Gwrtheyrnion or Gwerthrynion was a commote in medieval Wales , located in Mid Wales on the north side of the River Wye ; its historical centre was Rhayader . It is said to have taken its name from the legendary king Vortigern ( Welsh : Gwrtheyrn ). For most of the medieval era, it was associated with the cantref of Buellt and then Elfael , small regional kingdoms whose rulers operated independently of other powers. In the Norman era, like the rest of the region between Wye and Severn it came to be dominated by Marcher Lordships .
47-421: According to the 9th-century Historia Brittonum , Gwrtheyrnion, here Latinised Guorthegirnaim , was named after Vortigern ( Welsh : Gwrtheyrn ), a legendary 5th-century King of Britain . John Edward Lloyd considers this derivation accurate. Generally, its boundaries were the cantrefi of Arwystli to the north, Maelienydd (in its restricted sense) to the east, Elfael to the southeast, and Buellt to
94-586: A dog in it. When Cabal, who was the dog of Arthur the soldier, was hunting the boar Troynt, he impressed his print in the stone, and afterwards Arthur assembled a stone mound under the stone with the print of his dog, and it is called the Carn Cabal. And men come and remove the stone in their hands for the length of a day and a night; and on the next day it is found on top of its mound. The second concerns Arthur's son Anir or Amr ( Amhar in Welsh) and his sepulchre: There
141-532: A few marvels of Anglesey ( Menand insulae or Mona) and of Ireland. The Mirabilia section is thought to not be part of the original work, but to have been composed shortly after (early 9th cent.). Two of the marvels are Arthurian lore (Chapter 73 of the Historia ). Old editions give "Troynt" as the name of the great boar and "Anir" as the name of Arthur's tragic son in the Harleian manuscript, but Fletcher suggested
188-535: A fragment of a story about the battle preserved in manuscript Peniarth 98B states that the battle had an alternate name, Cad Achren , which suggests a connection with the Caer Ochren raided by Arthur in the earlier poem Preiddeu Annwfn . Various writers have asserted that this chapter supports a historical basis for King Arthur and have tried to identify the twelve battles with historical feuds or locales (see Sites and places associated with Arthurian legend ). On
235-584: A great scourge of the Saxons immediately prior. Of the other battles, only the Battle of Tribruit is generally agreed to be associated with Arthur in another early Welsh source. Tribruit appears as Tryfrwyd in the Old Welsh poem Pa Gur? , dating to perhaps the mid-ninth century. This poem follows the story of a battle against cinbin , or dogheads , whom Arthur's men fought in the mountains of Eidyn (Edinburgh); in
282-453: A king in his own right, and also includes other characters such as Vortimer and Bishop Germanus of Auxerre . Chapter 56 discusses twelve battles fought and won by Arthur , here called dux bellorum (war leader) rather than king: At that time, the Saxons grew strong by virtue of their large number and increased in power in Britain. Hengist having died, however, his son Octha crossed from
329-609: A late forgery, and believes that the work underwent several anonymous revisions before reaching the forms that now survive in the various families of manuscripts. Dumville's view is largely accepted by current scholarship, though not without dissent. Peter Field in particular has argued for the authenticity of the preface, suggesting that it was left out of many recensions because it was seen as derogatory to British scholarship. However, Field believes Liebermann's earlier argument for Nennius's authorship still bears consideration. Various introductory notes to this work invoke Nennius's (or
376-535: A paragraph about the beginnings of Welsh literature At that time, Talhaiarn Cataguen was famed for poetry, and Neirin , and Taliesin and Bluchbard, and Cian, who is called Guenith Guaut, were all famous at the same time in British poetry. A number of works that are frequently associated with the Historia Brittonum , in part because some of them first appear with the Harleian manuscript, and partly because when
423-464: A second time you will not find it to have the same length—and I myself have put this to the test. Chapters relating events in the life of Saint Germanus of Auxerre claim to be excerpts from a (now lost) biography of the saint. The document includes a collection of traditions about Saint Patrick , as well as a section describing events in the North of England in the sixth and seventh centuries, starting with
