King Arthur: Shadows in the Mist

"August Hunt brings a bold new interpretation to Arthur's military sphere, in the process adding his voice to an increasingly large chorus of voices that place the famous war-leader not in the West Country, which has claimed him for many hundreds of years, but in the north of Britain, along the borders between England and Scotland." John Matthews King Arthur dominates the mythic landscape of Britain, the once and future king who reigns in the psyche of the English and Welsh peoples. He is the shadow in the mist of British history and legends, glimpsed through numerous accounts, tales and place names since his battles were recorded in the 9th century CE in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Welsh Annals and the History of the Britons. Cutting through centuries of arguments based on medieval romance and poetry, August Hunt presents a challenging and convincing argument for both the existence of a historical war leader called Arthur and his presence on the borders of England and Scotland. He also examines and integrates the evidence for Irish influences in the tales and life of King Arthur. By thoroughly considering the place names associated with Arthur's battles and other significant contemporary sites like towns and Roman forts, the author shows through onomastics, geography, archaeology and philology how they are all based on real historical places on the English-Scottish border. Not only this, but they also point to both the location of Camelot and to Arthur's final resting place of Avalon, near to Hadrian's Wall. From this basis the author explores historical genealogies, chronicles, myths and folklore to present the possible identities of the significant figures of Ambrosius, Cunedda and Vortigern, as well as that of the hero who became transformed into the mythic leader who exemplifies chivalry and hope. With a degree in Celtic and Germanic Studies, August Hunt is one of a growing band of scholars who have brought academic rigour to the study of and quest for the historical King Arthur as opposed to the mythological figure who developed from folk memories and legends. This book is a fascinating and thought-provoking work which will appeal to devotees and sceptics of King Arthur alike, as well as anyone with an interest in the history of the British Isles.