The Round Table
The Myths and Legends of its Origins
The Round Table is rumoured to have seated between 25 and 150 people. According to most of the Legends associated with the Round Table it was used to host a series of banquets at Camelot, taking place each year at Pentecost. The Round Table was first mentioned in about 1155, By Wace in his "Roman de Brut,". According to Wace King Arthur installed the the table in order to prevent quarrels over seating precedence, as a circular table had no head. Though the 'Siege Perilous' myth suggest that this was not entirely successful.
According to De Boron and the Vulgate Cycle, Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon was responsible for the table's construction. According to these texts after hearing Merlin's tales of St. Joseph of Arimathea and the Grail Table he had it made and gave it to King Leodegrance (of Cameliard) and it eventually was given to Arthur as a wedding present when he marriaged Guinevere (Leodegrance's daughter).
Despite the fact that the table was round it saw arguments. After Lancelot and Arthur's wife Queen Guinevere betrayed their king by becoming lovers Sir Lancelot and the knights gathered at the Round Table to hold a meeting of the Council of the Order of the Knights of the Round Table. Some accounts suggest that Lancelot voluntarily quits the order and leaves for France. Those knights who argued in his favour at the meeting also went to France with him. This struck a severe blow to King Arthur's court and subsequently the Kingdom was never the same again.
The remaining members of the order later met again at the Round Table for the last time when King Arthur became fatally ill. This is where an image of the Holy Grail first appears above the Round Table which prompts the quest to find the Grail in the desperate hope of saving the king. In many versions of the story, Arthur is sitting at the Round Table in despair at the state of his kingdom when the Grail finally arrives in time to save him.
Other accounts still suggest that the Round Table was linked to the Grail Table which was created by Joseph of Arimathea to house the Holy Grail which holds the blood of Christ. Some suggest that The Round Table was created by Merlin which holds some credence given the myth of 'Siege Perilous'.