Geoffrey Of Monmouth Sparknotes

Geoffrey of Monmouth Also known as Galfridus Monemutensis, Geoffrey of Monmouth was a scholar and wrote several works in Latin. History of the kings of Britain, also known as Historia Regum Britanniae is wildly known for being falsified. This work was released between late 1135 and early 1139, and it changed the people's perceptions of themselves. George claimed that the book originated from an ancient Breton book written in Welsh and that he had translated it to Latin (Geoffrey:1 xxiii). Though the people tried to trace the book back to its said original place, they did not find any other copy and assumed that Geoffrey had written it himself as it had his name on it. The book was condemned by many as it did not have any resemblance to any historic events. Despite the condemnation, it spread to many places because it captured the imagination of many people. This leads us to ask why Geoffrey had written the book. One of his motives …show more content…
At this time King Stephen was yet to take the throne. Robert was a very wealthy earl and therefore Geoffrey saw him as a potential patron. The three dedications were based on flattery and Geoffrey did not bother to hide his desire for material gains and protection. He aimed at flattering them by linking ancient British glory to the Normans, which showed that the Normans were legitimate rulers. Waleran was also targeted by Geoffrey as a patron as evident in the joint dedication. His dedication to King Stephen the usurer was written during the war, at a time when it seemed likely that he would win. The fact that he wrote to King Stephen asking for patronage and protection while at the same time supporting Matilda as the rightful heir shows that he had divided motives since King Stephen had taken the place of