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History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth
'Historia Regum Brittaniae'
Translated By Aaron Thompson (1718)
Revised and Corrected by J. A. Giles (1842)
Book 1: The Wanderings of
Brutus
- The Epistle Dedicatory to Robert Earl of Gloucester
- The first inhabitants of Britain
- Brutus, being banished after the killing of his parents, goes into Greece
- Brutus's letter to Pandrasus.'
- Brutus falling upon the forces of Pandrasus by surprise, routs them, and takes Antigonus prisoner
- The town of Sparatinum besieged by Pandrasus
- The besieged ask assistance of Brutus
- Anacletus, in fear of death, betrays the army of the Greeks
- The taking of Pandrasus
- A consultation about what is to be asked of the captive king
- Pandrasus gives his daughter Ignoge in marriage to Brutus
- Brutus enters Aquitaine with Corineus
- Goffarius routed by Brutus
- Brutus ravages Aquitaine with fire and sword
- Goffarius's fight with Brutus
- Albion divided between Brutus and Corineus
- The building of new Troy by Brutus, upon the river Thames
- New Troy being built, and laws made for the government of it
Book 2: Guendoloena, Bladud, King Leir and his daughters, Dunwallo Molmutius
- After the death of Brutus, his three sons succeed him in the kingdom
- Locrin, having routed Humber, falls in love with Estrildis
- Corineus resents the affront put upon his daughter
- Locrin at last marries Guendolna, the daughter of Corineus
- Locrin is killed; Estrildis and Sabre are thrown into a river
- Guendolna delivers up the kingdom to Maddan, her son
- Ebraucus, the successor of Mempricius, conquers the Gauls
- Ebraucus's sons go to Germany, and his daughters to Sylvius Alba
- After Ebraucus reigns Brutus his son, after him Leil, and after Leil, Hudibras
- Bladud succeeds Hudibras in the kingdom, and practises magical operations
- Leir the son of Bladud, having no son, divides his kingdom among his daughters
- Leir, finding the ingratitude of his two eldest daughters
- He is honourably received by Coredeilla and the king of Gaul
- Leir, being restored to the kingdom by the help of his son-in-law and Cordeilla, dies
- Cordeilla, being imprisoned, kills herself
- The successors of Cunedagius in the kingdom.
- Dunwallo Molmutius gains the sceptre of Britain
Book 3: Belinus and Brennius, Elidure, Heli, Lud
- Brennius quarrels with Belinus his brother
- Brennius's sea-fight with Guichthlac, king of the Dacians
- Belinus in a battle routs Brennius, who thereupon flees to Gaul
- The king of Dacia, with Brennius's wife, is released out of prison
- Belinus revives and confirms the Molmutine laws,
- Brennius, being made duke of the Allobroges, returns to Britain
- Belinus and Brennius being made friends by the mediation of their mother
- Belinus and Brennius, after the conquest of Gaul, march with their army to Rome
- The Romans make a covenant with Brennius
- Brennius oppresses Italy in a most tyrannical manner
- Gurgiunt Brabtruc, succeeding his father Belinus, reduces Dacia
- Ireland is given to be inhabited by the Barclenses
- Guithelin, reigning after Gurgiunt Brabtruc
- Guithelin's successors in the kingdom
- Morvidus, a most cruel tyrant, after the conquest of the king of the Morini
- Gorbonian, a most just king of the Britons
- Arthgallo is deposed by the Britons, and is succeeded by Elidure
- Elidure is imprisoned by Peredure
- The names of Elidure's thirty-three successors
- Heli's three sons; the first of whom, Lud, gives name to the city of London
Book 4: Cassibellaun and the invasions of
Caesar; Kymbelinus;
Arviragus and the invasion of Claudius; King Lucius becomes a
Christian
- Julius Caesar invades Britain
- Cassibellaunus's letter to Julius Caesar
- Caesar is routed by Cassibellaun
- Nennius, the brother of Cassibellaun, being wounded in battle by Caesar, dies
- Caesar's inglorious return to Gaul
- Cassibellaun forms a stratagem for sinking Caesar's ships
- Caesar a second time vanquished by the Britons
- Evelinus kills Hirelglas. Androgeus desires Caesar's assistance against Cassibellaun
- Cassibellaun, being put to flight, and besieged by Caesar, desires peace
- Androgeus's speech to Caesar
- Tenuantius is made king of Britain after Cassibellaun
- Upon Guiderius's refusing to pay tribute to the Romans, Claudius Caesar invades Britain.
