All language subtitles for The UnXplained S04E12 The Search for King Arthur 1080p HULU WEB-DL AAC2 0 H 264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

WILLIAM SHATNER:
King Arthur.

A noble warrior, who
embodied honor and chivalry,

wielded the legendary blade
Excalibur

and went on epic quests with
the Knights of the Round Table.

For more than a thousand years,

tales have been
told about a peasant boy

who pulled a sword out of
a stone and became a king.

Is the legend of
King Arthur and the Knights

of the Round Table just a myth?

Or is it possible that the story
we all know was based on fact?

Was King Arthur a real person?

Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.

♪ ♪

(cheering)

Every year,
thousands of people gather at

the Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire

to experience
a taste of medieval life.

The fair is one of many similar
events held around the globe

that are inspired
by age-old tales

of King Arthur and
the Knights of the Round Table.

I don't know what child,
growing up, doesn't want

to be a knight
in shining armor.

It's such a romanticized
time period that the stories of

King Arthur and Knights of
the Round Table and all of their

quests and adventures
have branched and become

bigger and bigger right
through today's modern age.

It has such a collective

grab on our imagination
and our soul.

DORSEY ARMSTRONG:
King Arthur is everywhere today.

You'd be hard-pressed to find
another legendary figure that is

as popular all over the world,
in so many times

and so many places, whether
it's in the 12th century,

or the 15th century,
or the 21st century.

SHATNER: Since the Middle Ages,
the legend of King Arthur

has captured the imagination
of countless people

all over the world.

But what are the origins
of this powerful story?

JONATHAN YOUNG:
The Arthur story begins with
a boy raised by farmers.

One time, his brother is
in a sword-fighting contest,

and his brother's
sword breaks.

And Arthur said, "No, don't
forfeit, hold off for a second.

I saw a sword."

And he saw a sword stuck
in a stone.

SHATNER:
As the story goes,
the sword that Arthur saw

SHATNER:
As the story goes,
the sword that Arthur saw
was no ordinary blade.

was no ordinary blade.

It had been prophesied that
only the future king of England

could draw
the sword out of the stone.

Many men had tried to remove it,
but all of them failed.

That is,
until Arthur pulled the sword,

and it slid out of the stone.

YOUNG:
This is the earliest that
Arthur begins to understand that

something is happening
in his life beyond his grasp.

Gradually,
this unusual young man

does become king of all Britain.

JULIETTE WOOD:
The Arthurian legend
basically tells about

a young person who
discovers their destiny,

and discovers how
to achieve this destiny.

He becomes the center
of these medieval romances,

where he is
the quintessential leader.

He is Rex Quondom,
Rexque Futurus;

the Once and Future King.

It's amazing
how much of that story

has permeated our culture
just sort of by osmosis.

And the image we all have
is that King Arthur

lives in Camelot,
which is a big stone castle.

He had a wife, Guinevere,
and also he is assisted

by a wizard named Merlin.

His knights of the Round Table
looked for the Holy Grail.

And he has a fabulous sword
named Excalibur.

It is this wonderful repository

It is this wonderful repository
of symbols and themes
and adventures

of symbols and themes
and adventures

that are all interlinked,

because they all relate
to the court

because they all relate
to the court
of this one marvelous figure.

of this one marvelous figure.

SHATNER:
The vast influence
of the Arthurian legend

is undeniable.

But for more
than 1,000 years,

a fascinating question
has lingered.

Is it possible that King Arthur
wasn't merely a myth

but rather a real man?

If we go back to the original
accounts of King Arthur,

written during the Dark Ages,
around about 500 AD,

the Roman Empire collapsed,
and the Roman soldiers

the Roman Empire collapsed,
and the Roman soldiers
withdrew from Britain.

withdrew from Britain.

And this country turned
into complete anarchy.

There were various separate
tribes fighting each other.

And what was needed
was one single warrior

or chieftain or king
to unite them all.

And Arthur is said to have been
that person in myth and legend.

TONY McMAHON:
There are lots of
theories on who King Arthur

might really have been.

And really,
there's no clear answer.

