The Secret History of King Arthur

Source: Archaix Welcomes Back Ralph Ellis

In a comprehensive dialogue between Jason of Archaix and independent historian Ralph Ellis, the two researchers dismantle the traditional historiography of King Arthur. Ellis posits that the Arthurian legend is not a British origin story but a veiled retelling of the life of a historical Jesus—specifically, the King of Edessa—transplanted into the 6th century to preserve heretical truths during the Dark Ages.

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Deconstructing the British Myth

Ellis begins by asserting that King Arthur, as popularly understood, did not exist in British history. He cites the silence of contemporary and near-contemporary chroniclers. Gildas (5th/6th century), the Venerable Bede (8th century), Nennius (9th century), and William of Malmesbury (12th century) either make no mention of Arthur or refer to him merely as a "dux bellorum" (warlord) without a court, Camelot, or knights.

The full Arthurian narrative appears suddenly in 1135 with Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain. Ellis notes that contemporary historians, such as William of Newburgh (1160), immediately denounced Monmouth’s work as "impertinent and impudent" fiction. Thomas Malory, author of Le Morte d'Arthur, famously admitted that his sources were French, Italian, Spanish, and Greek—not English. Ellis argues this proves the legend was an import, brought to Britain by the Normans, who had absorbed these stories during the Crusades in the Near East.

The Norman Connection and Visual Evidence

To support the claim that Arthur is a European/Norman story rather than a Welsh one, Ellis points to art history. The earliest known sculptures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are found not in Britain, but in Italy. The Porta della Pescheria at the Modena Cathedral (circa 1150) features a carving of Arthur (labeled Artus de Bretani) and his knights in distinct Norman armor attacking a castle. Similar depictions exist in Bari and Otranto.

These sculptures predate the popularity of the legend in England. Ellis explains that the Normans, who ruled Sicily and Southern Italy, were effectively Vikings who had assimilated knowledge from the Islamic world and the East. They brought back "heretical" tales from the Crusades—specifically from Edessa, the first city captured by the First Crusade—and encoded them into the Arthurian romances to avoid persecution by the Catholic Church.

The Astrological Arthur and the Round Table

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the astro-theological foundations of the legend. Ellis identifies the Round Table as a representation of the Zodiac.

The Table: There are three tables in the legends: the Last Supper, Joseph of Arimathea’s table, and Arthur’s table. Ellis argues these are identical zodiacal representations.
The Center: In a zodiac, the center represents the Sun (Jesus) or the Pole Star. The constellation closest to the Pole is Ursa Major (the Great Bear). The name "Arthur" is derived from Arcturus (Bearkeeper) or Artus (Bear). Thus, Arthur represents the Great Bear rotating at the center of the heavens.
Pisces: The Arthurian era coincides with the astrological Age of Pisces. Ellis links the "Fisher Kings" of the Grail legend to Jesus, the "Fisher of Men."
The Conception: Arthur’s conception, marked by a comet with two rays (one pointing to him, one to Guinevere), mirrors the Egyptian Dendera Zodiac depiction of Pisces, which connects Horus (the King) and Isis (the Queen).

The Edessa Connection and Chronology

Ellis introduces his central thesis: the Arthurian saga is actually the history of the biblical Jesus, shifted chronologically. He highlights the confusion in Arthurian texts (specifically the Vulgate Cycle) regarding Joseph of Arimathea and his son, "Josephus." The texts claim Josephus was the author of the Arthurian tales, a knight of Pilate, and a contemporary of Arthurian knights.

Ellis argues this "Josephus" is actually Flavius Josephus, the 1st-century Jewish historian. The conflation of 1st-century characters (Joseph of Arimathea/Josephus) with supposedly 6th-century Arthurian characters reveals the deception: the Arthurian timeline is a cover for 1st-century events.

Ellis contends that the historical Jesus was King Izates Manu of Edessa, a leader of the Jewish Revolt against Rome in the AD 60s. The "Arthurian" battles against the Romans are actually the Jewish Revolt battles. The "wasteland" caused by the Wounded King corresponds to the devastation of Judea following the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.

