NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Excalibur

Excalibur or Caliburn is the mythical sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone (the proof of Arthur's lineage) are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was associated with the Arthurian legend very early. In Welsh, the sword is called Caledfwlch. Excalibur is the mythical sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the Lake Excalibur may also refer to: Excalibur (album), a 1999 album about the legend by metal band Grave Digger Excalibur (automobile), a type of contemporary classic retro-styled car Excalibur (comics), a comic book series Excalibur... Image File history File links Bedivere. ... Image File history File links Bedivere. ... In the tales of King Arthur, Sir Bedivere (born c. ... Aubrey Beardsley Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (August 21, 1872 â€“ March 16, 1898) was an influential English illustrator, and author, best known for his erotic illustrations. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ... â€œSovereignâ€ redirects here. ... Excalibur was the sword in the stone which was mostly used by King Arthur. ... The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the legends that concern the Celtic and legendary history of the British Isles, centering around King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...

1 Forms and etymologies
2 Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone
3 History
4 Attributes
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links

Forms and etymologies

The name Excalibur came from Old French Excalibor, which came from Caliburn used in Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1140) (Latin Caliburnus). There are also variant spellings such as Escalibor and Excaliber (the latter used in Howard Pyle's books for younger readers). One theory holds that Caliburn[us] comes from Caledfwlch, the original Welsh name for the sword, which is first mentioned in the Mabinogion. This may be cognate with Caladbolg ("hard-belly", i.e. "voracious"), a legendary Irish sword (see below). Another theory (noted in The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, 1995) states that "Caliburnus" is ultimately derived from Latin chalybs "steel", which is in turn derived from Chalybes, the name of an Anatolian ironworking tribe. This is noted and used by the historian Valerio Massimo Manfredi in his novel The Last Legion (2002: the English translation has Calibian instead of the intended Chalybian). According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Excalibur was originally derived from the Latin phrase Ex calce liberatus, "liberated from the stone". In Malory, Excalibur is said to mean "cut-steel", which some have interpreted to mean "steel-cutter". Geoffrey of Monmouth (in Welsh: Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c. ... Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853-November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and writer, primarily of books for young audiences. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... The Mabinogion is a collection of prose stories from medieval Welsh manuscripts. ... Caladbolg (hard belly, or possibly hard lightning), sometimes written Caladcholg (hard blade), is the sword of Fergus mac RÃ³ich from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. ... For other uses, see Steel (disambiguation). ... The Chalybes (Î§Î¬Î»Ï…Î²ÎµÏ‚, Î§Î¬Î»Ï…Î²Î¿Î¹) were a tribe of Classical Antiquity credited with the invention of iron industry. ... Anatolia and Europe Anatolia (Turkish: from Greek: Î‘Î½Î±Ï„Î¿Î»Î¯Î± - Anatolia) is a peninsula of Western Asia which forms the greater part of the Asian portion of Turkey, as opposed to the European portion (Thrace, or traditionally Rumelia). ... Valerio Massimo Manfredi (born 1943) is an Italian scholar of archaeology, journalist, TV host, mainly famous as historical novelist. ... The Last Legion is a 2007 movie directed by Doug Lefler. ... Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable - sometimes referred to simply as Brewers - is a reference work containing definitions and explanations of many famous phrases, allusions and figures, whether historical or mythical. ... Dr. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1810-1897), was the compiler of Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, a Victorian reference work. ...

Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone

Excalibur the Sword, by Howard Pyle (1902), depicting Arthur receiving his sword from the Lady of the Lake

In surviving accounts of Arthur, there are two originally separate legends about the sword's origin. The first is the "Sword in the Stone" legend, originally appearing in Robert de Boron's poem Merlin, in which Excalibur can only be drawn from the stone by Arthur, the rightful king. The second comes from the later Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin, which was taken up by Sir Thomas Malory. Here, Arthur receives Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake after breaking his first sword in a fight with King Pellinore. The Lady of the Lake calls the sword "Excalibur, that is as to say as Cut-steel," and Arthur takes it from a hand rising out of the lake. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 410 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (483 Ã— 706 pixel, file size: 83 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Excalibur Magic sword User:Cuchullain/images... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 410 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (483 Ã— 706 pixel, file size: 83 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Excalibur Magic sword User:Cuchullain/images... Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853-November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and writer, primarily of books for young audiences. ... Robert de Boron (also spelled in the manuscripts Bouron, Beron) was a French poet of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, originally from the village of Boron, in the arrondissement of MontbÃ©liard. ... Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys (Merlin the Wise); also known as Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the Wild), Merlin Caledonensis (Scottish Merlin), Merlinus, and Merlyn) is the personage best known as the mighty wizard featured in Arthurian legends, starting with Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae. ... The Post-Vulgate Cycle is one of the major Old French prose cycles of Arthurian literature. ... Sir Thomas Malory (c. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... King Pellinore is the king of Listenoise or of the Isles (possibly Anglesey, or perhaps the medieval kingdom of the same name), according to the Arthurian legend. ...

