Historia Regum Britanniae

Written by Simon Williams

Written around 1136, Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae gave Britain its first comprehensive written origin story, tracing the island from Trojan founder Brutus to the Saxon conquest. Though largely fictional, it shaped the literary traditions of King Arthur and Merlin for nine centuries.

Key Facts

• Author: Geoffrey of Monmouth (cleric of Welsh or Breton descent, c.1100 to 1155)
• Date Written: c.1136 CE
• Language: Latin
• Scope: Legendary founding of Britain (after the fall of Troy) to the Saxon conquest, c.7th century AD
• Key Figures: King Arthur, Merlin, King Leir (Lear), Cymbeline, Brutus of Troy
• Primary Claim: Based on a "very ancient book in the British tongue" given to Geoffrey by Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford, widely regarded by scholars as a fabrication
• Legacy: Over 200 surviving medieval manuscripts; one of the most widely read books of the 12th and 13th centuries

The Historia Regum Britanniae

The Historia Regum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain) is a 12th century chronicle written in Latin that recounts the history of Britain from its mythical founding by Brutus of Troy up to the Anglo-Saxon period in the 7th century.

Penned by Geoffrey of Monmouth sometime around 1136, this work mixes legend, myth and fact in its grand narrative of Britain's storied past.

Significance of Historia Regum Britanniae

Though later criticised for its lack of historical accuracy, the Historia Regum Britanniae was hugely significant in medieval England and Europe for providing a newly written origin story for Britain. The myths it established, especially concerning King Arthur, also proved widely influential.

Overview of Contents

The contents of the Historia Regum Britanniae stretch over a thousand years, chronicling both imaginary and real rulers and events. It includes tales of figures like Brutus, Leir and King Arthur alongside details on the coming of the Saxons. Though a mixture of myth and fact, it provides a window into medieval ideas about Britain's past.

About Geoffrey of Monmouth

The author of the Historia Regum Britanniae was Geoffrey of Monmouth, a medieval Welsh cleric and writer who lived circa 1100 to 1155 CE. Geoffrey served as Bishop of St Asaph in Wales after being educated at Oxford. It was at Oxford that he gained access to various historical manuscripts that aided him in compiling the Historia.

Motivations for Writing

Geoffrey undertook writing the Historia as a chronicle of British history in order to provide the people of Britain with a glorious national origin story. Britain lacked its own comprehensive written history compared to other European nations at the time. The work helped inspire national pride by detailing the deeds of early legendary kings.

Sources and Influences

In constructing his history, Geoffrey relied on earlier texts like the Prophetiae Merlini as well as legends and oral tales. Though he claimed the work was a translation of a "very old book" in the British tongue, this was likely fabricated to lend credibility. Despite invented elements, the Historia drew on some authentic ancient works.

Publication and Contemporary Response

The Historia Regum Britanniae was first circulated around 1136 CE and soon gained immense popularity in England and France. The myths it relayed, though not historically accurate, captured imaginations. Yet it also received some criticism for Geoffrey's liberal mixing of fact with legend.

Foundation Myths and Early Kings

The Historia begins with the foundation of Britain by Brutus of Troy, great-grandson of Aeneas, after the Trojan War. It includes tales of early kings like Dunvallo Molmutius, famous for establishing laws, and Locrinus, who divided Britain between his three sons. Other mythical monarchs chronicled include Leir and Bladud.

King Arthur and Merlin in the Historia

A significant portion of the Historia focuses on King Arthur, from his conception at Tintagel to his final battle at Camlann. Geoffrey provides one of the earliest written accounts of Arthur's conquests across Europe and his founding of Camelot. The wizard Merlin also features prominently, with accounts of his prophecies and magical feats.

The Arrival of the Saxons

Later sections document the invasion of the Saxons including figures like Hengist and Horsa. Key battles covered include Aurelius Ambrosius' victory at Wallop and Arthur's triumph at Bath. The Saxons are painted as usurpers whose conquest heralds the end of Britain's golden age.

Span of History Covered

In total, the Historia Regum Britanniae chronicles over 1,300 years of British history from the landing of Brutus circa 1115 BC to the late 6th century AD Saxon conquest, though the earlier sections are purely mythological. The mix of legend and fact provides insight into medieval views of Britain's past.

Legacy and Significance

The Historia Regum Britanniae proved immensely popular when circulated in England and France. It helped inspire prolific writing about King Arthur, with later authors elaborating on Geoffrey's accounts in works like the Lancelot-Grail Cycle. Geoffrey's imaginative history gained wider credibility despite its inaccuracies.

Contributions to National Identity

By providing a coherent, linear history for Britain, the Historia helped foster a new sense of national identity and pride. It filled a lack of written history compared to other European peoples. The mythical kings and events Geoffrey chronicled were assumed as part of the past.

