A NEW THEORY ABOUT KING ARTHUR

By  Kelly d. Whittaker

The Arthur legend has been mostly legend for 1500 years. Many philosophers have tried to interpret the ‘ILLES OF ARTURUS’. Geoffrey of Monmouth was somewhat successful in translating some of the old manuscripts. Modern times offer higher educated doctorates to interpret the manuscripts. The Ancient Knights Templar has excellent records on the genealogy of Arthur, Lancelot, Galahad and Perceval. These new interpretations open the gates to a complete new theory that the great knights and kings spoken about in the Legend of Arthur are really Scots.

In 1952, Mr. R L Graeme Ritchie found and identified Caerlaverock Castle on the north shore of the Solway Firth, near the modern Day City of Carlisle. Caerlaverock is the legendary birthplace of Arthur Pendragon. The son of Uther (the bad) Pendragon, a Roman Commander stationed at Hadrian’s Wall. The years are during the Dark Ages when written documentation was very scarce. Geoffrey of Monmouth was a good resource to the written records of Arthur. The only problem with Geoffrey was his lack of geographical knowledge of Britain. Certain names of towns sounded much like the names of Welsh towns therefore he concluded his theory of Arthur being from Wales.

The twelve battles that Arthur was in are as follows:

1. Ostium fluminis. Glein = mouth of the River Glein

1. allied flumen Dubglas in reione Linnuis = another River, the Dubglas in the Linnuis area

1. same

1. same

1. same

1. Flumen. Basses = River Bassas

1. in silva Celidonis, Cat Coit Celidon = in the Celidon Wood, Battle of Celidon

1. in castello Guinnion = in Fort Guinnon

1. in urbe Legionis = in the city of the Legion

1. in litore fluminis Tribruit = on the banks of the River Tribruit

1. in monte Agned = on Mount Agned

1. in monte Badonis = on Mount Badon

The study seems to connect Arthur to the areas of North York near Hadrian’s Wall, no further north than the Antonine Wall, on the west to what is now Glasgow and to the East to what is now Edinburgh. This also connects to the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. There were three Legion cities during the Roman times; York, Chester and Caerleon. Carlisle is mentioned as the headquarters for Arthur in many manuscripts. The Brigantes were the victorious tribes that won the Northern or Pictish shores of the Solway. The same area that King Arthur was born in. So, Carlisle is very important in the history of Britain but also in the role that Arthur led in becoming the peacemaker of the people. Arthur was born in 559 AD. When Columba ordained King Aedan of Dalriada in 574, records show Arthur being Aedan’s eldest son. Arthur’s mother was Ygerna del Acqs, the High Queen of the Celtic kingdoms. Ygerna was married to Gwyr-Llew, Dux of Carlisle. The Duke of Carlisle had been sent south to become Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. During this time is when Aedan of Dalriada became totally enthralled with the beauty of Ygerna or better known as Igrain. Later on in years, after Cornwall had died, Igraine married Aedan making Arthur a legitimate heir to the thrown.Briton was being invaded by the Anglo- Saxons during the rein of King Aedan. He was not successful in defeating the Angles. All sides including the original Scots who are now the Irish and Scandinavians were threatening Dalriada. The Pics and Alba were fighting over their rights in what is now Scotland. The Christian Church was growing stronger each day and the Old Celtic ways were being forgotten. Pendragon and Merlin are both titles, Pendragon meaning Head Dragon of the Island, King of Kings and Guardian of the Celtic Island. Merlin meant Seer to the King. Merlin’s real name was Emrys of Powys, the son of Aurelius. The Merlin was also an elder cousin to King Aedan. Merlin was a Celt Priest and Vivien del Acqs, the grandmother of Arthur was the Queen of Avalon and High Priestess of the Ancient Celtic Religion. Arthur was supposed to unite the two religions but his conscience to be loyal to ONE religion swayed him to make Christianity the dominating religion of Britain. Aedan was the son of King Gabran and Lluan of Brecknock. Lluan was a direct descendent of Joseph of Arimathea, therefore entitling King Aedan mac Gabran of Scots to receive the title of Pendragon and the first to be ordained by Columba, a Catholic priest.

