Worldbuilding Resources: Arthur and Other Knightly Things

The names alone are enough to conjure up epic stories and adventures of a lost time – Arthur, Gawain, Lancelot, Guinevere, the Round Table, Avalon…
This week’s online Worldbuilding Resources are all about Arthur, knights and heraldry. You can find the fairy tale resources here and Germanic mythology and legends here.


Knights of the Round Table

The Death of King Arthur by James Archer

The Camelot Project
“The Camelot Project is designed to make available in electronic format a database of Arthurian texts, images, bibliographies, and basic information. The project, begun in 1995, is sponsored by the University of Rochester and prepared in The Robbins Library, a branch of Rush Rhees Library. The Camelot Project has been created by Alan Lupack, Director of the Robbins Library, and Barbara Tepa Lupack.”
The site is quite plain, but easy to navigate and contains a treasury of texts and artwork.


King Arthur's Knights
“Was Arthur a true, historical figure or only a hero of legend… Arthur represents a man who was the epitome of good against evil, light against darkness, and that eternal, never-ending struggle between what is right and that which is wrong.”
This is a beautiful site and also easy to navigate with a trove of information.

"Achieving the Sangreal" by Aubrey Beardsley

Online Texts and Books 
Bulfinch and Le Morte d’Arthur
This classic text is also available online, available from Project Gutenberg or here from the University of Adelaide. Another classic text is Le Morte d’Arthur, which can also be downloaded here.
University of Adelaide, online text
Project Gutenberg online text

Coats of Arms and the Meaning of Heraldry

International Heraldry
“The emergence of heraldry as we know it today was linked to the need to distinguish participants quickly and easily in combat. Distinguishing devices were used on surcoats ("coats of arms"), shields, and caparisoned horses, and it would have been natural for knights to use the same devices as those already used on their banners and seals. A formal system of rules developed into ever more complex forms of heraldry to ensure that each knight's arms were unique (at least within the same jurisdiction).”

To find out everything you need to know about heraldry and heraldry sites around the world, visit International Heraldry. Maybe you’ll even find your own family crest – or become inspired to get one!