Pseudo-History or Famed Fiction? Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia

Geoffrey of Monmouth has gone down in history for his classic epic, the Historia Regum Britanniae, known in English as The History of the Kings of Britain. This masterpiece of medieval literature is well-known for being the origin of the story of King Arthur most of us are familiar with today. But, what do we know about the author himself? Who was Geoffrey of Monmouth, and why did he write this controversial history?

Was the whole story a figment of Geoffrey’s wild imagination, or was the Historia an ambitious new venture that would change the course of historical thought in medieval Britain? While as much controversy and debate still surrounds Geoffrey’s magnum opus as it did when it was originally published, one cannot ignore the enduring popularity of the tale and its resounding impact on British culture from the medieval era through to the present day.

Geoffrey of Monmouth and His Appetite for History

The Historia Regum Britanniae began circulating among British scholars in the years 1135 to 1136, just after Stephen of Blois had taken up the English throne after the death of his uncle, Henry I. Geoffrey’s work very quickly became immensely popular, not only amongst other historians and scholars, but also in the learned and noble classes, including the uppermost aristocrats and royalty.