In 575 AD, at the age of sixteen, Arthur was appointed sovereign Guletic (commander). Arthur did have brothers. Their names were Eochaid Find, Domingart and Eochaid Buide. He was not an only child. Merlin was appointed to Arthur because he was the eldest. One may conclude that Merlin did raise and protect Arthur. There was a relationship between Arthur and his half-sister Morganna or Morgan le Faye the wife of King Urien of Rheged and Gowrie (Goure). Many people frowned on this act of incest but to the Celtic Britain, it was perceived as the dual nature of God, the ancient principle of the ‘sacred sister-bride.’ A son named Modred was born from this union. Modred plays a significant roll in the destruction of Arthur’s realm that will be discussed later on in this series. The old transcripts were confusing to many scholars because of the Welsh-Scottish resemblance of the Gaelic language. Wales and Scotland were very close allies and friends throughout this time frame. The remainder of the story shall prove a theory of Lancelot, Galahad and Perceval also being Scots. 

The mystic of Arthur continues with the people surrounding him before, during and after his reign. The revered names of King Arthur's knights represent a time of loyalty and chivalry to our modern era. The legends are a now considered a very real part of Brittain's history. Merlin, Lancelot, King Lot, King Uriens, Gawain, Gallahad and Perceval are the figures remembered do dearly in the legend of Arthur. Who were Gawain, Perceval and Gallahad? What were their stations in Arthur's Kingdom? 

Sir Gawain, remember through out the years as a loyal friend to Arthur. The new theory has found documentation that Gawain was the son of Morgan Le Faye and King Lot. Actually making Gawain the nephew of King Arthur and might explain the favoritism that Arthur showed the young man. Arthur took Gawain to the Grail Castle to worship. Gawain remained close to Arthur even until Arthur was killed. Sir Gawain became the protecting Knight of the Grail Castle. While Arthur was alive, Gawain did get to wield Excalibur in Arthur's place.  

Perceval was a cousin to Lancelot and Gawain. He was a bit younger than them. King Percyvelle of the Waste Lands was Perceval's father and his mother, the widow lady of Camelot, Lufamour. Lufamour seems to be the daughter of Morgan Le Faye and King Lot. This would make Perceval Arthur's nephew. Perceval became the King of Grail Castle after completing his Holy Quest. He married Blanchefleur the daughter of King Clamadex. Here was a true battle for the love of one's religion. Morgan Le Faye's eldest son by Arthur was made the High Priest of the Celtic Church. Perceval the youngest son of Morgan's was made the Grail King. Again, old against new, Older against younger. What a time of turmoil for Arthur's Kingdom! Perceval was the last Grail King. 

Sir Gallahad was the son of Lancelot and Lady Elaine. He too descends from the Grail Kings on his maternal side. He was the last of the Grail Lords that assigned twelve men to the "Order of the Saynt Graall." The Grail Castle was destroyed after Perceval. What was the Grail? What was the Round Table? All of these famous men served both. The new theory of both of these will be explained in the next story.  

Sir Lancelot is a fairy tale to most. The brave gallant knight that rescued Queen Guinevere from an abduction by her strongest enemy. The Lady of the Lake plays a large roll in the up-bringing of Lancelot and Guinevere. Lancelot states, “I come from across the Lake,” when he introduces himself to Arthur. The reason being that he was raised by the dynamic, Lady of the Lake. Guinevere was also raised by the same Lady of the Lake. The Lady sent Lancelot to Guinevere’s service when he reached manhood. Lancelot was sent by the Lady to kill three kings and learn his real name. Who was Lancelot and where does his name stem from? Lancelot conquered three kingdoms, “Patrick of the Hill Fort”, “Lymors” and “Der Kal.” These lands entailed parts of Edinburgh, Tantallon, Berwick and Melrose. The last kingdom he won was “Der Kal”, which translates from King Ulrich’s Welsh dwr meaning river and cal or Kal meaning winding. Cal (winding) + Der (river) = Calder. There are two Calders on the Southwest side of Edinburgh both on the sandy shores of the Almond River. 