470-472: A story of the king Vortigern , who allowed the Saxons to settle in the island of Britain in return for the hand of Hengist 's daughter. One legend about Vortigern says he tried to build a stronghold near Snowdon called Dinas Emrys , only to have his building materials disappear every time he tried. His advisers told him to sprinkle the blood of a fatherless boy on the site to lift the curse. Vortigern found such
517-463: A youth in Ambrosius , who rebuked the wise men and revealed that the disturbance was caused by two dragons buried underground. The tower story is repeated and embellished by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , though he attributes it to Merlin , saying "Ambrosius" is the sage's alternative name. Geoffrey includes Aurelius Ambrosius, another figure mentioned in the Historia , as
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#1732869324093564-487: Is another wonder in the region which is called Ercing . A tomb is located there next to a spring which is called Licat Amr; and the name of the man who is buried in the tomb was called thus: Amr (←Anir). He was the son of Arthur the soldier, and Arthur himself killed and buried him in that very place. And men come to measure the grave and find it sometimes six feet in length, sometimes nine, sometimes twelve, sometimes fifteen. At whatever length you might measure it at one time,
611-400: Is in the region of Linnuis . The sixth battle was above the river which is called Bassas. The seventh battle was in the forest of Celidon, that is Cat Coit Celidon. The eighth battle was at the fortress of Guinnion, in which Arthur carried the image of Holy Mary ever virgin on his shoulders; and the pagans were put to flight on that day. And through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and through
658-524: The Annales Cambriae ; here, Arthur is described as carrying "the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ on his shoulders for three days and three nights…", though here the battle is said to be Badon rather than Guinnion. T. M. Charles-Edwards argues that these accounts both refer to a single source. Other scholars, however, such as Thomas Jones and N. J. Higham , argue that the Annales account is based directly on
705-511: The Historia , suggesting the name of the battle was switched from the unknown Guinnion to the famous Badon, and that the icon Arthur carries was replaced with a more common one. The Battle of Mount Badon is associated with Arthur in several later texts, but not in any that predate the Historia . It was clearly a historical battle described by Gildas , who does not mention the name of the Britons' leader. He does however mention Aurelius Ambrosius as
752-551: The Historia Brittonum to Arthur carrying the image of St. Mary on his shoulders in a battle has been interpreted by later commentators as a mistranslation of Arthur bearing the image of Mary on his shield ; the words in Welsh are very similar. The 19th-century classicist Theodor Mommsen divided the work into seven parts: Preface ( Prefatio Nennii Britonum ); I. The Six Ages of the World ( de sex aetatibus mundi ) (§1-6); II. History of
799-470: The Treaty of Montgomery . However, when Llywelyn ap Gruffudd married Eleanor de Montfort (the daughter of Henry's greatest enemy), Henry's son, Edward I (now King), declared Llywelyn a rebel, and attacked his lands. In 1277 Llywelyn was forced to agree the Treaty of Aberconwy , which made Llywelyn a vassal of Edward, and limited his authority to Gwynedd alone; Elfael was given to Ralph Tosny's grandson. In
846-551: The 15th century, the Tosny lands were inherited by Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso , and hence by her great-grandson, King Henry VIII . Following the latter's Laws in Wales Acts , Gwrtheyrnion and the rest of Ferlix became Radnorshire . In 1996, Radnorshire and the adjacent counties on either side - Montgomeryshire and Brecknockshire - became the main constituents of the modern county of Powys . Historia Brittonum The History of
