Nennius, History of the Britains
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How Geoffrey of Monmouth Influenced the Story of King Arthur
Western Oregon University Digital Commons@WOU Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History) Department of History 6-10-2019 The Creation of a King: How Geoffrey of Monmouth Influenced the Story of King Arthur Marcos Morales II [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/his Part of the Cultural History Commons, Medieval History Commons, and the Medieval Studies Commons Recommended Citation Morales II, Marcos, "The Creation of a King: How Geoffrey of Monmouth Influenced the Story of King Arthur" (2019). Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History). 276. https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/his/276 This Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at Digital Commons@WOU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History) by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@WOU. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. The Creation of a King: How Geoffrey of Monmouth Influenced the Story of King Arthur. By: Marcos Morales II Senior Seminar: HST 499 Professor David Doellinger Western Oregon University June 05, 2019 Readers Professor Elizabeth Swedo Professor Bau Hwa Hsieh Copyright © Marcos Morales II Arthur, with a single division in which he had posted six thousand, six hundred, and sixty-six men, charged at the squadron where he knew Mordred was. They hacked a way through with their swords and Arthur continued to advance, inflicting terrible slaughter as he went. It was at this point that the accursed traitor was killed and many thousands of his men with him.1 With the inclusion of this feat between King Arthur and his enemies, Geoffrey of Monmouth shows Arthur as a mighty warrior, one who stops at nothing to defeat his foes. -
This Site © 2000, Dustin Evermore. to Navigate This Site, Click the Section
A Fuzion Fantasy role playing game by Dustin Evermore This site © 2000, Dustin Evermore. To navigate this site, click the section you want from the left frame, then select the chapter from the right frame. http://www.actionstudios.com/dol/index.html [4/4/2001 9:35:38 AM] History Religion Druids Saxon Religion Life in Britain The Otherworld http://www.actionstudios.com/dol/settingframe.html [4/4/2001 9:35:40 AM] HISTORY The history of the lands of Dawn of Legends is quite similar to the history of these lands of our world. However, there are some rather critical differences. The following outlines these. Ancient Times In the centuries B.C.E. (Before Common Era), the Celtic peoples populated much of Europe. Although the ancient Celts varied in description, they had a reasonably similar culture. The religion of the Celts in particular helped to unify tradition. The ancient druidic faith held the sum of all the Celt people’s knowledge and laws. The ancient druids generally maintained a neutrality in politics and gained impartiality in as judges of important social matters among the Celtic peoples. It has been said that a druid could stop a battle between warring tribes in these ancient times simply by walking between the armies. None challenged the authority and power of the druids. Coming of the Romans Boudicea, A Bard’s Tale The Romans line every hill, The conquests of Julius Ceasar targeted the druids as the nerve center and unifying force of Spears bright and deadly still, Blood red with silver shields, the Gallic Celts. -
Nennius' Historia Brittonum
Nennius’ ‘Historia Brittonum’ Translated by Rev. W. Gunn & J. A. Giles For convenience, this text has been assembled and composed into this PDF document by Camelot On-line. Please visit us on-line at: http://www.heroofcamelot.com/ The Historia Brittonum Table of Contents Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................4 Preface........................................................................................................................................................5 I. THE PROLOGUE..................................................................................................................................6 1.............................................................................................................................................................6 2.............................................................................................................................................................7 II. THE APOLOGY OF NENNIUS...........................................................................................................7 3.............................................................................................................................................................7 III. THE HISTORY ...................................................................................................................................8 4,5..........................................................................................................................................................8 -
