The Prophetiae Merlini (Prophecies of Merlin) are found in Book VII of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Latin work Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), completed around 1136. Merlin is the most famous wizard and seer in Arthurian legend, with roots tracing back to the Welsh tradition of Myrddin Wyllt.
These prophecies are expressed primarily through cryptic animal allegories: the Red Dragon represents the Britons (Welsh), the White Dragon represents the Saxons, and various animals symbolize historical kings and events. The prophecies span from the Saxon invasion to the Norman Conquest and far into Britain's future.
The Prophecies of Merlin had enormous influence in medieval Europe, widely cited in political propaganda and historical interpretation. While modern scholars generally view them as retrospective compositions based on events already known to Geoffrey, some of the vaguer symbols have been interpreted as predictions of later events. This site compiles representative prophecies and verifies them against British history.
Core Message
"The Red Dragon's misfortunes shall come to an end, and the White Dragon's suffering shall be near. The dens of destruction shall be filled, and the streams shall return to their proper channels."
c. 5th century — Battle of Red and White Dragons: Saxon invasion of Britain1066 — Norman Conquest: key event that preceded Geoffrey's writing1136 — Geoffrey completes Historia Regum Britanniae, Merlin's prophecies published12th-15th century — Prophecies repeatedly cited and reinterpreted in English politics1485 — Henry VII ascends the throne, Welsh Tudor dynasty adopts the Red Dragon
Prophecy text from Book VII of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae in Latin (Wikipedia: Prophetiae Merlini )
Historical context from J.S.P. Tatlock's 'The Legendary History of Britain' and modern medieval scholarship
Verification based on British historical records (Wikipedia: Historia Regum Britanniae )
Editorial opinions do not represent academic consensus; some interpretations remain debated
Site icon: dragon symbol — the battle of the Red and White Dragons is the most iconic and widely known image from Merlin's prophecies
Prophecies of Merlin All Prophecies 17 Q&A entries in total
The Battle of the Red and White Dragons
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Woe to the Red Dragon, for its extermination draws near. Its caverns shall be occupied by the White Dragon, which signifies the Saxons who were invited. The Red Dragon represents the people of Britain.
Plain English: The Red Dragon (Britons) will suffer defeat as the White Dragon (Saxons) takes over their lands.
The Boar of Cornwall
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Boar of Cornwall shall succeed and shall trample their necks beneath its feet.
Plain English: A great leader from Cornwall will arise and subjugate the enemies of Britain.
The Germanic Worm after six successors
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): After him, six of his descendants shall hold the sceptre. Then the Germanic Worm shall rise up.
Plain English: After a line of six rulers, a Germanic invader will threaten Britain.
The Lion of Justice
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Lion of Justice shall come, at whose roar the towers of Gaul and the island dragons shall tremble.
Plain English: A just and powerful ruler will arise, feared by both France and the British Isles.
The prophecy of Norman Conquest
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Then shall arise the Eagle of the broken covenant, which shall gild its third nesting at the summit.
Plain English: A conquering power breaking its agreements shall rise, achieving its greatest glory in its third generation.
The destroyer of Ireland's walls
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The sixth shall overthrow the walls of Ireland and turn its forests into plains.
Plain English: A sixth ruler will conquer Ireland, devastating its landscape.
The Goat and the castle of Venus
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Goat of the Castle of Venus shall build a fortress and shall place Mars within its triangle.
Plain English: A ruler symbolized by the goat will establish a military stronghold.
The return of the White Dragon
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Then the White Dragon shall return and shall invite the daughter of Germany. Our gardens shall be filled with foreign seed.
Plain English: Germanic influence will return to Britain through a royal marriage alliance.
The rivers flowing with blood
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The rivers shall flow with blood and the springs shall overflow with draughts of health.
Plain English: A period of great violence will be followed by an era of healing and restoration.
The Ass of Wickedness
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Ass of Wickedness shall be swift in the construction of things, but the sluggishness of horses shall prevail among the slow.
Plain English: A cunning but base ruler will achieve rapid building works, yet slowness will eventually dominate.
The island of six kings
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Six of his descendants shall bear the sceptre of the island, but after them the Germanic Worm shall rise.
Plain English: After six successive rulers, a Germanic power will threaten the island's sovereignty.
The trees of Britain
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The roots of the British race shall be torn up and its overseas plantations shall degenerate.
