Expert: Mark Smith - 8/20/2009

Question
In the book "The Royal 100," author Alan Hamilton mentions that one of Prince Charles' options when/if he becomes king would be to call himself King Arthur II. I've done some research but I can't find who King Arthur I was (I know there was Arthur I, Duke of Brittany, but there was also Arthur II of Brittany). Any help would be greatly appreciated -- thank you!

Answer
Hello Elizabeth.
It would certainly be unusual. There have been no Kings of England named Arthur unless you include the semi-mythical King Arthur of Camelot.
The only thing I can think of is that the Arthur Duke of Brittany you mentioned should have been King of England in 1199, but the Crown was usurped by his uncle Prince John. Arthur was murdered on King John's orders in 1203, but for four years he was the rightful claimant to the Throne.
Mark