The History of the Kings of Britain

After Utherpendragon’s death, the Saxons began inviting Germans to Britain in hopes of “exterminat[ing] the Britons” (182). British leaders recommend Utherpendragon’s son Arthur be crowned king. Though only 15 years old, Arthur’s grace, courage, goodness, and generosity have endeared him to the people. After being crowned, Arthur leads an army against the Saxons and defeats them. Germany sends reinforcements, and Arthur retreats with his troops to London to seek counsel from his advisors. The Britons decide to send for help from King Hoel of Brittany, a son of Arthur’s sister. Hoel sends 15 thousand warriors to Arthur’s aid. Arthur’s troops again defeat the Saxons. They petition to be “permitted to return to Germany with nothing but their boats” and promise to pay tribute to Arthur (184). Arthur and his counsel consent, and the Saxons sail away. However, they return to Britain and again ravage the countryside, The Saxons take the upper hand in the ensuing battle, but Arthur ultimately inspires his men to defeat the Saxons.

Arthur next uses siege tactics to defeat the Scots and Picts. To help the besieged, Irish king Gilmaurius lands in Britain with “a huge horde of pagans” (188). Arthur massacres them, and the survivors are forced to flee, leaving Arthur free to destroy the Picts and Scots. However, their bishops appeal to Arthur to have mercy on them, and he agrees to give them “some small tract of land of their own” (188).

After defeating the Scottish people, Arthur proceeds to York, where he is dismayed to discover that Saxon invasions have driven out the Christians and resulted in the burning and abandonment of churches. Arthur has the churches rebuilt and restores honor to the local nobles, including bestowing the Lothian dukedom to Loth, his sister’s husband and father of Arthur’s nephews Gawain and Mordred. Having restored dignity to the British nation, Arthur marries Guinevere, “the most beautiful woman in the entire island” and descendant of “a noble Roman family” (189). The following summer, Arthur conquers Ireland, then Iceland, and receives promises of tribute from the kings of Gotland and the Orkneys. Arthur returns to Britain and rules in peace for the next 12 years. His fame spreads “to the very ends of the earth” (190). Kings all over the region fortify their castles in fear of Arthur. Hearing this inspires him “to conceive the idea of conquering the whole of Europe” (190).

He conquers Norway, Denmark, and Gaul, distributing its cities and provinces to the noblemen who served him, then returns to Britain. There, he plans a feast to be held at the City of the Legions in Wales in order to celebrate Whitsun (Pentecost) and to “renew the closet possible pacts of peace with his chieftains” (193). Geoffrey lists the many kings, Earls, Dukes, Archbishops, and other famous men in attendance, local and from “lands across the sea,” as their attendance is a testament to the love Arthur's generosity has inspired (194). Arthur and Guinevere are crowned with pomp, ceremony, and feasts. After, the knights compete in games while the women watch “from the top of the city walls,” arousing “them to passionate excitement by their flirtatious behavior [sic]” (196).

Towards the end of the feast, envoys from Lucius Hiberius arrive, bearing a letter in which Lucius berates Arthur for being insolent, insulting the Senate, and not paying tribute to Rome. Lucius orders Arthur to appear in Rome the following August to “suffer the penalty of whatever sentence” the Senate passes; if Arthur does not appear, Lucius will invade his territory (197). Arthur gathers the leaders and gives a speech declaring that Rome should pay tribute to Britain since Belinus, Brennius, and Constantine had each in the past gained the Roman throne. Hoel praises Arthur for his wisdom, experience, and “Ciceronian eloquence” (199). He invokes the Sybilline Prophecies, which testify that “someone born of British blood shall seize the Empire of Rome,” and pledges 10 thousand men to Arthur’s service (200). The other leaders follow Hoel’s lead, offering their knights’ service. The troops are gathered and prepare to sail to Gaul. Arthur sends the Lucius Hiberius’ messenger to convey his intentions to Rome.

Hearing this news, Lucius Hiberius gathers “the Kings of the Orient” with instructions to prepare an army to conquer Britain. Arthur leaves Mordred and Guinevere to defend Britain, then sets sail. During the sea crossing, Arthur dreams of a dragon defeating a bear. His counselors interpret this as Arthur (the dragon) defeating his enemies (the bear), but Arthur remains unconvinced. Shortly after, Arthur hears news that Duke Hoel’s niece, Helena, has been snatched by a giant. Arthur sets out with two men to find the giant and discovers that he has killed Helena. Arthur and the giant engage in one-on-one combat; Arthur defeats him and brings the head back to his camp.

Arthur sends his nephew Gawain and two additional envoys, Boso and Gerin, to deliver a message to Lucius Hiberius ordering him to withdraw from Gaul or face Arthur’s army. After delivering the message, the envoys begin their return journey to Arthur’s camp, but a fierce battle breaks out. The Romans inflict many casualties and take the upper hand. Boso exhorts his men to bravely fight since they began the battle without informing Arthur and must not incur his anger. The Britons capture the Romans’ commander and plunder their troops, then return with prisoners to their camp where Arthur congratulates them. Arthur marches with his army toward Paris, where he plans to imprison the captives. Hearing of this plan, the Romans ambush the Britons. Though they fight, the Britons are at the point of losing when reinforcements fortuitously arrive, securing a British victory despite significant loses. They proceed to Paris with their captives.

Meanwhile, Lucius Hiberius marches with his troops to face Arthur in battle. He urges his men to fight as bravely and with as much integrity as their Roman ancestors. The Britons and the Romans inflict “pitiable slaughter on both sides” (214). Initially, the Britons seems to suffer the more severe losses, but they press on, with Gawain and Hoel as the two most exemplary knights. Gawain and Lucius fight hand-to-hand. Arthur exhorts his men to remember their ancestors, “whom the Romans, then at the height of their power, made tributaries,” and their liberty (217). His ferocity emboldens his men, but the Romans meet their energy. The battle rages, with each side taking the upper hand in turns. Lucius is killed, and “only after a supreme effort” do the Britons win (218). They pursue the fleeing Romans, “Putting them to death miserably, taking them prisoner and plundering them,” as was “ordained by divine providence” (218). Arthur sends Lucius’ body to the Senate “with a message that no other tribute could be expected from Britain” (219).

The following summer, Arthur intends to attack Rome but receives news that his nephew Mordred has crowned himself king of Britain and is “living adulterously and out of wedlock with Queen Guinevere” (219). Arthur cancels his planned attack on Leo, the Roman emperor, and sets off for Britain. Meanwhile, Mordred raises an army from among Arthur’s enemies, including the Saxon pagans, as well as the Scots, Picts, and Irish. Mordred’s combined pagan and Christian army meets Arthur’s troops as they land, inflicting “great slaughter” on them (220). Gawain is killed along with many others. Arthur’s army emerges victorious, but “with enormous difficulty” (220). While Mordred reforms his army, Guinevere flees to the City of the Legions, where she takes nun’s vows, “promising to lead a chaste life” (220). In a second battle, Arthur’s army again bests Mordred’s, but Mordred again escapes. Arthur pursues Mordred for a third brutal and “heartrending” confrontation between their armies, in which Mordred is killed (222). Arthur is mortally wounded and “carried off to the Isle of Avalon, so that his wounds might be attended to” (222). He hands the British crown to his cousin Constantine, son of Cador, Duke of Cornwall. Geoffrey identifies the year as 542 “after our Lord’s Incarnation” (222).