ition, culture, Elmorkshire, history, tradition, culture, Elm
Elmet's British Era.
From C410 - C800 +++ A.D.
Part of :- Bonhed Gwyr y Gogledd
The decent of the men of the North
The Thirteen Kingdoms of the North.
The Celtic British region that stood against the English as Breizh (Brittany) did against the French.
Stones - Sites - People - Kings - Poetry
Last updated
10/06/06
The Oracle of the Soul.
Now, pray, can you but ever
see,
All that which I can see in thee?
A tear, a smile, a laugh, a scheme,
The sparkling glint that shows a dream?
Reflections of a life-long world,
A silent beam of thoughts unfurled?
The wisdom of your many years,
A hint of all your deepest fears?
'Tis the voice that cannot tell a lie,
The story seen in every eye.
© Jay and Kay 1998
Elmet - Kingdom of the Britons. It's heart and it's soul.
Roman Ridge Road runs due North from the old Roman River Aire crossing-site at Castleford. It was built around 72 A.D. by the Roman army as it established it's hold on the area belonging to the Brigantii. To the East of Roman Ridge Road runs the Great North Road, the medieval replacement with it's River Aire crossing at Ferrybridge. They join together to form one passageway just South of the village of Aberford at Hook Moor.
This is the site of a major new roadworks (1999) effort and said works have just ripped straight through the rise of land that is Hook Moor. In doing so they also tore through Roman Ridge Road itself, where it too crosses the moor, as it has for over 1900 years.
There alongside the Roman road the workmen found an ancient site. A whole town. British. Cut and worn into the solid rock that sits but inches below the surface on that windswept hill. One very large, square dwelling shows that history does indeed have a habit of repeating itself.
Two thousand years before this present road scheme commenced the Roman road came up the rise and cut right through it.
It is now all gone. And with the new road, the M1 extension, opened to traffic, travellers are able to drive under where that two thousand year-old building once stood - up above the six lanes of the A1-M1 motorway.
The site was a big one in it's day. That was just one building out of many. Much is left to do. Doubtless it will be done one day.
Sites of British churches are rare, although Elmet was likely a mainly Celtic-Christian kingdom. They are thought to be marked by oval churchyards and possibilities are Barwick-in-Elmet, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Tadcaster and Bramham. It must be likely that others existed where today's churches stand but 1500 years has seen their boundaries 'squared' off.
But there is much elsewhere to see even today.............................
July 2006 - Unconfirmed reports say that hand-worked wood deposits from the base of the Banks has been dendro-dated as 6th century. This is only one small section but indicates that the Banks were either built in the 6th century or one part was repaired in that period. As usual, if confirmed, it poses more questions than it answers.
Telling the story of Dark Age Elmet is not an easy task. It is a picture made up of archaeology, old fireside tales, poetry, Church writings, songs, nursery rhymes and family histories. With all the vague values one can imagine. But it happened, and it happened with flair and with colour - truly Celtic in it's actions and in it's ending.
Drama and damnation - but with a line in survival that anyone must admire.
Y Gogledd (choose your own spelling). The North!
It's the 5th century. The eagle of Rome has marched off. The bloody business of survival and reformation is underway. The whole of Roman Britain is in a panic.
Why? Because trade, basically, is falling apart. Markets no longer exist, exports are failing, integrated transport is breaking up, it's a mess. And for nigh on four hundred years Britain has grown and developed around that very transport system and those very markets. The market-garden of the Western Roman Empire that is the South-East of Britain sees it's whole construction disintegrating. To the North and West - never with the same reliance on Empire business, - things are becoming more independent. Kingdoms form.
Rheged, StrathAlcut, Gododdin, Ebrauc, Bryneich and Elmet number among the thirteen 'Kingdoms of the North'. Some, most in fact, are Christian - but Celtic Christian, not the political invention of the Roman Church. Some are still Druidic, certainly Bardic. It is a time of great changes, terrible battles, cultural magnificence and yet, a Celtic golden age.
Ironically it is universally known as the Dark Ages. But that refers to our present-day knowledge of it, not of its culture as some think. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Many tales and histories that are today told as 'Welsh' are, in fact, from this slightly more northern part of the British world. And that is using the title 'British' as it should be used - not adopted as it later was for the United Kingdom. Here were the remains of the Cymbri (spellings optional) - the 'citizens' - as the Welsh still refer to themselves. We find evidence of the title, and other similar statements of proud independence, in the names Cumbria, Cumberland, an area still boasting that official recognition of it's past.
