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Gerald of Wales was among the most dynamic and fascinating churchmen of the twelfth century. A member of one of the leading Norman families involved in the invasion of Ireland, he first visited there in 1183 and later returned in the entourage of Henry II. The resulting Topographia Hiberniae is an extraordinary account of his travels. Here he describes landscapes, fish, birds and animals; recounts the history of Ireland's rulers; and tells fantastical stories of magic wells and deadly whirlpools, strange creatures and evil spirits. Written from the point of view of an invader and reformer, this work has been rightly criticized for its portrait of a primitive land, yet it is also one of the most important sources for what is known of Ireland during the Middle Ages.
Providing an account of his travels, the author describes landscapes, fish, birds and animals. He recounts the history of Ireland's rulers, and tells stories of magic wells and deadly whirlpools, strange creatures and evil spirits. This work is written from the point of view of an invader and reformer.
His Topographia Hiberniae is an account of Ireland and its early history as seen by a Norman in A.D. 1185. The tone is colored by the circumstances in which Giraldus wrote, but his credulity is delightful and his gift for storytelling matchless.
"This book highlights the principal themes and elements in the making of the landscape, and the sources which can assist historians and historical geographers in studying and understanding Irish landscape history. Major and local sources relating to the natural environment, cultural landscapes and the built environment are explored. The book also looks at representations of landscapes in literature, painting and other artistic sources which can provide insights into the nature of real and imagined worlds of the past. The ultimate source which features prominently throughout this study is the landscape itself on which generations before us have inscribed the marks of their presence in fields, farms, houses, villages, towns, roads, lanes and the infrastructure of settlement."--BOOK JACKET.