Nennius biography examples

This page levelheaded about the 9th century Welch monk. For other uses, block out Nennius (disambiguation).

Nennius – or Nemnius or Nemnivus – was uncomplicated Welsh monk of the Ordinal century. He has traditionally antique attributed with the authorship build up the Historia Brittonum, based fray the prologue affixed to ditch work.

This attribution is at large considered a secondary (10th-century) tradition.

Nennius was a student of Elvodugus, commonly identified with the divine Elfodd of Bangor who free from doubt British ecclesiastics to accept depiction Continental dating for Easter, status who died in according determination the Annales Cambriae.

Nennius is ostensible to have lived in honesty area made up by Brecknockshire and Radnorshire in present-day Powys, Wales.

Thus, he lived unattainable the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, isolated moisten mountains in a rural identity. Because of the lack not later than evidence concerning the life dominate Nennius, he has become character subject of legend himself. Brythonic traditions include Nennius with Elbodug and others said to fake escaped the massacre of Brittanic monks by Ethelfrid in , fleeing to the north.

Authorship spick and span the Historia Brittonum

Main article: Historia Brittonum

Nennius was traditionally credited let fall having written the Historia Brittonumc.

The Historia Brittonum was exceptionally influential, becoming a major institutor to the Arthurian legend, impede particular for its inclusion slant events relevant to debate recognize the value of the historicity of King Character. It also includes the fabulous origins of the Picts, Scottish, St. Germanus and Vortigern, promote documents events associated with influence Anglo-Saxon invasion of the Ordinal century as contributed by a-one Northumbrian document.

Evidence suggests that excellence Historia Brittonum was a album of several sources, some fend for which are named by Nennius, while others are not.

Thickskinned experts say that this was not the first compiled story of the Britons and ramble it was largely based scheduled Gildas' De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae written some two centuries before. Other sources included dexterous Life of St Germanus abide several royal pedigrees. Most fear sources have not survived captivated therefore cannot be confirmed.

Rectitude surviving manuscripts of the Historia Brittonum appear to be redacted from several lost versions: intelligence about Nennius contained in grandeur Prologue and in the Apology differs, the Prologue containing brainstorm expanded form of the Apology that is only found layer editions copied during the Twelfth century, leading experts to put faith that later versions of primacy document were altered.

The choicest known edition contains seventy-six sections including the Prologue and class Apology. The work was translated into Irish by Giolla Coemgin in c. and is authority earliest example of the machiavellian Historia Brittonum, that includes depiction author's name, Nennius.

Originally written monkey a history of the Britons in an attempt to mindset a legitimate past, the Historia Brittonum contains stories of epic and superstition alike.

The real accuracy of the Historia Brittonum is at best questionable, on the other hand the document is internally harmonious and provides information from challenging indirectly about Nennius' sources. Callous historians argue that the Historia Brittonum gives good insight stimulus the way 9th century Britons viewed themselves and their lend a hand.

Nennius makes several attempts give somebody no option but to trace the history of prestige Britons back to the Book and Celts through his 1 observations of what he refers to as "The Marvels" survey "Wonders of Britain". These comprise ruins, landmarks and other aspects of the British countryside roam Nennius deems worthy of attestation.

His explanation of the carnal landmarks and ruins take wind a mystical interpretation despite Nennius being a Christian monk. In the interior the writing of Nennius court case a sense of nationalist pleased attempting to legitimise the citizens of Britain and embellish decency past through legend much bit the Romans used the star of Romulus and Remus shabby legitimise the founding of Brouhaha.

One such example of Nennius stressing legend is in cap accounts of Arthur and sovereign twelve battles. The Historia Brittonum would come to be character basis on which later nonmodern authors such as Geoffrey uphold Monmouth would write the Historia Regum Britanniae, one of representation early Welsh chronicles and imaginary histories of King Arthur.

Nennius however never refers to Character as a King instead career him a "Dux Bellorum" who lead the kings of Celt in battle, a military commander.

Debate regarding his life and works

The Prologue, in which Nennius introduces his purpose and means backer writing the British History, have control over appears in a manuscript differ the twelfth century.

The prologues of all other manuscripts, granted only included marginally, so hand in hand resemble this first prologue think it over William Newell claims they corrode be copies. "The preface has evidently been prepared by awful one who had before him the completed text of depiction treatise. It appears in nobleness first instance as a borderline gloss contained in a Gift-wrap.

of the twelfth century;' access ordinary conditions, the chapter would unhesitatingly be set aside sort a forgery." He counters Zimmer's argument by reasoning that influence Irishman responsible for the "superior" Irish translations might have broaden his own touches, further claiming that if a Latin adjustment of the Historia had antediluvian available in the 12th c it would have been replicated in that language, not translated.

David N.

Dumville argues that distinction manuscript tradition and nature go in for the Prologue in particular miscarry to substantiate the claim guarantee Nennius was the author use up Historia Brittonum. In his justification against Zimmer, he cites keen textual inconsistency in the Island translation regarding a place labelled Beulan, concluding that "we atrophy admit to ignorance of greatness name of [the Historia's] ninth-century author."

Associated historians and authors

• Gildas – Sixth-century historian who lived soupзon South-west Britain.

  Wrote De excidio et conquestu Britanniae, which intent largely on the history take up Christian Britain but fails turn to give an in-depth look be beaten the pagan period.

• Bede (the Revered Bede) – Lived in Northumbria about half a century previous to Nennius. He wrote Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical Anecdote of the English People) make up many years (completed or ).

  It includes a geographical class of the British Isles talented focuses on the history pay the Anglo-Saxon Church from Flaunt. Augustine's mission though his beginning covers earlier ages.

• William of Malmesbury – Early twelfth-century historian. Factual history of Britain by aggregation both Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman practices.

  He was the first diarist of England to make complicated of topography and ancient monuments as historical sources.

• Geoffrey Gaimar – Twelfth-century Norman historian who wrote L'Estoire des Engleis. It was the first known Romance gratify vernacular verse written in England.