What do we call the medieval stories about King Arthur and his knights?

The story behind the answer

These medieval tales center on King Arthur, Camelot, and the Knights of the Round Table—Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot—and form a distinct legendary cycle focused on quests like the Holy Grail and ideals of knighthood. “Chivalric” and “courtly” romances describe broader literary genres emphasizing knightly conduct and refined love, but they aren’t limited to Arthur’s world; “Celtic myths” are older insular traditions that influenced, yet remain separate from, these stories.

The cycle took shape in the 12th–15th centuries through writers such as Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes, and later Sir Thomas Malory, helping define medieval virtues and inspiring centuries of art and literature—from illuminated manuscripts to modern fantasy.