Talk:Historicity of King Arthur/Archive 2
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Arthur, 537 the Justinian Plague(541) and the plague of Rhos (c.547)
So no comments? Interestingly, the Justinian plague arrived to Britain c 547.Its arrival was proven in 2019 genetic study. It was called "the Yellow Plague' of Rhos" in welsh sources (Annales Cambriae again with welsh triads) and killed this king of Gwynedd, ruling in Gildas time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maelgwn_Gwynedd
-https://hefenfelth.wordpress.com/2015/03/20/emperor-justinian-and-the-british-kings-c-540/
-https://www.heroicage.org/issues/6/gildas.html
-https://www.pnas.org/content/116/25/12363 (study of the genome of the plague in the Britain Vi century -year 544)
I think a "historical context" section would be needed to the article (for the traditional VI century Arthur-dux bellorum discussed by William of Malmesbury) : For discussion of the date of Gildas Excidio, the volcanic winter of 535-536, the subsequent famine and next the plague of Rhos in 547(also an article for the plague in britain) . Also the numerous britonnic and saxon statelets at the time: Kent,Wessex,Sussex, Rheged, Dummonia, Strathclyde, Powys, Gwynedd,Brittany ...(That history is madness to a newbie, legend is worse).
Also: where is Malmesbury's account in Gesta Regum Anglorum (1125) (before Geoffrey of Monmouth fantasies in 1136) of a historical Arthur? His words are important for the question and should be summarized.
-There is research about the plague of Justinian/plague of Rhos in Britain?? And its connection to the earlier catastrophe in 536? The thing is POSTERIOR to the volcanic winter in 536. 25% of mortality. AFTER the famine of the volcanic winter. IN the time of two other volcanic winters: 539/540 and 547.
Personal comment: If archaeologists/historians wanted clear dates for Subroman-Britain, well, you have now dates for various catastrophes in mid VI century. The Arthurian debate in the next years is going to be very interesting.
-William of Malmesbury account(1125): "On the death of Vortimer, the strength of the Britons grew faint, their diminished hopes went backwards; and straight-way they would have come to ruin, had not Ambrosius, the sole survivor of the Romans, who was monarch of the realm after Vortigern, repressed the overweening barbarians through the distinguished achievements of the warlike Arthur"
from : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrosius_Aurelianus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_of_Malmesbury
Last thing, from Annals of Wales A- the passages of the context:(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Annals_of_Wales_A and https://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Annales_Cambriae_A)
-516: The Battle of Badon, in which Arthur carried the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ for three days and three nights upon his shoulders[8] and the Britons were the victors.
-521:St. Columba is born. The death of St. Brigid.
-537:The battle of Camlann, in which Arthur and Medraut[10] fell: and there was plague in Britain and Ireland. (Gueith cam lann inqua arthur et medraut corruerunt . et mortalitas)
-544:-The sleep of Ciaran.
547:The great death in which Maelgwn, king of Gwynedd died. ‡ Thus they say 'The long sleep of Maelgwn in the court of Rhos'. Then was the yellow plague'. (Mortalitas magna inquapausat mailcun rex gene dotae) .
-558:The death of Gabran, son of Dungart.
-562:Columba went to Britain.
This is scary, VERY scary.