Plain English: The native British lineage will be uprooted and colonies abroad will decline.
The destruction of monasteries
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The religion of the cloister shall be annihilated and the ruin of Churches shall be laid bare.
Plain English: Monastic religious life will be destroyed and churches will fall to ruin.
The merging of seas
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Three seas shall be born from the surge of a single spring. The mass of Marius and the Red Sea shall be disturbed.
Plain English: Great upheavals of the seas and waters will occur, affecting distant lands.
The revival of the Red Dragon
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): In those days the Mount of Jupiter shall be revealed, and it shall be a place of delight. The Dragon of Cornwall and the Cerberus of Canterbury shall be reconciled.
Plain English: A future era of peace and reconciliation between secular and religious powers in Britain.
The siege of the City of Three Springs
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Ships shall fill three ports. The City of Three Springs shall be fortified with walls and towers.
Plain English: A major military buildup will occur at three ports, and a key city will be fortified.
The end of all things
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): After these things, the tree of Corineus shall sprout from the first and grow luxuriant into three branches. But all these things shall pass away in their season.
Plain English: A great lineage will flourish and divide into three, but all earthly things are ultimately transient.
Prophecy Verification Evaluating predictions against reality for expired time points
The Battle of the Red and White Dragons
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Woe to the Red Dragon, for its extermination draws near. Its caverns shall be occupied by the White Dragon, which signifies the Saxons who were invited. The Red Dragon represents the people of Britain.
Plain English: The Red Dragon (Britons) will suffer defeat as the White Dragon (Saxons) takes over their lands.
In the 5th-6th centuries, the Anglo-Saxons gradually conquered most of Britain, forcing the Britons (Celts) to retreat to Wales and Cornwall. This closely matches the allegory of the Red Dragon (Britons) being displaced by the White Dragon (Saxons). However, this prophecy was written ~600 years after the events, making it retrospective.
The Boar of Cornwall
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Boar of Cornwall shall succeed and shall trample their necks beneath its feet.
Plain English: A great leader from Cornwall will arise and subjugate the enemies of Britain.
Medieval commentators widely interpreted the 'Boar of Cornwall' as King Arthur. Arthurian legends do include narratives from Cornwall/Tintagel, and Arthur is depicted as a hero who repelled the Saxons. However, the historicity of King Arthur remains debated, with no conclusive evidence of his existence as a real person.
The Germanic Worm after six successors
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): After him, six of his descendants shall hold the sceptre. Then the Germanic Worm shall rise up.
Plain English: After a line of six rulers, a Germanic invader will threaten Britain.
The 'Germanic Worm' likely refers to the continued expansion of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The 6th-7th centuries were indeed a period of growing Saxon power (Wessex, Mercia, etc.). However, the specific correspondence of 'six descendants' is unclear and interpretations vary among commentators.
The prophecy of Norman Conquest
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Then shall arise the Eagle of the broken covenant, which shall gild its third nesting at the summit.
Plain English: A conquering power breaking its agreements shall rise, achieving its greatest glory in its third generation.
The 'Eagle of the broken covenant' has been widely interpreted as William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest (1066). The Normans did indeed break previous alliance agreements with England. The 'third nesting' may refer to the third Norman king, Henry I, when Norman rule peaked. However, this event occurred ~70 years before Geoffrey wrote, making it retrospective.
The island of six kings
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Six of his descendants shall bear the sceptre of the island, but after them the Germanic Worm shall rise.
Plain English: After six successive rulers, a Germanic power will threaten the island's sovereignty.
One popular interpretation maps the 'six descendants' to the last six Anglo-Saxon kings, after whom the Norman Conquest ended Saxon rule. At the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William defeated Harold II, changing England's destiny. This prophecy relates to entry #5 and also points to the Norman Conquest, but is likewise retrospective.
The Lion of Justice
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Lion of Justice shall come, at whose roar the towers of Gaul and the island dragons shall tremble.
Plain English: A just and powerful ruler will arise, feared by both France and the British Isles.
The 12th-century chronicler Orderic Vitalis explicitly identified the 'Lion of Justice' as King Henry I of England (r. 1100-1135). Henry I was indeed known for judicial reforms, establishing itinerant courts, and holding vast territories in France. However, this prophecy was written during Henry I's reign, making it contemporary rather than predictive.
