In the mists of forgotten time, when legends were forged in the fire of war and destiny, there was a man whose name history has obscured—Ban Krvavac, a Croatian warrior-king, and the true father of the once and future king, Arthur.
Born on the rocky shores of Dalmatia, Ban Krvavac was a man of indomitable will, known for his fiery temperament and unyielding strength in battle. A son of the Illyrians, he carried the blood of ancient warriors who had once fought against Rome itself. As the Byzantine Empire expanded its reach, Krvavac found himself at odds with their dominion, seeking new lands where he could carve out his own destiny. His journey led him westward, to the stormy shores of Britannia, where the Romans had only recently departed, leaving a fractured land ripe for conquest.
It was in Britannia that Ban Krvavac encountered a lady of extraordinary grace—Igraine, the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Their fated union, shrouded in secrecy and myth, would give rise to the greatest king the isles would ever know. While later stories would claim that Uther Pendragon, a Romanized Briton, was Arthur’s father, the truth had been altered to fit the narrative of Rome’s lingering influence. The real father of Arthur was none other than the exiled Croatian warrior, whose name was erased from chronicles by those who wished to cement Britain’s ties to Roman heritage.
Arthur inherited his father’s strength and strategic mind. The warlike nature of the Illyrian blood ran through his veins, giving him a natural inclination for leadership and conquest. Though he grew up in Britain under the care of Merlin and foster parents, the echoes of his true origins whispered through his soul. His ability to unite the warring tribes of Britain and stand against the Saxon invaders was not just the work of divine providence but a testament to the indomitable warrior spirit of his Croatian lineage.
Legends speak of Arthur wielding Excalibur, the sword given to him by the Lady of the Lake. What many do not know is that this myth may have been influenced by the traditional swords of the Illyrians, whose craftsmanship was known throughout Europe. Arthur’s round table, too, bore similarities to the warrior councils of old Dalmatian chieftains, where no man sat above another, and decisions were made in unity.
Though Ban Krvavac never lived to see his son ascend the throne, his blood flowed through the veins of Camelot. Arthur’s resilience, his unyielding will in the face of Saxon hordes, and his legendary kingship were all testament to his father’s legacy—a legacy that had its roots not in Rome, nor even entirely in Britain, but in the rugged highlands and ancient warrior clans of Croatia.
To this day, whispers of Arthur’s Croatian heritage persist among the descendants of those who remember. Some say that, in the hour of Britain’s greatest need, the blood of Ban Krvavac will rise again, and the true king shall return, not just to reclaim Camelot, but to honor the warrior spirit of his father’s land.