King Arthur (Arthwys ap Mor of the Pennines)
I had certainly intended to find out as much as I could about the history and culture of 19th century Wales, but I had not intended for my search of the Welsh identity to lead me down a path in and out of England and strewn with kings, queens, sorcerers, dragons, fairies, epic battles, and sackings. Now I think I know how Alice found herself in Wonderland.
Growing up in Wales means being raised in a culture steeped in Myth and Legend, Most specifically tales of King Arthur and the immortal Red Dragon, protector of Wales.
Mary Davis certainly would have heard the tales from parents, playmates and family members in her Welsh community, and probably further along the road to Plain City, Utah Territory from other British travelers and settlers she would have met along the way.
While debate among historians continues as to whether or not an historical Arthur exists, there is much agreement that evidentiary artifacts and documents point to possible candidates for such a person, including the one I see as the leading contender: King Arthrwys ap Mor of the Pennines.
I personally have seen enough to make up my mind; there is a real King Arthur, or more likely, several characters in history who contributed to Arthur’s exploits, whether Arthur-like individuals, or figures playing significant roles in his stories.
I include in my cousins database, a page devoted to the Arthurian Dynasty, centered around the King Arthrwys ap Mor of the Pennines. This is not meant to be a definitive answer for millennia of debate, but a staging point for Welsh researchers and/or Arthurian enthusiasts.
While this particular ancestral page is already filled with links and speculations along with stories and literal possibilities, I have no intention of coming to any kind of definitive conclusion. I already have far more information than I need for The Second Wife’s Story, so I will continue to add to King Arthwys’ page as I go but I won’t be adding much more than I already have.
It has been a great journey, but it’s time for me to get back to Mary’s story. I hope that Historians, Arthurians, and knights of the Round Table will find much to add to their repertoire of evidence. If you find any more than you already have, please leave me a comment. I would seriously love to see more inroads leading to definitive answers.
I really don’t know if I’ve added anything new, but it’s all new to me, but I still have to know! I’m looking for the bottle that says “drink” me; it’s time for me to get back to The Second Wife’s Story.
StoriesFromthePast.com 