Well, of course Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But if, by any wild chance, his Historia Regum Britanniae is a flight of immense fancy, well that’s alright by me because it’s a wonderful work. 😊 To read more, go to this link.
Tag: Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth, Oxford Castle and King Arthur
Originally posted on Giaconda's Blog:
King Arthur at the beginning of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain BnF, Latin 8501A, f. 108v Geoffrey of Monmouth is thought to have been born between 1090 -1100 in Wales; possibly at Monmouth but no written evidence remains to verify this. Geoffrey also signed himself…
On the trail of the golden dragon of Wessex….
The Golden Dragon of Burford in Oxfordshire isn’t a takeaway! It’s the pagan banner of the Anglo-Saxon King of Mercia, Aethelbert, who was defeated at the Battle of Burford in AD 752 by Cuthbert, King of the West Saxons. Aethelbert’s golden–dragon banner was taken, and for centuries the outcome of this battle was celebrated in… Continue reading On the trail of the golden dragon of Wessex….
Was Sir Gawain’s head still displayed in Dover Castle in 1485….?
One of the greatest of Arthur’s knights was Sir Gawain, hero of (among other legends) the tale of the Green Knight. There is some very interesting information about Gawain here: I always knew that the Welsh tradition has Gawain (Welsh – Gwalchmai) buried as follows:- “The grave of Gwalchmai in Peryddon, as a disgrace to… Continue reading Was Sir Gawain’s head still displayed in Dover Castle in 1485….?
Where did the Tudors come from….?
For those of us who may wish to know where the name Tudor comes from, here’s a thorough explanation.
Ancient Ratae, City on the Soar
In the second century BC, in a Britain still filled with wild boar, beaver, lynx, bears and wolves, a group of people settled near to the River Soar. The descendants of Bronze Age peoples and Neolithic farmers, they built a series of huts on the east bank of the river, their settlement extending across some… Continue reading Ancient Ratae, City on the Soar
Gloves? Or bare hands….?
BBC TWO: Henry VIII’s Enforcer: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell, information concerning which will be found here. This programme is very interesting, and I recommend it, but it’s not the content that has prompted me to write this, rather the treatment of an ancient copy of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s “History of the Kings… Continue reading Gloves? Or bare hands….?
murreyandblue 