Written shortly after the Norman conquest, Monmouth's "Histories of the Kings of Britain" attempted to create for the British people a national epic. In this seminal volume, he constructed a mythical history for Britain through the retelling of traditional tales, in particular stories of King Lear and King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth (1095-1155) was a British cleric. He was one of the key who helped develop British historiography and popularised the tales of King Arthur--of which he represents the primary source. Other notable works by this author include: "The History of the Kings of Britain", "Prophecies of Merlin", and "Life of Merlin". This vintage book will appeal to those with an interest in the original tales of King Arthur and British legends in general. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.