The Matter of Britain
THE MATTER OF BRITAIN: KING ARTHUR'S BATTLES I had rather myself be the historian of the Britons than nobody, although so many are to be found who might much more satisfactorily discharge the labour thus imposed on me; I humbly entreat my readers, whose ears I may offend by the inelegance of my words, that they will fulfil the wish of my seniors, and grant me the easy task of listening with candour to my history May, therefore, candour be shown where the inelegance of my words is insufficient, and may the truth of this history, which my rustic tongue has ventured, as a kind of plough, to trace out in furrows, lose none of its influence from that cause, in the ears of my hearers. For it is better to drink a wholesome draught of truth from a humble vessel, than poison mixed with honey from a golden goblet Nennius CONTENTS Chapter Introduction 1 The Kinship of the King 2 Arthur’s Battles 3 The River Glein 4 The River Dubglas 5 Bassas 6 Guinnion 7 Caledonian Wood 8 Loch Lomond 9 Portrush 10 Cwm Kerwyn 11 Caer Legion 12 Tribuit 13 Mount Agned 14 Mount Badon 15 Camlann Epilogue Appendices A Uther Pendragon B Arthwys, King of the Pennines C Arthur’s Pilgrimages D King Arthur’s Bones INTRODUCTION Cupbearer, fill these eager mead-horns, for I have a song to sing. Let us plunge helmet first into the Dark Ages, as the candle of Roman civilisation goes out over Europe, as an empire finally fell. The Britons, placid citizens after centuries of the Pax Romana, are suddenly assaulted on three sides; from the west the Irish, from the north the Picts & from across the North Sea the Anglo-Saxons. -
Anglo-Saxon and Scots Invaders
Anglo-Saxon and Scots Invaders By around 410AD, the last of the Romans had left Britain to go back to Rome and England was left to look after itself for the first time in about 400 years. Emperor Honorius told the people to fight the Picts, Scots and Saxons who were attacking them, but the Brits were not good fighters. The Scots, who came from Ireland, invaded and took land in Scotland. The Scots split Scotland into 4 separate places that were named Dal Riata, Pictland, Strathclyde and Bernicia. The Picts (the people already living in Scotland) and the Scots were always trying to get into England. It was hard for the people in England to fight them off without help from the Romans. The Picts and Scots are said to have jumped over Hadrian’s Wall, killing everyone in their way. The British king found it hard to get his men to stop the Picts and Scots. He was worried they would take over in England because they were excellent fighters. Then he had an idea how he could keep the Picts and Scots out. He asked two brothers called Hengest and Horsa from Jutland to come and fight for him and keep England safe from the Picts and Scots. Hengest and Horsa did help to keep the Picts and Scots out, but they liked England and they wanted to stay. They knew that the people in England were not strong fighters so they would be easy to beat. Hengest and Horsa brought more men to fight for England and over time they won. -
THE HISTORY of the KINGS of BRITAIN by GEOFFREY of MONMOUTH Edited and Translated by J.A
THE HISTORY OF THE KINGS OF BRITAIN by GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH Edited and Translated by J.A. Giles, D.C.L. BOOK VI. CHAP. I.--Gratian, being advanced to the throne, is killed by the common people. The Britons desire the Romans to defend them against Guanius and Melga. But Gratian Municeps, hearing of the death of Maximian, seized the crown, and made himself king. After this he exercised such tyranny that the common people fell upon him in a tumultuous manner, and murdered him. When this news reached other countries, their former enemies returned back from Ireland, and bringing with them the Scots, Norwegians, and Dacians, made dreadful devastations with fire and sword over the whole kingdom, from sea to sea. Upon this most grievous calamity and oppression, ambassadors are despatched with letters to Rome, to beseech, with tears and vows of perpetual subjection, that a body of men might be sent to revenge their injuries, and drive out the enemy from them. The ambassadors in a short time prevailed so far, that, unmindful of past injuries, the Romans granted them one legion, which was transported in a fleet to their country, and there speedily encountered the enemy. At last, after the slaughter of a vast multitude of them, they drove them entirely out of the country, and rescued the miserable people from their outrageous cruelty. Then they gave orders for a wall to be built between Albania and Deira, from one sea to the other, for a terror to the enemy, and safeguard to the country. At that time Albania was wholly laid to waste, by the frequent invasions of barbarous nations; and whatever enemies made an attempt upon the country, met with a convenient landing-place there. -
Geoffrey of Monmouth and the English Past
