Inventively retold and vividly illustrated, these stories describe the perilous and thrilling adventures of King Arthur and his knights in that glorious age of chivalry and honor. 41 illustrations.

Recounts Arthur's chief adventures including his becoming King, his marriage to Guinevere, and his benevolent but troubled reign over England.

Foreword by Neil Gaiman The world’s leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends—the story of King Arthur and his Knights—for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D’Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory’s work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position—Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as “The Adventures of Eagle-boy” and “The Coming of Merlin,” which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter’s story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.

In the children's classic King Arthur and his Knights, Howard Pyle retells the legendary adventures of King Arthur. Pyle's version of the tales, published in 1903, are embellished with his illustrations and his imagination.Pyle divides the book into two main parts: "The Book of King Arthur" and "The Book of Three Worthies." Each part is further divided into tales and chapters.In "The Book of King Arthur," the first tale is "The Winning of Kinghood." In this tale, we learn how a young Arthur pulls a sword out of the anvil. In doing so, the unknown youth establishes his right to the throne and becomes king.In "The Winning of a Sword," King Arthur loses to and is wounded by King Pellinore, the king of "the Isles." King Pellinore breaks the sword that Arthur had withdrew from the stone. The wizard Merlin advises Arthur to go in search of the Excalibur, a famous and beautiful sword. The Lady of the Lake, who is the ruler of Avalon, teaches King Arthur what he must do to earn Excalibur. King Arthur follows her instructions and secures Excalibur. He battles King Pellinore again and with the assistance of Excalibur's magic, defeats him. After this battle, King Pellinore and King Arthur forgive each other and become friends.In "The Winning of a Queen," King Arthur becomes besotted with Lady Guinevere, the daughter of King Leodegrance. He goes to visit the King and his daughter at their residence in Cameliard. Using Merlin's wizardry, the disguised King Arthur goes to work as a gardener beneath the castle tower to be close to the lady he loves. While in Cameliard, disguised as a peasant, he battles and defeats the Duke of North Umber. To win the hand of Lady Guinevere, King Arthur travels and defeats the knights Sir Geraint, Sir Gawaine, Sir Ewaine, and Sir Pellias. King Arthur, back in his peasant costume, demands these knights help him battle the Duke of North Umber again. King Arthur and his knights defeat the Duke. Arthur reveals his true identity. He asks King Leodegrance for Lady Guinevere's hand in marriage.

When two boys save an old man from robbers, they learn of a competition in Londinium to decide the next king of Britain. The elder, Kay, is determined to prove himself worthy as a knight or a king. The younger is Arthur, a farm boy through and through - until he sees the sword in the stone.

The legends of King Arthur are among the richest and most mysterious in British folklore, retold with dramatic illustrations.

Young readers can enjoy the medieval legend of King Arthur, carefully written for children starting to read along. These exciting tales follow Arthur as he rules his kingdom, falls in love and tries to silence those who plot his downfall. 6 yrs+