On the Trail of King Arthur

Crichton's bilingual French-English text draws on Mackintosh's own letters and journals to offer some touching insights into the restorative capacities of both travel and art. – THE SCOTSMAN on Monsieur Mackintosh. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is one of the world's greatest legends. Everyone knows the story of the boy who pulled the sword from the stone, who was mentored by the great wizard Merlin, who broke the sword and retrieved it from the Lady of the Lake, who was finally betrayed by Guinevere, leading to his final battle and his death on the Isle of Avalon. Yet little is known of the truth behind the great story. This book enters the realm of conjectural history – the blurred middle ground between fact and fiction. Recorded events are linked to more shrouded possibilities and then compared to imprints on the landscape – the aim being to create a starting point for archaeological investigations, and to finally discover the real man known as 'Arthur'. The book includes detailed itineraries and maps, allowing readers to visit the locations and discover the clues for themselves. It is part of a project to develop an Arthur trail across Scotland, including the intention to build working recreations of 6th century settlements and lifestyle. BACK COVER: The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is perhaps the longest running soap opera in history. But is there a real story behind the legend? This book presents a line of new archaeological enquiry and a trail where you, the reader, can be the detective, and follow the clues for yourself. Who was the real Arthur? As the Welsh speaking commander of a crack cavalry unit, did Arthur achieve something which the Romans had failed to do in their entire 350 years of occupation? Did he broker a peace with the Southern Picts? With his northern frontier secure, did he then ride south to take command of 'The Great Army' and halt the Anglo Saxon invasion in its tracks? This book throws light on the darkness of 6th century Britain. It reveals a brilliant military and political strategist, a Christian crudader and a Celtic hero who for two generations brought a lasting peace to a country devastated by war and pillage.