893-513: The Britons ( Latin : Historia Brittonum ) is a purported history of early Britain written around 828 that survives in numerous recensions from after the 11th century. The Historia Brittonum is commonly attributed to Nennius , as some recensions have a preface written in that name. Some experts have dismissed the Nennian preface as a late forgery and argued that the work was actually an anonymous compilation. The Historia Brittonum describes
940-560: The Britons ( historia Brittonum ) (§7-49); III. Life of Patrick ( vita Patricii ) (§50-55); IV. Arthuriana (§ 56); V. Genealogies ( regum genealogiae cum computo ) (§c. 57–66); VI. Cities of Britain ( civitates Britanniae ) (§66 ); VII. Wonders of Britain ( de mirabilibus Britanniae ) (§67—76). The Historia Brittonum can be dated to about 829. The work was written no earlier than the "fourth year of [the reign of] king Mermenus" (who has been identified as Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad , king of Gwynedd ). Historians have conservatively assigned 828 to
987-658: The Tryfrwyd battle they spar with a character named Garwlwyd (Rough-Gray), who is likely the Gwrgi Garwlwyd (Man-Dog Rough-Grey) who appears in one of the Welsh Triads . Arthur's main protagonist in the fight is Bedwyr , later known as Sir Bedivere, and the poem also mentions the euhemerized god Manawydan . "The City of the Legion" may be a reference to Caerleon , whose name translates as such, but it might also refer to Chester ,
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#17328693240931034-554: The Wye and Severn - Ferlix (known also by various other spellings, such as Fferllys, Fferleg, and Fferregs) and incorporated it into his own realm. Elystan was succeeded by his son, Cadwgan, who was succeeded by his eldest son, Idnerth; a younger son gave rise to the Cadogan family, who were raised to the nobility many centuries later. Due to their allegiances to the Saxon Kings (Elystan had been
1081-631: The anonymous compiler's) words from the Prefatio that "I heaped together ( coacervavi ) all I could find" from various sources, not only concrete works in writing but "our ancient traditions" (i.e. oral sources) as well. This is quoted from the Apologia version of the preface. Giles's translation rendered this as "I put together", obscuring the fact that this is indeed a quote from the work and not from some commentator (See Morris's more recent translation as given in wikiquote: Historia Brittonum ) . Leslie Alcock
1128-634: The author incorporated the list from a now-lost Old Welsh poem, based on the fact that some of the names appear to rhyme, The odd description of Arthur bearing the image of the Virgin Mary on his shoulders at Guinnion might stem from a conflation of the Welsh word iscuit (shield) with iscuid (shoulders). Others reject this as untenable, arguing that the author included battles not previously associated with Arthur, perhaps even made them up entirely. A similar story to that attached to Guinnion also appears in
1175-465: The earliest date for the work, which is consistent with the statement in chapter 4 that "from the Passion of Christ 796 years have passed. But from his Incarnation are 831 years". The text makes use of two narrative techniques that are generally considered not reliable by modern academic standards: synthesizing and synchronizing history. Synthetic history combines legendary elements with fact, which makes
1222-609: The god-son, and namesake, of King Athelstan ), once the Normans invaded England, many Welsh princes had assisted anti-Norman revolts like that of Eadric the Wild . Hence, in 1080, when a revolt broke out in Northern England, the Normans pre-emptively occupied Wales , to prevent any further Welsh assistance to the Saxons. In turn, this led to a Welsh revolt in 1094, but by the end of the century it
1269-472: The king in 1175, and was Rhys ap Gruffydd's son-in-law; unless this Einion ap Rhys is really a bodged reference to Einion o'r' Porth, then he, his father, and the consequently distinct line of rulers in Gwrtheyrnion, are otherwise entirely unknown. In 1177, Rhayader Castle was built in Gwrtheyrnion by Rhys ap Gruffydd. Einion was murdered by his own brother, Gwalter. Einion's other brother, Iorwerth Clud ,
1316-500: The long-running history of the land, such as the Middle English Brut of England , also known as The Chronicles of England . The work was the first source to portray King Arthur , who is described as a dux bellorum ('military leader') or miles ('warrior, soldier') and not as a king . It names the twelve battles that Arthur fought, but, unlike the Annales Cambriae , does not give any actual dates. The reference in
