what part did Merlin play in the birth of King Arthur?

Answer 1

This will vary a little, depending on what account of the story of King Arthur you read.

Keep in mind that if Arthur lived and was a real person, he would have been alive about 500 AD (somewhere between 367-734 AD, anyway). The stories come from a much later time.

Merlin first appears as a character in the story c. 1135 AD in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regnum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain). He is a prophet or seer, capable of seeing the future. As such, he is a kingmaker. Geoffrey also wrote a Vita Merlini, published c. 1151 AD. It was a bestseller to the extent such a thing was possible at the time, and Merlin still sells books today.

Anyway, in Geoffrey of Monmouth's account, Arthur's biological parents are Uther (Pendragon) and Igraine (or Ygerna).

Igraine is the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, and the "most beautiful woman in all of Britain." Uther Pendragon is king, having called together all the lords to fight against the Saxons and having lead them to victory. Gorlois is his friend and a valuable ally -- Uther falls madly in lust with Igraine anyway. She rejects his inappropriate advances, but Uther goes to war against Gorlois to claim her.

Merlin comes into the story here. He transforms Uther using dark magic, making him look just like Gorlois. Uther, in the form of his rival, goes to Igraine (in the castle Tintagel), and makes love to her, leaving again after the deed is done. Arthur is conceived. Meanwhile, the real Gorlois is killed in the night. Uther claims the castle and takes Igraine to be his wife. Geoffrey of Monmouth doesn't go into whether she was happy about it; it's likely she was not. Uther goes on to perish before he can truly unite the kingdom under one crown. Merlin takes the baby Arthur away (he would have been killed by those who wanted to seize power). He becomes Arthur's teacher and advisor, a kind of foster parent, and is with him until he can become king.

Most tales of Arthur and Merlin come from much later time periods. Many include this same story. Some add to the relationship between Arthur and Merlin during his childhood.

In T.H. White's 1958 The Once and Future King (a collection of five books, including The Sword in the Stone, the basis for the Disney movie by the same name), Arthur -- called Wart -- is raised as an orphan by Sir Ector. Merlin becomes his tutor, and transforms him into animals and otherwise leads him through adventures, all to prepare him to become a great leader and king. Merlin foresees Arthur's ability to draw the sword from the stone, and helps him to be ready for the moment, even though "Wart" does not know what is coming. White's Merlin is wise, but perhaps a more comical figure than the one suggested by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

There are so many stories! Discover them all. Enjoy it.

Answer 2

Birth Of King Arthur

Answer 3

Well,Merlin was a wizard and King arthur was actually a boy that was an orphan and merlin was trying to help arthur learn the american culture or as you say abcs and other stuff.merlin used magic to try and convince arthur that everything doesnt come from magic.merlin had let arthur go when he pulled the sword from the stone and became king of england.

Answer 4

Uther Pendragon (Arthur's Father) wanted to be King. Merlin assured him he would be, but at a cost. The cost being his first born. So Arthur was payment for debt owed to Merlin.

Answer 5

When Uther fell in love with Arthurs mother Igraine, who was married to Gloris, Merlin cast a glamor on Uther to make him appear to be Gloris so that he could spend a night in Igraines bed. Then Arthur was conceived.

Answer 6

He took the baby Arthur "Wart" and hid him away then when Wart was at a certain age Merling came back from the future to show him how to be a good king - in the book by TH White which is called "The Once and Future King"

Answer 7

its a boy!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought it be a girl. [docter]