The Arthur that we think
we know came from

many hands,
many authors, many writers,

who had slightly different
takes on the Arthur story.

We know the basic
elements of the story,

but the man himself
remains a mystery.

SHATNER:
According to historians,
there are numerous versions of

the King Arthur legend, many
of which have been lost to time.

But the most influential
telling of the story

dates to the 12th century,

when a Welsh monk
named Geoffrey of Monmouth

claimed he'd discovered
a long-lost account of early

British history
that recorded King Arthur

as being an actual person who
lived around the year 500 AD.

Monmouth then published a
translated version of this text,

which he called The History
of the Kings of Britain.

Geoffrey of Monmouth,
in his text in the 12th century,

this is what breaks
the Arthurian legend wide open.

What's fascinating is that
so many of the things

and places and events
he writes about in recent times

have been proven
to be correct in terms of

being the right time,
the right place,

and the right elements
to be based on,

many historians believe,
real events.

SHATNER:
Could it be possible
that the tales

of King Arthur are more
than mere fantasy?

Perhaps a clue may be found
by examining a castle

in southwest England that
Geoffrey of Monmouth claimed

to have been the site
where King Arthur was born.

Overlooking the rocky cliffs of

Bristol Channel are
the ruins of Tintagel Castle.

Built in the 13th century,
this once-mighty fortress

is now a popular
tourist attraction

is now a popular
tourist attraction
with a fascinating history.

with a fascinating history.

Well, Tintagel is a really
wondrous and mysterious location

because it hides
an enormous amount of

because it hides
an enormous amount of
knowledge about our past.

knowledge about our past.

There's this fantastic castle
that is 900 years old.

But below the ground,
there's tons of information

about hundreds of years
before this,

in the period when,
perhaps, Arthur existed.

ARMSTRONG:
What's really fantastic
and incredible

about this spot
in particular is that

Geoffrey of Monmouth tells us

that Arthur's born in Tintagel,
and that has now been

very conclusively proven
to have very, very strong links.

SHATNER:
Excavations beneath Tintagel
have revealed the remains of

an earlier castle that dated
back to the sixth century AD.

And a curious inscription found
among the prior castle's remains

offers evidence in support
of Geoffrey of Monmouth's claim

that the real King Arthur

had a profound
connection to Tintagel.

In 1998, Glasgow University
were excavating here,

and they found a drain cover
behind one of the buildings.

And that drain cover--
they were amazed to find

it had an inscription on it.

At the top of the stone
is very clearly Artognou.

A-R-T-O-G-N-O-U.

It was securely dated
to the sixth century, based on

the items around it,

and on that stone

and on that stone
was carved a name that looks

was carved a name that looks

very much like "Arthur."
"Artognou."

When you have
the site of Tintagel

that has been associated with

Arthur's supposed birthplace
for centuries,

Arthur's supposed birthplace
for centuries,
and the discovery of a stone

and the discovery of a stone

that has a name on it
that begins A-R-T,

that has a name on it
that begins A-R-T,
you have all the elements

you have all the elements

coming together at the right
time in the right place.

The mere possibility that
one day we'll be able to verify

the birthplace of the real
King Arthur is thrilling.

But could there be
other parts of the legend

that might also be
historically accurate?

Well, perhaps the answer
can be found by examining

two of the most iconic
elements of Arthurian lore:

Merlin the Magician
and Excalibur.

SHATNER:
One of the most iconic stories

from the tales of King Arthur

is that of a young
Arthur singlehandedly

pulling a sword out of a stone.

It was a feat that revealed him

to be the one true king
of Britain.

But there's another sword
in the Arthur legend

But there's another sword
in the Arthur legend
that is no less compelling.

that is no less compelling.

There are two
swords in the Arthur story.

One comes out
of that stone, and later,

he gets a sword as a gift
from the Lady of the Lake.

This is the goddess of the lake.

And her arm comes up out
of the water holding a sword.

And that is Excalibur,
a sword beyond other swords.

Excalibur, we are told,
had a golden hilt,

and had magical powers.

It's a sword that's supposed
to make Arthur invincible.

