Geoffrey of Monmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geoffrey of Monmouth
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Statue of Geoffrey at the Old Station Tintern in Monmouthshire
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Galfridus Arturus
c. 1095 Possibly Monmouth, Wales
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| Died | c. 1155 (aged 59–60) |
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| Occupation | Catholic cleric |
| Known for | Historia Regum Britanniae Prophetiae Merlini Vita Merlini |
Geoffrey of Monmouth (born around 1095 – died around 1155) was a writer and cleric from Monmouth, Wales. He was very important in shaping how people thought about British history. He also made the stories of King Arthur much more popular.
Geoffrey is most famous for his book, The History of the Kings of Britain. This book was written in Latin and was very popular when it came out. It was even translated into other languages. For a long time, people believed it was true history. However, today, experts know that much of it is not historically accurate.
Contents
Geoffrey's Life and Work
Geoffrey was born sometime between 1090 and 1100. He was likely born in Wales or near the Welsh border. By 1129, he was old enough to witness an important document.
In his book, Geoffrey called himself Galfridus Monemutensis. This name means "Geoffrey of Monmouth." It suggests he had a strong connection to Monmouth, Wales, which might have been his birthplace. He seemed to know a lot about the places in that area. Other people at the time called him Galfridus Arturus. The "Arthur" part might have been his father's name, or it could have been a nickname because he was so interested in King Arthur.
Some early scholars thought Geoffrey was Welsh or spoke Welsh. But it seems he knew very little Welsh. There is no clear proof that he was Welsh. He might have come from a French-speaking family living near the Welsh border. Many Bretons (people from Brittany, France) settled in southeast Wales after William the Conqueror took over England. Monmouth had been ruled by Breton lords since the late 1000s. The names Galfridus and Arthur were also more common among Bretons than Welsh people.
Geoffrey might have worked for a short time at the Benedictine Monmouth Priory. But he spent most of his adult life outside Wales. Between 1129 and 1151, his name appears on six official documents in the Oxford area. Sometimes, he was called magister, which means "teacher." He was probably a church official, a canon, at St. George's college. Many documents Geoffrey signed were also signed by Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford.
In 1152, Geoffrey became the Bishop of St Asaph. He was made a priest ten days before becoming a bishop. However, there is no proof that he ever visited his church area. This was probably because of wars happening there at the time. He likely died between late 1154 and late 1155.
Geoffrey's Famous Books
Geoffrey's way of telling the stories of Merlin and King Arthur made them incredibly popular. Their fame continues even today. Experts see him as the main person who set up the "rules" for Arthurian legends. His book had such a huge effect that Arthurian stories are often called "pre-Galfridian" (before Geoffrey) or "post-Galfridian" (after Geoffrey).
The History of the Kings of Britain
Geoffrey wrote several books in Latin. Latin was the language used for learning and literature in Europe during the Middle Ages. His most important book was Historia Regum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain). This is the book most people know today.
It tells the supposed history of Britain. It starts with its first settlement by Brutus of Troy, who was a descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas. It goes all the way to the death of Cadwaladr in the 600s. The book includes stories about Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain. It also features Kings Leir and Cymbeline. Most importantly, it contains one of the earliest and most detailed stories of King Arthur.
Geoffrey claimed his book was a translation of an "ancient book in the British language." He said this book told the deeds of all the kings of Britain in order. He claimed Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford, gave him this book. However, modern historians do not believe this claim. It is possible that the Archdeacon did give Geoffrey some Welsh materials. These might have helped inspire his work.
Much of Geoffrey's book is based on older writings. These include the Historia Britonum, a Welsh-Latin history from the 800s. He also used Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People and Gildas's De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae. Geoffrey added to these with stories from bardic (poetic) traditions and family histories. He also used a lot of his own imagination.
Other writers, like Robert of Torigny and Henry of Huntingdon, used Geoffrey's History in their own works. They believed it was true history. Because of this, Geoffrey's made-up stories became part of popular history for a long time.
Today, The History of the Kings of Britain is seen as a literary work, not a true historical record. Many modern scholars agree with William of Newburgh, who wrote around 1190. He said that "everything this man wrote about Arthur and his successors... was made up."
Some people at the time also doubted Geoffrey's History. For example, Giraldus Cambrensis told a story about a man who was troubled by evil spirits. If the Gospel of St John was placed on his chest, the spirits would disappear. But if Geoffrey's History of the Britons was put there instead, the spirits would return in greater numbers!
Despite these doubts, Geoffrey's main work was very popular across Europe in the Middle Ages. Many copies of the book still exist today. It also led to many other works, including translations and adaptations. These include Wace's French Roman de Brut and Layamon's English Brut. There were also several Welsh versions called Brut y Brenhinedd ("Brut of the Kings"). These versions were generally accepted as true stories.
In 2017, a study suggested that Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britanniae might contain some real archaeological facts. Even though it was written centuries later, Geoffrey seemed to combine many different sources. These included folklore, old records, king lists, and oral tales. Some of these sources might have been mixed up or changed over time. Geoffrey carefully edited this information to create a grand story. This story fit well with what the Norman rulers of Britain wanted to hear. Much of his information seems to come from two main sources:
- Old heroic tales passed down by word of mouth from two tribes in ancient Britain.
- Lists of kings from important dynasties that ruled in western Britain after the Roman Empire.
Geoffrey stretched, changed, and re-edited this information. He added his own made-up parts. He also included details from later Roman histories and writers like Gildas and Bede.
Other Writings
Geoffrey's first writing was probably Prophetiae Merlini (Prophecies of Merlin). He wrote this before 1135. It appears both on its own and as part of The History of the Kings of Britain. It contains a series of mysterious predictions said to be from Merlin. Geoffrey claimed he translated them from an unknown language.
The third work by Geoffrey is a poem called Vita Merlini (Life of Merlin). This poem is more closely based on traditional stories about Merlin. In this work, Merlin is known as Merlin of the Woods or Scottish Merlin. He is shown as an old man living alone in the forest, driven mad by grief. This story takes place much later than the Merlin in The History. But Geoffrey tried to connect the two works. He included references to the mad prophet's past dealings with Vortigern and Arthur. This poem was not as widely known. Only one old copy from the late 1200s names Geoffrey as the author. However, it has parts that clearly show Geoffrey's style and content. Most experts agree he wrote it.
See also
In Spanish: Godofredo de Monmouth para niños
- Adam of Usk
- Ranulf Higdon
- William of Malmesbury
