0:00:00 > 0:00:00- Subtitles
0:00:00 > 0:00:01- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:00:02 > 0:00:05- Friday night, a night for the king.
0:00:06 > 0:00:11- Leave life's troubles behind - with a trip to the cinema...
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- ..where a romantic hero - is ready to fight for justice...
0:00:16 > 0:00:19- ..claim the crown - and set the world to rights.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- From nothing comes a king, - says the poster.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- Empty words, say I.
0:00:28 > 0:00:34- This king belongs to our history - and imagination as a nation.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37- It's high time - we claimed him once again.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- A story is a powerful weapon.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- It can raise spirits, - change minds...
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- ..inspire a nation - or transform the world.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59- We Welsh have a story - which has done all that and more.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- It has changed so much - over the centuries...
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- ..that everyone now doubts - the true version.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12- The story of the son of prophecy, - a king who rules righteously...
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- ..a hero who protects the weak.
0:01:15 > 0:01:21- A leader who gains the respect of - Europe and enchants a US president.
0:01:23 > 0:01:29- Now, in this age of fake news, - Brexit and Donald Trump...
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- ..it's time - we reclaimed the story...
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- ..and proclaimed - that this hero is our hero.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- The legend of King Arthur - is famous all over the world.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- The tale of a handsome, - idealistic and brave hero.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48- The king of the castle.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52- But something about his image - poses a problem for us Welsh.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- Why are we so reluctant - to accept Arthur as one of us?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- To answer that question, - we must grasp the history.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06- The story of Arthur - starts with the Romans.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10- They were here in Wales - for almost four centuries.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14- With them came all the benefits - of the empire.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17- Literature, Christianity, baths...
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- ..and a pleasant life - in the cities that they built...
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- ..like Segontium and Caerleon.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34- Caerleon would later become integral - to those who told Arthur's story.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39- This was the original model - for his court and his capital.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- But when the empire fell, - the Romans left...
0:02:43 > 0:02:48- ..leaving the Britons - their culture and Christian faith...
0:02:48 > 0:02:49- ..but also defenceless.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53- Who would rescue them now?
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Who else but a hero like Arthur...
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- ..the son of prophecy - who stands up to the Saxons.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- A hero to be retained - in the national memory.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10- By the sixth century...
0:03:10 > 0:03:14- ..the monk Gildas was writing - about the Battle of Mount Badon...
0:03:15 > 0:03:19- ..where the Britons - repelled the encroaching Saxons.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26- In the western strongholds, - it's a victory to remember.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35- Later, the ninth century chronicle - The History Of The Britons...
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- ..names Arthur himself...
0:03:37 > 0:03:42- ..while recording twelve battles - in which he defeated the Saxons.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- Among them - was the Battle of Mount Badon.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Near to the border - between Wales and England today...
0:03:51 > 0:03:56- ..the Britons managed - to stem the Saxon influx.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59- On the English side - of the border...
0:04:00 > 0:04:05- ..the King of Mercia built one - of the largest ramparts in Europe...
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- ..to defend his lands, Offa's Dyke.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15- In Wales, there's increasing talk - about the hero of the Britons.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- The National Library of Wales...
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- ..houses the earliest manuscripts - detailing the legend of Arthur...
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- ..the Black Book Of Carmarthen - and the White Book Of Rhydderch.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28- He's now a literary hero.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33- But he also leaves his mark - on the landscape itself.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36- This is Carn Arthur.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41- It's one of numerous places - linked with the king all over Wales.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- Carreg Carn March Arthur - near Mold...
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- ..and another on the banks - of the river Dyfi.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49- Then the Maen Huail...
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- ..on which Arthur decapitated - one of his enemies...
0:04:53 > 0:04:55- ..right in the centre of Ruthin.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02- Here in Pembrokeshire, Carn Bica - overlooks an ancient stone circle.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- Tests show - that it's ancient indeed...
0:05:06 > 0:05:08- ..dating back to Neolithic times.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- But it's called Arthur's Grave.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16- According to local tradition, - this is where the king rests.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27- The spirit of Arthur belongs here, - in the remote corners of his land.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32- This is where he would have stayed, - retreating to the hills...
