Round Table (Camelot)

For other uses, see Round Table (disambiguation).

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In the legend of King Arthur, the Round Table was a mystical table in Camelot around which King Arthur and his knights sat to discuss matters crucial to the security of the realm. In some versions, the wizard Merlin also has a seat.

Related Topics:
King Arthur - Camelot - Knight - Wizard - Merlin

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Many different stories account for its origin: everything from an enchantment by Merlin, to a gift from some unknown duke.

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There is no "head of the table" at a round table, and so no one person is at a privileged position. Thus the several knights were all peers and there was no "leader" as there were at so many other medieval tables. There are indications of other circular seating arrangements to avoid conflicts among early Celtic groups. However, one could infer importance on the basis of the number of seats each knight was removed from the king. Perhaps at each meeting King Arthur let his knights be seated at random without knowing where he might sit that day. The siège périlleux ("dangerous chair") was reserved to knights of pure heart.

Related Topics:
Table - Siège périlleux

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There are many different estimates of the total number of the knights of the round table. If there were 25 knights, then the diameter of the table would have been around 25 feet, which is a rather large separation across which to maintain a polite conversation. If there were 100 knights, knights sitting across the table from each other would have been around 100 feet (30 m) apart. Some students of this arcane subject say that the table was constructed in segments and had a hollow center. Such a construction would have saved greatly on raw materials, and could have facilitated serving food to the knights. Since not even a picture of the round table remains from the time that Arthur is said to have reigned, the whole matter is one of total speculation.

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