Editing Historia Brittonum (section)

==Arthuriana==
The ''Historia Brittonum'' has drawn attention because of its role in influencing the legends and myths surrounding [[King Arthur]]. It is the earliest source that presents Arthur as a historical figure, and is the source of several stories which were repeated and amplified by later authors.

===Vortigern and Ambrosius===
The ''Historia'' contains a story of the king [[Vortigern]], who allowed the [[Saxons]] to settle in the island of Britain in return for the hand of [[Hengist]]'s daughter.<ref>{{cite wikisource |author=Nennius |authorlink=Nennius |author-mask=Nennius (Traditional attribution) |editor=W. Gunn |editor-link=William Gunn (writer) |translator=J. A. Giles |translator-link=John Allen Giles |title=History of the Britons: Chapters 31–38 |wslink=History of the Britons#1:31 |year=1848 |origyear=after A.D. 830}}</ref> One legend about Vortigern says he tried to build a stronghold near [[Snowdon]] called [[Dinas Emrys]], only to have his building materials disappear every time he tried. His advisers told him to sprinkle the blood of a fatherless boy on the site to lift the curse. Vortigern found such a youth in [[Ambrosius Aurelianus|Ambrosius]], who rebuked the wise men and revealed that the disturbance was caused by two dragons buried underground.<ref>{{cite wikisource |author=Nennius |authorlink=Nennius |author-mask=Nennius (Traditional attribution) |editor=W. Gunn |editor-link=William Gunn (writer) |translator=J. A. Giles |translator-link=John Allen Giles |title=History of the Britons: Chapters 40–42 |wslink=History_of_the_Britons#1:40 |year=1848 |origyear=after A.D. 830}}</ref>

The tower story is repeated and embellished by [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]] in his ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'', though he attributes it to [[Merlin]], saying "Ambrosius" is the sage's alternative name. Geoffrey includes Aurelius Ambrosius, another figure mentioned in the ''Historia'', as a king in his own right, and also includes other characters such as [[Vortimer]] and Bishop [[Germanus of Auxerre]].

===Arthur's battles===
Chapter 56 discusses twelve battles fought and won by [[King Arthur|Arthur]], here called ''dux bellorum'' (war leader) rather than king:

{{blockquote|At that time, the Saxons grew strong by virtue of their large number and increased in power in Britain. [[Hengist and Horsa|Hengist]] having died, however, his son [[Octa of Kent|Octha]] crossed from the northern part of Britain to the kingdom of Kent and from him are descended the kings of Kent. Then Arthur along with the kings of Britain fought against them in those days, but Arthur himself was the military commander ["dux bellorum"]. His first battle was at the mouth of the river which is called [[River Glen, Northumberland#Arthurian myth|Glein]]. His second, third, fourth, and fifth battles were above another river which is called Dubglas and is in the region of [[Kingdom of Lindsey|Linnuis]]. The sixth battle was above the river which is called Bassas. The seventh battle was in the forest of Celidon, that is Cat Coit Celidon. The eighth battle was at the fortress of Guinnion, in which Arthur carried the image of Holy Mary ever virgin on his shoulders; and the pagans were put to flight on that day. And through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the power of the blessed Virgin Mary his mother there was great slaughter among them. The ninth battle was waged in the [[Caerleon|City of the Legion]]. The tenth battle was waged on the banks of a river which is called Tribruit. The eleventh battle was fought on the mountain which is called Agnet. The twelfth battle was on [[Mount Badon]] in which there fell in one day 960 men from one charge by Arthur; and no one struck them down except Arthur himself, and in all the wars he emerged as victor. And while they were being defeated in all the battles, they were seeking assistance from Germany and their numbers were being augmented many times over without interruption. And they brought over kings from Germany that they might reign over them in Britain, right down to the time in which [[Ida of Bernicia|Ida]] reigned, who was son of [[Eoppa of Bernicia|Eobba]]. He was the first king in [[Bernicia]], i.e., in Berneich.<ref>{{citation |translator-last=Lupack |translator-first=Alan |url=http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/nennius.htm |title=The History of the Britons (Historia Brittonum) |publisher=The Camelot Project |access-date=26 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310014939/https://d.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/text/nennius-history-of-the-britons|archive-date=10 March 2016|chapter=56}}</ref>}}

