Why did King Arthur pull the sword from the stone in the first place?
History · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
King Arthur pulled the sword from the stone as part of a test to identify the rightful king of Britain. According to Arthurian legend, the sword in the stone could only be pulled out by the true king, someone worthy of the throne's power and responsibility. The event signified Arthur's legitimacy and divine right to rule. The famous sword, often referred to as Excalibur in later stories (though some accounts distinguish between the two), was set into an anvil on top of a stone by Merlin, the wizard and counselor to Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father. After Uther's death, the kingdom lacked a king, and Merlin arranged for this challenge to reveal the rightful heir. Many tried to pull the sword from the stone, but only Arthur succeeded, thereby proving his royal lineage and claim to the throne of England.