In the area that became known as Elmet the natives were, in their own tongue, 'Loides', and that title is still marking the modern maps of the area. It is the root of the names of the village of Lead, of Ledston, Ledsham, Leathley and the modern city of Leeds. To define the different folk arriving over the centuries the settlement names such as Saxon's Town (Saxton) and Norseman's Town (Normanton) indicate who held, or populated, the land generally.
To list the rulers of Elmet is no exact task. From circa 460 to circa 495 we see the son of the King of Rheged, Gwrast Lledlwn, in charge, Masgwid Gloff. He was succeeded by Llaennog ap Masgwid, his son. From circa 540 to circa 590 the kingship passes down the line to Gwallog ap Llaennog but some times within this period crops up the name Arthuis ap Masgwid, Gwallog's brother. Whether they shared the kingdom or it passed back and forth is impossible to determine. Gwallog died in 590, the same time as the siege of Ynys Metcaut, but if his death was because of that action is not known. From 590 to c616 sees his son Ceredig ap Gwallog in control until the English Edwin of Deira defeats him in battle, somewhere near present-day Bawtry. Ceredig is banished, dying some two years later in exile.
No longer is Elmet a British kingdom but is part of Deira or Northumbria. King Cadwallon has a claim on Deira and adds Elmet to his grievance. Allying with Penda of Mercia he defeats and kills Edwin at Hatfield Chase in 633 and Elmet has a new ruler. Only for one year though for Cadwallon dies at the battle of Heavensfield fighting against Oswald of Bernicia. Penda takes up the claim but meets his end in 655 at the Battle of Winwaed fighting against Oswiu of Northumbria. It would seem that this marks any hope of Elmet becoming independent or in any way keeping its political identity. Where or how the name 'Elmet' came from is not known, but the name certainly lived on.
© John Davey 2003
Questions, Questions, Questions.
The formation of the Kingdom of Elmet poses many questions. The schoolbook picture of Roman Britain sees a well ordered region with a northern limit at Hadrian’s Wall, a few ‘grey’ areas in what is now Wales and Cornwall and a settled trade and political system. The fall of Rome in around 410AD left the island alone, it’s trading partners cut off and without military support from Big Brother.
Is that correct? No. The facts we have paint a very different picture.
In c.286AD, Britain had been at the centre of an imperial crisis. Admiral Marcus Aurelius Carausius,, with a fleet brought to Britain to defend against Saxon pirates, named himself ruler of Britain and declared independence. The Emperor Constantius attacked and recaptured Britain, staying for several years, rebuilding the economy and building the forts of the east coast, the Saxon Shore. When he died at York in 306, his son, Constantine (the Great), was proclaimed emperor by the Roman army of Britain. Everything was calm again….for a while. The British Wars of Theodosius were a few years later and in the mid 4th century the Roman Empire was again in a mess.
The Roman powerhouse in Britain was one Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig in British) a possible grandson of Constantine the Great. He served with Theodosius and had risen to head the military in Britain. He claimed a right to the Empire over Emperor Gratian and in 383AD invaded Gaul to try his luck.
Behind him he left Britain in a secure position under trusted lieutenants. The north was under the command of Coel; who had been in charge there throughout Magnus’ tenure while Magnus had concentrated on the south and west. Coel already had his own trusted people (mainly family) in every region of the north.
But even so everything can’t have been a bed of roses in the previous years for reports say that one of his generals accompanying him on this Gaulish adventure was Conanus, a rebellious nephew of Magnus’ predecessor who came along to show he was now at peace with the great man. This is the same Kynan Meriadec who, after the defeat of the Gaulish king of Armorica, was given the kingship of the area which became known as Lesser Britain or Brittany.
So it would appear that Roman Britain was far from a steady, secure place previous to 410AD and indeed was constantly a base of rebellion against Rome’s domination. Oversimplified I agree, but close to the mark.
Such a region must have been very experienced in looking after itself. Leaders would have been well versed in defence and attack. Handy situation for the locals. Magnus depleted the trained Roman army in the south and the east for his invasion of mainland Europe. This left those areas pretty wide open to English invasion, but the north and west, under Coel had no such problems. And what of this North? Hadrian’s Wall. Fine. But Coel’s family were in control of regions as far north as StrathAlcut (Dunbarton), and Caer Eidyn (Edinbrough). What had happened to the schoolbook picture?
