Book 1 Summary

Book 1 recounts the conception of Arthur, his coming to power, his coronation, his fights to establish the empire, and the foretelling of his ultimate demise.

King of England, Uther Pendragon, calls his enemy, the Duke of Tintagil, and his wife, Igraine, for an audience. King Uther desires Igraine so much that he plans a deception in order to sleep with her. Uther's armies surround Tintagil's castle, and Uther falls "ill for love of Igraine," and Merlin is sent for. Merlin promises to help Uther and give him all his desires if Uther agrees to Merlin's demands. The price Merlin demands is the child of the union of Igraine and Uther. Merlin plots with Uther to disguise himself as Tintagil after Uther kills him. Igraine does not know her husband is dead and accepts the guise that Uther is her husband, conceiving Arthur three...