Brut, or Brutus, a legendary king of Britain. He was said to be a great-grandson of the Trojan hero Aeneas. Brut fled Italy after accidentally killing his father, and he eventually came to Britain. He made himself the first British king, and founded New Troy (London). His successors included Lear, Cymbeline, Arthur, and Cadwallader. Geoffrey of Monmouth began his largely imaginary history of the kings of England (about 1135) with the story of Brut. Later, the poets Wace and Layamon expanded the story.