As Arthur lies dying, he tells Sir Bedivere (Sir Griflet in some versions) to return his sword to the lake by throwing it into the water. Bedivere is reluctant to throw away such a precious sword, so twice he only pretends to do so. Each time, Arthur asks him to describe what he saw. When Bedivere tells him the sword simply fell into the water, Arthur scolds him harshly. Finally, Bedivere throws Excalibur into the lake. Before the sword strikes the water's surface, a hand reaches up to grasp it and pulls it under. Arthur leaves on a death barge with the three queens to Avalon, where as his legend says, he will one day return to rule in Britain's darkest hour. In the tales of King Arthur, Sir Bedivere (born c. ... Sir Griflet (also called Girflet, Jaufre) is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. ... The Last Sleep of Arthur by Sir Edward Burne-Jones Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. ...

Malory records both versions of the legend in his Le Morte d'Arthur, and confusingly calls both swords Excalibur. The film Excalibur attempts to rectify this by having only one sword, which Arthur inherits through his father and later breaks; the Lady of the Lake then repairs it. The Last Sleep of Arthur by Edward Burne-Jones Le Morte dArthur (spelled Le Morte Darthur in the first printing and also in some modern editions, Middle French for la mort dArthur, the death of Arthur) is Sir Thomas Malorys compilation of some French and English Arthurian... Excalibur is a 1981 film which retells the legend of King Arthur. ...

History

A statue of Excalibur in the gardens at Kingston Maurward

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 415 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (443 Ã— 640 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 415 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (443 Ã— 640 pixel, file size: 95 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Kingston Maurward is a large Georgian mansion set in a 750 acre (3 square km) estate in Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley two miles east of Dorchester. ...

Caledfwlch

In Welsh legend, Arthur's sword is known as Caledfwlch. In Culhwch and Olwen, it is one of Arthur's most valuable possessions and is used by Arthur's warrior Llenlleawg the Irishman to kill the Irish king Diwrnach while stealing his magical cauldron. Caledfwlch is thought to derive from the legendary Irish weapon Caladbolg, the lightning sword of Fergus mac Roich. Caladbolg was also known for its incredible power, and was carried by some of Ireland's greatest heroes. Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin. ... Culhwch and Olwen is a Welsh story that survives in only two manuscripts: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, ca. ... Caladbolg (hard belly, or possibly hard lightning), sometimes written Caladcholg (hard blade), is the sword of Fergus mac RÃ³ich from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. ... In Irish mythology, Fergus mac Róich is the former king of Ulster during the events of the Ulster Cycle. ...

Though not named as Caledfwlch, Arthur's sword is described vividly in The Dream of Rhonabwy one of the tales associated with the Mabinogion: The Dream of Rhonabwy (Welsh: Breuddwyd Rhonabwy) is a Middle Welsh prose romance. ... The Mabinogion is a collection of prose stories from medieval Welsh manuscripts. ...

Then they heard Cadwr Earl of Cornwall being summoned, and saw him rise with Arthur's sword in his hand, with a design of two serpents on the golden hilt; when the sword was unsheathed what was seen from the mouths of the two serpents was like two flames of fire, so dreadful that it was not easy for anyone to look. At that the host settled and the commotion subsided, and the earl returned to his tent. Cador (Latin: Cadorius) was a legendary Duke of Cornwall, known chiefly through Geoffrey of Monmouths pseudo-historical History of the Kings of Britain and related Welsh sources. ...

—From The Mabinogion, translated by Jeffrey Gantz.^[1]

Caliburn to Excalibur

Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain is the first non-Welsh source to speak of the sword. Geoffrey says the sword was forged in Avalon and Latinizes the name "Caledfwlch" to Caliburn or Caliburnus. When his influential pseudo-history made it to Continental Europe, writers altered the name further until it became Excalibur. The legend was expanded upon in the Vulgate Cycle (c. 1230–1250), also known as the Lancelot-Grail Cycle, and in the Post-Vulgate Cycle which emerged in its wake. Both included the work known as the Prose Merlin, but the Post-Vulgate authors left out the Merlin Continuation from the earlier cycle, choosing to add an original account of Arthur's early days including a new origin for Excalibur. Geoffrey of Monmouth (in Welsh: Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c. ... Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniæ (English: The History of the Kings of Britain) was written around 1136. ... The Last Sleep of Arthur by Sir Edward Burne-Jones Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and, at times, peninsulas. ... The Lancelot-Grail, also known as the prose Lancelot, the Vulgate Cycle, or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is a major source of Arthurian legend. ... Events Kingdom of Leon unites with the Kingdom of Castile. ... // April 30 - King Louis IX of France released by his Egyptian captors after paying a ransom of one million dinars and turning over the city of Damietta. ... The Post-Vulgate Cycle is one of the major Old French prose cycles of Arthurian literature. ...

