History of the Kings of Britain

Very little is known of Geoffrey of Monmouth. He seems to have lived for a time in Oxford and in 1151 he became Bishop Elect of St Asaph, North Wales. He was ordained at Westminster in 1152. According to the Welsh Chronicles he died in 1155.Lewis Thorpe was Professor of French at Nottingham University from 1958 to 1977. He has published many books and articles on Arthur, both on the French and English traditions. He died in 1977.

• Translated with an Introduction by Lewis ThorpeIntroduction1. Geoffrey's Purpose2. Who was Geoffrey of Monmouth?3. Geoffrey's Sources4. The Work Itself5. Geoffrey the Artist6. Geoffrey of Monmouth down the Centuries7. Editions of the Historia8. Earlier Translations9. This Translation10. AcknowledgmentsNotes to the IntroductionShort Bibliography of Works Used in the Introduction and in the NotesMap of BritainDedicationPart One: Brutus Occupies the Island of AlbionPart Two: Before the Romans CamePart Three: The Coming of the RomansPart Four: The House of ConstantinePart Five: The Prophecies of MerlinPart Six: The House of Constantine (Continued)Part Seven: Arthur of BritainPart Eight: The Saxon DominationTime ChartIndex