Ancient and medieval writers were thoroughly interested in stories of the origins of nations. Countless surviving legends deal with how nations came to be, often connecting them to gods or famous characters from mythology. In the case of Britain, there was more than just one legend about its origin. In fact, there were at least three legendary migrations to the island of Britain. By far, the most famous one is the legend of Brutus of Troy. However, in this article we will examine not only that legend, but two others which are also worth some attention.1. Brutus of Troys Legendary Migration to BritainCapitoline Brutus, a bust traditionally identified Lucius Junius Brutus, a legendary founder of the Roman Republic, c. 275 BCE. Source: Capitoline Museum, RomeThe most famous story of how Britain came to be inhabited is the legend of Brutus of Troy. He was the grandson or great-grandson of Aeneas of Troy, the prince who fled to Italy after the Trojan War, according to Greek and Roman mythology. Brutus is said to have been exiled from Italy after accidentally causing the deaths of his parents. According to the most famous version of the story, he spent some time among fellow Trojan descendants in a community of prisoners in Greece. Eventually, he became their leader and led them to freedom.With Brutus as their leader, these Trojan descendants migrated through the Mediterranean and eventually reached Gaul. After establishing themselves there for a while, they moved on to Britain, finally settling there for good. According to this version of the legend, Brutus and his sons were descended from the pre-Roman kings, specifically Numa Pompilius. Even before Brutus arrival, however, the island was said to have been inhabited by giants.Historia Brittonum showing a version of the Frankish Table of Nations, in Harleian MS 3859 folio 177r, c. 9th century. Source: British LibraryThe most famous version of this story comes from Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae, written in c. 1137. A relatively common belief is that Geoffrey invented it. In reality, this legend is found at least as early as the Historia Brittonum, written in c. 830. In fact, the Frankish Table of Nations of the 6th century associates the Britons with the Franks and the Romans.Based on the Frankish beliefs of the time, this heavily implies that the Britons were considered to have been descendants of the Trojans. Therefore, the legend of Brutusat least at its corelikely goes back to at least the 6th century, if not earlier.This legend was popular among the Welsh. Unlike certain other things that Geoffrey wrote, the claim that Brutus led a migration of Trojans to Britain is something that is definitely seen in Welsh tradition. There are references to it in medieval Welsh poetry and elsewhere.2. The Migration of PrydainHistoria Brittonum, showing the earliest reference to Prydains migration, in MS Cotton Vespasian D xxi, folio 1, c. 12th century. Source: British LibraryHowever, Welsh tradition also speaks of another migration to Britain. This is the migration of a figure named Prydain. This is simply the Welsh name for Britain itself. Therefore, this would make Prydain the eponymous founder of the island. This is somewhat strange since Brutus also appears to have been the eponymous founder of Britain. For this reason, they seem to be opposing traditions. One view is that the tradition about Prydain was the authentic Welsh belief, while the tradition about Brutus was invented by Latin scribes. However, there is evidence that this view is not correct. In fact, both legends appear in the Historia Brittonum.A Welsh tract known as Enweu Ynys Brydein mentions briefly that the island of Britain got its name after being conquered by Prydein vap Aed Mawr. This figure is better known in modern sources as Prydain ap Aedd Mawr.Tuan watches Nemed, by Stephen Reid, 1911. Source: Internet ArchiveThis same figure is mentioned in a record called Hanes Gruffudd ap Cynan. Here, Prydain appears as one of the ancestors of Beli Mawr, a prominent pre-Roman king of Britain in Welsh tradition. Yet, Prydain does not take the place of Brutus. Rather, he is made a descendant of Brutus. This is unusual, but it does indicate that the tradition of Prydain was not viewed as competing and incompatible with that of Brutus.In medieval Irish records, Prydain appears as Britain Mael, or Prince Britain. He is the grandson of Nemed, who led a migration party to Ireland, which met disaster after besieging a tower. One small group of survivors was led by Britain Mael to the island of Britain, where they became the ancestors of the Britons.This same story appears in the Historia Brittonum, where Nemed appears as Nimech. His grandson Britain