Robert of Gloucester (historian) facts for kids

Robert of Gloucester was a writer from a long time ago, around the late 1200s. He wrote a big book, called a chronicle, about the history of Britain, England, and the Normans.

Who Was Robert of Gloucester?

We don't know much about Robert of Gloucester himself. The main reason we think he wrote this chronicle is because a part of his book says that "Robert, who first made this book," saw a special event. This event was an eclipse that happened during a big battle called the Battle of Evesham in 1265. People later added "of Gloucester" to his name because parts of his book seem to be written from the point of view of someone from that area.

About the Chronicle's Copies

Robert's history book exists in two main versions. There are seven copies, called manuscripts, of each version that still exist today.

• Similar Beginnings: The first part of both versions, up to the year 1135, is almost exactly the same.
• Different Endings: After 1135, the two versions become completely different.
• The Longer Version: This version is much more detailed and has almost 3,000 more lines of text. It tells the story up to the year 1271.
• The Shorter Version: This version is shorter, with only about 600 more lines after 1135. It ends in the 1280s. However, the shorter version actually adds about 800 lines earlier in the book. Some of these extra lines came from another old poem called Layamon's Brut.

How It Connects to Other Works

The South English Legendary Connection

Robert's chronicle is very similar to another important old text called the South English Legendary. This other work was probably written around 1270-1285. Both of these books are considered huge examples of writing from the late 1200s in England.

They are similar in many ways:

• Writing Style: Both use the same type of rhyming lines.
• Language: They have very similar words, phrases, and even how they choose words that rhyme.
• Storytelling: They tell stories in a similar way.
• Shared Ideas: Both books show a strong Christian faith. They often side with people who are struggling or being treated unfairly. They also speak out against powerful lords who are corrupt or mean.
• Same Lines: Interestingly, many exact lines of text appear in both books!

Some experts believe that Robert not only got ideas from the South English Legendary but might have even helped edit a version of it himself.

Is the History Accurate?

The Chronicle's Historical Value

Robert's chronicle was very popular when it was first written. Later, scholars who studied old texts, like Thomas Hearne, found it interesting. However, over time, its reputation faded.

It's a bit strange, but after a scholar named William Aldis Wright edited the text, people started to ignore it even more. Wright himself said it was "worthless as history" and "verse without one spark of poetry."

Even though some people thought it wasn't great history, the chronicle is still important today. It's especially useful for learning about the Second Barons' War. The person who wrote parts of the chronicle seems to have seen these events happen.

The first part of the chronicle tells amazing stories from early British history. These stories come from a book by Geoffrey of Monmouth called Historia regum Britanniae. For the history of England and the Anglo-Saxons, Robert used information from books by Henry of Huntingdon and William of Malmesbury. After the Norman Conquest, he used many different sources and added his own original writing.