Criticism and Historical Accuracy

In later centuries, the Historia faced growing criticism regarding its veracity as scholars like Polydore Vergil challenged Geoffrey's claims. However, it remained valued as a literary work, capturing 12th century conceptions of history. Geoffrey intermixed myth, oral tales, and fragments of authentic ancient texts.

Lasting Literary Significance

Though the details it relates are fanciful, the Historia Regum Britanniae helped popularise figures of British legend like Arthur, Merlin, and Lear. By transmitting these stories in written form, Geoffrey preserved seminal myths that are still retold today. The work stands as a foundational piece of British literature and a window into how medieval writers understood the distant past.

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This article is part of the Myths and Legends series on Histories and Castles.

Deepen Your Understanding

History rarely happens in isolation. The people, texts, and ideas on this page are part of a much bigger story. The articles below explore the threads that connect to what you have just read.

→ The History of the Kings of Britain: The chronicle in detail, what it records, what it invented, and why medieval Europe took it seriously

→ Welsh Mythology and King Arthur: The Celtic Origins: The Welsh Arthur who preceded Geoffrey's literary invention by centuries

→ Geoffrey of Monmouth: A Historical and Literary Figure: The man behind the chronicle, his life, education, and methods

→ Welsh Mythology: The Complete Beginner's Guide: The wider mythological world that Geoffrey drew from and transformed

→ King Arthur: From Geoffrey's chronicle to medieval Europe's most popular legend

People Also Ask

Who was Brutus of Troy and why is he in the Historia Regum Britanniae?

Geoffrey begins his history with Brutus, a great-grandson of the Trojan hero Aeneas. According to the text, Brutus was led by the goddess Diana to a deserted island (Britain), then inhabited only by a few giants. By claiming a Trojan origin for Britain, Geoffrey was attempting to give the Britons a pedigree as ancient and noble as that of the Romans, providing a classical foundation for the British state.

How did Geoffrey of Monmouth create the character of Merlin?

Before the Historia, there was a figure in Welsh folklore known as Myrddin Wyllt, a wild man and prophet. Geoffrey combined these legends with the story of a boy named Ambrosius to create Merlinus. He credited Merlin with the magical movement of the stones of Stonehenge from Ireland to Salisbury Plain, and with the prophecies that foretold the future of the British Isles.

Was the Historia Regum Britanniae considered unreliable in the Middle Ages?

While many medieval readers and monarchs accepted it as truth, some contemporary scholars were deeply sceptical. The historian William of Newburgh famously accused Geoffrey of lying shamelessly. However, despite these criticisms, the book was a medieval bestseller with over 200 surviving manuscripts, proving that the desire for a heroic national identity often outweighed the need for factual accuracy.

What is the connection between the Historia and King Lear?

Long before Shakespeare wrote his famous tragedy, Geoffrey recorded the story of King Leir. In the Historia, Leir is a 10th-century BC king who founded Leicester and is eventually betrayed by two of his daughters, Goneril and Regan. Geoffrey's version has a happier ending: Leir is restored to his throne by his youngest daughter, Cordeilla, and her husband, the King of the Franks.

How did the Historia Regum Britanniae influence medieval literature?

The Historia became one of the most widely read books of the 12th and 13th centuries, circulating in more than 200 manuscript copies across England and France. It directly inspired the flowering of Arthurian romance, with writers from Wace to Layamon and later the authors of the Lancelot-Grail Cycle all building on Geoffrey's framework. Without the Historia, there is no Camelot, no Round Table, and no Arthurian tradition as we know it.

Where can I read the Historia Regum Britanniae today?

The most accessible modern translation is Lewis Thorpe's Penguin Classics edition, titled The History of the Kings of Britain (1966), which remains in print and is widely available. The British Library holds significant manuscript copies, and images of some are available through their online catalogue. Academic readers may also consult the scholarly edition by Michael Reeve and Neil Wright (Boydell Press, 2007), which provides the Latin text alongside a critical apparatus.

Primary Sources and Further Reading

• Geoffrey of Monmouth (c.1136) — Historia Regum Britanniae. Modern translation: Lewis Thorpe, The History of the Kings of Britain, Penguin Classics, 1966. The primary source for the text itself.
• Reeve, M.D. and Wright, N. (eds.) (2007) — Historia Regum Britanniae: The History of the Kings of Britain, Boydell Press. The standard scholarly edition with Latin text and critical apparatus.
• Tatlock, J.S.P. (1950) — The Legendary History of Britain: Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae and Its Early Vernacular Versions, University of California Press. The foundational academic study.
• Roberts, Brynley F. (1984) — "Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniae and Brut y Brenhinedd." In Arthur of the Welsh, University of Wales Press. Examines the Welsh context and sources Geoffrey drew upon.
• The British Library — Holds significant manuscript copies of the Historia. See: bl.uk collection item

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