history of the kings of britain by geoffrey of monmouth

He may have served for a while in a Benedictine priory in Monmouth, but most of his adult life appears to have been spent outside Wales. Monmouth had been in the hands of Breton lords since 1075 or 1086 and the names Galfridus and Arthur (if interpreted as a patronymic) were more common among the Bretons than the Welsh. It has been argued, by Frank Stenton among others, that Geoffrey's parents may have been among the many Bretons who took part in William I's Conquest and settled in the southeast of Wales. He may have sprung from the same French-speaking elite of the Welsh border country as the writers Gerald of Wales and Walter Map, and Robert, Earl of Gloucester, to whom Geoffrey dedicated versions of his History. Geoffrey's knowledge of the Welsh language appears to have been slight however, and it is now recognised that there is no real evidence that Geoffrey was of either Welsh or Cambro-Norman descent, unlike for instance, Gerald of Wales. The 'Arthur' in these versions of his name may indicate the name of his father, or a nickname based on Geoffrey's scholarly interests.Įarlier scholars assumed that Geoffrey was Welsh or at least spoke Welsh. To contemporaries, Geoffrey was known as Galfridus Artur(us) or variants thereof. Geoffrey's works attest to some acquaintance with the place-names of the region. In his Historia, Geoffrey refers to himself as Galfridus Monemutensis, 'Geoffrey of Monmouth', which indicates a significant connection to Monmouth, Wales, and which may refer to his birthplace. He must have reached the age of majority by 1129, when he is recorded as witnessing a charter. Geoffrey was probably born some time between 11 in Wales or the Welsh Marches.

History of the kings of britain by geoffrey of monmouth