Geoffrey of Monmouth

Anyone interested in Arthurian studies will know of the central role played by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the development and spread of the Arthurian legend from Britain to medieval Europe. But Geoffrey's material, both his History of the Kings of Britain and his Lift of Merlin, went far beyond Arthur and his deeds: it presented, for the first time, a coherent and proud account of Britain's early history, from its foundation to its eclipse at the hands of the Anglo-Saxons. The extent to which the enigmatic Geoffrey, at once an astonishingly diligent researcher and a shameless inventor of fact, transmitted or even created history was a matter of fierce debate amongst historians in his own time, and remains so to this day.

Geoffrey is usually considered in terms of his contribution to the Arthurian legend. While this is an important aspect of his writings, he also played a very important role in establishing British history as a subject worthy of scholarly attention. 'The reasons for Geoffrey's interest in British tradition are unclearuin political terms this cannot have been a pressing or even promising subject. "This book examines Geoffrey within the context of his Welsh and Celtic sources, and will be of interest both to readers familiar with his writings and to readers who know little about this important but, at times, obscure figure.

Karen Jankulak is Lecturer in Religious History, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Wales Lampeter, and director there of the MA in Arthurian Studeis.