User:Dave morley

Was King Penda of Mercia King Arthur?

King Arthur is said to have been active in the late 6th early 7th century. Winning many battles he saved Britain from Saxon expansionism by success in battle and died fighting.
Historically the only King who fits this  legend is Penda of Mercia.

1 MILITARY SAVOUR OF THE BRITANS. 2 PENDRAGON 3 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 3 Bede

1)     Military savour of the Britons

One of the greatest warlords of the Dark ages Mercian King Penda ( Died 655 654? ) Campaigned for Mercian independence from the powerful kingdom of Northumbria and expanded his realm with successful campaigns against other lands of the Heptarchy ( Anglo Saxon Kingdoms including Wessex and East Anglia.) Winning many battles for over 20 years, unprecedented in dark age history. Geographical linked by long land boarders with both Gwynedd and Powys, Mercia’s natural allies against Northumbrian expansionism was with the Welsh states.

 Penda formed numerous alliances with the Welsh  rulers most notably  Cadwallon allowing the Britons to gain success over the Christian King  Edwin of Northumbria at the Battle of Hatfield Chase in 633. Leaving Northumbria divided.

Following the Battle Cadwallon took his army North to subdue both Bernicia and Deira ( The divided lands of Northumbria ) without Penda who may have had boarder problems in the south. Under King Oswald, Bernicia’s smaller force defeated Cadwallon at the Battle of Heavenfield near Wrexham allowing Oswald to reunite the Northern kingdoms and once again threaten Mercia and the Welsh Homelands. By 640 he was ready to invade both meria and Wales Penda’s victory over Oswald at The battle of Maserfield in 642 possibly near Oswestry then in Powys stoped the invasion of the welsh territories preventing reprisals for the actions of Cadwallon.

2) Pendragon

Cadwallons standard was the Red Dragon ( adapted by Henry Tudor ) Pendra appears to be used from 7th century in Gwynedd to mean leader. This would imply that Penda was a leader in the welsh language. As pendragon means lead dragon

 3) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

The oldest written account of the King Arthur legend from the poem” Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” written in a Middle English Dialect of the North Midlands ( Staffordshire ) Once Western Mercia close to the border with the Britons.

4)  BEDE

Bede’s accounts of Penda. As the last pagan king in Anglo Saxon Britain Bede’s view of Penda in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle is scathing although he does write that Penda allowed Christian missionaries into Mercia. Being involved in Battles that saw the deaths of both King Edwin and King Oswald, both venerated as saints in early English Christendom was never going to give Penda a positive press from early scribes. Penda’s children all became Christians and many where later venerated.