Arthur and the Kings of Britain: The Historical Truth Behind the Myths

A fresh look at the text which introduced for the first time some of the key figures in British myth and legend.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2018
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

The Historia Regum Britanniae, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1136, is a renowned historical text that purported to chronicle the British monarchy from the arrival of the Trojan Brutus, grandson of Aeneas, to the seventh century AD. The Historia was a medieval best-seller, and its copies spread across Western Europe. It was the first work to outline the story of King Arthur, a legendary figure who has captivated the imaginations of people for centuries.

However, the Historia has long been dismissed as an unreliable piece of medieval propaganda. A new examination of the text, however, reveals that it is far more than that. Miles Russell, a historian, explains how individual elements in the Historia can be traced back to the first century BC, a time when Britain was making its first contact with Rome. Geoffrey of Monmouth's skill was to weave these early traditions together with material culled from post-Roman sources to create a national epic. In doing so, he also created King Arthur, a composite character whose real origins and context are explained in this important work.

The Historia Regum Britanniae establishes Geoffrey of Monmouth as no mere peddler of historical fiction but as the man who preserved the earliest foundation myths of Britain. It is time to re-evaluate the Historia Regum Britanniae and shine a new light into the so-called "Dark Ages." The Historia provides valuable insights into the cultural, political, and social developments of early medieval Britain and sheds light on the origins of the legendary King Arthur. By examining the text in a fresh and critical manner, we can gain a deeper understanding of the past and appreciate the rich tapestry of medieval history.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 129 x 196 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781445682822