The literary history of Arthur is a complicated one. While the sources are obscure, the English tradition begins in 1136 with Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain. Arthur becomes ruler of the Western world in Monmouth's text, a hero among the men and women of Britain at a time when they needed one. Although his work was met with some skepticism at the time of its publication, in general it was believed to be true and scholars once used it as their basis for an account of the early history of Britain.

In 1155, Wace, a Norman clerk who followed Monmouth's work closely, produced Roman de Brut. In this book, Wace adds a detail familiar to modern readers of Arthu rian Legend—the Round Table. His work was translated into English by a Worcestershire priest, Laymon. Laymon was proBritish and anti-Saxon. As a...