From his court at Camelot, King Arthur ruled over a unified Britain in a mythical age of peace and prosperity. His glory, however, would be short-lived. For even as he drew the sword from the stone, a doom settled over Arthur that would see his kingdom fall to betrayal and war. In this book, Daniel Mersey retells the great stories of Arthur, from his winning of Excalibur and his marriage to Guinevere, through his battle with the giant in France and his war against the army of Rome to the treachery of Mordred and his death at Camlann. Supporting this narrative is an exploration of the different facets of Arthurian myth, including the numerous conflicting theories of his historical origin, the tales of Welsh folklore and Medieval romance, and even his various portrayals in the modern media. Presented with both classic and newly commissioned artwork this book is an easy-to-read, yet highly detailed introduction to the complex body of myth and legend that surrounds Britain's greatest hero.

Author Biography

Born in a tower block named Tintagel House, forced to play the great king in a school play at the age of seven, and an avid reader of Arthurian stories throughout his childhood, it was inevitable that Daniel Mersey would grow up to be fascinated by Arthuriana. An editor and writer, his previous books include Legendary Warriors: Great Heroes in Myth and Reality (Anova, 2002) and Arthur King of the Britons (Summersdale, 2005), and his previous games include Glutter of Ravens (1998) and Song of Arthur and Merlin (2008). Alan Lathwell is a freelance illustrator based in the UK. He specialises in fantasy art and has a passion for Celtic and Norse mythology, which began at an early age. He uses a mixture of traditional and digital methods to create his paintings and his work has been used to illustrate children's books, role-playing games and book covers.