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- ..a hero to his people, - but mostly unknown further afield.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42- But then comes another twist - in the legend of Arthur...
0:05:42 > 0:05:46- ..and the story - spreads beyond Wales.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51- Arthur becomes a familiar figure - all over the world.
0:05:54 > 0:06:00- The year is 1066, and Normans - cross the Channel from France.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07- England yields - to William the Conqueror.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14- Barely 25 years later, - the Normans were here in Chepstow.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- Before long, - they controlled the south coast.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- The Normans - had named their new lands.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- Marchia Wallia, or the Marches.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30- It was from the Marches - during that period of Norman rule...
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- ..that a new version - of King Arthur's story emerged.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- One that would raise the status - of the hero higher and higher...
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- ..until he became the kind of hero - who would conquer the world.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46- The author writes in Latin...
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- ..but it seems he was - half Norman, half Welsh.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55- He's familiar with the formality - of the Norman court...
0:06:55 > 0:06:58- ..and the castles - they built everywhere.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- But he's also familiar - with the old Welsh legends.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07- He combines both aspects - of his heritage in his work.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- His name was Geoffrey of Monmouth.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- Geoffrey was born - very near Caerleon.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- He used to roam - the old Roman walls...
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- ..that were far more substantial - back in his day.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- Geoffrey describes the coronation - of Arthur at Caerleon.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30- In this imperial city, - he locates his famous court.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Geoffrey's story is propaganda.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- Pro-Norman propaganda.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- He states that, - even though the Normans...
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- ..had snatched the English crown - from the Saxons...
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- ..the Saxons had no claim - on these lands in the first place.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54- The hero of the Britons - was now also a hero to the Normans.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59- Thanks to Geoffrey's writings, - he goes on to conquer the Continent.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09- Within 50 years, French writers - are putting their stamp on the tale.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- By now, Arthur's world - is the world of the French court...
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- ..developing in the royal castles - of the Loire.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- In the most famous stories, - by the author Chretien de Troyes...
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- ..Arthur and Guinevere - share the stage...
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- ..with Lancelot and the other - Knights of the Round Table.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40- Chretien's main interest - is amour courtois, courtly love...
0:08:40 > 0:08:45- ..which sets Arthur and his queen - in a risky triangle with Lancelot.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51- Back in Britain, the Normans - continue to use Arthur...
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- ..to justify the Conquest.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- But the Conquest isn't yet complete.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- Under the princes, - the Welsh uplands are still free.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07- England's new king - wants to change that without delay.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Edward I, Edward Longshanks.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- He has an ambitious plan - to build a ring of castles...
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- ..to subjugate the Welsh.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- In 1284, it's said that Edward...
0:09:27 > 0:09:30- ..presented his own son - as a prince for the Welsh people.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35- Thus the conquerors seized - the mantle of the son of prophecy.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41- A proud king, but one - who was willing to lean on Arthur...
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- ..to justify his grip on Britain.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49- Proof can be found - on the walls of Winchester Castle.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Not much - of the castle itself remains...
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- ..but the great hall is complete.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01- On the wall - is the Round Table itself.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04- At least, that's what they claim.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12- As proof, it bears the names - and positions of the knights.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- But the table dates - to Edward Longshanks' time...
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- ..according to scientific analysis.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- By creating this round table...
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- ..featuring King Arthur - and two dozen of his knights...
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- ..the English king was laying claim - to the rest of Britain.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- He was suggesting that his ancestry - extended back a very long way...
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- ..maybe beyond history itself...
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- ..and doing so - with one piece of furniture.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55- Longshanks' grandson, - Edward III, went even further.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- He built a new Camelot - at Windsor Castle.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- There, he made his son, - the Black Prince...
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- ..leader of an order - of select knights.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11- The Order of the Garter.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- But this wasn't enough - to silence the Welsh.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- Soon, in Owain Glyndwr...
0:11:22 > 0:11:26- ..it was as if the nation - had found its own son of prophecy.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32- Glyndwr was daring and strong enough - to seize English castles.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37- Here in Harlech, - he established his own Camelot.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- A court worthy of his plan...
