'''Merlin''' is best known as the [[wizard]] featured in the [[Arthurian legend]]. The standard depiction of the character first appears in [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'', and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures. Geoffrey combined existing stories of [[Myrddin Wyllt]] (Merlinus Caledonensis), a [[Hen Ogledd|North British]] madman with no connection to [[King Arthur]], with tales of the [[Romano-British]] war leader [[Ambrosius Aurelianus]] to form the composite figure he called '''Merlin Ambrosius'''. | '''Merlin''' is best known as the [[wizard]] featured in the [[Arthurian legend]]. The standard depiction of the character first appears in [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'', and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures. Geoffrey combined existing stories of [[Myrddin Wyllt]] (Merlinus Caledonensis), a [[Hen Ogledd|North British]] madman with no connection to [[King Arthur]], with tales of the [[Romano-British]] war leader [[Ambrosius Aurelianus]] to form the composite figure he called '''Merlin Ambrosius'''. |