author
of Malmesbury William
d. 1143
A monk of Malmesbury Abbey, he became one of the great historians of 12th-century England. His chronicles are prized for their lively storytelling, careful reading, and rare eyewitness view of a turbulent age.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born around 1095 and dying around 1143, William of Malmesbury was an English Benedictine monk and historian who spent his adult life at Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire. Sources describe him as being of mixed Norman and English parentage, and later writers have often singled him out as one of the strongest historical voices in medieval England.
He is best known for major works including Gesta Regum Anglorum (Deeds of the English Kings), Gesta Pontificum Anglorum (Deeds of the English Bishops), and the Historia Novella. These books combine wide reading with a real interest in character, politics, and the causes behind events, which helps explain why they remain so valuable to historians.
What makes his writing especially memorable is that it does more than list facts. He wrote with curiosity and judgment, drawing on earlier authorities such as Bede while also recording events close to his own lifetime, including the troubled reign of King Stephen. For listeners interested in medieval Britain, he offers both a chronicle and a vivid human portrait of his world.