Malory: The Knight Who Became King Arthur's Chronicler

Virtually all versions of the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are derived from Thomas Malory's «Morte d'Arthur», one of the most renowned works of English literature. Yet the author, a 15th-century knight, has remained an enigma, while the scant historical records imply he was a criminal, imprisoned for rape, ambush, and attacks on abbeys. Historian, writer, and broadcaster Christina Hardyment uncovers a different Malory, however, from new historical research and a critical examination of the only known manuscript of his book. In this history, illustrated with photographs and reproductions of medieval manuscripts and miniatures, she describes a soldier and a connoisseur of literature, who served under Henry V and remained loyal to the Lancasters in the War of the Roses. Imprisoned largely for his political stance, Malory wished for and wrote of a nobler time.