The Fort at River's Bend
Encyclopedia
The Fort at River's Bend is a novel published by Jack Whyte
, a Canadian novelist in 1999. Originally part of a single book, The Sorcerer, it was split for publishing purposes. The book encompasses the beginning of Arthur's education at a long abandoned Roman fort, where he is taught most of the skills needed to rule, and fight for, the people of Britain. The novel is part of The Comulud Chronicles, a series of books which devise the context in which the Arthurian legend could have been placed had it been historically founded.
and are welcomed by King Derek. Upon their arrival they find out that the commander of the Sons of Condran's navy, Liam, is also in the port. The crews are both unarmed, because Derek maintains the port of Ravenglass as a neutral, weapons free zone, but Liam has hostile intentions for his visit. After Merlyn arrives, Liam attempts to capture Ravenglass in order to turn it into his own kingdom. Shelagh however is able to kill Liam before his crew captures the king. They slaughter the crews of the ships in port but find out that the rest of his fleet is supposed to land to help take the city. Merlyn and his party arrange the defenses of Ravenglass and, along with the help of the local people, are able to repel the intimidate the fleet into flight.
Merlyn had originally approached Ravenglass in order to find a place to safely raise Arthur away from enemies at home. Originally Derek had refused Merlyn's sanctuary, however after they helped in the defense of his kingdom. He agrees for Merlyn to move his people to a Roman fort Mediabogdum
, a Roman fort on the edge of Ravenglass's lands. The party moves to the fort and Dedalus is able to revive the Fort's Baths while the rest of the party works on reinvigorating several of the fort's barracks.
The Party remains at Mediobogdum for several years after. While there Merlyn commissions sword duplicates of the sword cast by Publius Varrus had cast from the Lady of the Lake statue. They are used, along with a method developed using wooden Roman practice swords, to train Arthur and his friends how to fight. Before the end of this book, a raiding party from the Sons of Chondran try to attack the city but become cast upon the shore by a violent storm. Merlyn uses this event to teach Arthur of the value of human lives. By the end of the chapter, Merlyn has become romantically involved with a woman from Ravenglass who, along with forty others from the town, have been brought to settle in the fort to help maintain its productivity.
should support Merlyn's party, and that expedition arrives at the beginning of the book. The party continues to live a Mediobogdum, and Arthur shows his prowess as a leader, deciding to begin training some of his other friends from Ravenglass in the combat style that Merlyn designed for him.
A winter has many negative events: Lucanus dies, Rufio, one of Merlyn warrior companions, is attacked by a bear and loses the use of his right arm and news of Ironhair causing political problems in Cambria reaches Merlyn via a letter from Ambrosius. Because of the letter, Merlyn decides that it would be best to return to Camolud to assist in the military campaign soon to ensue.
Cambria - The land of Pendragon rule in modern Wales. Though initially ruled by Dergyll ap Griffyd a cousin of Uther Pendragon, he is killed by Merlyn's political enemy Ironhair in order to allow Ironhair's contender to the throne gain power. Arthur has a stronger claim to the throne than both of these men because he is a direct descendant from Uther.
Camulod - A Roman colony established in South-Western England. The establishment of this colony is depicted in the earlier books in the A Dream of Eagles Series. Politically the region is ruled by a council of respected individuals within the colony, a number of whom are military rulers or members of the families which control the twelve villas
which govern the lands. Their military strength is concentrated in their cavalry, which is far advanced compared to Celtic horsemen because of the stirrup
technology as well as a Roman breeding stock.
Northumbria - a kingdom in Modern northern England. It is ruled by King Vortigern, however his Danish mercenaries have slowly gained power over him and by the end of the book appear to be in open revolt challenging his rule.
The Picts - a people north of Hadrians wall. One kingdom is begging to gain political power during this period ruled by Crandal, the grandfather of another child sired by Uther who may have claim to the Pendragon throne.
Ravenglass - A city kingdom governed by King Derek, the man responsible for Uther
's death. The city of Ravenglass
is considered a safe and neutral port for all the nation of the British Isles. Because of this, the ships crews while visiting the harbour must travel unarmed within the premises of the city.