1363-406: The northern half, which became Maelienydd , while the remainder - Elfael - went to his brother, Einion Clud . Einion Clud was succeeded by his son, Einion o'r Porth. Einion o'r Porth married Susanna, a daughter of Rhys ap Gruffydd , the ruling prince of Deheubarth . The only named ruler of Gwrtheyrnion in historic manuscripts (other than the legendary Pascent) is an Einion ap Rhys who visited
1410-410: The northern part of Britain to the kingdom of Kent and from him are descended the kings of Kent. Then Arthur along with the kings of Britain fought against them in those days, but Arthur himself was the military commander ["dux bellorum"]. His first battle was at the mouth of the river which is called Glein . His second, third, fourth, and fifth battles were above another river which is called Dubglas and
1457-489: The other hand, Caitlin Green argues that the only identifiable battles linked explicitly with Arthur in Old Welsh sources are mythological, undermining any claims that the battles had a basis in history. Attached to the Historia is a section called De mirabilibus Britanniae (or simply Mirabilia for short, a Latin word meaning 'marvels, miracles'). It gives a list of 13 topographical marvels, or wonders of Britain, followed by
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1504-549: The power of the blessed Virgin Mary his mother there was great slaughter among them. The ninth battle was waged in the City of the Legion . The tenth battle was waged on the banks of a river which is called Tribruit. The eleventh battle was fought on the mountain which is called Agnet. The twelfth battle was on Mount Badon in which there fell in one day 960 men from one charge by Arthur; and no one struck them down except Arthur himself, and in all
1551-430: The ruler of Morgannwg , implying a floruit for Ffernfael around the early 9th century. Following Ffernfael's death, Buellt (and hence Gwrtheyrnion) came into the possession of neighbouring Arwystli , for unclear reasons, after having temporarily been in the possession of Seisyllwg , for an unclear amount of time. At around this time, Arwystli's ruler was Iorwerth Hirflawdd ; when Iorworth's son Idnerth died, his realm
1598-627: The site of a large Roman base. Cat Coit Celidon is probably a reference to the Caledonian Forest ( Coed Celyddon ) which once covered the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Scholar Marged Haycock has suggested that this battle can be identified with the Cad Goddeu , the "Battle of the Trees", best known from the tenth-century poem Cad Goddeu . Arthur is mentioned towards the end of this poem, and
1645-529: The southwest. It also controlled the commote of Deuddwr (i.e. Cwmwd Deuddwr , also known as Elenydd ) on the west of the Wye ; together they formed a cantref. The Historia Brittonum provides the earliest mention of Gwrtheyrnion. According to the text, Vortigern fled to Gwrtheyrnion after Saint Germanus of Auxerre had castigated him for his various sins. He eventually died, and his son Pascent received Gwrtheyrnion and Buellt from Ambrosius Aurelianus . One of
1692-491: The supposed settlement of Britain by Trojan settlers and says that Britain was named for Brutus , a descendant of Aeneas . The "single most important source used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his pseudohistorical Historia Regum Britanniae " and through the enormous popularity of the latter work, this version of the early history of Britain, including the Trojan origin tradition, was incorporated into subsequent chronicles of
1739-512: The text as anonymously written would be the best approach as theories attributing authorship to Nennius have since been disputed by subsequent scholars. Repudiating the so-called vindication of Nennius in 1890 by the Celtic scholar Heinrich Zimmer , Mommsen returned to the earlier view of a ninth-century Nennius merely building on a seventh-century original, which he dated to around 680. The historian Ferdinand Lot swiftly challenged Mommsen; but it
1786-557: The text's copyists, from whose copy most other surviving manuscripts are derived, took particular interest in this combined kingdom, tracing its medieval rulers back to Vortigern through Pascent. The dynasty, so these manuscripts report, ended in a certain Ffernfael ap Tewdwr , who is also known from the genealogies from Jesus College MS 20 . These Jesus College genealogies indicate that Ffernfael's cousin Brawstudd married Arthfael Hen ap Rhys ,
