Narrative of sovereignty: Geoffrey of Monmouth's 'The History of the Kings of Britain' and Norman Legitimacy

Geoffrey of Monmouth's twelfth-century text, The History of the Kings of Britain, is considered by many to be one of the most influential books of history ever written. Published against the backdrop of the civil war between Stephen and Matilda and a resurgence of Welsh rebellion, it is best known for providing the origin story of King Arthur. Despite its influence and popularity, the nuanced nature of the History has made precise interpretation of the text difficult.;Most scholars interpret the text as addressing the political concerns of twelfth-century England in a manner that supports the Norman aristocracy. Francis Ingledew views the History as part of Norman historiography and argues that it follows the Virgilian philosophy of history in its use of genealogy and prophecy to support Norman claims of sovereignty over England through an appeal to time. In contrast, Michael Faletra argues that the History follows Orosius' Christian philosophy of history, and traces the linear transfer of imperium, or secular power, from the Britons to the Saxons and by implication to the Normans, all amidst the backdrop of God's redemptive plan in history. Laurie Finke and Martin Shichtman argue that the History articulates the necessity of primogeniture to manage the disparate cultural groups of England and to guarantee the transition of power to the Norman bloodline. Finally, Paul Dalton argues that Geoffrey uses history and prophecy to promote peace by warning the Anglo-Norman aristocracy that their civil war could cause them to lose England to the Welsh and Scots.;Based on these critical approaches, this thesis will argue two possible uses for the History. The first was to legitimize Norman sovereignty over the culturally diverse English nation by undermining Welsh claims to sovereignty and implying a political, moral, and religious connection between the genealogy of British kings and the Norman aristocracy. The second is as a secular exemplum that was written to support both Stephen and Matilda's claims to the throne by providing examples of both the peaceful transfer of power and the reign of just rulers that served as a model for Stephen and Matilda.