	Text			14th Century
		Meriadeuc	Text			13th Century
		Merveilles de Rigomer	Text	Jehan		13th Century
		Moriaen	Text			13th Century
		Morte Arthure	Text	Thomas Heywood
		Mule sans Frein	Text			12th Century
		Petit Brut	Text	Rauf de Boun
		Prophecies de Merlin	Text			13th Century
		Queste del Sainte Graal	Text			13th Century
		Compilation	Text	Rusticiano da Pisa		13th Century
		Sir Gawain and the Carl of Carlisle	Text
		Suite du Merlin	Text
		Tristano Panciatochiano	Text			14th Century
		Tristano Riccardiano	Text			13th Century
		Turk and Gawain	Text
		Vengeance Raguidel	Text			13th Century
		Walewein	Text			13th Century
		Wigalois	Text	Wirnt von Grafenberg		13th Century
		Bonedd yr arwr	Text

The Evolution of Arthurian Literature

Over the centuries, the legend of King Arthur has grown from what might not be more than a victorious war chief known from a single battle, to what he is today.

In those centuries, the legend has changed a lot.

So how did this progression get started, and what are some of the key factors at play.

Well here is a basic breakdown of the most important texts, how they contributed/changed the mythos as a whole, how all of them together slowly shaped the Arthurian Legends into what we know them today.

The Earliest Arthurian Texts

In these earliest texts, we get very little (if any) mention of King Arthur, and those where we do, he was not a king. Instead, this list starts with a few minor historical mentions, and some of the earliest legends when Arthur was more of a legendary folk hero, killing monsters and righting wrongs.

De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain), by Gildas: This first text does not actually mention Arthur, but it’s the best historical source we have for the Battle of Badon, of which Arthur is believed to have participated, or at least a war chief of some kind who’s legend would later grow to become Arthur.
Y Gododdin: The first text to mention Arthur, but as an aside, referring to another hero as being “no Arthur”.
Historia Brittonum, by Nennius: The first historical text to actually mention Arthur, listing him as winning several battles. However, this was written several centuries after the fact, so the historical accuracy is considered dubious. Still, it is clear that the legend of Arthur had already begun by this point in history.
Annales Cambriae, by Anonymous: A chronicle of events, mentioning Arthur and some of his battles. Also the first reference to Medraut (Mordred) and the Battle of Camlann.
Preiddeu Annwfn, by Taliesin: A short poem found in the Book of Taliesin that tells of King Arthur’s journey to Annwn, the Celtic Otherworld.
Pa Gur, by Anonymous: Also called “Who is the gatekeeper?” this poem shows Arthur boasting to a gatekeeper of Cei (Sir Kay) and his battle with Cath Palug.
Englynion y Beddau, by Anonymous: A list of resting places for various heroes, where it talks about Arthur’s grave as a mystery. The first indication we have of the Arthurian second coming legend.
Trioedd Ynys Prydein (Triads of the Isle of Britain), by Anonymous: There are twelve triads here that reference Arthur, and others that mention Mabon, Tristan, and Kay.
Culhwch and Olwen, by Anonymous: A 12th century story that tells of Arthur and many of Arthur’s knights helping his cousin Culhwch to win the hand of Olwen.
Historia Anglorum, by Henry of Huntingdon: A history written in 1129 that mentions Arthur, though this is obviously derived from older sources of dubious historicity.

Lives of the Saints

Some of the Arthurian works that are most prevalent in the early stages were the Lives of the Saints, a series of stories that tell of the great deeds of Saints in Britain, in which Arthur often takes part.

This type of literature was almost a genre of its own at the time, and the dates range from early 11th century to the late 12th. But there are some hidden gems in these.

The Legend of St. Goeznovius, by Anonymous: Arthur is mentioned as being “recalled from the actions of the world.”
Vita Sancti Cadoc (Life of Saint Cadoc), by Lifris of Llancarfan: Arthur tries to rape a woman called Gwladys, wife of Gundllauc, but instead (on the advice of Kay and Bedivere), helps them instead. St. Cadoc hides a man who killed Arthur’s men, and no one can take their revenge.
Vita Sancti Carannog (Life of Saint Carantoc), by Anonymous: Arthur asks Saint Carantoc to tame a dragon, which he does. Kay (Cato in this version) feeds the dragon.
Vita Sancti Euflami (Life of Saint Efflam), by Anonymous: When Arthur cannot kill a dragon, Efflam instead uses prayer to get the dragon to fall from a rock.
Vita Sancti Paternus (Life of Saint Padarn), by Anonymous: This Arthurian tale briefly mentions Arthur and Caradoc.
Vita Sancti Gildae (Life of Saint Gildas), by Caradoc of Llancarfan: This Arthurian narrative contains one of the earliest versions of the Malegant/Guinevere abduction narrative, which is used in many tellings afterword, most notably in the Arthurian Romances by Cliges. The subject of this story, Gildas, is the same Gildas that wrote De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae.
Life of Saint Kentigern, by Jocelyn of Furness: An early tale of Merlin is presented here, though in this version he is called Lailoken.
Vita Sancti Illtud (Life of Saint Illtud), by Anonymous: Illtud is a Saint that visits Arthur’s court at one point (note that the name Camelot does not exist in literature yet), and King Mark of the Tristan legend is mentioned.

