This page offers a summary of the Roll's content divided into fourteen sections. For higher definition images, please consult the.
For more information, select the "Read More" links. Names in bold appear on the central axis of the Roll; names in italics appear elsewhere on the manuscript.
MSH
The Canterbury Roll begins with Noah's Ark (with a red rose superimposed upon it) and Noah's three sons,听Shem,听Japhet,听补苍诲听Ham. It recounts the foundation story of early Britain and its legendary kings.
The insertion of classical gods, such as聽Jupiter聽补苍诲听Saturn, indicates the influence of antiquity on medieval minds.
Read more聽about the Classical influence
At the top of this section, we find聽Aeneas,听础蝉肠补苍颈耻蝉,聽补苍诲听Silvius聽on the central axis.
They are followed by聽叠谤耻迟耻蝉听(above whom appears a crown). According to one founding myth of Britain, Brutus (a Trojan refugee) wanders to "Albion" and renames it "Britannia" after himself.
The legendary kings that follow include King听尝别补谤聽(immortalised by Shakespeare) and his daughters:聽Gonarilla,听Regan,聽补苍诲听Cordelia.
Read more
A significant part of the Canterbury Roll details legendary kings of Britain. Their accounts are largely derived from Geoffrey of Monmouth's聽Historia Regnum Britanniae, and have little historical basis.
Nonetheless, such stories had become the accepted account of early British history by the 15th century.
This section includes kings such as聽叠别濒颈苍耻蝉听(who allegedly invaded Germany and Italy), 补苍诲听Guithelin聽(who gave the Britons their first laws, the Marcian Laws).
The Roll continues the mythical kings listed by Geoffrey of Monmouth in this section.
To the right of the central red axis there is a green line representing Cambria (Wales). This line starts with聽颁补尘产谤颈耻蝉听(one of Brutus' sons and a descendant of Aeneas of Troy). This "Welsh" line continues down the right side of the Roll until the reign of聽Edward I. This information is also taken from Geoffrey's story of Britain.
The legendary kings continue: Geoffrey of Monmouth 鈥 and the Roll's commentary 鈥 note that the name "London" is derived from 碍颈苍驳听Lud, who built Ludgate in the city.
Cassibelaunus聽(centre of the trio, middle of section) is a real historical figure. He appears in Julius Caesar's聽Commentaries on the Gallic War, where he surrenders to Caesar and pays tribute to Rome.
碍颈苍驳听Lucius聽(whose roundel is embellished) is credited with introducing Christianity to Britain.
This section links the mythical kings of early Britain with the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The green line on the left stops at the Saxon god聽Woden, before splitting off into these kingdoms.
The central red axis continues to recount the descent of the legendary kings. Near the bottom of the central axis, we find characters whose stories remain familiar to us today:聽Uther Pendragon聽and 碍颈苍驳听Arthur.
Read More
Left to right: the kings of Kent, East Anglia, Northumbria, Essex, Wessex, Mercia, and Sussex.
The thicker red axis ends with聽Caretic, the last "British" king.
The green line on the far right represents the Welsh, including 碍颈苍驳听Kadwaladrus.
According to the Roll, the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy is united under one kingdom and one king:聽Egbert聽(signified with a closed crown).
In the last roundel at the bottom of this section appears聽Alfred the Great.
Edward the Elder聽became king of Wessex after the death of his father,听Alfred the Great,聽in 899.
His son,听脝迟丑别濒蝉迟补苍, king of the West Saxons, is regarded by historians as the first ruler to control the whole of England.
To the left of the central axis a purple line begins with聽搁辞濒濒辞听of Normandy (called Robert I on the Roll), whose descendant would become the first Norman King of England,听William the Conqueror.
Edmund Ironside聽begins this section, followed by聽Canut聽of Denmark 补苍诲听Harold Harefoot. After the death of聽贬补谤迟丑补肠苍耻迟听(brother and heir to Harold), Danish rule over England ended.
Saint Edward the Confessor聽鈥 whose name is rubricated and whose roundel is embellished 鈥 restored the rule of the House of Wessex.
His successor,听Harold,听was killed at the Battle of Hastings fighting the Norman invaders led by聽William the Conqueror.
William the Conqueror聽(top) established Norman rule in England, and was succeeded by his sons聽William II聽补苍诲听Henry I.
In this section the Roll notably downplays a civil war over succession in the 12th century: The聽Empress Matilda听飞补蝉听Henry I's lawful heir but William the Conqueror's grandson,听Stephen, seized the throne. Matilda was never crowned queen, and is not listed on the central axis as one of England's rulers. Matilda's son,听Henry II聽Plantagenet, succeeded Stephen.
This section begins with Richard the Lionheart's nephew,听Henry III. Henry was succeded by his son聽Edward I聽and grandson,听Edward II.
To the left of the central axis we find a seperate cluster of roundels, the contemporary rulers of France. A blue line connects with the central axis to highlight the marriage of聽Isabella聽of France to聽Edward II. Their son,听Edward III, would use this connection to lay claim to the French Crown.聽Read more
Edward III聽(with thirteen "offspring" roundels) is succeeded by his grandson,听Richard II.
The subsequent king,听Henry IV, established the House of Lancaster. His son,听Henry V, responsible for the English victory at Agincourt, appears in a roundel embellished with floral decoration.
The Yorkist Scribe began to make additions to the Roll at this point. Note the change of hand on both sides of the central axis.
Read more
Henry VI聽(top) appears to have been added by the Yorkist Scribe as an afterthought 鈥 he appears slightly to the left of the central axis.
Aligned to the right of the axis, parallel with where the Roll was originally intended to end, are the Neville brothers,听Richard聽补苍诲听Robert.
Read more
The Yorkist Scribe extended the original version of the Roll, positioning聽Edward IV聽of York as the final successor to the kings of England.
