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Chronology of Arthur’s Reign

In arranging this chronology, more weight is given to the Vulgate than to Malory, since the Vulgate seems to be more internally consistent. Dates marked ca. have been computed. Dates not so marked are known from Malory or from Vulgate. Events left undated can be considered to have fallen between the dated events, probably in the approximate order listed. Parenthesized events are in especially tentative placement.

ca. 410

ca. 413 AD

  • Mordred is born. The drowning of the May babies.
  • The death of Nineve, the first British Lady of the Lake.
  • The final defeat of King Ryons.
  • The second rebellion of British kings, under Lot, and the death of Lot.
  • Lot’s sons established at Arthur’s court.
  • Balin deals Pellam the Dolorous Stroke.
  • The tale of Balin and Balan.
  • The marriage of Arthur and installation of the Round Table at Arthur’s Court.
  • The first attempt of Genievre to supplant Guenevere.
  • Pellinore rescues Nimue and brings her to court.
  • Morgan leaves Arthur’s court the first time, meets Merlin in Bedigran and studies with him.
  • The invasion of the five kings and the battle at the Humber.
  • Gawain wins Gringolet.
  • Arthur and the surviving kings of the former rebellions, now allied, defeat the Saxons.
  • (The affair of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.)
  • Merlin and Nimue visit Ban and Elaine in Benwick.
  • Morgan attempts to kill Arthur and Uriens and put her lover Accolon and her herself on the throne; she permanently leaves Arthur’s court when the attempts fails.
  • Claudas defeats Ban and Bors. Viviane appropriates the infant Lancelot. Claudas and one of his men visit Arthur’s court as spies for a year.

ca. 415 AD

ca. 428 AD

ca. 430 to 432 AD

  • Genievre’s second attempt to supplant Guenevere succeeds for about two years, during which time Guenevere lives with Lancelot in Surluse.
  • Carados of the Dolorous Tower captures Gawaine (after the feast celebrating Lancelot and Guenevere’s return).
  • On the way to save Gawaine, Lancelot passes through Morgan’s Val des faux Amants and she persuades him that Guenevere no longer loves him; he therefore avoids court and goes mad.
  • Lancelot kills Carados, rescues Gawaine.
  • Deaths of Duke Galeholt and the Lady of Malohaut.
  • Meliagrant kidnaps Guenevere; Lancelot eventually rescues her.
  • Bors help King Agrippe’s daughter.
  • Bors engenders Helin le Blank on King Brandegoris’ daughter.
  • (The Castle of Maidens tournament.)
  • (The Castle of the Hard Rock tournament.)
  • Lancelot follows the damsel “Ornagrine” to adventure; Mordred, about 20 years old and newly knighted, joins the search for Lancelot.
  • Guenevere sends Elyzabel to France to enlist Viviane’s aid in finding Lancelot; Claudas imprisons Elyzabel before she can reach Viviane.
  • Lancelot falls sick, meets and is nursed by Amable.

ca. 433 AD

  • Lionel finds Lancelot; Lionel is captured by Turquine while Lancelot is kidnaped by Morgan and her cohorts.
  • Freed from Morgan’s Castle Chariot, Lancelot visits Carbonek, engenders Galahad on Pellam’s daughter Elaine.
  • Lancelot frees the knights and ladies in Gwenbaus’ Forest Perilous.
  • Lancelot kills Turquine, frees Lionel and the other prisoners.
  • Morgan captures Lancelot again, holds him two winters and a summer. He paints murals of his life and love.
  • (Gawaine and his brothers kill King Pellinore.)
  • Escaping from Morgan, Lancelot meets Mordred; they travel together until, before the Peningues tournament, Mordred learns the truth of his birth and the prophecy of his future. The turning point of Mordred’s career.
  • Bors visits Carbonek and its Adventurous Palace.
  • (Alisander le Orphdlin marries Alice la Beale Pilgrim.)
  • Lancelot saves Kay and then takes his armor.

435 AD

  • Lancelot returns to Arthur’s court at Camelot.
  • Whitsunday: Brumant l’Orguilleus dies in the Siege Perilous.
  • (The battle of Lancelot and Tristan; Tristan becomes a knight of the Round Table.)
  • The Lonazep tournament.
  • Learning of Elyzabel’s imprisonment, Guenevere and Arthur war on and finally defeats Claudas.
  • Elaine of Carbonek visits Arthur’s court for the feast celebrating the victory over Claudas. Lancelot goes mad.

ca. 446 or 449 AD

  • Percivale, aged 15, comes to court.
  • Lancelot is cured of his madness at Carbonek, takes the name Chevalier Mal Fet, and lives with Elaine for two years in Joyous Isle.
  • Tristan and La Beale Isoud lives at Joyous Garde.

ca. 451 or 454 AD

  • Ector and Percivale finds Lancelot and persuades him to return to court. Galahad comes also, and stays in a convent near Camelot.
  • Palomides the Saracen is baptized.

454 AD

  • Galahad comes to Camelot. The start of the Grail Quest – officially, this would last at least a year, but many knights were gone far longer, and some never returned. Bors must have been gon at least four years.
  • (Mark kills Tristan.)

ca. 461 AD

  • The attempt on Gawain’s life with a poisoned apple is made.
  • The Winchester tournament and the Elaine of Astolat affair occur.
  • Arthur visits Morgan in her castle, but Lancelot’s mural fail to convince him of the affair between Lancelot and Guenevere.
  • Sir Urre is healed.
  • Lancelot and Guenevere are surprised.
  • Arthur and Gawain besiege Lancelot in Joyous Garde.
  • Lancelot is banished.
  • Arthur and Gawain besiege Lancelot in France.
  • The Romans take advantage of the situation and attack Arthur in France. The second war with Rome ends less successfully for Arthur. Kay dies in battle.

ca. 465 AD

  • The last battle and the passing of Arthur.

Chronology Information

The era of Arthur, according to the Vulgate and Malory, is the first half of the fifth century AD. Galahad arrived at Arthur’s court in the year 454 AD.

By long usage, characters of the sixth century, especially saints and poets, may be incorporated into Arthurian adventure. Certain personages from earlier centuries may also appear. Nascien the Hermit and King Mordrains, contemporaries of Joseph of Arimathea, both miraculously survived into Arthur’s time, and Joseph himself appears in visions. Other saints and angels could surely appear in visions as well.

Christ (Jesus of Nazareth) himself appears in the form of an old holy man. Vulgate VI strongly suggests that the old man who arrives by boat to explain Percivale’s visions on the island during the Grail Quest is “the bread of life from heaven,” in other words, Christ.

The Devil likewise appears in person. He may take the form of a venerable holy man to interpret falsely someone’s visions or experiences, a beautiful woman to tempt a knight’s chastity, or even a horse to try to drown its rider. According to Nascien, it was the Devil who entered into Guenevere and made her desire Lancelot, because that was the only way the evil one could get a hold on the great knight. One demon can be found, Aselaphes, who killed King Tholomer lest Josephe convert him. This was long before Arthur’s time, but devils are immortal. Nearer home, a devil is credited with fathering Merlin.