# The History of the Kings of Britain

> pseudohistorical account of British history (c.1136)

**Wikidata**: [Q238693](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q238693)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_Regum_Britanniae)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-history-of-the-kings-of-britain

## Summary
*The History of the Kings of Britain* (c. 1136) is a pseudohistorical account of British history written by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It is a literary work that attempts to distort and misrepresent the historical record, presenting a fictionalized narrative of the kings of Britain. The work is notable for its inclusion in the *Red Book of Hergest*, a later Welsh manuscript collection.

## Key Facts
- **Author**: Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–1155), a historian and Bishop of St Asaph, Wales.
- **Inception**: Written around 1136.
- **Classification**: Pseudohistory, a form of pseudoscholarship that misrepresents historical records.
- **Related Work**: Included in the *Red Book of Hergest*, a Welsh manuscript collection compiled between 1382 and 1410.
- **Aliases**: *Historia regum Britanniae* and *On the Deeds of the Britons*.
- **Wikipedia Title**: *Historia Regum Britanniae*.
- **Publication Date**: 1136.
- **Wikidata Description**: A pseudohistorical account of British history (c. 1136).
- **Sitelink Count**: 44 (indicating its prominence in online references).

## FAQs
**What is *The History of the Kings of Britain*?**
It is a pseudohistorical work written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1136, presenting a fictionalized account of British kingship.

**Who wrote *The History of the Kings of Britain*?**
Geoffrey of Monmouth, a historian and Bishop of St Asaph, Wales, authored the work.

**Is *The History of the Kings of Britain* a reliable historical account?**
No, it is classified as pseudohistory, meaning it misrepresents historical facts.

**Where is *The History of the Kings of Britain* preserved?**
It is included in the *Red Book of Hergest*, a later Welsh manuscript collection.

**What are the other names for *The History of the Kings of Britain*?**
It is also known as *Historia regum Britanniae* and *On the Deeds of the Britons*.

## Why It Matters
*The History of the Kings of Britain* is significant as an early example of pseudohistory, blending myth with historical claims to construct a narrative of British kingship. While it is not considered a reliable historical source, it influenced later medieval and Renaissance interpretations of British heritage. Its inclusion in the *Red Book of Hergest* demonstrates its enduring legacy in Welsh literary tradition. The work reflects the medieval practice of blending fact and fiction to shape national identity, a theme that persists in historical writing.

## Notable For
- Being a foundational work of pseudohistory, blending myth and historical claims.
- Influencing later medieval and Renaissance interpretations of British heritage.
- Preserved in the *Red Book of Hergest*, a key Welsh manuscript collection.
- Written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, a prominent medieval historian and bishop.

## Body
### Origins and Author
*The History of the Kings of Britain* was written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, a historian and Bishop of St Asaph, Wales, around 1136. Monmouth was a contemporary of King Henry I of England and served as a royal chaplain. His work is notable for its pseudohistorical approach, which combined myth with historical claims to construct a narrative of British kingship.

### Pseudohistorical Nature
The work is classified as pseudohistory, a form of pseudoscholarship that attempts to distort or misrepresent the historical record. Unlike reliable historical accounts, *The History of the Kings of Britain* presents a fictionalized version of British history, blending fact and myth to shape a national narrative.

### Preservation
*The History of the Kings of Britain* is included in the *Red Book of Hergest*, a Welsh manuscript collection compiled between 1382 and 1410. This inclusion demonstrates its enduring legacy in Welsh literary tradition and its role as a foundational text in medieval British heritage narratives.

### Legacy and Influence
While not considered a reliable historical source, *The History of the Kings of Britain* influenced later medieval and Renaissance interpretations of British heritage. Its pseudohistorical approach reflects the medieval practice of blending fact and fiction to shape national identity, a theme that persists in historical writing. The work remains a key example of how historical narratives can be constructed and reinterpreted over time.

### Related Entities
- **Geoffrey of Monmouth**: A historian and Bishop of St Asaph, Wales, who authored *The History of the Kings of Britain*.
- **Red Book of Hergest**: A Welsh manuscript collection that includes *The History of the Kings of Britain*, compiled between 1382 and 1410.
- **Pseudohistory**: A form of pseudoscholarship that misrepresents historical facts, as exemplified by *The History of the Kings of Britain*.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Historia Regum Britanniae (Literature) - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae)
4. [Motif-Index of Folk-Literature](https://sites.ualberta.ca/~urban/Projects/English/Content/d.htm)
5. Motif-Index of Folk-Literature
6. Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: Volume 2: D–E
7. A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050-1400