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 - but I have found only two known dates, 435 AD and 454 AD. Events levt undated I theorize to have fallen between the dated events, probably in the approximate order listed. Parenthesized events are in especially tentative placement.

Chronology notes »

ca. 410 AD

  • Arthur crowned.

  • First rebellion of British kings.

  • (Sagramore arrives in Britain.)

  • Alliance with Ban and Bors.

  • Merlin meets Viviane, aged 15.

  • Battle of Bedegraine.

  • Arthur engenders Borre (Loholt) on Lyzianor.

  • Ban and Bors Help Arthur save Leodegrance from Ryons.

  • Gwenbaus settles down with his princess in Forest Perilleuse.

  • Margawse and her sons visit Arthur in Caerleon. Arthur engenders Mordred and his nightmare of serpent.

  • Arthur reunited with his mother.

  • Arthur fights Pellinore and gains Excalibur.

  • (Mark of Cornwall murders his brother, Prince Boudwin.)


ca. 413 AD

  • Mordred's birth. 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.

  • Gawaine wins Gringolet.

  • Arthur and the surviving kings of the former rebellions, now allied, defeat the Saxons.

  • (The affair of Sir Gawaine 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 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

  • (Morgan enchants the Val des Faux Amants.)

  • Arthur's first war with Rome. Death of Emperor Lucius in battle. Arthur crowned Emperor in Rome.

  • Seraide rescues the young Lionel and Bors from Claudas, brings them to live with Lancelot in the French Lake.

  • (Tristram defeats Marhaus and begins his own career.


ca. 428 AD

  • Viviane brings Lancelot, aged 18, and his cousins to Arthur's court.

  • Lancelot wins Dolorous/Joyous Garde.

  • Duke Galeholt tries to conquer Arthur.

  • Nascien visits Arthur's court, perhaps for the first but not for the last time.

  • Lancelot wins Galeholt's allegiance for Arthur.

  • Lancelot and Guenevere, Galeholt and the Lady of Malohaut, pledge their love at Carlisle.

  • (The tale of La Cote Male Taile.)

  • Lancelot, still an unattached knight-errant, leaves court again. A search started for him.

  • The defeat of Camille and the Saxons at La Roche. Lancelot officially joins Arthur's court, confirm his love with Guenevere.

  • (The tale of Gareth Beaumains.)

  • (The Surluse tournament.)

  • (The murder of Lamorak.)


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 Bradegoris' daughter.

  • (The Castle of Maidens tournament.)

  • (The Castle of the Hard Rock tournament.)

  • Lancelot follows the damsel "Ornagrine" to adventure; Mordred, about twenty 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 Orphelin marries Alice la Beale Pilgrim.)

  • Lancelot saves Kay and then takes his armour.


435 AD

  • Lancelot returns to Arthurs court at Camelot.

  • Whitsunday: Brumant l'Orguilleus dies in the Siege Perilous.

  • (The battle of Lancelot and Tristram; Tristram 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 about 15, comes to court.

  • Lancelot is cured of his madness at Carbonek, takes the name Le Chevaler Mal Fet, and lives with Elaine two to four years in Joyous Isle.

  • Tristram and La Beale Isoud live at Joyous Garde.


ca. 451 or 454 AD

  • Ector and Percivale find Lancelot and persuade him to return to court. Galahad comes also, and stays in a convent near Camelot.

  • Palomides 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 gone at least four years.

  • (Mark kills Tristram.)


ca. 461 AD

  • The attempt on Gawaine'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 Gawaine besiege Lancelot in Joyous Garde.

  • Lancelot is banished.

  • Arthur and Gawaine 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.