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Is there any truth to the King Arthur legends? - Alan Lupack

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King Arthur has risen again and again in our collective imagination, along with his retinue of knights, Guinevere, the Round Table, Camelot, and of course Excalibur. But where do these stories come from, and is there any truth to them? Alan Lupack traces the evolution of King Arthur.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alan Lupack
  • Director Patrick Smith
  • Narrator Adrian Dannatt
  • Animator Patrick Smith
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott, Elizabeth Cox
  • Script Editor Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Francisco Diez
Additional Resources for you to Explore
The Camelot Project at the University of Rochester contains a wealth of information on all aspects of the Arthurian legends. It even contains a bibliography devoted to articles and books that discuss the question of Arthur’s historicity.

The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, edited by Norris J. Lacy, includes articles on the question of Arthur’s historicity.

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend, written by the educator, contains a section on historical literature that discusses everything from the earliest accounts of Arthur and his battles to historical novels.

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Alan Lupack
  • Director Patrick Smith
  • Narrator Adrian Dannatt
  • Animator Patrick Smith
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott, Elizabeth Cox
  • Script Editor Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Francisco Diez

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