The legend of King Arthur The story of King Arthur with his lovely Queen and noble knights, with the Round Table, Excalibur and the Holy Grail, is probably more than 1,500 years old. According to 1 the historians, Arthur was a war leader in postRoman Britain who fought against2 the invasions of the Saxons. The Romans left Britain around 410 A.D. Some time later the Saxons started to raid 3 and invade Britain, pushing its Celtic population to the west and the north of the island. Gildas, a monk 4 who lived in the sixth century (after the time King Arthur probably died), wrote a book about the Saxon invasions. He speaks of a battle at a place called Mt. Badon. That battle stopped the Saxons advance for a long time. Gildas did not specifically name King Arthur but he, or someone similar, was fighting the Saxons at that time. 1. according to: following. 2. fought (fight-fought-fought) against: opposed (the Saxons) with arms. 3. raid: make sudden attacks. 4. monk: member of a community of religious men.