It would appear that Coel, or earlier souls, had been extending their patronage over areas the Roman army had not taken as Roman two centuries before. The whole scenario that witnessed the beginnings of The North seem to have little to do with ‘Rome’ and more to do with local leadership. The North looked ready enough to be its own master well before Rome faded from history’s scene.
Over the 50 years following the defeat of Magnus Maximus in 388AD the region settled down under control of the family of Coel. No longer were they lieutenants serving under a grand leader but each was now looking out for itself in trade and in defence. Doubtless they worked together in all common matters. The best politician would lead in matters politic. The best soldier would lead in matters military. Etc.
The Thirteen Kingdoms of the North were in situ. The picture of a Round Table Conference is imaginable. The history is there, if we look beneath the legends.
Copywrite John Davey 2006.
Let's take a closer look...........
The 13 Kingdoms of the North
Written around 1300AD is a document entitled Bonhed Gwyr y Gogledd, the Genealogies of the Men of the North. It is to be found in one of the Hengwrt MSS. The Men of the North refers to the northern Cymry - the Britons. It list twelve families seperated into three main groupings. Six families are shown as decending from Ceneu ap Coel, the son of Coel. Five families come from Dyfawal Hen (Dyfawal the Old) who was himself a grandson of Macsen Wledig, the self-proclaimed Emperor of Rome. And one final famaly seems to be of singularly British decent through the tradition female line.
This now gets pretty complicated but bear with me.
The six Ceneu families are separated by their origins through Ceneu's sons Gorwst Ledlwn and Mar. Gorwst had a son, Merchion Gul and he had two sons, Cynvarch and Elidur Lydamwyn. Cynvarch was father to Urien and Elidur was father to Llywarch Hen. Mar had a son he named Arthwys (or Garthwys) who then had four sons, Ceidiaw, Elivir Gosgorddvawr, Pabo and Cynvelyn....
From these four history gets (Ceidiaw) Gwenddoleu, Cov and Nudd. (Elivir) Gwrgi and Peredur. (Pabo) Sawyl Benuchel, Dunwawd Vawr and Carwyd. (Cynvelyn) a son called Cynwyd Cynwydion who had sons Clyddno Eiddyn, Cynan Genhir, Cadrod Calchvynydd and Cynvelyn Drwsgl.
Family number two - the Dyfnwal Hen Clan - is shaped by the four sons of Dyfnwal: (A) Cedig, (B) Garwynwyn (C) Aeddan Vradog and (D) Gorwst Briodawr. (A) was father to Tudwal Tudclud, Senyllt and Servan (B) was father to Caurday. (D) was father to Elidr Mwynvawr.
Tudwal had a son named Rydderch Hael; Senyllt had sons named Nudd Hael and Servan; Caurday had a son named Gwyddno Garanhir.
Nennius, writing around 977AD, is presumed to have work on these families descended from Coel but adds two more, those of Gwallawg ap Leenawg (King of Elmet) and Morcant. He also changes the line of two families and ends up with eight descended from Coel and five descended from Macsen Wledig, giving thirteen in all and matching the legendary number.
Any suppressed people are likely to glorify and embroider their past and this gives obstacles to research but much is based on fact and cannot be ignored.
British Mainland Kingdoms. Royaumes Britanniques
c 400 AD
Macsen Wledig (Magnus Clemens Maximus)
Born c 340 - Died c 388 AD. Emperor of the western Roman Empire. c 383 - 388 AD. Possibly appointed many of the regional leaders. There is the usual confusion about this man It is most likely that he was born in Iberia (Spain) his father being Maximianus and his grandfather Emperor Constantine the Great. His Great-Grandfather was Emperor Constantius I Chlorus. Constantius was married to Helen, daughter of Coel Godheborg. So he was keeping the north of Britain 'in the family'. This allocation of leadership by Magnus happened elsewhere throughout Britain as his son Owain (to first wife Ceindrech) became king of Cernyw (Glywyssing) and sons to his second wife (Elen) were Antonius ( Anwn), king of South Wales (Annan Dyfed), Constantine (Custennin Fawr) king of north Wales, and his daughters husbands also took up power. Tudwal ap Gwrfawr ( married to daughter Gratianna) held Dumnonia while Vortigern Gwrtheneu (married to youngest daughter Severa) was king of Powys. He left Britain in 383 AD to attempt a take-over of the whole Roman Empire. This foundered and he died. Within that attempt and defeat began the history of Brittany.
