This document provides biographical information about Sir Thomas Malory, the author of Le Morte d'Arthur. It states that Malory was born between 1415 and 1418 in Warwickshire, England to a knightly family. He had a career as a soldier and later spent time in prison, during which he is believed to have written Le Morte d'Arthur. The document also gives a brief overview of the structure and content of Malory's work, including its eight books that recount the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

1. Sir Thomas Malory

2. Who was Malory?
Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel
Born to Sir John Malory and Lady Phillipa Malory of
Warwickshire
Born between 1415 and 1418
Professional soldier
Accused of a series of crimes from extortion to theft to
rape
Appears to have written from prison
His life is one that “reads more like an account of
exemplary thuggery than chivalry”

3. Who was Malory?
Thomas Maelor – Welsh poet
Little evidence
Specifically focused on the alternative spelling of the
name.
Various other Thomas Malorys from other areas
Efforts to prove that a Thomas Malory other than
the one presented above wrote Le Morte d’Arthur
have been failures
Seem to be from a hope that a less-difficult-to-like
person wrote these stories (similar to Shakespeare)

4. 15 Century England
th
Wars of the Roses (1399-1485)
Lancastrians vs. Yorkists
Decades of civil war
Changes in battle technology
Longbow
Man in armor on horse no longer defensible
Kings would no longer lead followers into battle after
Richard’s defeat

5. Why would Malory
choose King Arthur?
Arthur brought order out of chaos
Warfare as form of sport vs. warfare as technology
aimed at widespread devastation
Men heroically die in single combat, but are not
slaughtered as they lie in the mud
Imaginary past in which nobles had absolute
power over contented peasants
Hero/King who will return to bring peace

6. Le Morte d’Arthur: Cultural Conflicts
The stability of the society as a whole
Government by contract between ruler and community
of nobles and commons
Rule of law within class system
The motivations of individuals
Personal goals
Courtly love
The will to power

7. Le Morte d’Arthur – 8 books
“From the Marriage of King Uther unto King Arthur
that Reigned After Him and Did Many Battles”
“The Noble Tale Between King Arthur and Lucius the
Emperor of Rome”
“The Noble Tale of Sir Launcelot Du Lac”
“The Tale of Sir Gareth of Orkney”
“The First and Second Book of Sir Tristrams de Lione”
“The Noble Tale of the Sangreal”
“Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere”
“The Death of Arthur (Le Morte d’Arthur)”

8. “From the Marriage of King Uther unto King
Arthur that Reigned After Him and Did Many
Battles”
Arthur is born to Uther Pendragon and Igraine and is
fostered in the country
Successfully removes the sword in the stone and
becomes the leader when his father dies
Arthur conceives a son by his half-sister
Morgause(Mordred)
Arthur marries Guinevere and inherits the Round
Table from her father
Arthur establishes the Round Table and the Oath

9. Pentecostal Oath
“The king stablished all his knights, and gave them that
were of lands not rich, he gave them lands, and charged
them never to do outrageousity nor murder, and always to
flee treason; also, by no mean to be cruel, but to give
mercy unto him that asketh mercy, upon pain of forfeiture
of their worship and lordship of King Arthur for evermore;
and always to do ladies, damosels, and gentlewomen
succor upon pain of death. Also, that no man take no
battles in a wrongful quarrel for no law, ne for no world’s
goods. Unto this were all the knights sworn of the Table
Round, both old and young. And every year were they
sworn at the high feast of Pentecost.” (Le Morte d'Arthur,
pp 115-116)

10. “The Noble Tale Between King Arthur
and Lucius the Emperor of Rome”
Arthur’s march on Rome
Arthur starts the book without an enemy – secure, confident
Arthur’s knights have proven themselves with a series of quests
Envoys from Rome arrive and accuse Arthur of not paying the
necessary tribute
Arthur and his knights are looking for a fight
Arthur claims that Britain had conquered Rome first, many ages
ago, and asks them for tribute
Rome is shown as being less-Christian and more corrupt than
Arthur’ Britain
Arthur succeeds and is crowned Emporer

11. “The Noble Tale of Sir Launcelot Du Lac”
Launcelot is established as Arthur’s most apreciated
knight