by Kellea Croft

Created on: August 08, 2008

Never in history has a clergyman made such a great literary mark on history. Geoffrey of Monmouth was born in 1100 believed to be of Welsh birth to Breton parents. He was one of the writers that took the legend of King Arthur and made the world take notice.

There is very little known about the man himself. His life is pieced together by his appointments, writings and witnessing charters. He was appointed archdeacon of Llandsaff in 1140. On February 21, 1152 he was consecrated as bishop of St. Asaph by Archbishop Theobald. There was a war going on in this area, so it is likely that he never got to St. Asaph for his appointment.

He was a secular Austin canon at Collegiate Church of St. George. He was a tutor at Oxford University and there are several historic documents to prove his presence at the school. He was also one of the bishops to witness the Treaty of Westminster in 1153.

Most of his career he was known as Monemutensis of Monmouth. He is also known in other documents as Galfridus Arturus (Geoffrey Arthur), meaning his father's name could have been Arthur. It is speculated that this could also be a nickname derived from his writings about the legend.

His first writing was "Prophecies of Merlin" which were compiled of ancient Celtic lore. He translated them to Latin and dedicated it to Alexander of Salisbury, Bishop of Lincoln. It has the prophecies made by Merlin to Vortigern as to his demise and Arthur's rise to power. These prophesies were believed to the same extent as Nostradamus' was centuries later.

The "History of the Kings of Britain" was his greatest claim to fame. He states that it is a translation of an older text he received from Walter at Oxford. It is in great dispute as to how much is truth and how much he embellished the facts. This is the works that highlighted the most about King Arthur legends. When it was written it was taken at face value as the true history of the Welsh. There are several translations and copies that survive today.

Historians believe that this compilation was taken from several sources and Geoffrey's own imagination. Historia Britonum, a 9th century Welsh-Latin compilation, Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum and Gilda's 6th century De Excidio Britanniae and from Welsh legend each have pieces that are believed the incorporated into the text.

He next writes "Life of Merlin" that is to have taken place after the death of Arthur. This is his only known poem and shows his extensive knowledge of saints' lives, the natural world and things of popularity in Oxford at the time.

His stories spawned some of the greatest texts of literary history. Shakespeare's King Lear was shaped from the "History of the Kings of Britain."

Geoffrey did not start the legend of King Arthur; he made him larger than life. His writings claim to put Arthur in the line of British Kings. They make him a figure that people can look up and take pride in him being a part of their history. Archaeologists and historians do not find any links to solid proof of what he claims. This does not take away from his efforts and contributions to Welsh and British history.

Welsh chronicle records his death in 1155, probably in London, only four years after his appointment as archdeacon of St. Asaph.

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