The destroyer of Ireland's walls
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The sixth shall overthrow the walls of Ireland and turn its forests into plains.
Plain English: A sixth ruler will conquer Ireland, devastating its landscape.
Interpreted as King Henry II's invasion of Ireland in 1171. Henry II was the sixth king after William the Conqueror (by some counting methods), and he was indeed the first English king to assert lordship over Ireland. However, this prophecy was written ~35 years before the invasion, and whether it truly foresaw the event remains debated.
The Ass of Wickedness
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Ass of Wickedness shall be swift in the construction of things, but the sluggishness of horses shall prevail among the slow.
Plain English: A cunning but base ruler will achieve rapid building works, yet slowness will eventually dominate.
Some commentators linked the 'Ass of Wickedness' to King John (r. 1199-1216), who is historically notorious for tyranny and incompetence, forced to sign the Magna Carta. However, the correspondence relies mainly on retrospective interpretation, and the original metaphor is open to multiple readings.
The Goat and the castle of Venus
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The Goat of the Castle of Venus shall build a fortress and shall place Mars within its triangle.
Plain English: A ruler symbolized by the goat will establish a military stronghold.
Some commentators linked the 'Goat of Venus' to a Plantagenet king, possibly Richard I (the Lionheart) and his castle-building in France. However, the specific correspondence is vague, and scholars from different eras have offered different interpretations, making definitive verification impossible.
The rivers flowing with blood
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The rivers shall flow with blood and the springs shall overflow with draughts of health.
Plain English: A period of great violence will be followed by an era of healing and restoration.
The 'rivers flowing with blood' could relate to the Black Death sweeping England in 1348-1349, killing roughly one-third to one-half of the population. However, the second part about 'springs overflowing with draughts of health' does not clearly match — while labor shortages after the plague improved peasant status, there is no clear 'draught of health' correspondence. The prophecy is too vague for definitive interpretation.
The destruction of monasteries
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The religion of the cloister shall be annihilated and the ruin of Churches shall be laid bare.
Plain English: Monastic religious life will be destroyed and churches will fall to ruin.
Interpreted as Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536-1541). Over 800 monasteries in England were closed, their assets seized, and monks dispersed. 'Religion of the cloister annihilated' and 'ruin of Churches' closely match historical events. However, this interpretation is retrospective, applied ~400 years after the text was written.
The return of the White Dragon
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Then the White Dragon shall return and shall invite the daughter of Germany. Our gardens shall be filled with foreign seed.
Plain English: Germanic influence will return to Britain through a royal marriage alliance.
Later interpreted as the Hanoverian succession of 1714. George I came from Hanover, Germany, inheriting the throne through royal bloodlines. 'Inviting the daughter of Germany' and 'foreign seed' can both correspond to the Germanic royal house assuming the British crown. However, this interpretation is retrospective, as the text was written ~580 years before the event.
The trees of Britain
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): The roots of the British race shall be torn up and its overseas plantations shall degenerate.
Plain English: The native British lineage will be uprooted and colonies abroad will decline.
Later interpreted as the decline of the British Empire and decolonization. In the 20th century, Britain gradually lost its global colonies — India (1947), African colonies (1950s-60s), Hong Kong (1997), etc. 'Overseas plantations degenerating' matches the historical trend of imperial dissolution. However, this interpretation is retrospective, applied ~760 years after the text was written.
The merging of seas
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Three seas shall be born from the surge of a single spring. The mass of Marius and the Red Sea shall be disturbed.
Plain English: Great upheavals of the seas and waters will occur, affecting distant lands.
The revival of the Red Dragon
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): In those days the Mount of Jupiter shall be revealed, and it shall be a place of delight. The Dragon of Cornwall and the Cerberus of Canterbury shall be reconciled.
Plain English: A future era of peace and reconciliation between secular and religious powers in Britain.
The siege of the City of Three Springs
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): Ships shall fill three ports. The City of Three Springs shall be fortified with walls and towers.
Plain English: A major military buildup will occur at three ports, and a key city will be fortified.
The end of all things
Merlin (Geoffrey of Monmouth): After these things, the tree of Corineus shall sprout from the first and grow luxuriant into three branches. But all these things shall pass away in their season.
Plain English: A great lineage will flourish and divide into three, but all earthly things are ultimately transient.