History of the Kings of Britain #3 - Before the Romans Came by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Taken from Geoffrey of Monmouth’s ‘The History of the Kings of Britain’ today we learn about King Leir and his three daughters, how two of them mistreated him and cheated him out of the kingdom, while the third, Cordelia, helped him to win it back.

We also hear about Molmutius, the famous king who first brought a code of law to the island. The Molmutine laws were still in use at the time of King Alfred and were the start of our common law. He made the roads as safe as the cities and was the first to make temples into sanctuaries, where a fugitive was supposed to be pardoned if he could reach one and enter.

Also included is the tale of Bladud, the genius necromancer who was the first to create a pair of wings and fly. Unfortunately his invention failed him and he crashed down on top of the temple of Apollo in Trinovantum, but his utilising of the hot springs in Bath has been continued until today.

Narrated by Sven