YOUNG: Arthur's story is
the hero's journey,

because it has
the magic and the sacred

and all
the mystical dimensions.

In the hero's journey,

the protagonist gains
a special tool or weapon.

This is the magical thing.

It will be
just the thing you needed,

although you might
not know it at the time.

And then the moment
will arise and you see

exactly why you have it.

SHATNER:
According to legend,
King Arthur used Excalibur

to win many battles and unite
Britain under his leadership.

But, alas, Arthur finally
died on the battlefield

when he was mortally wounded
by his son, Mordred.

As King Arthur lies
dying on the field of battle...

...he asks that his sword,
Excalibur,

...he asks that his sword,
Excalibur,
the source of all his power,

the source of all his power,

be taken by a knight
and thrown into a nearby lake.

When this happens, the hand
of the Lady of the Lake

breaks through the surface
of the water,

grabs hold of the sword
and takes it down

into the crystal depths
to keep it

until some future king
may need it

when Britain is
again threatened.

SHATNER:
Many scholars believe that magic
is an important part of

what makes the King Arthur
story so powerful.

And curiously, the supernatural
elements of Excalibur

And curiously, the supernatural
elements of Excalibur
may not have been
merely a fantasy.

may not have been
merely a fantasy.

The story of Excalibur may seem
one of the medieval additions,

if you like,
to the tale of King Arthur,

that sounds the least likely.

But in fact,
the story of Excalibur

and the knight throwing it
to the Lady of the Lake

could be based
on historical events.

The Celtic warriors of
the time Arthur existed had

a tradition that their soul,
if you like,

was in their sword.

And at their funerals,
their swords were often thrown

into a sacred lake, or pool,

into a sacred lake, or pool,
as an offering
to a water goddess.

as an offering
to a water goddess.

And in fact, archaeology has
discovered many ancient swords

that had been thrown into lakes
that have since dried up.

So the story
of the Lady of the Lake,

this strange nymph-like woman
that takes the sword,

could have originated
with the tradition of casting

a warrior's sword as
an offering to a water goddess.

SHATNER:
Is it possible that
some of the mystical aspects

of the legend of
King Arthur are based on fact?

Perhaps a clue can be found
by examining the origins

of the most mysterious
character in Arthurian lore:

Merlin the Magician.

Merlin is almost as
fascinating as Arthur.

He's such a wonderful character
who might have been

an alchemist or a wizard.

Merlin is Arthur's advisor,
and we think of Merlin, really,

as a dignified old man
with a long white beard.

YOUNG:
Merlin is the classic sorcerer.

YOUNG:
Merlin is the classic sorcerer.
We've had many more recent

We've had many more recent

reincarnations, really,
of Merlin:

Dumbledore, Gandalf,
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda.

Dumbledore, Gandalf,
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda.
It comes back again and again.

It comes back again and again.

Because we need characters
in stories

Because we need characters
in stories
that represent a higher knowing.

that represent a higher knowing.

SHATNER:
Even though Merlin represents
a supernatural character,

there is growing evidence that

this wizard could have
been based

on a real person who lived
in the sixth century AD.

McMAHON: It's believed
that the chroniclers

who first wrote
the story of King Arthur,

when they came upon
the character of Merlin,

they were actually referencing
an ancient wizard who was known

in either Welsh or
northern British folklore.

Somebody who had once
really existed.

PHILLIPS:
The name Merlin is a title.

It's old Brythonic for Eagle.

It's old Brythonic for Eagle.
And we know of
at least three people

And we know of
at least three people

during the late fifth
and early sixth centuries,

all around Arthur's time,
with the name Merlin.

The first person to write
one of the medieval romances

about Arthur,
Geoffrey of Monmouth, tells us

one of them is a character
called Ambrosius Aurelius,

and this was Merlin's real name.

and this was Merlin's real name.
He's an historical figure,

He's an historical figure,

a warrior in Britain
just before Arthur's time,

who seems to have retired from
the field of battle to become

advisor to the various kings,
including Arthur.

advisor to the various kings,
including Arthur.
That's quite amazing.

