An examination of both the role played by Fortune in Arthurian literature and legend, and the fortunes of the legend itself.

The essays in this volume offer a general overview and a number of detailed examinations of Arthur's fortunes, in two senses. First is the role of Fortune itself, often personified and consistently instrumental, in accounts of Arthur's court and reign. More generally the articles trace the trajectory of the Arthurian legend - its birth, rise and decline - through the middle ages. The final essay follows the continued turning of Fortune's wheel, emphasizingthe modern revival and flourishing of the legend. The authors, all distinguished Arthurian scholars, illustrate their arguments through studies of early Latin and Welsh sources, chronicles, romances [in English, French, German, Italian, Latin and Welsh], manuscript illustration and modern literary texts.

Contributors: CHRISTOPHER A. SNYDER, SIAN ECHARD, EDWARD DONALD KENNEDY, W.R.J. BARRON, DENNIS H. GREEN, NORRIS LACY, CERIDWEN LLOYD-MORGAN, JOAN TASKER GRIMBERT, ALISON STONES, NEIL THOMAS, JANE H.M. TAYLOR, CAROLINE D. ECKHARDT, ALAN C LUPACK.