Arthur's last vow
Arthur's Last Oath ( Excalibur ) is a historical novel by the British author Bernard Cornwell . The novel was published in Great Britain in 1997 and the German translation was published by Rowohlt Verlag in 2000 . Arthur's last oath is the third and final part of the trilogy The Arthurian Chronicles (English The Warlord Chronicles ), which takes place in Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries. The first part of the trilogy, Der Winterkönig , appeared in Germany in 1996, the second part, Der Schattenfürst , in 1997.
action
Most of the novel is set in the Kingdom of Dumnonia (in what is now southern England / Cornwall ) at the end of the fifth century. The narrator is a warrior named Derfel, who is in old age in the service of Bishop Samsun and secretly writes his story.
The beginning of the plot connects almost directly to the end of The Shadow Lord . Under Arthur, there was largely stable peace over Dumnonia. He rules the country, if not by title. The king, Mordred, is as good as disempowered. Lancelot, whose coup attempt in Dumnonia failed, has fled to the Saxons, while Arthur's wife Guinevere, who was involved in Lancelot's coup, is imprisoned in Ynys Wydryn ( Glastonbury ).
The Saxons, however, still pose a threat to the British kingdoms and so Merlin decides to burn the relics of Britain, which he had collected and kept over the years , in a grand ceremony at Mai Dun ( Maiden Castle , Dorset ) to summon the old gods. Before the ceremony on Samhain begins, the warrior Derfel is commissioned to travel to the Saxon King Aelle in order to induce him to turn against Cerdic, another Saxon king. It turns out, however, that Cerdic is also currently at Aelle's farm. Cerdic demands the death of Derfels. Aelle, who turns out to be Derfel's father, gives Derfel the chance of a duel against a Saxon warrior. Derfel wins the fight and is allowed to return home unscathed, but without having convinced Aelle of his proposal.
At the Mai Dun ceremony, it turns out that Nimue, priestess and lover of Merlin, not only intends to offer the relics, but also Arthur's son Gwydre. Arthur and Derfel prevent the act, however, and draw Nimue's wild anger because the ceremony remains unfinished. A few months later, the Saxons surprisingly attacked Dumnonia. Derfel manages to save himself with Ceinwyn, his daughters, Guinevere and a few troops to Mynydd Baddon (also Mount Baddon ), where they are soon besieged by Saxon troops. When Arthur and Cuneglas, the King of Powys, arrive, the Saxons are defeated. Aelle is killed by his son Derfel and Lancelot is hanged. But there are also big losses on the winning side. Cuneglas dies in battle; the bard Taliesin sings about his death.
Arthur has to pay a price for the support of the Kingdom of Gwent: he should give up his power over Dumnonia. Arthur moves back together with Guinevere, whom he has pardoned, to Siluria to live in peace. Derfel is left behind as one of the leaders of Dumnonia's army; however, news soon circulated of the death of the newly reinstated King Mordred. Derfel travels to Arthur in the face of this news. He learns that Gwydre, Arthur's son and now married to Derfel's daughter Morwenna, has the desire to become King of Dumnonia. Upon his return to Dumnonia, Derfel is captured by Mordred, who has only faked his death. Mordred hates Derfel and Arthur and plans to take revenge on them soon. Thanks to the bard Taliesin, Derfel manages to escape back to Arthur.
After a short time, Derfel's wife Ceinwyn becomes seriously ill. He finds out that the priestess Nimue is behind it and demands Arthur's son Gwydre and his sword Excalibur in return for Ceinwyn's recovery. He also finds Merlin in Nimue's custody, whom she has lost his sight. Desperate and seeking advice, Derfel turns to Arthur's sister Morgan, formerly also a priestess, now a convinced Christian. She promises Derfel to heal Ceinwyn, but he has to become a Christian and henceforth serve her husband, Bishop Samsun. In addition, Derfel has to have a hand amputated. Derfel agrees and Ceinwyn gets well again.
The danger posed by Mordred, however, remains; at Camlann he finally succeeds in confronting Arthur and Derfel. Mordred is killed while Arthur is wounded. Nimue, who previously killed Merlin, also arrives, but has to watch as Derfel hurls Excalibur into the sea to remove the sword from her grasp. Derfel finally sees Arthur, Guinevere, Gwydre, and Morwenna sailing away to Avalon. Derfel and Ceinwyn, who insists on being by his side, stay behind in Britain, also because Derfel is bound by his oath to Bishop Samsun.
Characters of the plot
In the plot, a great number of historical people and legendary characters are introduced, who play a major role in the plot of the novel. Several people, such as the protagonist Derfel, are fictional. For a better overview, the most important characters are listed according to their relevance for the plot.
- Derfel, also Lord Derfel Cadarn , narrator of the plot
- Merlin , Druid and Lord of Avalon
- Nimue , Merlin's lover
- Arthur , warlord and King Uther's illegitimate son
- Morgan , Arthur's sister, a priestess
- Mordred , King Uther's grandson, child king of Dumnonia
- Cuneglas, King of Powys
- Ceinwyn, sister of Cuneglas and Derfel's lover
- Morwenna, Derfels and Ceinwyn's eldest daughter
- Guinevere , Arthur's wife
- Gwydre, Arthur and Guinea's son
- Lancelot , King of Benoic in exile
- Galahad , Lancelot's half-brother
- Meurig, King of Gwent
- Sansum, a Christian priest, later a bishop
- Aelle , a Saxon king
- Cerdic , a Saxon king
- Taliesin , a bard