King Arthur

Arthur, King, legendary British king, subject of tales and poems dating back to the 7th century. Although there are many variations of the story, which probably arose out of Irish heroic folktales, all of these have certain common elements: Arthur wins recognition as king by pulling a sword (Excalibur) from a stone; he reigns from his castle at Camelot; his Knights of the Round Table, including such heroes as Lancelot and Tristram, engage in heroic quests and illicit sexual unions.