Giraldus

Giraldus Cambrensis, also known as Gerald of Wales or Geraldus Cambrensis, was a medieval cleric and chronicler active in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is best known for his Latin topographical and ethnographic writings on Wales and Ireland.

Born in Pembrokeshire around 1146, he belonged to the clerical class and pursued education on the European continent, notably in Paris. He later held ecclesiastical offices in Wales and undertook extensive travel through the British Isles, drawing on his observations to compose his accounts. He died circa 1223.

His principal works are Itinerarium Cambriae (Itinerary through Wales), Topographia Hibernica (Description of Ireland), and Descriptio Cambriae (Description of Wales). The writings combine travel narrative, antiquarian inquiry, and ethnographic observation, addressing religious, legal, and political matters. They reflect the perspective of a cleric aligned with the Anglo-Norman elite and aim to present both the land and its peoples within a framework of historical and religious significance.

The texts are valued for firsthand geographic and cultural detail but judged critically for biases, sensational anecdotes, and a portrayal of Irish and Welsh societies in ways that often served contemporary political and imperial viewpoints. Despite these biases, Gerald of Wales remains a foundational source for understanding 12th‑century Wales and Ireland, and his works influenced later chroniclers and the development of medieval ethnography and historiography.