Walter of Oxford facts for kids
Walter of Oxford was an important church official and writer who lived a long time ago, in the 1100s. He was known as the archdeacon of Oxford, which means he was a senior leader in the church in Oxford, England. Walter was a friend of another famous writer named Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a very popular book called Historia Regum Britanniae (which means History of the Kings of Britain). In his book, Geoffrey said that Walter gave him a "very ancient book." This old book was supposedly written in an old British language, like Welsh. Geoffrey claimed his own book was a true translation of this ancient text into Latin. However, most experts today don't believe that Geoffrey's story about the ancient book is true.
Walter's Life and Work
Walter of Oxford was a respected figure in his time. He was a cleric, which means he was involved with the church. His role as Archdeacon of Oxford showed he had an important position.
Walter's name is also connected to a Welsh story collection called the Brut Tysilio. This book is a version of a larger group of Welsh stories known as Brut y Brenhinedd (meaning Chronicle of the Kings).
The Brut Tysilio Mystery
Some old writings say that Walter translated the Brut Tysilio. They claim he first translated it from Welsh into Latin. Then, when he was older, he translated it back from Latin into Welsh. This sounds a bit confusing!
For a while, some people thought this Brut Tysilio might be the "ancient book" that Geoffrey of Monmouth talked about. They wondered if it was the original source for Geoffrey's famous Historia.
What Experts Believe Today
However, modern experts have studied these old texts very carefully. They have found that all versions of the Brut y Brenhinedd, including the Brut Tysilio, actually came from Geoffrey of Monmouth's book. They were not older stories that Geoffrey translated. Instead, Geoffrey's book was translated into Welsh, and those Welsh versions became the Brut y Brenhinedd.
In fact, the Brut Tysilio itself was likely put together much later, around the year 1500. It seems to be a mix of different versions of the stories that came from Geoffrey's original work. So, while Walter of Oxford was an important person, he probably didn't find an ancient book that was the source for Geoffrey's tales.
