Thread by @ActualAurochs

Historical Arthur Candidates PT. 1
In our first installment we outline potential inspirations for King Arthur that might not be in the right time or place. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but ten candidates I find the interesting. There is no particular order here.

1. Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig) - Negotiated with Theodosius I to usurp Emperor Gratian. Magnus supposedly married a british woman, Saint Elen or Helen (not to be confused with St. Helena, mother of Constantine The Great). Many Medieval Welsh Kings traced their ancestry to him.

Magnus’ european campaigns may have been the inspiration for the stories of Arthur’s Roman Campaign.

2. Ambrosius Aurelianus (Emrys Wledig)(Aurelius Ambrosius) Later considered Arthur’s uncle and Uther’s brother, Ambrosius gains traction as a candidate because Gildas actually does mention him by name, whereas he doesn’t mention Arthur

(There is speculative justification for Gildas not mentioning Arthur) Gildas mentions that under Ambrosius’ strength that the Britons began holding their own and keeping the saxons at bay.

The phrasing Gildas uses here seems to denote a fair amount of time had passed between Ambrosius and Badon. Ambrosius would have likely been close to 60 at the time of Badon, perfectly acceptable, but close to 80 around Camlann. Ambrosius had to hand power off to someone though.

3. Riothamus - A King of the Britons active c. 470 AD. Fought the Goths while allied with the W.R.E. seems to have been king on both sides of the channel. He could be both Arthur or Ambrosius (although Ambrosius is more likely)

Riothamus was betrayed similarly to Arthur, also campaigned in Gaul like Arthur. Doesn’t seem to have been the Arthur of Badon though.

4. Lucius Artorius Castus - One of the main connections here should be obvious. His name. If you are familiar with the Sarmatian theory then you will find him familiar. Definitely could have lent inspiration but of course is not our Arthur of Badon

5. Urien of Rheged - Lived too late to be the Arthur of Badon but still had quite impressive exploits that could have been merged into memory as being Arthur’s battles. Assassinated by Morcant Bwlch, reminiscent of Mordred and Arthur

6. Æthelstan - I like this one because it’s sure to rustle jimmies. Achieving peace much the way Arthur did in his pax-arthuriana. Æthelstan's victory at Brunanburh echoes Arthur’s at Badon. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see his life resonating with say Geoffrey of Monmouth.

7. Artuir mac Aedan - Entire books have been dedicated to proving that Artuir is “THE” Arthur. A prince of the Dal Riatan Scots, Was a war leader, but died before becoming king himself (Arthur is often said to have fought alongside Kings, but wasn't necessarily a king himself),

even contemporary with the real Merlin (although the were likely on different sides of battle themselves) But far later than our Arthur. May be the Arthur of Y Gododdin (though I doubt it)

8. Artuir ap Bicor - Recorded in the Irish Annals as killing the giant Mongen with a sling. Easily integrated into a surrounding legendary framework, but not our Arthur.

9. Arthwys ap Meurig - Son of Meurig son of Tewdric, prime pedigree from Gwent, but lived over 100 years after Badon. Appears in one manuscript with the name Arthur though. One of the closest Arthur candidates to the writing of The Mabinogion so potentially fresher in memory.

10. Charlemagne - This one is also a potential rustler of jimmies. There are many echoes in “The Matter of Britain” and “The Matter of France” with Charlemagne and Arthur both put forward as almost godlike kings among men.

All of these entries could be disputed, expanded upon, discounted entirely, or replaced. But these are some of the interesting ones in my opinion who may form part of our "Composite" Arthur of later legend.