Geoffrey the Baker facts for kids

Geoffrey the Baker (who died around 1360) was an English writer and historian. He was also known as Walter of Swinbroke. He likely worked as a clerk in a church in Swinbrook, a village in Oxfordshire, England. Geoffrey is famous for writing down important events from his time, helping us understand history better.

Who Was Geoffrey the Baker?

Geoffrey the Baker was a special kind of historian called a chronicler. This means he wrote down events in the order they happened, creating a history book. He lived during the 1300s, a time when kings ruled England and many important battles took place. His job probably involved writing and keeping records.

His Main History Book

Geoffrey's most important work was a long history book called Chronicon Angliae temporibus Edwardi II et Edwardi III. This title means "Chronicle of England in the times of Edward II and Edward III." It covered the history of England from 1303 to 1356.

• Early Parts: For the first part of his book, up to about 1324, Geoffrey used information from another historian named Adam Murimuth.
• Unique Information: After 1324, Geoffrey's book became very special. It included details and facts that no other history books of that time had.
• Key Events: His chronicle ended with a very detailed description of the Battle of Poitiers, a major battle that happened in 1356.

What Made His Book Special?

Geoffrey the Baker was able to get unique information for his book. For example, he learned about the final days of King Edward II from a person named William Bisschop. William Bisschop was a companion of people who were said to be involved in the king's death. This shows that Geoffrey tried to get information from people who were close to the events he was writing about.

Other Writings and Discoveries

Geoffrey also wrote a shorter history book called a Chroniculum. This book covered history from the very beginning of the world up to 1336. However, historians today don't find this shorter work as valuable as his main chronicle.

Over time, Geoffrey's writings were collected and published so that more people could read them. Sir Edward Maunde Thompson edited and published his main chronicle in 1889. You can even find a digital copy of it online today here.

Where Are His Works Today?

For a long time, there was some discussion about whether Geoffrey the Baker wrote a specific part of a book about King Edward II's life and death, called Vita et mors Edwardi II. This part was often thought to be written by Sir Thomas de la More.

However, later studies by historians suggested that Sir Thomas de la More might not have been a writer himself. Instead, they believe that the Vita et mors was actually a section taken directly from Geoffrey's own main chronicle. It might have been linked to Sir Thomas de la More because he was a supporter or patron of Geoffrey. Today, the original handwritten copies of Geoffrey's works are kept safe in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University in England.