Many of these battle sites are obscure and cannot be identified with any certitude. Some appear in other Welsh literature, though not necessarily explicitly connected to Arthur. Some scholars have proposed that the author incorporated the list from a now-lost Old Welsh poem, based on the fact that some of the names appear to rhyme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yalebooks.yale.edu/2019/01/28/who-was-king-arthur/ |last=Higham |first=Nicholas J. |author-link=N. J. Higham |date=January 28, 2019|title=Who Was King Arthur? |quote="It has often been suggested that Arthur’s campaigns derive from a battle-catalog-type poem in Old Welsh, of the kind which survive praising King Cadwallon of Gwynedd. That some of the battle names rhyme (Dubglas/ Bassas; Celidon/Guinnion) might be thought to support this hypothesis. Even so, there seems little likelihood that this poem—if it ever existed—was written close to the events by someone who was well-informed. Wars do not as a rule feature rhyming battle-names, so this looks like poetic licence."}}</ref> The odd description of Arthur bearing the image of the [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]] on his shoulders at Guinnion might stem from a conflation of the Welsh word {{lang|cy|iscuit}} (shield) with {{lang|owl|iscuid}} (shoulders).{{sfn|Green|2007|p=19}} Others reject this as untenable, arguing that the author included battles not previously associated with Arthur, perhaps even made them up entirely.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=19-21}}

A similar story to that attached to Guinnion also appears in the ''[[Annales Cambriae]]''; here, Arthur is described as carrying "the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ on his shoulders for three days and three nights…", though here the battle is said to be Badon rather than Guinnion.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=26}} T. M. Charles-Edwards argues that these accounts both refer to a single source.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=28}} Other scholars, however, such as Thomas Jones and [[N. J. Higham]], argue that the ''Annales'' account is based directly on the ''Historia'', suggesting the name of the battle was switched from the unknown Guinnion to the famous Badon, and that the icon Arthur carries was replaced with a more common one.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=28}}

The Battle of Mount Badon is associated with Arthur in several later texts, but not in any that predate the ''Historia''.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=41}} It was clearly a historical battle described by [[Gildas]], who does not mention the name of the Britons' leader. He does however mention Aurelius Ambrosius as a great scourge of the Saxons immediately prior.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=31}} Of the other battles, only the Battle of Tribruit is generally agreed to be associated with Arthur in another early Welsh source.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=20}} Tribruit appears as ''Tryfrwyd'' in the Old Welsh poem ''[[Pa gur|Pa Gur?]]'', dating to perhaps the mid-ninth century. This poem follows the story of a battle against {{lang|owl|cinbin}}, or [[cynocephaly|dogheads]], whom Arthur's men fought in the mountains of ''[[Eidyn]]'' (Edinburgh); in the Tryfrwyd battle they spar with a character named Garwlwyd (Rough-Gray), who is likely the [[Gwrgi Garwlwyd]] (Man-Dog Rough-Grey) who appears in one of the [[Welsh Triads]].<ref>{{harvnb|Bromwich|2006|pp=73–74}}</ref><ref>For the discussion of Gwrgi Garwlwyd as a werewolf, see {{harvnb|Bromwich|2006|p=385}}.</ref>{{sfn|Green|2007|pp=84-85}} Arthur's main protagonist in the fight is [[Bedivere|Bedwyr]], later known as Sir Bedivere, and the poem also mentions the [[euhemerism|euhemerized]] god [[Manawydan]].{{sfn|Green|2007|pp=84-85}} "The City of the Legion" may be a reference to [[Caerleon]], whose name translates as such, but it might also refer to [[Chester]], the site of a large Roman base.<ref>[[Geoffrey Ashe|Ashe, Geoffrey]] (1991). "Annales Cambriae." In [[Norris J. Lacy|Lacy, Norris J.]] (Ed.), ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia'', p. 65. New York: Garland. {{ISBN|0-8240-4377-4}}.</ref>

''Cat Coit Celidon'' is probably a reference to the [[Caledonian Forest]] (''Coed Celyddon'') which once covered the [[Southern Uplands]] of Scotland. Scholar Marged Haycock has suggested that this battle can be identified with the ''Cad Goddeu'', the "Battle of the Trees", best known from the tenth-century poem ''[[Cad Goddeu]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Bromwich|2006|pp=218–219}}</ref>{{sfn|Green|2007|p=64}} Arthur is mentioned towards the end of this poem, and a fragment of a story about the battle preserved in manuscript Peniarth 98B states that the battle had an alternate name, ''Cad Achren'', which suggests a connection with the ''Caer Ochren'' raided by Arthur in the earlier poem ''[[Preiddeu Annwfn]]''.{{sfn|Green|2007|pp=62–64}}

Various writers have asserted that this chapter supports a [[historical basis for King Arthur]] and have tried to identify the twelve battles with historical feuds or locales (see [[Sites and places associated with Arthurian legend]]). On the other hand, Caitlin Green argues that the only identifiable battles linked explicitly with Arthur in Old Welsh sources are mythological, undermining any claims that the battles had a basis in history.{{sfn|Green|2007|p=67}}

