www.examiner.com/article/did-king-arthur-exist
King Arthur does not appear in literature until the 9th century. However, many believe he existed. There is no evidence to support his existence, but it is possible that chroniclers based the king on mythological and historical figures. Most likely, the Arthur of legend and folklore is a composite that merged into a single narrative over time.
During the Dark Ages, the Anglo Saxons conquered Briton. During the fifth and sixth centuries, the natives lost ground to the invaders. Sometime in the early sixth century, the Britons halted the Anglo Saxon invasion at Mons. Tradition places Arthur at the head of the victorious armies. There is no evidence to support Arthur’s participation in these events. However, someone had to lead the Britons. Oral tradition probably based Arthur on this unknown leader.
Other controversial theories place Arthur in battle against the Anglo Saxons around the same time and into the 530s A.D. One account places Arthur at the Battle of Camlann around 540. According to myth, Arthur and Mordred both die in this battle. However, the source is unreliable at best. Perhaps there was an epic battle or even a small skirmish in which a great leader died that later generations transformed into Camlann.
Camlann’s dating is interesting. Around this time, climatic changes resulting from a volcanic eruption created a major plague that devastated Constantinople. Disease spread through Europe and the ash obscured the sky. Many cultures recounted these events. This period represented the darkest days of the Dark Ages. As a result, the likelihood of a major military campaign in order to secure scarce resources in the wake of the devastation makes perfect sense, as does the death of an aging king leading his people one final time. Descriptions of Camelot's devastation in legend also correspond nicely to events of this period.
Following Arthur’s death, Briton fell to the Anglo Saxons. The idea of Camelot represents the old Britons and their world destroyed by the invaders. The other details serve to entertain and explain Camelot’s demise. In the end, if Arthur existed, he died to protect and defend his people, the real Camelot.
King Arthur may have existed. He may have been a composite of multiple British tribal kings, been a real historical figure, or be a literary construct. In the end, he represented pre-Anglo Saxon society. That society fell to the invading army. When the Britons gave way to the invaders, Camelot passed into a shadowy realm.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Arthur