- Leuis Hamo, a Roman, by wicked treachery kills Guiderius.
- Arviragus, king of Britain, makes his submission to Claudius
- Claudius gives his daughter Genuissa for a wife to Arviragus
- Arviragus revolting from the Romans, Vespasian is sent into Britain
- Rodric, leader of the Picts, is vanquished by Marius
- Marius dying, is succeeded by Coillus.
- Lucius is the first British king that embraces the Christian faith
- Faganus and Duvanus give an account to Rome, of what they had done in Britain
Book 5: Roman Britain from Severus to Maximian
- Lucius dies without issue, and is a benefactor to the churches
- Severus, a senator, subdues part of Britain; his war with Fulgenius
- Carausius advanced to be king of Britain
- Allectus kills Carausius, but is afterwards himself slain in flight by Asclepiodotus
- Asclepiodotus obtains the crown
- An insurrection against Asclepiodotus, by Coel
- The Romans desire Constantine's assistance against the cruelty of Maxentius
- Constantine, having reduced Rome, obtains the empire of the world
- Maximian is desired for a king of Britain
- Maximian, coming into Britain, artfully declines fighting with Conan
- The kingdom of Britain is bestowed on Maximian
- Maximian overthrows the Armoricans: his speech to Conan
- Redonum taken by Maximian
- Maximian, after the conquest of Gaul and Germany
- A fight between the Aquitanians and Conan.
- Guanius and Melga murder eleven thousand virgins
Book 6: the Romans leave; Vortigern; the Saxons arrive, led by Hengist and Horsa; and introducing Merlin
- Gratian, being advanced to the throne, is killed by the common people
- Guithelin's speech to the Britons when the Romans left them
- The Britons are again cruelly harassed by Guanius and Melga
- Guithelin desires succour of Aldroen
- Constantine, being made king of Britain, leaves three sons
- Constans is by Vortigern crowned king of Britain
- Vortigern treacherously contrives to get king Constans assassinated
- Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon flee from Vortigern
- Vortigern makes himself king of Britain
- Vortigern takes the Saxons that were new-comers, to his assistance
- Hengist brings over great numbers of Saxons into Britain
- Vortigern marries Rowen, the daughter of Hengist
- The bishops, Germanus and Lupus, restore the Christian faith
- Vortimer's kindness to his soldiers at his death
- Hengist, having wickedly murdered the princes of Britain
- Eldol's valiant exploit. Hengist forces Vortigern to yield up
- Vortigern, after consultation with magicians, orders a youth to be brought
- Vortigern inquires of Merlin's mother concerning her conception of him
- Merlin's speech to the king's magicians
Book 7: the Prophesies of Merlin
- Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Preface to Merlin’s Prophecy
- Geoffrey’s Letter to Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln
- The Prophecy of Merlin
- The Continuation of the Prophecy
Book 8: Aurelius Ambrosius, Merlin builds Stonehenge, Uther Pendragon, the birth of Arthur
- Vortegirn asks Merlin concerning his own Death
- Aurelius Ambrosius, being anointed King of Britain, burns Vortegirn
- The Praise of Aurelius’s Valour. The Levity of the Scots exposed
- Hengist marches with his Army against Aurelius
- A Battle between Aurelius and Hengist
- Hengist, in a Duel with Eldol, is taken by him
- Hengist is beheaded by Eldol
- Octa, being besieged in York, surrenders himself to the Mercy of Aurelius
- Aurelius, having entirely routed the Enemies, restores all Things in Britain
- Aurelius is advised by Merlin to remove the Giants’ Dance from the Mountain Killaraus
- Uther Pendragon is appointed with Merlin to bring over the Giants’ Dance
- Gillomanius being routed by Uther
- Pascentius brings in the Saxons against the Britons
- Pascentius, assisted by the King of Ireland
- A Comet presignifies the Reign of Uther
- Pascentius and Gillomanius are killed in Battle
- Uther Pendragon is made King of Britain
- Octa and Eosa are taken in Battle
- Uther, falling in Love with Igerna, enjoys her by the Assistance of Merlin
- Gorlois being killed, Uther marries Igerna
- Octa and Eosa renew the War