That's quite amazing.

Merlin appears in Wales,
he appears in Scotland,

and he appears
deeply in the Breton legends.

The energy and the power behind

this character
and this story is so strong

that we cannot write it off
as strictly legend.

It was the representation
of a man who had a particularly

spiritual power
within the British world.

Was Merlin the Magician
based on an actual

sixth-century mystic
who lived in northern Britain?

It's a compelling theory,

but in recent years, researchers

have put forth an idea
that's even more incredible.

One involving the origins of
England's once and future king.

SHATNER:
In the Scottish highlands,

30 miles northwest of Edinburgh,

lies Stirling Castle.

Built in the 12th century,
this hardened fortress

is surrounded by cliffs
on three sides,

and is protected
by massive stone walls.

For centuries, Scottish kings
used this stronghold

to defend
their country's independence.

Although Stirling Castle was
built in the 12th century AD,

archaeological records
indicate that Scottish clans

built numerous structures
on this same site

going back nearly 4,000 years.

SHATNER:
Perhaps what's most
intriguing about the site

where Stirling Castle sits
is that, according to yet

another interpretation
of medieval texts,

the real King Arthur may
not have been from England...

but rather from
this sacred ground in Scotland.

SHATNER:
Is it possible
that England's so-called

"Once and Future King"
was actually Scottish?

In recent years,
many researchers have

suggested that it's possible,

suggested that it's possible,
and they claim that
there may be

and they claim that
there may be

physical evidence
of Arthur's presence

deep beneath
the grounds of Stirling Castle,

deep beneath
the grounds of Stirling Castle,
under an ancient
earthen formation

under an ancient
earthen formation

known as King's Knot.

SHATNER:
In 2011, archaeologists
conducting underground scans

discovered the presence
of a large, circular structure

buried beneath
the center of King's Knot.

And there are those who believe
that this subterranean formation

may have actually been
King Arthur's Round Table.

TOK THOMPSON:
One of the biggest parts
of the Arthurian tradition

is the idea that he has

is the idea that he has
the Knights of the Round Table.

the Knights of the Round Table.

Round is important, because
the traditional thing was for

the king to sit at
the head of the table,

to sort of be
the authoritarian leader.

But King Arthur wanted
his knights

to be all equally empowered,

so he created
the Round Table.

SHATNER:
For centuries,
people have wondered whether

the Round Table
could have been real,

and searched for
evidence of its existence.

Is it actually possible that
it's been beneath King's Knot

at Stirling Castle
all this time?

Many researchers
believe the answer is yes.

And as proof, they point to
an historical account written by

a Scottish poet
in the year 1375.

SHATNER:
Curiously, there is another
group of people

who believe that
King Arthur and his Round Table

were located in Scotland,
instead of England.

It's an ancient Scottish family
line known as Clan MacArthur,

who claim that they are

descendants
of King Arthur himself.

The idea
that the King's Knot was

the location of the Round Table

brings the legend of King Arthur
to life in a profound way.

And if these noble knights were,
in fact, real people,

then perhaps we should examine
their most epic adventure:

the quest to find
the Holy Grail.

SHATNER:
In 2010, medieval literature
scholar Carol J. C

published a translation of
The History of the Holy Grail,

published a translation of
The History of the Holy Grail,
a 13th-century French text.

a 13th-century French text.

The original ancient manuscript
is one of the earliest sources

documenting the story of
King Arthur and his knights'

epic quest
to find the Holy Grail...

the most sacred artifact
in Christian lore.

The Holy Grail is
supposed to be a chalice

that was once used by Jesus
at the Last Supper,

when he shared his
last meal with his disciples.

This cup was eventually used
to collect a few drops

of Jesus's blood
when he was on the cross.

of Jesus's blood
when he was on the cross.
And it was imbued with magical,

And it was imbued with magical,

And it was imbued with magical,
mysterious, holy healing powers.

mysterious, holy healing powers.

Anyone that drank from it
could be cured from any ill.

The signal for
King Arthur to go on his quest

to find the Holy Grail is
when a knight called Galahad

sits in a seat
at the Round Table.

