-The Historia regum Britanniæ

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A Welsh cleric who lived in the early 12th century, Geoffrey is remembered through his Historia regum Britanniæ, in which he tells the history of England’s pre-Saxon kings from the mythical founder, the Trojan Brutus, through the Welsh king Cadwallader, who is said to have died in 689. The reign and exploits of King Arthur form a central part of Geoffrey’s Historia, including his victory over the Saxons at the City of Legions, which is imagined as a rich English city home to significant churches and a college. Geoffrey also describes Lin Ligua, a deep tidal pool off the coast of south Wales that regularly shoots up a large spout of water. This work is no longer considered to be historically accurate, but it did help to solidify the popular legend of King Arthur.

Geoffrey of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph (1100?-1154).
The Historia regum Britanniæ of Geoffrey of Monmouth.
London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1929.

Lehigh University Catalog Record: https://asa.lib.lehigh.edu/Record/295705

A version of this text has been digitized and is available through Hathitrust.

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