Brutus Greenshield facts for kids
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Brutus Greenshield (also known as Brutus Darian Las in Welsh) was a legendary king of the Britons. He is mainly known from the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth, a historian from the 1100s. Brutus Greenshield was believed to be the son of King Ebraucus.
Brutus Greenshield: A Legendary King
According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's stories, Brutus Greenshield was the oldest of King Ebraucus's twenty sons. He was the only one of Ebraucus's sons who stayed in Britain. His other brothers had gone to Germany to start a new kingdom there.
Brutus Greenshield ruled for twelve years after his father passed away. After his reign, his son, Leil, became the next king. Geoffrey of Monmouth's book does not share many more details about Brutus Greenshield's life.
Brutus Greenshield in Old Stories
Even though Geoffrey of Monmouth didn't say much about him, Brutus Greenshield became quite famous later on. During the time of Queen Elizabeth I in England (the late 1500s), people started to see him as a great warrior.
One writer, Polydore Vergil, said Brutus Greenshield was not very well-known. However, other writers began to tell exciting stories about him. They said he led an army against the French in a place called Hainaut.
- The poet Michael Drayton wrote about Brutus Greenshield in his long poem Poly-Olbion. He called him "Brute Green-Shield" and said he helped bring new life to the land.
- Another famous poet, Edmund Spenser, also wrote about this battle in his poem The Faerie Queene. He described how Brutus Greenshield fought a big battle at Hainaut. The story says his green shield turned red with blood during the fight.
These stories about Brutus Greenshield's trip to Hainaut became very important. People in Elizabethan England saw it as the first time Britain tried to expand its influence outside its own land. It was like a mythical start to the idea of a British empire. Hainaut was also important at the time because English armies had fought there. This made the old stories of Brutus Greenshield feel even more real and meaningful to people.
Brutus Greenshield even appeared in plays. A play called Brute Greenshield was performed in 1598. Sadly, the words of this play are now lost. It might have been written by John Day and Henry Chettle.