Chapter 3 Geoffrey of Monmouth and the English Past Rebecca Thomas Geoffrey does not grant much space to the English in the De gestis Britonum. In one respect, this is unsurprising: Geoffrey’s history extends back to the origins of the Britons in Troy, spending a significant amount of time in pre-Roman Britain, and as such the English enter the narrative rather late in the day. Even after their arrival, however, the English do not appear in the way which we might expect. The traditional narrative of the development of the English kingdoms, pioneered by sources such as Bede’s Ecclesiastical History and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and accepted and reproduced by many of Geoffrey’s contemporary Anglo-Norman historians, has no place in the DGB. With his strikingly different version of events, Geoffrey certainly cannot be accused of lacking originality in his treatment of English history. The way in which he approached this subject is highly significant not only for our understanding of his attitude toward the English, but also for the composition of the DGB more generally. There was no shortage of contemporary historians writing of the English past, such as Henry of Huntingdon, the first version of whose History of the English, with which Geoffrey was most likely familiar, was completed by 1130. Henry presents us with a conventional account of English history, drawing heavily on Bede and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.1 Hengist and Horsa arrive in Britain in 449, and after recounting their dealings with the Britons, Henry pro- ceeds through the various other Saxon settlers of the 5th and 6th centuries. -
Introduction: the Legend of King Arthur
Department of History University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire “HIC FACET ARTHURUS, REX QUONDAM, REXQUE FUTURUS” THE ANALYSIS OF ORIGINAL MEDIEVAL SOURCES IN THE SEARCH FOR THE HISTORICAL KING ARTHUR Final Paper History 489: Research Seminar Professor Thomas Miller Cooperating Professor: Professor Matthew Waters By Erin Pevan November 21, 2006 1 Copyright for this work is owned by the author. This digital version is published by McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with the consent of the author. 2 Department of History University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Abstract of: “HIC FACET ARTHURUS, REX QUONDAM, REXQUE FUTURUS” THE ANALYSIS OF ORIGINAL MEDIEVAL SOURCES IN THE SEARCH FOR THE HISTORICAL KING ARTHUR Final Paper History 489: Research Seminar Professor Thomas Miller Cooperating Professor: Matthew Waters By Erin Pevan November 21, 2006 The stories of Arthurian literary tradition have provided our modern age with gripping tales of chivalry, adventure, and betrayal. King Arthur remains a hero of legend in the annals of the British Isles. However, one question remains: did King Arthur actually exist? Early medieval historical sources provide clues that have identified various figures that may have been the template for King Arthur. Such candidates such as the second century Roman general Lucius Artorius Castus, the fifth century Breton leader Riothamus, and the sixth century British leader Ambrosius Aurelianus hold high esteem as possible candidates for the historical King Arthur. Through the analysis of original sources and authors such as the Easter Annals, Nennius, Bede, Gildas, and the Annales Cambriae, parallels can be established which connect these historical figures to aspects of the Arthur of literary tradition. -
Nennius [Ninnius, Nemniuus] (Fl
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Nennius [Ninnius, Nemniuus] (fl. c. 770–c. 810) David E. Thornton https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/19892 Published in print: 23 September 2004 Published online: 23 September 2004 Nennius [Ninnius, Nemniuus] (fl. c. 770–c. 810), scholar, is commonly, but most certainly incorrectly, regarded as the author of the early ninth-century Cambro-Latin historical compilation Historia Brittonum. The ascription to Nennius occurs in just one of the numerous recensions of the text, the so-called ‘Nennian recension’, which survives in five medieval manuscripts. The earliest and primary recension (the Harleian) offers no identity for the author, while most others attribute the text, equally erroneously, to Gildas. No original copy of the Nennian recension survives, but between 1164 and 1166, at the Cistercian abbey of Sawley, Yorkshire, three different scribes collated the same (now lost) copy of the recension with the Gildasian recension which is now in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, manuscript 139. The Nennian material was accordingly added to this manuscript as a series of interlinear and marginal annotations plus the prologue and this composite text is the archetype of all other copies of this recension. The Nennian recension seems to have been created in north Wales (possibly Anglesey) in the first half of the eleventh century, probably by a scribe called Euben (Owain) under the direction of his clerical magister, Beulan; and it was probably at this stage that the prologue attributing the Historia to Nennius was composed. This prologue describes him as (Ninnius Eluodugi discipulus (‘Ninnius disciple of Elfoddw’)). If Elfoddw is the bishop of Bangor of that name who in 768 was responsible for bringing the Welsh church into conformity in the Paschal question and who died in 809, and assuming the connection with Ninnius is reliable, then Nennius would have lived at some time between about 770 and 810. -