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- ..to establish - a free and independent Wales.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- You can still feel the power - that was here in times past.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52- This was the HQ, not of a rebel - or a terrorist, but a king.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- King Owain.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- Glyndwr's Camelot - survived for a decade.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- But, ultimately, - his rebellion failed.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- He disappeared without trace...
0:12:09 > 0:12:13- ..leaving behind him - only the hope that, like Arthur...
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- ..he would one day return - to restore his realm.
0:12:17 > 0:12:17- .
0:12:21 > 0:12:21- Subtitles
0:12:21 > 0:12:22- Subtitles- - Subtitles
0:12:23 > 0:12:26- Britain, - at the end of the Middle Ages.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- A civil war - has been dragging on for a century.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- But then a young nobleman - sails back from France...
0:12:38 > 0:12:40- ..to the land of his forefathers.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46- Henry Tudor is coming back - to battle King Richard III...
0:12:47 > 0:12:51- ..and to incite his fellow Welshmen - to join the cause.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- He claims the mantle - of the son of prophecy.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- The hero who will come - to save the nation.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02- By claiming the English crown...
0:13:02 > 0:13:07- ..Henry Tudor, who was born - here in Pembrokeshire...
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- ..leaned heavily - on our historical symbols.
0:13:10 > 0:13:16- Symbols that were evident in a book - published that same year, 1485.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22- It also featured a civil war - and a young hero claiming the crown.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28- It was among the first printed books - to be published in Britain...
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- ..and came - from William Caxton's press.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34- Le Morte d'Arthur, - the death of Arthur...
0:13:34 > 0:13:36- ..by Sir Thomas Malory.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- For the first time, - this was the full story...
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- ..of the King and the faithful - Knights of the Round Table.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- Like Henry Tudor, - Arthur also becomes king of England.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55- Like Henry Tudor...
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- ..the important chapters of Arthur's - story are written in France.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05- But, like Henry, - Arthur's roots are in Wales.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- Malory's genius isn't in any doubt.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- It's a cracking story.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- The old king - has died without an heir.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18- Who will reign now?
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- The barons all fail, - but unexpectedly...
0:14:23 > 0:14:28- ..a young man pulls the royal sword - out of the enchanted anvil.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- Everyone is surprised.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- No-one knows that the youth - is the old king's son...
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- ..raised secretly - by the wizard Merlin.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44- Now, he passes the test - and claims the crown.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49- He is Arthur, - heir of Uther Pendragon.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55- His court, Camelot, - becomes famous near and far.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- The world's best knights - assemble there...
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- ..a circle of brothers.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- They swear an oath - to serve the king...
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- ..to defend the weak - and free the oppressed.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17- They roam the world - seeking the Holy Grail...
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- ..the communion vessel - at the Last Supper...
0:15:21 > 0:15:25- ..that also caught Christ's blood - after the crucifixion.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- The best knight of them all - is Lancelot.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- But he has a secret.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35- He's in love with the queen.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- Now comes a twist in the tail.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- The heroic adventure - turns into a romance.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- As Guinevere and her lover - yield to their passion...
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- ..the fate of the entire kingdom - hangs in the balance.
0:16:03 > 0:16:09- Mordred, the king's foul enemy, - reveals the lovers' secret.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- Camelot's foundations shake.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24- Arthur has to sentence - his queen to death.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- The circle of the Round Table - has been shattered.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Lancelot is exiled.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43- When he returns to save the queen, - it leads to war.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- Mordred insists - on dethroning the king.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00- This was the fate - of the Knights of the Round Table.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06- Arthur himself - is dealt a fatal blow.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24- The king is transported - over the sea to the isle of Avalon.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30- There, he will sleep - through the ages...
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- ..until his country - needs its son of prophecy once more.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- In our hour of need, - the hope is that he will return.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- Back in the reality of 1485...
0:17:50 > 0:17:55- ..many Welshmen believed - that the son of prophecy had awoken.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59- Merlin the wizard foretold...
0:17:59 > 0:18:04- ..that one day, the red dragon - would defeat the white dragon.
0:18:04 > 0:18:10- Henry Tudor's banner came directly - from the old Arthurian legends.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16- By defeating Richard III - at Bosworth Field...
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- ..Henry Tudor - seized the English crown.
0:18:20 > 0:18:26- But he had to establish - his family's right of succession.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30- Henry sent his first-born son - to govern over Wales...