Sons of Condran - Tribe on the Isle of Eire
that is politically opposed to the Scots. Their home regions are to the north of the Scots. The head of the clan is Condran and Brian, one of his sons, is the commander of the Army. Several major defeats of their forces by Brand and Conner of the Scots leave their forces so weak that they are unable to resist further settlement by the Scots in their land.
The Scots
or Gaels
- a Celtic tribal group that is ruled by the King Athol. The Kingdom is focused on the Western Coastal corridor of Ireland where Athol's Stronghold is located. The region is mostly heavily forested land. This is the group referred to by the Romans as the Scotii. They are colonizing Caledonia
, a land occupied by the Picts
in modern Scotland
.
. Today the site is known as the fort at Hardknot Pass
. While writing the book Jack Whyte was taken by his brother to the site and became inspired by it. In the text a several week visit to the fort shapes the depictions of Merlyn's fort in the novel. All of the facilities described in the book, including the lavish bath and cement
foundations for the barracks, are based on the archeological evidence available at the site.
in modern literature.
Jack Whyte
Jack Whyte is a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, Whyte has been living in Canada since 1967. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia....
, a Canadian novelist in 1999. Originally part of a single book, The Sorcerer, it was split for publishing purposes. The book encompasses the beginning of Arthur's education at a long abandoned Roman fort, where he is taught most of the skills needed to rule, and fight for, the people of Britain. The novel is part of The Comulud Chronicles, a series of books which devise the context in which the Arthurian legend could have been placed had it been historically founded.
Publication history
Originally part of "an 1100-page monster called The Sorcerer," Jack Whyte's Canadian publishers split the text for ease of publication into two books labeled, The Sorcerer Volume 1—The Fort At River’s Bend, and The Sorcerer Volume 2—Metamorphosis. However when the book was imported to the United States, the publisher couldn't handle the split and labeled the books The Fort At River's Bend and The Sorcerer- Metamorphisis, because of this many of the American readers actually think they are two separate books. However, the incomplete nature of the plots, and Jack Whyte's original intentions, make them inapproachable with reading them together. Jack Whyte think this is an effect of "foolish" marketers, and openly criticizes this move by the publishers. However, as expressed in an interview, the books, though they were only released three months apart, saw a considerable decline in sales because people were unaware that the two books were really one volume.Book One : Ravenglass
The Party of Merlyn and Arthur arrive at RavenglassRavenglass
Ravenglass is a small coastal village and natural harbour in Cumbria, England. It is the only coastal town within the Lake District National Park...
and are welcomed by King Derek. Upon their arrival they find out that the commander of the Sons of Condran's navy, Liam, is also in the port. The crews are both unarmed, because Derek maintains the port of Ravenglass as a neutral, weapons free zone, but Liam has hostile intentions for his visit. After Merlyn arrives, Liam attempts to capture Ravenglass in order to turn it into his own kingdom. Shelagh however is able to kill Liam before his crew captures the king. They slaughter the crews of the ships in port but find out that the rest of his fleet is supposed to land to help take the city. Merlyn and his party arrange the defenses of Ravenglass and, along with the help of the local people, are able to repel the intimidate the fleet into flight.
Merlyn had originally approached Ravenglass in order to find a place to safely raise Arthur away from enemies at home. Originally Derek had refused Merlyn's sanctuary, however after they helped in the defense of his kingdom. He agrees for Merlyn to move his people to a Roman fort Mediabogdum
Hardknott Roman Fort
Mediobogdum was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Its remains are located on the western side of the Hardknott Pass in the English county of Cumbria .-The location and name:...
, a Roman fort on the edge of Ravenglass's lands. The party moves to the fort and Dedalus is able to revive the Fort's Baths while the rest of the party works on reinvigorating several of the fort's barracks.
