Geoffrey of Monmouth lived
from about 1100 to about 1154 AD.
In his monumental work
Historia Regum Britanniae (1139) he produced a new and
thrilling (partly fictitious) history of Britain.
Geoffrey said
that he gained his information about Arthur from
'an ancient book in the British language.'
No one knows to which book he refers.
In his work he
traced the descent of British kings back to the Trojans and
their king Brutus.
He claimed that his research was based upon
ancient Welsh chronicles that he alone had seen and read. His
history of King Arthur is the longest narrative in his book. The
discovery of the boy
Merlin is where the
Arthurian world begins.
Geoffrey goes on to tell of Merlin's
wonders and otherworldly existence. We learn about Arthur's
conception, which, we are told, was brought about by Merlin's
magic. Later in the story, the fifteen year old
Arthur succeeds
Uther Pendragon as King of England. Arthur fights twelve battles with the
Saxon invaders to free Britain. He then marries Guinevere.
Having freed England from foreign
assault, Arthur returns the favour, by establishing his own
Empire through conquering most of Northern Europe. When the
Roman Emperor demands tribute, Arthur and his vassal kings and
knights decide to fight him instead, and they depart for Gaul
leaving the kingdom in the hands of Mordred.
When the
Roman army finally meets Arthur and the Britons, there is a
great battle that Arthur wins. But just as he prepares to march
to Rome to receive the Imperial crown, Arthur hears that Mordred
has usurped his throne, has spread a rumour that he is dead, and
has announced his intention of marrying Guinevere.
Arthur returns home to his divided
kingdom. In his final battle, he attacks Mordred at the Battle of
Camlann in Cornwall.
Arthur destroy Mordred's army and kills his half-brother, but is
wounded himself.
Arthur passes his kingdom on to Constantine,
then is borne across the waters to Avalon, where his wounds can
heal, and where the once and future king can sleep.
