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In The Enigma of St Galgano, Moiraghi -noted for his work on the Templars - claims that writers such as De Troyes were inspired by the
tale of Galgano and not the other way round. "The dates support this,"
he said. "Galgano died in 1181, and the story of his miraculous act
swiftly became widely known when he was canonized."
De Troyes wrote Perceval in 1190, and Wolfram von Eschenbach wrote the
German version of the Holy Grail myth between 1210 and 1220, also
focusing on Perceval (or Parzifal), the knight of humble origin who
finds the Grail. Richard Wagner based his text for Parsifal, his last
stage work premiered in 1882, on Von Eschenbach.
Moiraghi said that the testimony of Dionisa, St Galgano's mother, to the
panel of cardinals considering his canonization in 1190 contained "all
the essential elements of the Round Table myth": a knight who overcomes
all obstacles to reach his ideal; his search for a Holy Grail (in Galgano's case an indecipherable text he saw in a vision rather than the
cup from the Last Supper); and the "central role of the sword". Tales of
chivalry brought back from Persia by merchants became popular in Tuscany
at about the same time.
Moiraghi said that the Arthurian "round table" may have been inspired by
the shape of the chapel built over the sword in the stone at Montesiepi
(the Rotunda). Even the name "Galgano" may have been corrupted into
"Galvano" by later writers, giving birth to the figure of Gavin or
Gawain, Arthur's nephew and at one stage his ambassador to Rome.
The theory that the legend of St Galgano predates rather than copies the
story of Arthur is supported by tests on the sword at the Tuscan abbey.
Scientists say that it is made of a metal and style "compatible with the
era of St Galgano". Luigi Garlaschelli, a research scientist at the
University of Pavia who helped to conduct the tests, said that there
appeared to be a cavity beneath the rock. The church authorities had not
yet given permission for an excavation to show whether this contained
further evidence, such as the saint's remains.
The Times (London) - June 16, 2003, Monday - SECTION: Overseas news; 12 HEADLINE: King Arthur came from Italy, says historian -BYLINE: Richard Owen