Medieval ‘nations’ and the prophecies of Merlin in Britain

Prophecy writing was used as political propaganda by both revolt movements and monarchies in medieval Britain. This presentation will present audience members with prophecies by Merlin and the lesser-known prophet Thomas Erceldoune, which were written between the 13th and 15th centuries. Prophecy was a versatile medium that could be interpreted and, more importantly, reinterpreted while maintaining social relevance.

This presentation will focus on political prophecy, that is, prophecy advancing political interests or criticising political leaders and institutions. It will propose a simple framework with which to examine political prophecies in late medieval Britain. This framework starts by identifying a prophecy’s ‘event’ (the political/social message of the text) and a ‘signifier’ (the conditions that indicate the event is happening or impending). Reading in this way allows for more nuance in viewing a prophecy as a supposedly revealed truth rather than an inevitable chain of events. This contrasts with other models scholars have put forward that analyse prophecies largely in terms of cause and effect narratives.

The presentation will also consider how these prophecies reflected early national sentiments in Britain, particularly Wales and England. This will include discussions of the Revolt of Owain Glynd?r (1400–1415) and the Percy Rebellion (c. 1403).