And when Galahad sits
in that seat, the Holy Grail

appears miraculously
above the Round Table.

McGOWAN:
When the knights see
the Grail in this manner,

this vision of this incredibly
mysterious, veiled object,

they realize that
this is sacred,

and that this is something that
they must go in search of,

but also that
it's going to be a quest.

It's not going
to be an easy task.

SHATNER:
As the story goes,
the Knights of the Round Table

embarked on a perilous journey
to find the Holy Grail.

Multiple accounts of
the legend describe how

their quest led them
to distant lands

and mysterious castles in search
of this sacred artifact.

PHILLIPS:
All the Knights of
the Round Table are involved

in the quest, but
the great unsolved mystery

is did King Arthur
eventually find the Holy Grail?

Well, it depends which legend
you want to follow.

But it's still
supposed to be hidden

somewhere in Britain today.

SHATNER:
If King Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table

SHATNER:
If King Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table
were, in fact, real people,

were, in fact, real people,

then is it possible that they
actually found the Holy Grail?

And if so,
is the Grail still hidden

somewhere in England today?

McMAHON: There are
lots of theories on where

the Holy Grail
was allegedly buried.

But if you believe
in King Arthur,

if you believe that he went
on a quest for the Holy Grail,

you have to go to the area

around the Chalice Well,
at Glastonbury.

McGOWAN:
The Chalice Well in
Glastonbury is a beautiful area

that is also known
as the Blood Well,

because the water
that flows from it is red.

Now, one of the legends
is that it flows this way,

because the Holy Grail
was once buried within it.

And because the Grail was
related to the blood of Jesus,

that the spring itself then
flowed with the blood of Jesus.

There's a long-standing story
in England

that Joseph of Arimathea,
the great-uncle of Jesus,

brought the Holy Grail
to Glastonbury,

where he concealed it.

ARMSTRONG:
In the early legends,
there's an account of how

Joseph of Arimathea plants
his staff

where there is a spring, at
the bottom of Glastonbury Hill,

which grows into a thorn tree.

And so, the idea grew up
over the centuries that

the Holy Grail has been hidden
in the bottom of the spring.

McMAHON:
Once he did that, the water
from the well gushed forth red.

Red as blood.
Warm as blood.

Coagulating even
like hemoglobin, it's said.

And that this water is very
literally the blood of Christ.

It's been a very durable legend
because the water is stained

because the sand which it flows

out of is rich in iron.

And the iron stains it red,

so, naturally, people must have
looked at that,

and they must have thought,
"This looks like blood."

SHATNER:
According to some versions
of the Grail legend,

after being
gravely wounded in battle,

King Arthur sought healing from
the waters of the Chalice Well,

perhaps indicating
that he knew that

the Grail was hidden there.

The idea that
the Holy Grail is buried near

the Chalice Well was
so inspiring

that in 1959, a man named
Wellesley Tudor Pole decided to

spend a fortune in the hope
of recovering the Grail.

Wellesley Tudor Pole was
an eccentric English aristocrat.

He bought the area
around the Chalice Well,

and commissioned
an archaeologist, Philip Rahtz,

to conduct some digs
there to find evidence

that Joseph of Arimathea
had been there.

ALLAN:
He did a great dig,
and what he found was that

there is a well house
around the well,

and it goes right back
to 2,000 years ago.

So that would be about AD 63,

when people thought Joseph
of Arimathea sailed to Britain.

SHATNER:
Could the Holy Grail
really be hidden

somewhere near the Chalice Well?

Perhaps. But whether or not
the Grail is buried there,

the legend of King Arthur
and his knights' quest

the legend of King Arthur
and his knights' quest
to find this sacred object

to find this sacred object

still inspires people
to visit the Chalice Well today.

YOUNG:
For a small fee,
a tourist can have a drink

from the Chalice Well.

If you long for transcendence,

it is good to make
such a pilgrimage.

It doesn't matter whether
it's true or not.

It doesn't matter whether
it's true or not.
It's true in the heart.

It's true in the heart.