===Mirabilia===
Attached to the ''Historia'' is a section called ''De mirabilibus Britanniae'' (or simply ''Mirabilia'' for short, a Latin word meaning 'marvels, miracles'). It gives a list of 13 topographical marvels, or wonders of Britain,<ref>The count might be fourteen (see the English translation of the full ''Mirabilia'' in {{harvnb|''Cambrian Quarterly''|1830|pp=60 ff.}}) it is thirteen in the Irish version, {{Harvnb|Todd|1848}}, cf. p.114n, where Todd makes comparison with the "[[Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain|Thirteen tlysau]], i.e. jewels".</ref>{{efn|The original Latin text proper only counts up to the fourth "Quartum miraculum", and thereafter just keeping adding "another miracle (Aliud miraculum)". Note that in Mommsen's edition, the text of the so-called ''Nennius interpretatus'' (Zimer's Latin translation of the Irish ''Historia Brittonum'') is given on a parallel column.}} followed by a few marvels of [[Anglesey]] (''Menand insulae'' or Mona) and of Ireland.<ref>For English translation of the full Mirabilia including the Anglesey and Irish wonders, see {{harvnb|''Cambrian Quarterly''|1830|pp=60 ff.}}</ref> The ''Mirabilia'' section is thought to not be part of the original work, but to have been composed shortly after (early 9th cent.).{{Refn|G. Ashe's entry under "Nennius", {{harvnb|Lacy et al. edd.|1986}} (Reprint 1987), ''Arth. Ency.'', p. 406<ref name="ArthEncy-Nennius"/> and {{harvnb|Lacy et al. edd.|1991}}, ''New Arth. Ency.'',{{URL|1=https://archive.org/details/newarthurianency00lacy/page/342/mode/2up?q=%22paw-print%22 |2=p. 343}}: "An appendix of ''Mirabilia'' ("Marvels") may be a little later than the rest of the book, but not much".}}{{Better source needed|reason=For such a broad statement, more modern sources are needed ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=May 2024}}

Two of the marvels are Arthurian lore (Chapter 73 of the ''Historia'').<ref name="higham2018" /> Old editions give "Troynt" as the name of the great boar and "Anir" as the name of Arthur's tragic son in the Harleian manuscript, but Fletcher suggested the variant readings "Troit" and "Amr" be preferred<ref>"Two names in the ''Mirabilia'' should be replaced by better variant readings, Troynt by Troit, and Anir by Amr" {{Harv|Fletcher|1906|p=320 fn.}}.</ref> since they are closer to the Welsh forms of those names.
 
The first concerns Arthur's dog, Cabal ([[Cavall]] in Welsh) and the footprint it left while chasing the boar Troynt (→Troit) [[Twrch Trwyth]]:
{{blockquote|There is another marvel in the region which is called [[Buellt|Buelt]]. There is a mound of stones there and one stone placed above the pile with the pawprint of a dog in it. When Cabal, who was the dog of Arthur the soldier, was hunting the boar Troynt, he impressed his print in the stone, and afterwards Arthur assembled a stone mound under the stone with the print of his dog, and it is called the Carn Cabal. And men come and remove the stone in their hands for the length of a day and a night; and on the next day it is found on top of its mound.<ref name="History of the Britons: Chapters 73">{{cite wikisource 
|last=Nennius (Traditional attribution) 
|authorlink=Nennius 
|translator=Alan Lupack 
|title=History of the Britons: Chapter 73 
|wslink=History of the Britons#1:73 
|origyear=after A.D. 830
}} ([http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/nennius.htm Alternative source]) 
— See also a slightly different annotated translation quoted at [[Twrch Trwyth]].</ref>{{efn|A text and translation of this passage was given in Lady [[Lady Charlotte Guest|Charlotte Guest]]'s notes to her translation of [[Culhwch ac Olwen|Kilhwch ac Olwan]], and her book ran a facsimile of the Latin text of the above passage from Harley MS 3859.}}
}}
 
The second concerns Arthur's son Anir or Amr ([[Amhar]] in Welsh) and his sepulchre:
{{blockquote|There is another wonder in the region which is called [[Ergyng|Ercing]]. A tomb is located there next to a spring which is called Licat Amr; and the name of the man who is buried in the tomb was called thus: [[Amhar|Amr]](←Anir). He was the son of Arthur the soldier, and Arthur himself killed and buried him in that very place. And men come to measure the grave and find it sometimes six feet in length, sometimes nine, sometimes twelve, sometimes fifteen. At whatever length you might measure it at one time, a second time you will not find it to have the same length—and I myself have put this to the test.<ref name="History of the Britons: Chapters 73"/>}}