Arthur's Miscellany

Helmut Nickel’s extensive scholarship is a considerable contribution to the world of Arthurian studies. ‘In the tenth-century Annales Cambriae, which possibly goes back to contemporary sources, the entry about the Battle of Badon Hill mentions that Arthur “carried the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ on his shoulders for three days and three nights”. It is likely that this Latin quote is based upon a Welsh source, in which the words for “shoulder” (ysqwyd) and “shield” (ysqwyt) were close enough in spelling to get mixed up quite easily.’ Arthur’s Miscellany is full of such insights, based upon a lifetime study of heraldry and armour. These essays were written over a period of more than 30 years, some never published before now. Chapters include: ‘The Arms of Lancelot du Lac’; ‘Why Was the Green Knight Green?’; and ‘Merlin, Magic, and Swords of Power’. Alongside his career as an historian and museum curator, Helmut Nickel was a famous illustrator. Few historians would be confident enough to interpret the symbology of the mid-15th century armorial, Les Noms, Armes, et Blazons des Chevalliers et Compaignons de la Table Ronde ‒ all 175 of them! Many of the illustrations within are by the author. This is an important contribution to the Arthurian canon ‒ and a tribute to a great scholar and artist from his friends and fellow researchers.