nurbook
Tyrants and Traders: Tintagel, Arthur and the Lost Kings
Author(s): Ken Dark (Author)
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Publication Date: December 10, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 232 pages
- ISBN-10: 1350519405
- ISBN-13: 9781350519404
Book Description
Discover exciting new research illuminating the most mysterious centuries of British history.
How Roman Britain ended is one of the most controversial questions in British history. Unique among former Roman citizens in Western Europe, the Britons established long-lived kingdoms, resisting ‘barbarian’ political takeover for centuries. Yet so little is known of them from written records that even the names of most of their kings are effectively lost to history.
Packed with the latest discoveries and ground-breaking research, Professor Ken Dark brings the fascinating, but mysterious, world of these rulers and their kingdoms to life. Archaeological evidence, along with re-analysis of the few existing texts, reveals an unexpectedly sophisticated society, connected to a wider international network of trade and cultural contacts than might until recently have seemed imaginable. Ken Dark demonstrates through the latest archaeological discoveries that Tintagel – an eroded coastal stronghold in Cornwall, closely associated with the later legend of King Arthur – was a royal fortress and trading centre of one of the most important British kingdoms of this period.
This is a historical period filled with memorable characters and stories: from the outraged churchman Gildas, attempting to reform the corrupt rulers he thought threatened civilized life itself, to St. Patrick, who played a major part in converting Ireland to Christianity, to no less than King Arthur – whose historical existence Dark shows to be much more likely than usually supposed.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The book strikes a rare balance between conveying the often ambiguous and contentious nature of archaeological interpretation on the one hand, and keeping his narrative accessible to the general reader on the other.” ―Telegraph
“[Contains] some startling revelations from the latest archaeology.” ―Daily Mail
“An intriguing new book … Dark takes a pleasingly open-minded attitude to the mysterious figure [of King Arthur].” ―The Oldie
“Authoritative, informative and brilliantly thought-provoking. An essential and insightful examination of the history, folklore, archaeology and geography of Tintagel, examining its role in the development of the post-Roman west by one of the leading experts in the field. Highly recommended.” ―Miles Russell, Principal Academic in Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology, Bournemouth University, UK
“The distillation of decades of research and scholarship by Ken Dark. Focusing on how small kingdoms emerged at the end of Roman Britain, it provides a fresh interpretation of this very difficult period by delving into the archaeological evidence, much of which is new and exciting. He argues that there was a historical King Arthur; but it is a surprising and original answer.” ―Mark Horton, Professor of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Royal Agricultural University, UK
“For dark-age Cornwall and beyond, Ken Dark is the essential guide. Using modern archaeological research, he sheds light on Celtic trading links with the Mediterranean, as at Tintagel, where cargoes of wine and spices and other luxuries were imported for British kings, and which is today famous for associations with Arthur, champion of the early Britons. On fact and fiction in the age of Arthur, Ken Dark is the expert for our times.” ―Andrew Breeze, Professor of Philology, University of Navarra, Spain
“This exploration of the Arthurian world centred around Tintagel draws on the most recent textual and archaeological scholarship to produce an accessible and stimulating account that will be of interest to enthusiasts and specialists.” ―Stephen Driscoll, Professor of Historical Archaeology, University of Glasgow, UK
About the Author
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