The Lady of the Lake wanted Lancelot to win his rightful fortress named “Dodone.” Lancelot first had to fight Prince Meleagant whom held the mighty fortress. There had been two previous matches between Meleagant and Lancelot in which Lancelot won but King Ulrich allowed Meleagant to live. The third and final battle, Guinevere was there to witness the defeat of Meleagant. Guinevere gave the order for Lancelot to behead Meleagant. 

Once Meleagant was beheaded, he heard a woman’s voice cry out to him, “You are Gallahad.” The name of Lancelot was after his grandfather Galahad or Anguslus which translates to Angus. Lancelot by birth was The Angus. King Anguselus, King Loth and King Hoel (Howell) were all three present at the coronation of King Arthur. The lands of Dodone was in Guinevere’s dowry to Arthur. Arthur gave the old lands of King Orge to Ulrich upon Arthur’s marriage to Guinevere to prevent a war. These are the lands that Lancelot won. 

The modern position of these lands is Stirlingshire. Stirling Castle is built on the ruins of Dodone. Lancelot is derived from the Old French; l’Ancelot, in Gaelic is pronounced Aguselus.  

King Ban or Braidan was Lancelot’s father and his mother was Vivien Del Acqs. Viviane’s mother was Viviane Del Acqs, The Dynasty Queen of Avalon. These ladies were of direct descent of Joseph of Arimathea. They were also the Queens of the ancient Celtic Christianity  

The dark ages held many myths. King Arthur’s wife Guinevere is one of those myths. Every scholar, historian and poet have recognized Guinevere but with reluctance. One reason for the apprehension is the lack of supporting documentation. Some historians claim there were 3 Guineveres who were married to Arthur. The Guinevere that is told in this part of the New Theory is his first wife Guinevere of Orrge.   

Guinivere, a Celtic Priestess, due to inherit most of Briton upon her marriage. She was the daughter of King Orrge of the Douglas River. He father had been defeated by King Urien of Gorre. Guinevere’s father wanted her to be well trained to defend her large estates so he sent her to the Roman training camp at Caerlaverock on the east bank of the Nith. She received full training to become a commander in an army. While she attended the training, she met Arthur. 

Legend speaks of Guinevere’s beauty. She was very handsome in her strange ways. Imagine a stout built woman of average height with long dark golden hair and dark blue eyes that is a trait of her Scandinavian blood. A fair skinned warrior that was one of the richest women of all times. Many men pined for her. 

Guinevere did something UN-heard of in her time, she chose to marry Arthur. This broke the earlier arrangement made by her father to King Urien. Guinevere took with her to Sterlingshire, The Round Table. This was along with all the lands of Briton she possessed. 

Urien was extremely angry at Guinevere’s decision. He chose revenge on Guinevere and Arthur. Urien began by waging war on Arthur. They fought four battles. Arthur was the victor in all four. Urien did not give up. He was more determined than ever before to take what was promised to him. Urien changed his strategy to concentrate on Guinevere. Urien abducted Guinevere on two separate occasions. Guinevere was held captive for a year on the first kidnapping. Lancelot and Sir Gawain came to Guinevere’s rescue. Lancelot faced Meleagent, the son of Urien in a battle. Lancelot won but let Meleagent live. Meleagent wounded Lancelot as Lancelot turned to leave with Guinevere. Lancelot promised to finish it by arranging a meeting one year from that day with Meleagent.  

Guinevere holds to her strange ways by keeping heads of her enemies in jars. These jars went with her every place she went. Guinevere’s Coat of Arms bore 3 doves. These doves represented her religious beliefs of St. Julien. Through out the next 15 years or so, Guinevere is held as a ruthless Queen, she feared nothing or no one. Many people of ancient Briton compare her to Queen Bodicca. She never gave Arthur any children but she did have a son Lohot before she married Arthur. The father of Lohot is not mentioned. 