Mael, or Prydain, does not explicitly appear by name, but the same story is there. This is set after the time of Brutus, which fits the fact that Prydain is made a descendant of Brutus in the Hanes Gruffudd ap Cynan.3. The Migration of AlbionPainting of Annius Viterbo, c. 18th century. Source: Museo Civico ViterboA very different kind of migration story is seen most famously in Holinsheds Chronicles, written by Raphael Holinshed in the 16th century. However, the legend actually originates several decades earlier, in the writings of Annius Viterbo. He published the work now known as Pseudo-Berossus in 1498. According to this legend, the original founding figure of Britain was called Samothes, supposedly the Meshech of Genesis, who appears as the son of Japheth. The island of Britain itself was said to have been known as Samothea. However, there does not appear to be any trace of this first migration anywhere prior to Annius Viterbo, so we will not consider it in any greater depth here.The migration that does deserve some further consideration is a legend that also explicitly appears for the first time in the Pseudo-Berossus of Annius Viterbo. However, in this instance, there is reason to believe that it may date back much further.The title page of the first edition of Holinsheds Chronicles, 1577. Source: Folger Shakespeare LibraryThe legend in question is the migration of Albion. It is quite well known that this name, Albion, was one of the ancient names for Britain. In Annius Viterbos account, as explained in Holinsheds Chronicles, Albion was the son of Neptune, who was given the island of Britain to rule, just as his brothers were given other lands.During the reign of Albion the giant, rationalized as simply being tall, Hercules is said to have warred against Geryon in Spain. Then, as he was traveling across Gaul towards Italy to attack Laestrygon, the latters brothers, Albion and Bergion (Dercynus), joined forces and traveled to Gaul to intercept Hercules. In the ensuing battle, these two sons of Neptune were killed. With this, Albions reign over Britain ended, but his people, also so-called giants, continued living there for a long time thereafter. These, supposedly, were the giants encountered by Brutus when he arrived there. Furthermore, the island continued to have the name Albion until Brutus changed it.Is the Legend of Albions Migration Really Ancient?Mosaic of Neptune and the Four Seasons, c. 3rd century CE. Source: Bardo National Museum, TunisThis legend connecting the ancient name Albion with a giant from Greek and Roman mythology first appears in the 15th century. What, then, is the basis for thinking that it may be ancient? The simple answer is that Albion and Bergion, along with the general story about their war against Hercules, do appear in ancient records. It is referred to by writers such as Apollodorus and Strabo.The one major difference between those ancient records and the legend as presented by Annius is that the former do not explicitly mention Britain. Nevertheless, they do present the war between Albion and Hercules as occurring during the overland journey from Spain to Italy. This would take Hercules through Gaul. In that region, the only notable location known as Albion to the Greeks and Romans was Britain.Not only is it plausible, but it does genuinely seem likely that the figure of Albion was, in the minds of the ancient Greeks and Romans, meant to be associated with Britain. This is not to say that Annius Viterbo had an actual source for this direct claim, but he may simply have reinvented the obvious connection.Legends of the Three Migrations to BritainBook of Leinster, folio 53, containing one of the legendary migrations to ancient Britain, c. 12th century. Source: Trinity College, DublinIn conclusion, British tradition knows of at least three major migrations to Britain. The most famous, undoubtedly, is the legend of Brutus of Troy. A descendant of Aeneas of Troy from the Trojan War, Brutus traveled from Italy to Britain. He led a group of Trojan descendants and established dynasties on the island. The legend of Prydain, which at first appears to compete with the legend of Brutus, in fact, appears to be about one of his most prominent and important successors. He can be identified as Britain Mael of Irish tradition, and the story of his migration is found in the Historia Brittonum.Finally, there is the legend that Neptune, or Poseidon, sent his son Albion to rule over Britain. This migration, if we can call it that, appears explicitly for the first time in 1498. However, there is good reason for believing that the Greeks and Romans had already made the obvious connection between Albion the giant and Albion the island, also known as Britain.