The Vita Merlini
- 104 pages
- 4 hours of reading
Geoffrey of Monmouth Book order
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a Welsh cleric and a pivotal figure in British historiography, significantly contributing to the popularity of King Arthur tales. His most renowned work, the History of the Kings of Britain, is considered pseudo-history, yet it solidified the Arthurian mythos in literature. Further significant works include the Prophecies of Merlin and the Life of Merlin, which expanded upon the legends and magic associated with the iconic wizard. Geoffrey's writings shaped early perceptions of British history and legend, despite their fictional underpinnings.
- 2022
- 1977
The history of the Kings of Britain
- 384 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Completed in 1136, The History of the Kings of Britain traces the story of the realm from its supposed foundation by Brutus to the coming of the Saxons some two thousand years later. Vividly portraying legendary and semi-legendary figures such as Lear, Cymbeline, Merlin the magician and the most famous of all British heroes, King Arthur, it is as much myth as it is history and its veracity was questioned by other medieval writers. But Geoffrey of Monmouth's powerful evocation of illustrious men and deeds captured the imagination of subsequent generations, and his influence can be traced through the works of Malory, Shakespeare, Dryden and Tennyson.
