In the period of the Anglo Saxon rule of Britain, 500 to 1066, the nation was primarily under German control.  The invasion gave rise to a rich body of Celtic mythology based on the writings of Welsh scholar, Nennius, and produced the Arthurian legend.  When Arthur, the illegitimate son of the King of Britain succesfully drew a sword from a stone, he became the legendary King of England.  The story developed further when Robert Wace, a Norman poet, composed a romance for Eleanor of Aquitaine, the wife of Henry II and Mother of Richard Lionheart. Wace wrote that  King Arthur presided over a democratic Round Table composed of the brave and noble knights of his realm.  Christian de Troyes, a twelth century poet, who was also a member of Eleanor of Aquitaine's court,  established the Arthurian legend in a mythical place called Camelot.

The inspiring story of Camelot continues to play upon our imaginations with characters that are bigger than life.  In the early days of the idealistic reign of Arthur, he took a beautiful Queen, Guinevere.  She was so beautiful that Arthur's knights challenged each other for the right to carry her favor into the jousts and battles.  Each knight in the beginning carried a scarf or rose as a token of her favor on his armor, until Lancelot.  He was the most famous of Arthur's knights and the most valiant with sword and dagger and his prowess won the love of Arthur's Queen Guinevere. Legend has it that their love contributed to the downfall of the idealistic kingdom.  Even Merlin, the most famous wizard, could not save the mythical kingdom.  Arthur's famous magical sword, Excalibur, could not win the final battle again Mordred. 

As Arthur lay dying from his mortal wounds, he gave the famous blade, Excalibur, to Bedivere, his last surviving knight and ordered that he return it to the lake which had presented him the sword  many years before.  As Bedivere threw the sword into the lake, the jewels on the hilt flashed majestically across the dark sky.  Legend contends that Arthur will one day reappear to claim  Excalibur from the lake, and reign over Camelot once again.