Gerald of Wales - On the Deeds of Gerald, De gestis Giraldi

De Gestis Giraldi, attributed to Gerald of Wales, is the most complete, the most detailed, and the most colourful of the contemporary narratives of the life of the Cambro-Norman priest and historian. It follows the deeds of Gerald, a text organized as a biography of a bishop and mostly written in the third person, as if written by someone other than Gerald himself, but actually written by Gerald of Wales, 1146-1223. It covers his early career and education, from his birth in Pembrokeshire to his incomplete consecration. Some of the text has been lost forever, but what does survive is a portrait of the bishop; a polymath who was passionate about rhetoric, and who influenced the court of Henry II. This volume has been prepared from a critical study of all the extant manuscripts, and features an accompanying English translation. The edition supports the translation and text with an authoritative introduction, extensive historical notes, and critical study of the work. This volume focuses on the life, work, and career of Gerald of Wales, set against the backdrop of critical moments in Welsh and Irish history.