King Arthur made Modred co-regent of Briton with Guinevere. Guinevere married Modred in an ancient Celtic ceremony. This was not understood by many. The purpose of the marriage was for religious reasons. Modred was the High Priest of the Celtic realm. Guninvere was a High Priestess, therefore the union was excepted. Guinevere was older than Modred but by the amount of years is not known. 

The second abduction of Guinevere has been refereed to a ‘Sleeping Beauty’ scenario. King Urien has kidnapped Guinvere again. This time Guinevere gave in to the demands of the King. His demands were for all her properties she owned. Once she had agreed to his demands, Urien threw her in a snake pit. Guinevere is bitten on the finger by a viper. Lohot rushes to defend his mother. He tries to save her but only to arrive and find her already dead. This is when Lohot is killed. His head is entered into the tomb of his mother’s along with her body. This happened before Arthur went to the Continent to search for the Holy Grail. Guinevere was buried at Avalon. Modred was left as regent of Briton. Before Arthur left, he did remarry another Guinevere.  Guinever, the first wife of Arthur was buried in her home, Avalon. 

The Round Table and Grail Lore is a significant part of the Arthur legend. These two items are representation of fairness, equality, justice and faith. These were Holy relics in a time of turmoil. 

The legend handed down for 150 centuries states that Arthur sat at a circular table that had no head position so all men where equal that sat at it. Thirteen men sat at the Round Table. These thirteen were equal to each other. The group at the Round Table were the reigning Lords of the Isle of Britain. The name of these Kings were; Anguselus, Vrianus, Cadvallo laurh venedotorum, Strater or Eddelin demetorum, Cador cornubie, Gillamaurus Hibernia, Meluasius Isslont, Doldavius Ysogottlont, Gunuuvasius Orcadum, Loth Llychlyn and Aschilllus Dacorum. These eleven kings sat in high counsel with Arthur and Perceval. The number 13 represents Christ and his twelve apostles. This made Arthur's Round Table Holy according to ancient beliefs. This is compared to the Grail Lore. Thirteen men sat on the counsel for the Sacred Holy Grail. 

People from all nations have been searching for the Round Table for hundreds of years. Modern scholars have been able to translate the old languages used by William of Malmesbury, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Chretien of Troyes, Gildas, Aneirin and Nennius into our modern languages. The translation is able to describe the Round Table more accurately. Wace's adaptation of Monmouth states: "Fist Artus la Roonde Table" = "Arthur made a tabled rotunda." Rontundas represented early Christianity by duplicating the Tomb of Christ. Reverend Dr. William Stukely published a flyer about and ancient building he found in 1720. He found it on the Caron River bank near Falkirk. The local folks called this unusual structure 'Arthur's O'on." The people believed it to be a giant oven to bake bread for Arthur's army. The funny shaped building made from stones looked like a huge beehive from the exterior. This structure was a circular, beehive type, built of forty courses of ashlar blocks. These blocks were place upon an elevated square platform without the use mortar. 

Arthur's O'on aligned with the midsummer sunrise, very similar to Stonehenge. Dr. Stukely published a book in 1743 called ABURY. This is the year Arthur's O'on was demolished to use the stones to build a dam. The drawings of Stukely were near perfect measurements. The flyer can still be seen at Glostenbury to this day. Linguistic evidence plainly shows that Arthur's O'on is the origin of the Round Table. The O'on was used to house Holy relics and a place of worship. The Round Table branched into the "ORDER OF THE ROUND TABLE." This was a religious military order compared to the Knights of the Thistle. 

Grail lore has been much easier to verify it's existence. The Grail Castle for Joseph of Arimathea to house the Grail, dish, bowl or cup that Christ used at the Last Supper then Joseph used it to catch Christ's blood when Christ's side was pierced on the cross. Joseph, Mary Magdelon with her children and a few other early Christians came to the Isle of Britain to build a special place to hold the 'Cup of Christ'. By the 5th century the cup had been lost due to many invasions of the Isle. Joseph of Arimathea was made St. James. St. James wanted a secret fortress to hold the Holy relic so he built the Grail Castle. The patrons of the Grail Castle formed the "ORDER OF THE HOLY GRAIL." The organization is structured on the basis of the Round Table. It consists of thirteen men to sent on the high counsel. 