Other information

The story of the Sword in the Stone has an analogue in some versions of the story of Sigurd (the Norse proto-Siegfried), who draws his father Sigmund's sword out of a tree where it is embedded. Sigurd sculpture in Bremen Sigurd (Old Norse: SigurÃ°r, German: Siegfried) was a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the VÃ¶lsunga saga. ... Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Siegfried could refer to: The opera by Richard Wagner; see Siegfried (opera). ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Interestingly, in several early French works such as Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail and the Vulgate Lancelot Proper section, Excalibur is used by Gawain, Arthur's nephew and one of his best knights. This is in contrast to later versions, where Excalibur belongs solely to the king. In the Alliterative Morte Arthure (ca. 1400), Arthur is said to have two legendary swords, the second one being Clarent, stolen by the evil Mordred. Arthur receives his fatal blow from Clarent. ChrÃ©tien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvÃ¨re who flourished in the late 12th century. ... Perceval, the Story of the Grail (French:Perceval, le Conte du Graal) is the unfinished fifth romance of ChrÃ©tien de Troyes. ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain (Gwalchmei, Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... The Alliterative Morte Arthure is a 4346 line Middle English poem, retelling the latter part of the legend of King Arthur. ... Events Henry IV quells baron rebellion and executes The Earls of Kent, Huntingdon and Salisbury for their attempt to have Richard II of England restored as King Jean Froissart writes the Chronicles Medici family becomes powerful in Florence, Italy Births December 25 - John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, Lord Lieutenant of... Clarent is one of King Aurthurs two magic swords. ... For other uses, see Mordred (disambiguation). ...

Attributes

The Lady of the Lake offering Arthur the sword Excalibur.

In many versions, Excalibur's blade was engraved with words on opposite sides. On one side were the words "take me up", and on the other side "cast me away" (or similar words). This prefigures its return into the water. In addition, when Excalibur was first drawn, Arthur's enemies were blinded by its blade, which was as bright as thirty torches. Excalibur's scabbard was said to have powers of its own. Injuries from losses of blood, for example, would not kill the bearer. In some tellings, wounds received by one wearing the scabbard did not bleed at all. The scabbard is stolen by Morgan le Fay and thrown into a lake, never to be found again. Image File history File links Ladyofthelake1. ... Image File history File links Ladyofthelake1. ... A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword or other large blade. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... Morgan le Fay, by Anthony Frederick Sandys (1829 - 1904), 1864 (Birmingham Art Gallery): A spell-brewing Morgaine distinctly of Tennysons generation Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgaine, Morgain, Morgana and other variants, is a powerful sorceress and sometime antagonist of King Arthur and Guinevere in the Arthurian legend. ...

The 19th century poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, described the sword in full Romantic detail in his poem "Morte d'Arthur", later rewritten as "The Passing of Arthur", one of the Idylls of the King: Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alfred, Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 â€“ 6 October 1892) was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom and is one of the most popular English poets. ... Romantics redirects here. ... The Idylls of the King (1856 - 1885) are a cycle of poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson that express the legend of King Arthur in terms of the psychology and concerns of nineteenth-century England. ...

There drew he forth the brand Excalibur,

And o’er him, drawing it, the winter moon,

Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth

And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt:

For all the haft twinkled with diamond sparks,

Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work

Of subtlest jewellery.

This article is about the gemstone. ... Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with the chemical formula Al2SiO4(F,OH)2. ... Jacinth is a red transparent variety of zircon used as a gemstone. ...

Notes

^ Gantz, The Mabinogion, p. 184.

References

Gantz, Jeffrey (translator) (1987). The Mabinogion. New York: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044322-3.
By the Sword Richard Cohen (2003)
Arthur: King of the Britons (2002) BBC Documentary with Richard Harris (narrator and presenter) and Francis Pryor (Bronze Age expert).

Richard St. ... Francis Pryor (right) discusses the excavation during the filming of a 2007 dig for Time Team with series editor Michael Douglas (left). ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

External links

Categories: Arthurian legend | Fictional swords | Mythological weapons

Results from FactBites:

Apache Excalibur - Front Page (483 words)
	Excalibur is an open source software project of The Apache Software Foundation.
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Excalibur - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (1423 words)
	Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain.
	According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, Excalibur was originally derived from the Latin phrase Ex calce liberatus, "to liberate from the stone".
	The film Excalibur attempts to rectify this by having the Lady of the Lake only repair the sword after it is broken.

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