Many of these stories were more about the Saints themselves, then of Arthur. And in some cases, it’s clear that the author(s) didn’t have a high opinion of Arthur.

It is clear that he was more of a folk hero at this point in time, and didn’t really achieve super stardom until…

Geoffrey of Monmouth

Perhaps the single most important name in the popularization of the Arthur legend is Geoffrey of Monmouth.

It was he who assembled all the legends up to that time, put them together in what he called a “history,” but that was really just a piece of historical fiction, and turned it into a bestseller for the time. He’s best known for:

Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain): A chronicle of kings from a man called Brutus, who allegedly fled the destruction of Troy and founded a nation in Britain. From there, Monmouth chronicles the succession of kings (even mentioning a King Lear, the source of inspiration for Shakespeare’s tragedy), all the way to King Arthur. It is notable for solidifying certain Arthurian story elements, such as the story of Merlin, Uther and the birth of Arthur, Arthur’s war with the Saxons and with the Romans, led by Lucius Hiberius, Avalon, and the Battle of Camlann, where he tied at the hands of Mordred.
Vita Merlini (Life of Merlin): A poem written about Merlin and his madness, his prophecies with his sister and others. Though not nearly as popular as Historia Regum Britanniae, it still holds considerable influence over writers that follow.

Many of the texts that follow were actually just translations (with some adaptation) of Historia Regum Britanniae into multiple languages. It was truly one of the first international bestsellers in western history.

The French Invasion

Following the huge success of Historia, the Arthurian legend took off, particularly in certain regions of France.

Many of the more influential stories came from France rather than Britain, including one of the most famous additions to the Arthurian myth: Lancelot.

Here are some of the most important French works from this era:

Roman de Brut, by Wace: A reworking of Historia, with some additions thrown in. Also the first known use of the Round Table in medieval literature.
Tristan (two versions by Thomas of Britain and Beroul): These two versions became a huge influence on the Tristan legend.
Lanval and Chevrefoil, from the Lays of Marie de France: Two Arthurian stories show up in Marie de France’s collection of stories. Lanval in particular became a staple of Arthurian literature.
The Arthurian Romances by Chrétien de Troyes: Perhaps most influential from this era are Chretien’s romances, specifically Erec and Enide, Cliges, Yvain: the Knight of the Lion, Lancelot: the Knight of the Cart, and the unfinished Perceval: le Conte du Graal. The Lancelot romance is the first known instance of a Lancelot character, and each of these stories holds considerable influence over the evolution of the legend hereafter.
The poems of Robert de Boron: Three poems here touching on Joseph d’Arimathie, Merlin, and Perceval, that expanded the grail myths.
Perlesvaus, by Anonymous: One of the hugely influential influences on the Grail myth.
Prose Tristan, by Luce de Gat and Helie de Boron: Another influential version of the Tristan story.

But if there’s one version of the myths surrounding King Arthur that is most influential, it is…

The French Vulgate

The Arthurian Vulgate Cycle is perhaps the single most important piece of Arthurian literature in its history. While there have been many stepping stones to what we know and love today, the Vulgate was the biggest.

It was created by probably a series of authors, and consists of several parts that are part of the main French Vulgate, and then a few more that were published later as part of the Post-Vulgate Cycle.

The French Vulgate Cycle (also known as Lancelot-Grail)

History of the Holy Grail: tells the story of Joseph of Arimathea bringing the Holy Grail to Britain.
History of Merlin: A version of the Merlin story.
Prose Lancelot: The longest portion that follows the adventures of Lancelot and other Knights of the Round Table. It is divided into three sections of its own: Lancelot Proper, The Quest for the Holy Grail, and the Death of King Arthur.

The Post-Vulgate Cycle

History of the Holy Grail: Not very different from the original version.
History of Merlin: Also similar to the Vulgate version, though with a few changes.
The Quest for the Holy Grail: A version of the Grail quest that is very different from the Vulgate version.
The Death of Arthur: Similar to the Vulgate version, but with greater chronological cohesion with past versions.

Together, these two versions would make up the foundation of Arthurian mythology moving forward, inspiring possibly the most famous version of the Arthurian mythos: Le Morte d’Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory.

Unfortunately, it can be a little difficult to get your hands on an English translation of the French Vulgate, but there is one translation we recommend, if you’re willing to fork out a pretty penny to do so.

The 13th century also saw several other sources come from England and Wales, including:

Brut, by Layamon: English reworking of Historia Regum Britanniae.
Brut y Brenhinedd: A Welsh reworking of Historia Regum Britanniae.
The Black Book of Carmarthen: A Welsh collection of stories that mention Arthur in several places.

14th Century

The 14th Century saw a continuation of the popularity of the Arthurian literature that exploded in the 12th and 13th centuries. But few had quite the same level of importance, other than one, the Arthurian romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which has become probably the most important story about an Arthurian character other than Arthur or Lancelot.