The Order of the Grail is the only ancient Christian organization from Britain that exists now. The Knights Templar can honestly claim it's heritage. The Order of the Grail is the foundation for the Knights Templar. 

Scholars have interpreted the ancient manuscripts that were originally Celtic languages as Old French therefore causing certain words to have different meanings than those languages that were of Old German origins. Bard Taliesin gave a description of Avalon as 'insula pororum Fortunata' which in Old French translates to island of apples. The Bard spoke Celtic which is a form of Old German therefore the description he offered means island by the sea that has profuse vegetation and the inhabitants lived very long lives, in German. King Orry was Guinevere's father. Old French had his name spelt Gorre (Gorray). Gorray would have been the lands in Brittany. Another pronunciation was found by Chretien de Troyes and Marie de France. The two poets stated that Guinevere was from the lands of Gorry-Gorree. This changed the land mass from Brittany to the Isle of Man. This location would explain the strange spelling of Guinevere. Her name was pictish. The Picts were ruling the Isle of Man at the time of Arthur.

This opens a new door or possibly a very old one to the legend of Arthur. Why the Isle of Man and not Glastonbury? What supporting documents are available on the location of Avalon? The King of Norway, Marie de France and the Perceval manuscripts all coincide with Lancelot's description of his trip to Avalon. Perceval's coronation and marriage is recorded as so: Several vessels then transported the wedding party to a small island, which stood off shore, about a mile away (from Galoches).This island was the loveliest in the world. It was perfectly square nobody could tell which side was longest. Named for a pagan King Tadus, who built it's walls before he became converted, it was ruled by his son Bademagus, the most courteous man of his time. The walls about the island were very high and cut of red sandstone, entirely surrounded by the sea but laid upon bedrock. They were crenellated and wide enough for two chariots side by side. There were four towers at the four corners supported upon pilings and sustained by vaults. There was a massive drawbridge operated by pulleys. An Arm of the sea came almost up to the walls, over which was the famous sword bridge where many a head was cut off when Meleagant was lord. On the island was a cemetery where lay many dead under tomb slabs covered in writing giving the names of the barans. There were many rare trees on the island, and they gave off lovely perfumes, which please immensely, and in their midst was a fountain where the water issued from a copper horn. It was sweet and cold, none better anywhere. There was only one entrance to the isle, which was closed otherwise, and the entrance was through one most elaborately constructed portal. The abbot had just ordered dinner for the king when suddenly the heavens split. Nobody could even see anyone else. The thunder followed the lightening so closely that each bolt seemed to fall on each man's head. The torment raged so fierce that the trees were uprooted and hurled against the walls. The ocean was so whipped that the waves leaped the ramparts, flooding the isle until everything was afloat and everyone would have drowned if each had not instantly leaped to the walls. Then the weather worsened, causing such suffering as our ancestors have never before experienced. The king huddled upon the stone wall and the queen beside him, both struck by such floods of sea water that they were nearly swept away. There they clung, day and night, for three days and three nights, without food or drink, or sleep, or rest. The Queen mother died. When the weather cleared, they saw that all their ships had been lost. When the waters drained away, a horrible stench arose from the cemetery. 

Those across in Galoches say the storm and sent boats and barges and galleys from Galoches to the island, but most of them could not endure the stench. Survivors of the storm hid in the forest and ate game. When the king returned later to the island, he was able to report the stench had come from the corpse of Joseph of Arimathea's wife. She had been pagan.

Joseph of Arimathea needed a grand place to store the Holy Grail. When he had arrived at the Peel castle owned by a Pictish pagan king, Joseph knew this was the chosen place. It took many years for Joseph to convert this King. The Old King finally accepted Christianity and the Order of the Holy Grail.