The Party remains at Mediobogdum for several years after. While there Merlyn commissions sword duplicates of the sword cast by Publius Varrus had cast from the Lady of the Lake statue. They are used, along with a method developed using wooden Roman practice swords, to train Arthur and his friends how to fight. Before the end of this book, a raiding party from the Sons of Chondran try to attack the city but become cast upon the shore by a violent storm. Merlyn uses this event to teach Arthur of the value of human lives. By the end of the chapter, Merlyn has become romantically involved with a woman from Ravenglass who, along with forty others from the town, have been brought to settle in the fort to help maintain its productivity.
Book Two : Mediobogdum
On a previous visit Merlyn and Ambrosius decided that a garrisonGarrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
should support Merlyn's party, and that expedition arrives at the beginning of the book. The party continues to live a Mediobogdum, and Arthur shows his prowess as a leader, deciding to begin training some of his other friends from Ravenglass in the combat style that Merlyn designed for him.
A winter has many negative events: Lucanus dies, Rufio, one of Merlyn warrior companions, is attacked by a bear and loses the use of his right arm and news of Ironhair causing political problems in Cambria reaches Merlyn via a letter from Ambrosius. Because of the letter, Merlyn decides that it would be best to return to Camolud to assist in the military campaign soon to ensue.
Characters
- Ambrosius Brittanicus - Merlyn's identical half-brother fathered by Picus Brittanticus unknowingly while recuperating from a near death experience. Ambrosius was a successful commander in the army of VortigernVortigernVortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
, and becomes the commander of the Camoludian forces while Merlyn is away.
- Arthur Pendragon - The bastard son of Uther PendragonUther PendragonUther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
, who has legitimate to three kingships in the British Isles. This book follows from his early childhood to adolescence, watching him grow from a child with surprising insight to a leader of a band of friends, including GwinGawainGawain is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table who appears very early in the Arthurian legend's development. He is one of a select number of Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight...
, GhilleadhGalahadSir Galahad |Round Table]] and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and is renowned for his gallantry and purity. Emerging quite late in the medieval Arthurian tradition, he is perhaps the knightly...
, and Bedwyr. He often expresses surprising insights into the nature of man, military tactics, and problem solving and has a strong sense of justice.
- Caius MerlynMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
Brittanicus - The narrator of the story and former commander of the CamoludianCamelotCamelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
military. At the beginning of the book he has taken a vow of chastity and believes he has leprosy however these both change later in the book. He has named himself the guardian and teacher of Arthur, wishing to ensure that Arthur will be able to claim the throne of Pendragon. He has chosen to go by the name Cay throughout the book in order to escape his reputation as Merlyn. He is exceptionally schooled in Roman history, military tactics, and weapons.
- Dedulus - an expert warrior and former centurionCenturionA centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
of Camolud's army, he is one of the tutors of Arthur training him in combat and tactics. He is often called Ded.
- Donuil- a prince of the Scots who has acted as Merlyn's aide-de-campAide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
. His unusual size and years of training in Camulud while Merlyn's prisoner of war then friend make him an exceptional man of Éire, able to fight with tactics and ride as cavalry. He is married to Shelagh.
- Lucanus - a physician educated in Galenic MedicineGalenAelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
in Cairo. He is a close friend of Merlyn and is one of Arthur's tutors. Lucanus dies at the end of the Novel.
- Shelagh- The wife of Donuil and de factoDe factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
caretaker of Arthur and his friends as two of his friends are her sons. She also is the head lady of the household in Mediobogdum and arranged Merlyn's liaison with Tress. In The Saxon ShoreThe Saxon ShoreThe Saxon Shore is a 1998 novel by Canadian writer Jack Whyte chronicling Caius Merlyn Britannicus's effort to return the baby Arthur to the colony of Camulod and the political events surrounding this. The book is a portrayal of the Arthurian Legend set against the backdrop of Post-Roman Briton's...
, Merlyn discovers that she has the same predictive dreams that he experienced through much of his life.
- Tress- a barrenBarren vegetationThe term Barren vegetation, or just barren, describes an area where plant growth is sparse, stunted, or possesses little biodiversity. Poor growth may occur due to high winds, climate, salt spray, infertile or toxic soil, or heavy exploitation by man....
seamstress from Ravenglass who becomes Merlyn's mistress. She becomes arthur's mother figure as her relationship with Merlyn deepens.