The most notable additions during the 14th century include:

Alliterative Morte Arthure
Stanzaic Morte Arthur
The Avowyng of Arthur
The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle
The Awntyrs off Arthure
Sir Cleges
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by The Pearl Poet
Sir Launfal by Thomas Chestre
Sir Libeaus Desconus
Yvain and Gawain
Sir Perceval of Galles
Lancelot of the Laik

In Wales, we also get many of the stories contained in the Mabinogion. This includes the first recorded version of Culhwch and Olwen (though the story itself likely dates a lot further back), and several other stories, including:

Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain
Geraint and Enid
Peredur, son of Efrawg

15th Century and Le Morte d’Arthur

The 15th Century saw the addition of several more pieces of Arthurian literature, including the following:

Prose Merlin: A translation of a portion of the French Vulgate into English prose.
King Arthur and King Cornwall: A ballad that includes the Green Knight.
Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle: An adventure with Gawain where he enters the Otherworld.

But bigger than any of these is the legendary work of Le Morte d’Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory.

Like the Vulgate that came before it, Malory tried to condense all the main legends into a single narrative. Though the resulting work is shorter than the epic Vulgate, the latter still served as the primary source of inspiration for Malory.

Today, Le Morte d’Arthur stands as what many would call the core of the Arthurian “canon”, even though such a term is essentially meaningless when it comes to literature about King Arthur.

Le Morte d’Arthur has been the basis for so many adaptations through the 19th century and in the modern day, with even modern films such as Excalibur being directly based on Le Morte d’Arthur.

16th-18th Century

Interest in the Arthurian legends waned a bit during the 16th through 18th centuries, with only a few notable works produced during this time. These include:

The Faerie Queen, by Edmund Spenser: A sweeping epic that includes some Arthurian characters, but is mostly an allegory praising Queen Elizabeth I.
The Works of Richard Johnson: including Tom a Lincoln, and The History of Tom Thumbe.
Works of Richard Blackmore: A massive Jacobean poem that included Prince Arthur, and King Arthur, in several books.
Vortigern and Rowena, by W. H. Ireland: A tale of Vortigern that Ireland attempted to use as a Shakespeareian forgery.

However, it wouldn’t be until later that the Arthurian mythos would regain its popularity.

19th Century and the Arthurian Revival

Early in the 19th century, interest in the tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table increased. Arthurian superstars like Alfred Lord Tennyson and James Knowles came to the forefront, and created a new era, one that we are largely still experiencing today.

Notable works from this era includes:

The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: One of Tennyson’s best known works, based loosely on the story of Elaine of Astolat and Lancelot.
The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights, by James Knowles: a simplified version of Le Morte d’Arthur for younger readers.
The Boy’s King Arthur, by Sidney Lanier: Another simplified version of the Arthur legend meant for younger readers.
Tristram of Lyonesse, by Algernon Charles Swinburne: A long, epic poem that tells the story of Tristran and Isolde (Tristram and Iseult in this version).
Idylls of the King, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Tennyson’s longer work recounting his version of the entire Arthurian saga.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by Mark Twain: A satirical comedy about a Connecticut Yankee who travels backward in time to visit King Arthur at Camelot.

Many of these works are still fresh in our minds today. For instance, A Connecticut Yankee has been adapted many times throughout the 20th century, and Lady of Shalott is still one of the most common poems to find in schools.

Modern Texts

The 20th century saw the likes of storytellers like Howard Pyle and T. H. White lend their own imagination to the Arthur myth, but to cover everything that has happened in just the last one-hundred years is beyond the scope of this post.

Therefore, we have another entire post dedicated to the Arthurian Legends in popular culture. We recommend checking that out.

Where to start reading the ancient Arthurian texts?

For those who want a deep dive into the scholarly side of King Arthur, we recommend starting from the beginning. This will give you a solid understanding of how the legends have evolved over time. But for those interested in the most important texts, we recommend The History of the Kings of Britain, Le Morte d’Arthur, and the poems by Tennyson.

We would also recommend the French Vulgate, if it weren’t so hard to get your hands on an English copy. But if that interests you, it is available.

We hope you enjoy this timeline! If you like it, you might want to consider visiting our Arthurian Legends Hub. Check it out!

And if you see any significant text you think we should add, don’t hesitate to let us know!

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One Response

Paul says:

June 21, 2020 at 11:36 am

Please update the timeline

Reply

Arthurian Literature: A Full List of Old Books About King Arthur

What’s on the Ancient Arthurian Text timeline?

Timeline of Texts

The Evolution of Arthurian Literature

The Earliest Arthurian Texts

Lives of the Saints

Geoffrey of Monmouth

The French Invasion

The French Vulgate

14th Century

15th Century and Le Morte d’Arthur

16th-18th Century

19th Century and the Arthurian Revival

Modern Texts

Other International Arthurian Stories

German Texts

Norse and Icelandic Texts

Other Notable International Texts

Where to start reading the ancient Arthurian texts?

Cite This Article

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