McGOWAN:
The idea of the Grail
is our human

quest for something
that is bigger than we are.

This is what the Arthurian
legends are all about.

The legend of Arthur
and the legend of the Holy Grail

will always be intertwined.

SHATNER:
The Holy Grail is one of
the most popular aspects

of Arthurian lore, and the quest
to find it is ongoing.

But there's another
elusive relic that many hope

could prove King Arthur's
existence. His body.

And believe it or not,
some people claim they know

where it just might be buried.

SHATNER: Rising above
the clay roofs of this
We're told Arthur was buried on
an i

SHATNER: Rising above
the clay roofs of this
We're told Arthur was buried on
an i
humble town
in the English countryside

humble town
in the English countryside

is the ancient hill
known as Glastonbury Tor.

Atop its peak lies the ruins
of a 14th-century church,

the last remnants of what
many researchers believe

was a series of religious
sites constructed here.

McMAHON:
Glastonbury Tor is
the very center of Glastonbury.

This hill has always
been a sacred place, going back

to the Christians,
to the Romans, to the Celts,

and right back to
the dawn of civilization

as a center of prayer,
sacrifice, and ritual.

SHATNER:
Perhaps what's most intriguing
about Glastonbury Tor

is that many believe it to be

the place where
King Arthur was buried

after legends say
he died in 537 AD.

The legend is that, um,

Arthur's mortally wounded
in battle,

at a battle called Camlann,

where his son, Mordred,
was also killed.

ARMSTRONG: The Battle of Camlann
is first attested

in a 10th-century Welsh text.

And it seems as if it may be

And it seems as if it may be
referring to earlier texts

referring to earlier texts

that had accounts of this
battle, that it was well known,

and seems to be based on, many
historians believe, real events.

The Battle of Camlann
is Arthur's final battle.

It's against Mordred.

And as Arthur's dying,
he's taken away from there by

And as Arthur's dying,
he's taken away from there by
a bunch of mysterious maidens

a bunch of mysterious maidens

and buried on a nearby island,

seemingly
in the middle of a lake.

An island known as Avalon.

SHATNER:
For centuries,
people have been fascinated

by the idea
of a mystical island where

this brave warrior
was supposedly buried.

But if it's true
that King Arthur was buried

on the Isle of Avalon,

on the Isle of Avalon,
then where is this
supposed island located?

then where is this
supposed island located?

Well, one popular theory
suggests that the Isle of Avalon

and Glastonbury Tor
are one and the same.

There's a very,
very strong tradition in England

that Glastonbury Tor is Avalon,
the Isle of Avalon.

Now, you might say,
wait a minute, this is inland,

it is not an island,

but Glastonbury Tor
actually has a lot going for it

as a potential site
for the Arthurian tradition.

When you're looking
at Glastonbury Tor,

it stands out from
this misty valley floor.

It is this massive mound
that comes out of an otherwise

flat ground,
surrounded very often by mist.

So, it looks like an island
When you're looking at it.

McMAHON:
Glastonbury was
surrounded by a misty swamp,

more than likely a malarial
swamp, for thousands of years.

So, in Arthur's time,
those approaching Glastonbury

literally would
have had to sail across,

because what we see today--
the hill, the Tor--

was essentially an island.

was essentially an island.
The Isle of Avalon.

The Isle of Avalon.

SHATNER:
Is it possible that
King Arthur was laid to rest

somewhere on Glastonbury Tor?

It's a fascinating theory.

But many researchers claim
that Arthur's remains

weren't buried on
the massive hill

but rather at another location
that is nearby.

Less than a mile away
from Glastonbury Tor

lie the ruins
of Glastonbury Abbey,

an ancient monastery that
some believe was Arthur's

real final resting place.

And as proof,
they point to a discovery made

by the monks who lived there
almost a thousand years ago.

McMAHON:
In the year 1191,
the monks at Glastonbury Abbey

claimed that they all
had this collective vision

which led them to
the secret tomb of King Arthur,

which was allegedly
buried in Glastonbury.

What they found there
was a huge coffin.

