Geoffrey of Monmouth

Judith Weiss (University of Cambridge)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Dates

Born c. 1090
Died 1155
Activity c. 1135-1155

Places

Born in Wales
Active in Wales

Activities

Primary

Historian / Chronicler
Monk

Resources

A twelfth-century cleric of whom little is known, writing British historiography in Latin for Norman patrons, Geoffrey of Monmouth achieved widespread and long-lasting success through introducing to a wide audience two figures from Welsh legend: Arthur and Merlin. As he hailed from a border-town, his origins could have been either Breton (Monmouth was ruled by Bretons after 1075) or Welsh. By 1129 he had moved to Oxford, where he was probably a secular canon at the College of St George, and allegedly received an “old British book” from the town's archdeacon. His death probably occurred before 1155.

Geoffrey wrote three works dedicated to a group of politically important men: Robert of Gloucester, king Stephen and Alexander …

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825 words

Citation: Weiss, Judith. "Geoffrey of Monmouth". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 January 2002 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1715, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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