Geoffrey's work came at a time of turmoil in England the country was torn apart by civil war as King Stephen and Queen Maude struggled for ascendancy. It is also highly likely that he drew on a wide range of historical material - some of which is preserved in the Welsh Mabinogion, but also on oral tradition and the works of Bede, Nennius, and Gildas. Geoffrey claims that his Historia drew heavily upon an "ancient book" loaned to him by Walter, Archbishop of Oxford. It was during his time in Oxford - probably around 1136 - that Geoffrey produced his great work ' Historia Regum Britaniae' (The History of the Kings of Britain), which was a sort of national genealogy - however dubious it may have been. This post certainly implies that Geoffrey was a learned man, according to the standards of his time. He entered the church and served for over 20 years as a Master at the College of St.
We believe that he was born sometime around 1100 in Monmouthshire (now Gwent).
Little is known of the early life of Geoffrey of Monmouth.
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