This little island is St. Patrick's island off the west side of the Isle of Man. The ruins of Peel Castle remains even today. This small island was a very important place of worship in the early Catholic Church. So important that the pope actually sent Saint Germanus there in the 5th century. St. Patrick preached there in 444. St. Germanus was there to convert the pagans to Christianity and he did accomplish what he was sent there to do. St. Germanus was also a very fair man, he allowed the Grail ceremony, Easter and All Saints day to be incorporated into the Christian teachings.

Sir John Rhys and other scholars had translated the old languages with supporting documentation that Avalon, the Grail Castle and Arthur's third castle Galoches was indeed on the Isle of Man. Garvase of Tilbury painted King Arthur in a royal establishment, claiming that the palace was in the three-sided, three-legged Island of Sicily.

The mystery still remains why the legend was moved to Glastonbury and Wales. A hypothesis is; King Henry II was so obsessed over the predictions of Merlin, that King Arthur would come back again that Henry actually had the evidence moved to Glastonbury so he could have the Bishops keep a very close watch. When Glastonbury burned, Henry II had it completely rebuilt. It was not completed at his death so Richard the Lion heart finished the task.

The New theory had been fully documented through out the past 1500 years. The information stating that Arthur was a real king, Guinevere being a Celtic Princess, Camelot being a real place and all the other people mentioned as once living and fighting for their beloved religions, exists. The Grail Castle and Avalon has now been translated from old documentation.

This new theory maybe just a legend to some but to one who believes, Arthur, his realm, his castles and Avalon was once a reality, some fifteen hundred years ago

Arthur's Family Tree

SMEREVIE = FERRITHER = DUIBNE NOR = ARTHUR OG = FERRITHER = DUIBNE FALT DHEARG = FERRITHER = DUIBNE DEARG = DUIBNE DONN = DIARMAID O'DUIBNE+GRAINNE = 1DUIBNE & 2 ARTHUR

1. MALCOM GILLECOLLUM+BEAUCHAMP = GILMORY & CORCARUO & DUNCAN DRUMANACH, <GILMORY> = NACHTAN = MACNAUTHTON FAMILY, <CORCARUO> = CLANUILINS IN IRELAND, <DUNCAN> = DRUMMOND FAMILY. BEAUCHAMP = BEACHAMP FAMILY.

2. PAUL AN SPARAIN & ARTHURS. PAUL = EVA = DUNCAN = COLIN = GILLESPIC & THOMAS & IVER. GILLESPIC = DUNCAN & DONALD & DUGALD. ARTHURS = MACARTHURS OF INISTRYNICH, DARLEITH FAMILY OF LENNOX. <DUNCAN> = DUGALD = GILLESPIC = COLIN MOR = NEILL & GILLESPIC & DUGALD, <NEILL> = HOUSE OF ARGYLL. <GILLESPIC = DUGALD> = CAMPBELLS OF CRAIGNISH. <THOMAS> = MACTAVISH CAMPBELLS, <IVER> = MACIVER CAMPBELLS. <EWEN BROTHER OF GILLESPIC SON OF DUGALD> = CAMBELLS OF LOUDOUN. <DUNCAN BROTHER TO GILLESPIC AND EWEN> = MACARTHUR CAMPBELLS OF STRACHUR.

Many Campbells can trace their roots to these points.

Bibliography 

World Book Encyclopedia

Encyclopedea Brittanica

History Of Wales by Davies, University of Wales

King Arthur web site of Mr. Green/Oxford University

Bloodline of the Holy Grail by Gardener

Holy Blood Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh & Lincoln

King Arthur by Norma Lorre Goodrich

**** 'Bloodline of the Holy Grail 'and 'Holy Blood Holy Grail'are both written by Knights Templars. I strongly feel that with the Templars being a form of a religious order and active in the Catholic Church that their records of genealogies, marriages and kingdoms are factual. Due to the MANY invasions of Great Britain, church records are a very good source for research.