Portal Into Literature
LITERATURE In this section, we’ll learn about a couple of famous literary references found in the Harry Potter books, but two very famous magical people in English literary history: Merlin and Morgan. Both Merlin and Morgan are featured on a Chocolate Frog wizard card, both are famous magicians, and both have a place in our real world through the legend of King Arthur. Finally, we’ll read about Beowulf, the oldest and one of the most famous stories in all of British literature. In it Beowulf fights two monsters and a dragon just like Harry fights the monster basilisk and steals treasure guarded by the dragon at Gringott's. Macbeth and the Weird Sisters In Harry Potter the Weird Sisters are a musical group. They played at the Hogwarts Yule Ball in The Goblet of Fire. In Literature, in the Shakespeare tragedy Macbeth (written in the late 16th century), Macbeth was a military leader and hero who encountered three witches known as the “Weird Sisters.” They told him a prophecy concerning his future. They told him he would become first the Thane of Cawdor (a “thane” is much like an English “earl”), and then the King of Scotland. This prophecy about his becoming king of Scotland made Macbeth crazy with ambition. He killed the current King, Duncan, and several other people who could have posed a problem for Macbeth becoming king. The Weird Sisters told a prophecy about how Macbeth would die: He was to “beware the Thane of Fife” “None of woman born/shall harm Macbeth” “Macbeth shall never be vanquished until/Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/shall come against him.” Because of these prophecies Macbeth thought he was invincible. -
A Spot Called Crayford the Legend of Hengest
A Spot Called Crayford The Legend of Hengest KS2 Pupil Response PACK By Peter Daniel and Kate Morton Illustrations by Michael Foreman 1 This WorkBook Belongs TO: Write your name and class here: ___________________________ Write your name below in Anglo Saxon Runes: 2 Name: ....................................................... Date: ....................... Below is the Anglo-Saxon alphabet. Write your name above in runes. Can you spell my name out in the ancient Saxon alphabet? Hengest H E N G E S T Don’t leave me out of this. We’re brothers and do every- thing together! Horsa H O R S A 3 A Letter of Apology from Honorius Gildas tells us that after the Romans left Britannia, barbarians invaded Britain and the people appealed for help to a Roman general called Flavius Aetius: The barbarians push us back to the sea, the sea pushes us back to the barbarians; between these two we are either drowned or slaughtered.” the Groans of the Britons’ Gildas Honorius, the Western Roman Emperor (393-423AD) sent The Rescript of Honorius 411AD a letter of apology telling the Britons that they must 'look to their own defences'. Thus ending Rome’s ties with Britain. Imagine you are Emperor Honorius to write a letter of apology to the Britons. Use the map above to • Let the Britons know you know who their enemies are Honorius was Western • Can you explain why the Emperor is in no position to help? Roman Emperor • Use the letter template to draft your letter 4 ‘A Letter of apology from Honorius’ Ravenna Itialy 411AD Dear Britons Tell the Britons that you know who is attacking them. -
Hengest Ward
http://kentarchaeology.org.uk/research/archaeologia-cantiana/ Kent Archaeological Society is a registered charity number 223382 © 2017 Kent Archaeological Society HENGEST By GORDON WARD, M.D., F.S.A. 1. UNWRrITEN HISTORY WHEN Hengest was alive, in what some people call the Heroic Age and others the Dark Ages, there was no thought of committing history to writing. It is true that a form of writing existed. A few wise men knew the Runic alphabet, but to most people it was a form of magic and in any case it was quite unsuitable for the common folk. The chieftains lived in great wooden halls, rather like the barns of to-day, and their retainers and servants lived around them. In these halls history was handed down by word of mouth. All the most important people were expected to be able to play the harp and to improvise alliterative poetry in honour of the giver of the feast, or in order to record their adventures. There were also minstrels particularly skilled in this form of entertainment, and these learnt all the famous deeds of their master and his house, and sang them to his guests as occasion required. In such a manner was the history of Hengest handed down for five hundred years or more before it was committed to writing or, at least, before it assumed the form that we find in the only manuscript we have left. Although we have also two small saga fragments, which we must presently notice, only one saga of the Heroic Age has come down to us complete.