I was rewatching an old favorite Netflix show "Merlin" (because what else is a college student supposed to do the first week of summer break?) and realized that it was quite strange how incredibly influential the story of King Arthur has been throughout the years. Other such legendary figures make similarly interesting cuts in history, but the sleeping Kings of the ancient United Kingdom hold a unique place due to the fact that not only are their actions and influence under debate by historians but in certain cases, their very existence is questioned.

The thing about the figures of kings such as Prince Owain Glyndwr and King Arthur Pendragon is that they are more story than fact. Too little is known about them for them to have any reasonable influence over modern life, and yet the images that they awaken in the minds of the people are as familiar and powerful as that of a particularly nostalgic memory. What is it about these ancient kings that has managed to hold the attention of so many people throughout history? Why is it these names that have captured the minds and imaginations of the populace?

Owain Glyndwr was born somewhere between 1354-1359 to a wealthy family and got the best education money could buy at the time, focusing in law. His parents were each of noble blood, descended from Welsh royalty, which meant that Glyndwr was the heir of not one, but two Welsh thrones. Glyndwr was a true rebel with a cause, and he quickly seized the opportunity as soon as he could to turn a petty feud with his neighbor into an all-out national war for Welsh independence. With the help of his numerous supporters, Glyndwr gained control of most of Wales and proclaimed himself the Prince of Wales by 1404. His rebellion was quenched ruthlessly afterward by the English, however, and little is known about Glyndwr’s actions from then on.

Guerilla warfare continued for the next couple of decades, but the source of such battles, the leaders, and the aim remains unknown, leading many historians to believe that these bouts of violence were merely the work of bandits rather than any real military force taken by Glyndwr. Though there is no record of where or when he died, Glyndwr remained a key figure of Welsh history even centuries later; when the Welsh nation was finally allowed to raise its head again in the nineteenth century, they used the name and legend of Owain Glyndwr as a marshaling rally of independence and national pride. To this day, his presence remains strong, his visage appearing everywhere from national monuments to local pubs and breweries. Tales persist to this day that, should the people of Wales ever find themselves threatened, he will rise again to lead them once more to a rallying victory.

Where Glyndwr’s life and death are shrouded in mystery and mayhem, the stories surrounding the Great King Arthur Pendragon are detailed and delightful. The irony of this lies in the fact that while Owain Glyndwr is a name set in history books and understood to be a real historical figure, King Arthur is a name put to a figure of mere legend. Even among the group of historians who do believe that Arthur was real, there is a debate on whether he was a single person or the amalgamation of the stories and glories of several different rulers of the Dark Ages. He is referenced as the hero who led the Britons to victory over the Saxons, but there is no reliable account naming Arthur as the ruler of the Britons at the time.

The blurred lines surrounding the legend of King Arthur can be readily attributed to the story-telling of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who made the name of King Arthur famous and added his own brand of magic and mysticism to the tales, showering the stories with sorcerers and enchantresses, love and lust, betrayal and loyalty. Sir Thomas Malory made the stories lasting and relevant with his Le Morte d’Arthur. The story has, of course, been the victim of change, both through people and through time, but the basic story - that of the pauper born out of wedlock, gifted to a magician to be a just king, who ruled alongside his knights at a round table before dying a glorious and noble death - remains the same. The idea that Arthur Pendragon will return when his people need him most is perhaps the most magical and hopeful aspect of the legend, and one that keeps the story alive and transforms it into not a finished tale, but rather an ongoing story yet to be completed.

The stories of Arthur Pendragon and Owain Glyndwr share many similarities; they were both powerful men born in times where little was expected of them. Their people needed a figure to look up to, someone who was more than a man and who could take up the mantle of a hero. Both men (whether real or made up) led their followers with fairness, trust, and passion, taking victory after victory from their tyrannical and/or irresponsible enemies. Arthur and Glyndwr gave everything they had to their causes, ruling justly and putting their people first. They gave their lives willingly and with dignity, and will return again when called upon by their subjects’ need. Wales, as a part of the United Kingdom, is under the same rule as that of Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland.

Despite this common rule, Welsh nationalism runs strong even today, and many Welsh citizens advocate for independence, using the story of Owain Glyndwr as inspiration and as a model to follow. Similarly, during WWII, people theorized that Winston Churchill was King Arthur, reincarnated to save Great Britain from the iron-fisted rule of Germany; citizens of Great Britain rallied behind Churchill’s unbending determination even as they crouched in their basements under the hailstorm of bombs dropped on their homes during air raids. King Arthur and Prince Glendower are names to rally behind, names to inspire, names to keep the people going no matter what. There is little room to contemplate why; these men and their actions have been built up by centuries of glorification, desperation, and a hungry, hungry need for both motivation and unification.

The media is eager to latch onto these ready-made stories and are more than willing to forget fact in favor of drama and to embrace these hyper-realized heroes. One only has to jump online or go to Netflix to realize the extent of the reach of Glyndwr and King Arthur’s influence. The movie “Arthur” and the previously mentioned BBC television series “Merlin” both highlight the glories of the great King Arthur and his diplomatic rule, round table and courageous knights included. The book series The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater exemplifies and glorifies the wisdom and nobility of Owain Glyndwr. The video game “King Arthur” is overflowing with action and rewards for vanquishing enemy armies. Welsh pubs and statues honor Glyndwr’s visage and offer tribute to him in toasts and celebrations. For the past decade, critics have complained about the reuse and rebooting of old stories to make new movies such as the live-action “Cinderella” and “Beauty and the Beast” (Wood, 2017), but the fact of the matter is that old stories have lasted because they are good enough to be retold over and over again.

Even beyond media, old stories hold power over people. Arthur’s use of a roundtable to physically represent the equal consideration and relevance of his subjects’ opinions takes form in modern ideals for a democratically relegated government ruled by the people rather than a single person. Glyndwr was bragged on by his advisors and allies that he never made a single command in all his time leading his people, but rather lead through requests, mutual trust, and by example. The portrayal by both historically accurate records and by the media of these two great leaders influences many people today to have a wistful hope and longing for a better future; during times of either duress or boredom, many amateur archaeologists have even taken it upon themselves to search for, discover, and wake the legendary figures.

The populace has always had a keen eye for drama and glory. People look for legends, for magic, for lore; they need look no further than the rolling barrows of the romanticized old countryside of the United Kingdom. The land shimmers with the dust of history, and secrets hide in dark cellars, squatted beneath buildings held up by the timbers of forests long dead. The greatest and oldest of these legends are those of the old sleeping kings. Their stories are those of glory and hope, tragedy, and loss. What too many people do not realize is that they are just that - stories. Logic and science dictate that Arthur and Glyndwr are long dead, and experience shows that they are not coming back.Their name and their stories, however, have and will carry on, changing and evolving over time along with the lives of the people who tell the tales. Many would dismiss King Arthur and Owain Glyndwr as merely names and titles now, with no real relevance. Often, however, such names are all that is needed for their followers to keep plodding on, determined to turn such stories and hopes into history and fact. They are names for which people will fight, for which people will celebrate, for which people will hope and wait. King Arthur Pendragon and Prince Owain Glyndwr are long dead - but that is not what really matters, is it? The story is what matters; the story is what keeps them alive, and the story is what will inspire people for generations to come.