- Uther, being ill, is carried in a Horse-litter against the Enemy
- Octa and Eosa, with a great Number of their Men, are killed
- Uther, upon drinking Spring Water that was treacherously poisoned by the Saxons, dies
Book 9: The Victories and Ceremony of Arthur's Reign; the Romans demand tribute
- Arthur succeeds Uther his Father in the Kingdom of Britain, and besieges Colgrin
- Hoel sends Fifteen Thousand Men to Arthur’s Assistance
- Arthur makes the Saxons his Tributaries
- Dubricius’s Speech against the treacherous Saxons
- The Saxons, after their Leader Cheldric was killed
- Arthur grants a Pardon to the Scots and Picts, besieged at the Lake Lumond
- Arthur relates the wonderful Nature of some Ponds
- Arthur restores York to its ancient Beauty
- Arthur honours Augusel with the Sceptre of the Scots
- Arthur adds to his Government Ireland, Iceland, Gothland, and the Orkneys
- Arthur subdues Norway, Dacia, Aquitaine, and Gaul
- Arthur summons a great many Kings, Princes, Archbishops, etc
- A Description of the Royal Pomp at the Coronation of Arthur
- After a Variety of Sports at the Coronation
- A Letter from Lucius Tiberius, General of the Romans
- Arthur, holding a Council with the Kings
- The Opinion of Hoel, King of Armorica, concerning a War
- The Opinion of Augusel
- They unanimously agree upon a War with the Romans
- Arthur prepares for a War, and refuses to pay Tribute to the Romans
Book 10: Arthur's war against the emperor Lucius Tiberius in Gaul
- Lucius Tiberius calls together the Eastern Kings against the Britons
- Arthur commits to his Nephew Modred the Government of Britain
- Arthur kills a Spanish Giant who had stolen away Helena
- Arthur’s Ambassadors to Lucius Tiberius deliver Petreius Cotta
- The Romans attack the Britons with a very great Force, but are put to flight by them
- Lucius Tiberius goes to Lengriae
- Arthur’s Exhortation to his Soldiers
- Lucius Tiberius in a Speech animates his Followers to fight
- A Battle between Arthur and Lucius Tiberius
- Hoel and Walgan signalize their Valour in the Fight
- Lucius Tiberius being killed, the Britons obtain the Victory
- Part of the Romans flee; the Rest surrender themselves for Slaves
- The Bodies of the Slain are decently buried
Book 11: Arthur's last battle, against Modred; the Saxons return; civil war; Augustine comes to convert the Saxons
- Modred makes a great Slaughter of Arthur’s Men
- Modred, after being twice besieged and routed, is killed
- Constantine meets with Disturbances from the Saxons and Modred’s Sons
- Constantine, after having murdered the Sons of Modred, is himself killed
- Aurelius Conan reigns after Constantine
- Wortiporius, being declared King, conquers the Saxons
- Malgo, King of Britain, and a most graceful Person, addicts himself to Sodomy
- Britain, in the Flame of a Civil War under King Careticus
- The Author upbraids the Britons
- Loegria is again inhabited by the Saxons
- The Britons lose their Kingdom
- Augustine preaches the Gospel to the Angles
- Edelfrid kills a great Number of the British Monks
Book 12: decline of the Britons under Cadwan, Cadwalla and Cadwallader
- Cadwan acquires by treaty all Britain on this side of the Humber
- Cadwalla breaks the covenant he had made with Edwin
- A quarrel between Cadwalla and Edwin
- Cadwalla is vanquished by Edwin, and driven out of the kingdom
- The speech of Salomon, king of Armorica, to Cadwalla
- Cadwalla's answer to Salomon
- Brian kills Edwin's magician
- Cadwalla takes Penda, and routs his army
- Cadwalla kills Osric and Aidan in fight
- Oswald routs Penda in fight, but is killed by Cadwalla coming in upon him
- Oswy submits to Cadwalla. Penda desires leave of Cadwalla
- Cadwalla is advised to suffer Penda to make an insurrection against Oswy
- Penda is killed by Oswy. Cadwalla dies
- Cadwallader succeeds Cadwalla
- The Britons are compelled, by pestilence and famine, to leave Britain
- Cadwallader with his people goes to Alan. The Saxons seize all Britain
- Cadwallader is by the voice of an angel deterred from returning to Britain
- Cadwallader goes to Rome and dies
- The two Britons, Ivor and Ini, in vain attack the nation of the Angles
- Geoffrey of Monmouth's conclusion
