artisans 67Further reading:Marc Michael Epstein, Dreams of
Subversion in Medieval Jewish Art and Literature(Univer-
sity Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1997);
Joseph Gutmann, ed., The Temple of Solomon: Archaeo-
logical Fact and Medieval Tradition in Christian, Islamic,
and Jewish Art(Missoula, Mont.: Published by Scholars
Press for American Academy of Religion, 1976); Joseph
Gutmann, “Jewish Art,” DMA, 7.63–68; Bezalel Narkiss,
Illuminated Hebrew Manuscripts(New York: Alpine Fine
Arts Collections, 1983).
art and architecture, Western SeeGOTHIC;
ROMANESQUE.
Artevelde, Jacob van(ca. 1290–1345)Flemish politi-
cian, merchant
Born about 1290 in Ghent, Jacob van Artevelde was a
member of the upper class and a successful cloth mer-
chant who imported wool from England. In 1338 he was
chosen as leader in GHENT’s struggle against the pro-
French Count Louis of Nevers. His ambition was to
restore social and political peace within the town by
broadening participation in the municipal government.
He permitted weavers to sit among the governors of the
town, together with representatives of other trades,
including the fullers. The main business of the town
and the region was cloth production. He then negotiated
a federation of the three towns of Ghent, BRUGES, and
Ypres. An ineffective regent had been appointed to
replace the count, who had been expelled and fled
to France, so Artevelde exercised effective power. He
initially pursued a policy of neutrality in the HUNDRED
YEARS’WAR. To restore commercial relations with
ENGLAND, in 1339 he changed positions and concluded
an alliance with England against FRANCE. Artevelde
worked to establish a federation among the counties of
BRABANT,FLANDERS, and Hainault. His authority dwin-
dled during further social struggles between the weavers
and fullers. During a weavers’ revolt in July of 1345, he
was murdered.
Further reading: Patricia Carson, James Artevelde:
The Man from Ghent(Ghent: E. Story-Scientia, 1980);
David Nicholas, The van Arteveldes of Ghent: The Varieties
of Vendetta and the Hero in History(Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell
University Press, 1988).
Arthur, King, and Arthurian literaturelegendary
hero of the Celtic Britons
The Arthurian legends appear in chronicles of the 12th
century and later; it seems to have had a historical foun-
dation. In 540 the Celtic historian GILDASreported that,
at the beginning of the century, a warrior named Arthur
halted the ANGLO-SAXONconquest of western Britain and
won a number of battles, the most important of which
was fought at Mons Badonis. In the ninth and 10th cen-
turies, chroniclers described Arthur as a Christian leader
who fought against the pagan Anglo-Saxons and was
perhaps killed in battle in 537. From the beginning of
the 12th century, Arthur was transformed into the
mythological figure whose youth was spent in wandering
and marked by miracles. Eventually as a mythical king,
he even conquered European countries such as SPAIN
and ITA LY.
The other aspects of his court and life were also the
subject of 12th-century French literature. He held his
court at a “round table,” around which sat 12 knights,
symbolizing the 12 apostles of Christ and personifying
ideals of perfect chivalry. This fell apart when his sister’s
son, Mordred, who had kidnaped Arthur’s wife, GUINE-
VERE, rebelled and conquered his kingdom. Arthur,
severely wounded, took refuge on the island of Avalon,
with his sister, the witch Morgan le Fay. He remained
there, waiting to return when needed to save Britain from
foreign conquerors. This legendary account became from
the 1160s the basis of romances in French initially at the
court of the counts of Champagne. Arthur and his
knights were heroes of poems and romances showing
them as archetypes of French chivalry. They were war-
riors and men of fidelity, wise and perfect Christians, but
sometime flawed human beings. The most important
poet of this Arthurian cycle was CHRÉTIENde Troyes. By
the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th cen-
tury, a growing number of works were written about
heroes such as PERCEVALand TRISTAN. Arthurian romance
became popular in England, where in 1470 Sir Thomas
MALORYcomposed his synthesis, the Morte d’ Arthur,
printed by CAXTON. In it he concluded the medieval cycle
and drew together all the heroes of the various tales.
See also BRUT, THE;GAWAIN AND THE GAWAIN
ROMANCES;GOTTFRIED OF STRASSBURG; WACE;WILLIAM
OFMALMESBURY;WOLFRAM VONESCHENBACH.
Further reading:Rodney Castleden, King Arthur: The
Truth behind the Legend(New York: Routledge, 2000);
Christopher Dean, Arthur of England: English Attitudes to
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in the Mid-
dle Ages and the Renaissance (Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 1987); John Morris, The Age of Arhur: A
History of the British Isles from 350 to 650(New York:
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1973); D. D. R. Owen,
“Arthurian Legend,” in European Writers: The Middle Ages
and the Renaissance,Vol. 1, Prudentius to Medieval Drama,
ed. William T. H. Jackson and George Stade (New York:
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1983), 137–160; Gwyn A.
Williams, Excalibur: The Search for Arthur(London: BBC
Books, 1994).artillery SeeWEAPONS AND WEAPONRY.artisans SeeGUILDS; SOCIAL STATUS.