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- ..from Ludlow Castle in the Marches.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38- Henry had endowed the boy - with a special name - Arthur.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44- By now, the Normans, the French - and the English had used Arthur...
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- ..to justify their hold on power.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- No wonder we Welsh have trouble - accepting him as one of us.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- But there was a faction in Wales...
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- ..that was still keen - to be linked to the legendary king.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- The noblemen.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07- They kept long scrolls...
0:19:07 > 0:19:11- ..tracing their ancestry - back to the age of the princes...
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- ..and even further, - as far back as King Arthur himself.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23- But as the generations passed, - Arthur's importance began to wane.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29- The sun set on Camelot, - and night fell upon the old legend.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32- But there was a change - on the horizon.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37- No-one could foretell the new dawn - that would come in its wake.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- The Industrial Revolution.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- The world was changing, - and Wales was at the forefront.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52- In this new mechanical age...
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- ..there wasn't much room - for imagination and romance.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- But the filth of the present...
0:19:58 > 0:20:03- ..led to a yearning for the past, - a past age that never existed.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- Antiquarians like Iolo Morganwg...
0:20:08 > 0:20:12- ..rekindled interest - in the old heroes.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15- The truth against the world.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- The truth about Arthur came to light - through an Englishwoman...
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- ..who married - a Merthyr Tydfil ironmaster.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27- Charlotte Guest.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- Her translation - of The Mabinogion...
0:20:30 > 0:20:35- ..popularized many of the adventures - of Arthur and his knights.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40- The urge to escape from industry - was apparent in England as well.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- To exchange the dark satanic mills - for a cleaner world.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50- The Poet Laureate, Tennyson, - woke Arthur from his long sleep...
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- ..with a little help - from Charlotte Guest.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- They took tea together, - and the great poet had to admit...
0:20:59 > 0:21:03- ..that he drew his inspiration - from her and from Wales.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- Now, the figure of the king - becomes well known worldwide.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14- It appeals to all sides during the - great clashes of the 20th century.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22- In Nazi mythology, - the SS were Teutonic knights.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- The true heirs of the Round Table.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Heinrich Himmler - was obsessed with Arthur.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- He designed a new Camelot - for Hitler's generals...
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- ..at Wewelsburg castle, Westphalia.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39- In the castle's main room - was a round table.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44- But for JRR Tolkien, - Camelot's message was so different.
0:21:46 > 0:21:52- In The Lord Of The Rings, Arthurian - figures battle against fascism...
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- ..under the influence - of a wise wizard.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56- This is Gandalf.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- This is Gandalf.- - Is it Gandalf? Maybe it's Merlin.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- Tolkien used Arthurian legend - to create some of the characters.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10- Maybe Aragorn, the king in The Lord - Of The Rings was actually Arthur.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17- In the 1960s, the world's - most charismatic leader...
0:22:17 > 0:22:19- ..was linked with Arthur.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- The White House - was nicknamed Camelot...
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- ..under John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- The new Arthur was ready to lead...
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- ..through the dark days - of the Cold War.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- Together we shall save our planet...
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- ..or together - we shall perish in its flames.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45- His wife Jackie promoted the idea - of the White House as Camelot.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- She mentioned it many times - as she mourned her husband.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- A leader full of promise...
0:22:58 > 0:23:01- ..departing far too soon...
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- ..leaving behind a grieving widow.
0:23:09 > 0:23:15- But when the night is dark, - Arthur's followers look to the dawn.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- This is the king who will return.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- In a remote spot like this, - it's possible to believe...
0:23:26 > 0:23:30- ..that the name Arthur's Grave - is much more than that...
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- ..and that Arthur's spirit - is still here...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- ..and ready to rise again.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- Arthur, the warrior of the Britons.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43- The medieval king.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- The hero of the Victorian age.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- The 20th century president.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52- The poster boy of modern movies.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54- But in today's world...
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- ..what hope is there - for a new Camelot here in Wales?
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- If we want to respect - King Arthur's memory...
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- ..and create an altruistic, - civilized nation...
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- ..a nation to realize our dreams...
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- ..we'll need to grab hold - of our history once again.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.
0:24:26 > 0:24:26- .