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I agree that this should have been posted on the GD board but as 250 has invited correction if he is wrong I feel justified in putting my two pennorth in. I acknowledge that some of this information has already been posted by previous contributors.
Britain at the time of the dark ages was not a united country. It was split into various kingdoms each with it's own king. The battle of Mount Badon that you mention was in the 6th century and the first mention of Arthur was by the Welsh Monk Nennius in his 'History Brittanium' some 300 years later. It consisted of one line, in Latin. It is probable that Arthur was the leader of a warrior band left over from the Roman occupation who resisted the Saxons in Cornwall or Wales. His name was possibly Riothamus a man from Brittany in Gaul. I appreciate there are many other individuals that are believed to be the basis of the Arthurian legend. Over the centuries of constant telling and retelling the 'fact' has been embellished into the legendary hero that we now know.
There is no question of the Saxons being totally defeated and the Angles, Saxons and Jutes drove the native Britons into Wales, Scotland and the West Country. The word England is actually derived from the name of the 'Angles' tribe.
You are also slightly wrong on your Roman history of Britain. Julius Caesar invaded in 55BC and Britain paid financial tribute to Rome until it became a Roman province following the invasion of 43AD by the Emperor Claudius. I think the 'British King' that was captured was King Caractacus who was King of the Silurian tribe.
Just a couple of few other points:
The Dark Ages are so called because virtually nothing is known about the period. Robin Hood is also a legend based on a real person but he was just an outlaw. He robbed from the rich and the poor and he kept what he stole.
Richard I or the Lionheart as he is known , the great symbol of England Kings was French, he reigned for 10 years, during this time he spent less than 6 months in England and spoke very little English.
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The Truth is in the Profile
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