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King Arthur

The best place for “happy-ever-after” feelings is the kingdom of Camelot, ruled by King Arthur, who leaned on the advice of the wizard Merlin to lead the Knights of the Round Table. Except he may be fictional: The tale was popularized in stories dating back to the 800s and it served as the inspiration for Alfred Tennyson’s epic poem. Scholars aren’t sure if these works are based on a real man or on folklore. The legendary King Arthur may have been based on a real warrior who led British armies during the fifth or sixth century. He also may have been the inspiration for historical writings about a warrior king, but no one can confirm whether those were about the mythic Arthur or if he even existed at all—but rest assured that these iconic characters were based on real people.