Round Table facts for kids
The Round Table is a famous table from the old stories about King Arthur and his brave knights. These stories are called legends. The Round Table was kept in Camelot, which was the castle where King Arthur and his knights lived. In the legends, they would all gather around this table to talk about how to keep Camelot and the kingdom safe. They also planned exciting adventures and quests they could go on. Because they met at this special table, they became known as the 'Knights of the Round Table'.
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What Was Special About the Round Table's Shape?
The shape of the Round Table was very important. Most tables are long and rectangular. These usually have a "head of the table," which is where the leader or most important person sits. But the Round Table was perfectly round. This meant that everyone who sat at it was seen as equal. No one knight was more important than another, and everyone had an equal say.
Who Sat at the Round Table?
The main people who used the Round Table were King Arthur and his knights. King Arthur's wife, Guinevere, did not have her own seat at the table. However, King Arthur sometimes listened to her advice. In some versions of the legends, the wise wizard named Merlin, who lived in Camelot, also had a seat. King Arthur thought of Merlin as a good friend and an important adviser.
What Was the Dangerous Chair (Siege Perilous)?
Some legends also mention a very special chair at the Round Table. It was called the Siege Perilous, which means 'Dangerous Chair'. The stories say that only a knight with a completely pure heart could sit in this seat. A pure heart meant someone who had never done anything wrong or committed any crimes.
If someone who did not have a pure heart tried to sit in the Siege Perilous, they would instantly die! Merlin kept this chair empty for the one person who would eventually find a special object called the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail was a magical cup. It was believed to be the cup that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper. In the stories, the knight who was pure enough to find the Holy Grail and sit in the Siege Perilous was either Sir Galahad or Sir Perceval, depending on which version of the legend you read.
Other Pages to Explore
Images for kids
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King Arthur's knights, gathered at the Round Table, see a vision of the Holy Grail. This is from a manuscript of Lancelot and the Holy Grail (around 1406).
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"Sir Galahad is brought to the court of King Arthur," an illustration by Walter Crane for King Arthur's Knights (1911).
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The Winchester Round Table shows the names of many famous knights, including Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot de Lake, Sir Gawain, Sir Percival, and Sir Mordred.
See also
In Spanish: Mesa Redonda para niños
