Gaea's

I was asked a question on the “Sword of Destiny” Modern reference seems to indicate a term used inTV Series and Films, however after a little more research I am inclined to believe that any such reference would be more credible linked to Excalibur, The Sword of King Arthur legend.

The name Excalibur apparently derives ultimately from the Welsh Caledfwlch which combines the elements caled (”battle, hard”), and bwlch (”breach, gap, notch”). Geoffrey of Monmouth Latinised this to Caliburnus, the name of Arthur’s sword in his 12th-century work Historia Regum Britanniae. Caliburnus or Caliburn became Excalibur, Escalibor, and other variations when the Arthurian legend entered into French literature.

This sword then became exclusively the property of Arthur in the British tradition. Most Celticists consider Geoffrey’s Caliburnus to be derivative of a lost Old Welsh text in which bwlch had not yet been lenited to fwlch. In Old French sources this then became Escalibor, Excalibor and finally the familiar Excalibur.

Excalibur (also sometimes referred to as Caliburn or Caledfwich in Welsh) the sword has such great powers that it is considered by many to have a magical influence on the true right to rule in Britain.

There are two schools of thought about the origins of Excalibur. Some people believe that this is the ‘Sword in the Stone’ that a young Arthur drew out to establish his right to the throne. Others believe that there were two swords in Arthurian legends and that Excalibur was a different sword that was given to King Arthur with Merlin’s help by The Lady of The Lake after he broke the first in a battle with King Pellinore. I am inclined to side with the later as tales account of the Sword being returned to the Lady of the Lake on Arthur’s death.

The Lady of the Lake is the name of several related characters who play parts in the Arthurian legend. These characters’ roles include giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising Lancelot after the death of his father. Different writers and copyists give her name variously as Nimue, Viviane, Elaine, Niniane, Nivian, Nyneve, Nimueh and other variations.

According to one of the first mentions of Excalibur in The History of the Kings of Britain (Geoffrey of Monmouth) Excalibur was forged on the Isle of Avalon and was ultimately given back to The Lady of The Lake when King Arthur died. In later years when Robert de Boron wrote Merlin the story saw Arthur draw Excalibur from the rock thus demonstrating that he was the rightful heir to the British throne.

Excalibur’s many mystical powers were implanted in the sword when it was forged by elves. It was, for example, said to blind King Arthur’s enemies when he drew the sword and was held to have an unbreakable blade. The scabbard was also held to protect the person who wore Excalibur preventing them from suffering wounds or blood loss. In Arthurian legend Arthur lost the protection of Excalibur’s scabbard when Morgan le Fay cast it into a lake. King Arthur then died after the Battle of Camlann.

Related posts:

1. Scottish, Irish, Welsh Gods & Goddesses

2 Responses to “Sword of Destiny”