Political Entities
The political entities of Jack Whyte's books are:Cambria - The land of Pendragon rule in modern Wales. Though initially ruled by Dergyll ap Griffyd a cousin of Uther Pendragon, he is killed by Merlyn's political enemy Ironhair in order to allow Ironhair's contender to the throne gain power. Arthur has a stronger claim to the throne than both of these men because he is a direct descendant from Uther.
Camulod - A Roman colony established in South-Western England. The establishment of this colony is depicted in the earlier books in the A Dream of Eagles Series. Politically the region is ruled by a council of respected individuals within the colony, a number of whom are military rulers or members of the families which control the twelve villas
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
which govern the lands. Their military strength is concentrated in their cavalry, which is far advanced compared to Celtic horsemen because of the stirrup
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...
technology as well as a Roman breeding stock.
Northumbria - a kingdom in Modern northern England. It is ruled by King Vortigern, however his Danish mercenaries have slowly gained power over him and by the end of the book appear to be in open revolt challenging his rule.
The Picts - a people north of Hadrians wall. One kingdom is begging to gain political power during this period ruled by Crandal, the grandfather of another child sired by Uther who may have claim to the Pendragon throne.
Ravenglass - A city kingdom governed by King Derek, the man responsible for Uther
Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
's death. The city of Ravenglass
Ravenglass
Ravenglass is a small coastal village and natural harbour in Cumbria, England. It is the only coastal town within the Lake District National Park...
is considered a safe and neutral port for all the nation of the British Isles. Because of this, the ships crews while visiting the harbour must travel unarmed within the premises of the city.
Sons of Condran - Tribe on the Isle of Eire
Éire
is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name.- Etymology :The modern Irish Éire evolved from the Old Irish word Ériu, which was the name of a Gaelic goddess. Ériu is generally believed to have been the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, or...
that is politically opposed to the Scots. Their home regions are to the north of the Scots. The head of the clan is Condran and Brian, one of his sons, is the commander of the Army. Several major defeats of their forces by Brand and Conner of the Scots leave their forces so weak that they are unable to resist further settlement by the Scots in their land.
The Scots
Scoti
Scoti or Scotti was the generic name used by the Romans to describe those who sailed from Ireland to conduct raids on Roman Britain. It was thus synonymous with the modern term Gaels...
or Gaels
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
- a Celtic tribal group that is ruled by the King Athol. The Kingdom is focused on the Western Coastal corridor of Ireland where Athol's Stronghold is located. The region is mostly heavily forested land. This is the group referred to by the Romans as the Scotii. They are colonizing Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia is the Latinised form and name given by the Romans to the land in today's Scotland north of their province of Britannia, beyond the frontier of their empire...
, a land occupied by the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
in modern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Historical Site
The bulk of the book takes place at a fort named Mediobogdum, 9 miles east of RavenglassRavenglass
Ravenglass is a small coastal village and natural harbour in Cumbria, England. It is the only coastal town within the Lake District National Park...
. Today the site is known as the fort at Hardknot Pass
Hardknott Roman Fort
Mediobogdum was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Its remains are located on the western side of the Hardknott Pass in the English county of Cumbria .-The location and name:...
. While writing the book Jack Whyte was taken by his brother to the site and became inspired by it. In the text a several week visit to the fort shapes the depictions of Merlyn's fort in the novel. All of the facilities described in the book, including the lavish bath and cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
foundations for the barracks, are based on the archeological evidence available at the site.
Reconciling the Legend
While hiding near Ravenglass, Merlyn goes by the name Master Cay, a nickname derived from his inherited "Caius". He and Arthur leave Ravenglass by boat, then return through land under the guise of Merlyn as Master Cay and Arthur as his apprentice. This seems to be a reference to KaySir Kay
In Arthurian legend, Sir Kay is Sir Ector's son and King Arthur's foster brother and later seneschal, as well as one of the first Knights of the Round Table. In later literature he is known for his acid tongue and bullying, boorish behavior, but in earlier accounts he was one of Arthur's premier...
in modern literature.