And within it was a skeleton,

which they claimed
had to be King Arthur,

and next to him a female
skeleton, obviously Guinevere.

ALLAN:
A cross was apparently
discovered

in the excavation in 1191,

and it had Latin letters
on it that said,

"Here lies the famous Arthur
in the Isle of Avalon."

McGOWAN:
We know from the 12th century
that a grave was found.

And there's a lot of
evidence that there might be

something to this; this idea
of Arthur being buried here.

And there are at least
six different sources,

some going back to the latter
part of the Dark Ages,

that indicate that Guinevere was
buried in Glastonbury as well.

SHATNER:
According to historical
records, Arthur's supposed tomb

and remains were destroyed
in a fire in the 16th century.

But people still come
from all around the world today

to see the site and pay their
respects to the deceased king.

There's not much to see
at the King Arthur grave site,

but you can see the outline

of where the marble tomb
once was.

It's just grass everywhere
around and a modern sign

telling you King Arthur
was once buried here.

So, of course, there's
a certain degree of skepticism,

but that is the story that
was told in the Middle Ages.

THOMPSON:
There's also another
interesting factor

with the Arthurian tradition,

and that is there's
a long-standing belief

among many people in England

among many people in England
that Arthur is
the once and future king.

that Arthur is
the once and future king.

In other words,
he's not really dead yet.

He's going to come back.

And so,
wherever Arthur's buried

then becomes a potential site
for his rebirth,

for his reemergence
into our world.

Will further investigation
uncover

King Arthur's
final resting place?

Perhaps.

Perhaps.
But while Arthur
may be long dead,

But while Arthur
may be long dead,

there are many
around the world who believe

that his spirit
can still be found.

SHATNER:
Scholars at Bristol University

make an astonishing discovery

hidden inside the bindings of a
16th-century French manuscript.

They find seven ancient
handwritten notes

revealing a previously unknown
tale of Merlin

inspiring King Arthur
and his knights in battle.

JULIAN HARRISON:
It's always incredible
when anybody finds a new remnant

of the works of King Arthur
for the very first time.

Subsequent analysis
has suggested

that it was written
probably in the 13th century

in the language which
is known as Old French.

in the language which
is known as Old French.
And we now believe it belongs
to the so-called Vulgate Cycle

And we now believe it belongs
to the so-called Vulgate Cycle

of the legends of King Arthur.

It's one of those things
which makes you sit up

and think, well,
what else is out there?

What else can
we potentially find?

SHATNER:
The discovery of each
new ancient manuscript or

fragment of
medieval poetry adds

a new piece to the puzzle
of King Arthur and his origins.

But what's even more intriguing
is that there are scientists

who believe that
by using new technology,

we might find evidence that
this mythical hero was real.

Scientists working at
Family Tree DNA

conduct an analysis
of genetic samples

from 400 ancestral
British families,

whose lineage date
back to the sixth century AD.

The goal of the study is to
determine whether these families

could be descendants
of the real King Arthur.

SHATNER:
Will genetic analysis be able

to prove
that King Arthur was real?

to prove
that King Arthur was real?
For now,
that question is unanswered,

For now,
that question is unanswered,

but one thing is certain.

The appeal of
the legend of King Arthur

will endure
for generations to come.

WOOD:
Arthur has really become,
in many ways, immortal.

He represents
what's best of the past.

Heroicism, courtliness,
even an element of magic.

He represents to us the past
that we want to recapture.

He's still the hero
that everybody wants to be,

and so he is really
the Once and Future King.

People look at
the Arthurian legends

and the stories about
King Arthur in different ways.

Some look at it
for the brotherhood.

Some look at it for the action.

And some look at it
for the love stories.

Some look at it as a piece
of history throughout time.

And that's why I think we'll
always be chasing the legend

of Arthur and the Knights
of the Round Table.

Was King Arthur
a flesh and blood man,

or just
a larger-than-life legend?

Well, some parts of the story
are almost certainly fantasy

while others definitely
make you wonder

whether there was
a real man behind the myth.

So, while our quest
to find answers continues,

the truth behind
this iconic king remains...

unexplained.

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