The Holy Grail and the Sacred Stone

The discussion moves to the nature of the Holy Grail. While often depicted as a cup, Ellis cites Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival, which describes the Grail as a "stone that fell from heaven"—a meteorite.

The Benben and Phoenix: Ellis traces this stone to the Egyptian Benben stone, associated with the Phoenix (a symbol of the sun).
The Ark of the Covenant: He presents numismatic evidence from Edessa showing the Ark of the Covenant as a portable temple containing a "Bethel" (house of God) or sacred stone, rather than just tablets of law.
Elagabalus: The stone was moved from Edessa to Emesa and eventually to Rome by Emperor Elagabalus (AD 218–222). Elagabalus venerated this black conical meteorite (the Elagabal).
Modern Echoes: Ellis notes the stone is likely the same black stone now embedded in the Kaaba in Mecca, linking the ancient meteorite cults to modern Islamic practice.

The Heresy of the Wounded King

Ellis and Jason explore the "Wounded King" or "Fisher King" motif. In the legend, the king is wounded "between the thighs," causing the land to become barren. Ellis interprets this literally as castration.

He connects this to the Galli priests of Cybele (and later the Nazarenes), who practiced self-castration to achieve a state of androgynous purity, mimicking the primeval Adam. Ellis cites Matthew 19:12 ("there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake") as evidence that Jesus demanded this of his inner circle. In Arthurian lore, Percival/Galahad castrates himself to heal the kingdom, mirroring the actions of the historical priesthoods of the Near East.

The Hukkok Mosaic and the Red Heifer

Visual evidence for the Edessan connection is presented via the Hukkok Mosaic, discovered in a synagogue near the Sea of Galilee. Academics labeled the central figure Alexander the Great, but Ellis refutes this, noting the figure has a beard and side-locks (payot), which Alexander did not.

Ellis identifies the figure as the King of Edessa (Jesus/Izates) presenting a sacrificial red calf to the High Priest of Jerusalem. This mirrors a Talmudic story about Bar Kamza (a pseudonym for the King of Edessa) presenting a blemished calf to Nero or the Temple to ferment the Jewish Revolt. The mosaic depicts the pivotal moment that triggered the war with Rome—the very war that serves as the historical basis for the "Arthurian" battles.

Mary Magdalene and the Ginger Monarchy

Briefly touching on the Last Supper, Ellis points out that in various artworks (such as at Drogheda Cathedral and commissions by Napoleon), the figure at Jesus' right hand is clearly female. He identifies this as Mary Magdalene, Jesus’s wife. This links to the concept of the Sangreal (Holy Grail) as the Sang Real (Royal Blood). Ellis mentions that this lineage—including Ramesses II, Cleopatra, and the Edessan Kings—was a "Ginger Monarchy," characterized by red hair, a trait historically associated with the Hyksos and northern Egyptian aristocracy.

Star Worship and Islamic Origins

Finally, the conversation touches upon the origins of Mecca. Ellis argues that the original "Mecca" was likely in Marib, Yemen, the home of the Sabaeans (star worshippers). He suggests the circling ritual around the Kaaba mimics the stars circling the celestial pole. The "Sabians" mentioned in the Quran were these astronomers. The Arthurian concept of the Round Table and the circling of the stars are part of this same ancient tradition of observing the precession of the equinoxes—a science understood by the ancients and encoded into their myths.

Conclusion

The discussion concludes that Arthurian legend is a sophisticated "time capsule." It was constructed to preserve the history of the Edessan monarchy and the Jewish Revolt during an era when the Catholic Church suppressed such information. By casting the historical Jesus as a 6th-century British warlord, the authors ensured the survival of the story, leaving clues in the form of zodiacal symbolism, philological puns (Galilee/Galli/Gaul), and impossible chronologies that only the initiated would understand.