1833-406: The variant readings "Troit" and "Amr" be preferred since they are closer to the Welsh forms of those names. The first concerns Arthur's dog, Cabal ( Cavall in Welsh) and the footprint it left while chasing the boar Troynt (→Troit) Twrch Trwyth : There is another marvel in the region which is called Buelt . There is a mound of stones there and one stone placed above the pile with the pawprint of
1880-405: The veracity of the text challenging to evaluate. Various specious causal connections and attempts to synchronize material from different sources and traditions also contribute to undermining the reliability of the chronicle. The question of the nature of the text of the Historia Brittonum is one that has caused intense debate over the centuries. Some scholars have taken the position that treating
1927-730: The wars he emerged as victor. And while they were being defeated in all the battles, they were seeking assistance from Germany and their numbers were being augmented many times over without interruption. And they brought over kings from Germany that they might reign over them in Britain, right down to the time in which Ida reigned, who was son of Eobba . He was the first king in Bernicia , i.e., in Berneich. Many of these battle sites are obscure and cannot be identified with any certitude. Some appear in other Welsh literature, though not necessarily explicitly connected to Arthur. Some scholars have proposed that
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1974-467: Was able to depose Gwalter with the aid of Reginald de Braose (who had, by now, inherited Buellt), in alliance with Llywelyn Fawr (the most powerful Welsh prince). Unfortunately, Llywelyn's son (and successor), Dafydd , chose to repudiate the Treaty of Gwerneigron , which lead to Ralph Tosny seizing Elfael, although Tosny was later expelled from Elfael by Dafydd's nephew, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd . King Henry acknowledged Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's victory, by
2021-424: Was not the first to draw attention to the phrase though he may have started the recent spate of interest. The Historia Brittonum has drawn attention because of its role in influencing the legends and myths surrounding King Arthur . It is the earliest source that presents Arthur as a historical figure, and is the source of several stories which were repeated and amplified by later authors. The Historia contains
2068-594: Was not until 1925 that the Anglo-Saxon scholar Felix Liebermann offered a major reconstruction of the Mommsen view, arguing that Nennius in fact first put the whole work into shape in the ninth century. Re-analysing the eleven manuscript variants of Mommsen, he produced a two-stemma analysis of their hypothetical descent, noting however that “Only one branch, viz. C2d2 of the second stem, preserves Nennius's name”. His overall conclusion (based on uniform particularities of style)
2115-415: Was re-divided, with Buellt (including Gwrtheyrnion) going to Cadwr Gwenwyn (the rest of the realm - Arwystli - went to a different son). Cadwr's grandson, and heir, married a granddaughter of Merfyn ap Rhodri , the king of Powys (this did not mean that Powys gained any authority over Buellt/Gwrtheyrnion); their grandson, and heir, was Elystan Glodrydd . Elystan Glodrydd conquered the adjacent land between
2162-488: Was successfully suppressed by a number of Norman magnates. The southern parts of Ferlix were conquered by Philip de Braose . Eventually, like other Welsh princes, Idnerth came to a personal agreement with the local Norman magnate; Idnerth was restored to Gwrtheyrnion, and most of Ferlix, but Braose kept the rest of Buellt for himself. Following Idnerth's death, and that of his son, Madog, the retained parts of Ferlix were divided between Madog's sons: Cadwallon received most of
2209-471: Was that “The whole work...belongs to Nennius alone”, but this did not prevent him from recognising that “we must lower Nennius's rank as a historian...[but] praise his patriotic heart. The Nennius question was re-opened in the 1970s by Professor David Dumville . Dumville revisited the stemmatics of the various recensions and published the Vatican version. Dumville called the Nennian preface ( Prefatio Nennii )
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