TheRiver Malvam (Anglicized: Malve), also known as theMalva orMalua is ariver inancientNorth Africa mentioned in theHistoria Brittonum andHistoria Regum Britanniae. In these accounts, it lies west ofthe Mountains of Azaria inMauretania. Academics have identified it as the present-dayMoulouya River.[1][2]
TheHistoria Brittonum (c. 828) contains the earliest surviving version of the legendary origin story of theScoti, later retold as the Irish legends ofFénius Farsaid,Scota, andGoídel Glas. In it, an unnamedScythian nobleman living in Egypt travels with his household along the North African coast toHispania, where they settle. TheHistoria Brittonum names a number of places along their route:Africa,Aras Philaenorum,Lacus Salinarum, betweenRusicada andthe Mountains of Azaria, through the River Malvam (per flumen malua), throughMauretania to thePillars of Hercules, then theTyrrhenian Sea, before reaching Hispania.[1]
Geoffrey of Monmouth'sHistoria Regum Britanniae (c. 1136) borrowed heavily from theHistoria Brittonum. In it,Brutus of Troy follows the same route, this time starting from the island ofLeogecia instead of Egypt. A few additions are made, such as defeating pirates betweenRusicada andthe Mountains of Azaria, pillagingMauretania for supplies, and encounteringsirens at thePillars of Hercules. Instead of travelling through the River Malvam as in theHistoria Brittonum, Geoffrey says that Brutus passed it (flumen Malvae transeuntes) before arriving at Mauretania.[3]
The illusionaryMartian canals were given names of mythical and real rivers, including onenamed the "Malva" after the River Malvam.[4]
