# Mythological king > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mythological_king > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mythological_king.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythological_king > Source revision: 1131053338 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Archetype in mythology This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) King Arthur by Charles Ernest Butler, 1903 A **mythological king** is an [archetype](/source/Archetype) in [mythology](/source/Mythology). A king is considered a "mythological king" if he is included and described in the culture's [mythology](/source/Mythology). Unlike a [fictional](/source/Fiction) king, aspects of their lives may have been real and legendary, or that the culture (through legend and story telling) believed to be real. In the [myth](/source/Myth), the legends that surround any historical truth might have evolved into symbols of "kinship" and leadership, and expanded with descriptions of spiritual, [supernatural](/source/Supernatural) or magical chain of events. For example, in legend the king may have magical weapons and fight dragons or other mythological beasts. His [archetypical](/source/Archetype) role is usually to protect and serve the people. ## Archetypes of kings One mythological [archetype](/source/Archetype) is the "good king" (McConnel 1979), also sometimes called the "monarchical hero". The "good king" is often the [epic hero](/source/Epic_hero) who made his world safe for civilization. Two examples that scholars have identified as filling the roles and earning the reputation of "good kings" were [King Arthur](/source/King_Arthur) and [Beowulf](/source/Beowulf), above and beyond their legendary and historic lives. Beowulf for example is a mythological king in training in the [epic](/source/Epic_poetry) tradition, because he fights "a strenuous battle against the disorganization of the universe." (McConnel 1979:59) Another is the great king "Oxthar", a leopard headed man that journeyed to the mythical underworld of Palulu (which is the supposed place where the sun goes to rest at night) and stole glowing stones from the bed of the sun to give light and power to his people. ## Mythemes of kings Some [mythemes](/source/Mytheme) and cultural belief systems that are explored through myths about kings include: what is the source of the king's power, what is the training he must go through, what tests of courage does he pass, what are the battles he must fight, and what are the effects of taking power. In [epics](/source/Epic_poetry) of war, source of power is often having physical skills above ordinary men, owning "magical" weapons and political alliances. In spiritual mythologies the king's power may come from a spiritual source and also spiritual weapons. In romantic and contemplative myths his power and success may from internal personality traits, such as from courage, wisdom and self-restraint. Another common theme is the king's wounds, sacrifice and (sometimes) death for the betterment of the people. The [Fisher King](/source/Fisher_King) is an example of theme of the "wounded king." One other theme to be aware of in [storytelling](/source/Storytelling) and mythology is that the king's health is often symbolic of the health of the kingdom or society: For example, a sick king means a weakened and vulnerable society, a healthy king means a healthy society, an emotionally or physically distant king means the society is in danger. Also, the installation of kings at the New Year was believed to renew the [cosmos](/source/Cosmos): "The king becomes in a manner responsible for the stability, the fecundity and the prosperity of the entire Cosmos." (Eliade 1963:41) ## See also - [List of legendary kings of Britain](/source/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Britain) - [List of legendary kings of Denmark](/source/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Denmark) - [List of legendary kings of Norway](/source/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Norway) - [List of legendary kings of Scotland](/source/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Scotland) - [List of legendary kings of Sweden](/source/List_of_legendary_kings_of_Sweden) - [Kayanian dynasty](/source/Kayanian_dynasty), legendary kings from Iran - [Great King](/source/Great_King) - [Sacred king](/source/Sacred_king) - [Great Catholic Monarch](/source/Great_Catholic_Monarch) - [Katechon](/source/Katechon) - Eschatological King - [Golden Bough](/source/Golden_Bough) - [King in the Mountain](/source/King_in_the_Mountain) - [King Arthur's messianic return](/source/King_Arthur's_messianic_return) - [Kings' sagas](/source/Kings'_sagas) - [Saga](/source/Saga) ## References - [Eliade, Mircea](/source/Mircea_Eliade) (translated). *Myths and Reality.* Translated from French by Trask, William, edited by [Ruth Nanda Anshen](/source/Ruth_Nanda_Anshen). New York: Harper and Row, 1963. (esp. Section III "Myths and Rites of Renewal"; Section IX "Survivals and Camaflages of Myths - Eschatological Myths of the Middle Ages") - McConnell, Frank. *Storytelling and Mythmaking.* New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-503210-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-503210-1) . (Discusses the different types of mythological kings) v t e Stock characters List Archetype By role Protagonists Heroes Action hero Bard Chosen One Christ figure Dwarf Everyman Folk hero Knight-errant Dragonslayer White knight Mythological king Paladin Reluctant hero Superhero Cyberhero Legacy hero Super soldier Space marine Youngest son Antiheroes Byronic hero Superfluous man Lovable rogue Fool Man alone Outlaw Pirate Air pirate Space pirate Rake Tragic hero Trickster Tricky slave Supporting Sidekick Donor Imaginary friend Shoulder angel Straight man Redshirt Henchman Igor Consigliere Caporegime Goon squad Antagonists Villains Alazon Archenemy False hero Black Knight Double agent Evil twin Mole Dark lord Mad scientist Masked villain Supervillain Sympathetic villain Monsters Alien Bug-eyed monster Little green men Cyborg Demon Folk devil Evil clown Killer robot Killer toy Lovecraftian horror Minotaur Monster girl Mole people Mutant Goblin Orc Giant Cyclopes Ogre Troll Skeleton Slime Swamp monster Werewolf Hellhound Vampire Lesbian vampire Zombie Nazi zombie Zombie animal By stereotype Gendered Feminine Class S Laotong Damsel in distress Princess and dragon Final girl Girl next door Idealized Gibson Girl Princesse lointaine Southern belle Yamato nadeshiko Lady-in-waiting Fairy godmother Hag Cat lady Crone Loathly lady Witch Hooker with a heart of gold Ingénue Blonde Farmer's daughter Loosu ponnu Manic Pixie Dream Girl Strong female Dragon Lady Femme fatale Hawksian woman Jungle girl Queen bee Woman warrior Masculine Bad boy Jock Father figure Absent-minded professor Elderly martial arts master Mountain man Wise old man Ivan the Fool Jack Little Johnny Nice guy Prince Charming Cavalier Wizard Racialized American mappillai Barbarian Magical Negro Mammy Nice Jewish boy Noble savage Token Tragic mulatto White savior Classist Feral child Gentleman detective Gentleman thief Town drunk Village idiot By media Anime Bishōjo Bishōnen Magical girl Magical girlfriend Catgirl Seme and uke Truck-kun Tsundere Commedia dell'arte Brighella Columbina Harlequin Innamorati La Ruffiana Scapino Pulcinella Pierrot Vecchio Pantalone Il Dottore Il Capitano Zanni --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mythological king](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythological_king) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythological_king?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.