Strathclyde
Primarily ruled by Ceretic, as a Roman client kingdom, it was based at Alcut (Alcluith) which is now called Dunbarton (Dun Breaton) from the meaning 'fort of the Britons'. This region was never fully conquered and finally amalgamated with Scotland by marriage in the 11th c.
Cambria (Cumbria)
Coel Hen c 350? - c 420 Based in Eboracum (Latin) / Ebrauc (Cambrian) / York (English)
His kingdom ran from the Humber and south of the Mersey to north of Hadrians wall.
Gwynedd
According to 'Historia Brittonum' by Nennius , 9th c, Cunedag (Cunedda) with eight sons and a grandson moved from eastern Strathclyde (Manau Gododdin - Goutodin) to bolster the area and expel invaders from Eire. This would be c 380 AD.
Demetia
The most easterly of the three southern 'Welsh' regions
c 450AD - 600 AD
North Rheged
H Dunotten (Dunoting) c 475 - 530 see Pen. Dunaut Bwr ( Dunaut Fawr) born c 505 - 595. Fell to the Angles. J Ebrauc (plus Deywr) Mor c 460 - 500, Enion c 500 - 530, Eliffer Gosgorddfawr c 530 - 560 AD, Peredyr c 560-580. K South Rheged L Elmet Mascuid Gloff born c 440AD King of Elmet (Elfed) c 470 - 510. Son Llaenawc (Llaennog) born c 476AD King 510 - 545 . Son Gwallawc Marchawc born c 520AD King c 545 - 598 . Son Ceretic born c 560AD King c 598 - 617. M Linnius N Pen - Originally one region with Dunoting. Arthius born c 455AD, Pabo c 472-530 AD, region split into Dunoting (north) and Pen (south) c 530 AD, Sawyl Penuchel c 530 - 580 AD.
O Gwynedd P Powys Q Pengwern R Caer Lerion S Caer Went T Caer Gloui U Cynwidion
V Caer Colun W Caer Lundein X Caer Celemion Y Rhegin Z Ceint
---------------
To Explain The Celts.
Can you see this stone? Can you? Of course you can, but you see it with your eyes. You cannot see it with mine. It is just a large stone. The land knows many such stones, so why do I pick out this stone? Simply because it is there. No more and no less important than any other stone. As no man is any more or any less important than any other man.
Do you hear my words? Do you? Of course you do, but you hear them with your ears. You cannot hear them with mine. So what is it that I see? What is it that I hear? Why is it that you are blind and deaf to my thoughts and feelings?
Now those queries pose a quest that would need great powers indeed. How to describe a feeling of the soul that colours the sight and tunes the hearing? A feeling of being a part of the Land. How can I manage that? Something that is so basic and so simple yet, ….yet, so total, so inspiring, so dominating.
Shall I write you a poem? Sing you a song? Paint you a picture? To what end? Your ears wouldn’t know what is truly in my words, your heart would not find the same rhythm in my tune and your eyes would not see the same lines and colours that I saw when I painted the picture.
Ask me not who I am, for if you cannot see what this rock is then what can I tell you that would mean anything you could understand. To define what is within my kind is as like as to try and describe beauty; for beauty is what we see and hear in this Land.
You might say the Land is yours, but we would say we are the Lands. And in that Land there are poems and songs and pictures enough to entertain any heart for a lifetime and longer. So we listen and sing and admire. Show me the flute that can improve on the tune of a hillside stream, the drum that can compete with summer thunder. Sing me a song that measures against the trilling of birds and moves your feet like the ground pounded by racing wild horses. What artist can give me a perfect spring and let me see it flow into autumn?
Do you understand how my quest must fail? I am of this Land and my blood for more generations than the Wise can count has blended and shaped it as it as blended and shaped them and me.
Can you truly see this stone? Can you? Then, my friend, you can surely see my soul.
JD 2004
Now just who was 'Arthur'?
Here is just my view......
The problem we have with 'Arthur' is his timeless popularity. So many people have
jumped onto the Camelot bandwagon over the centuries and adopted him - and then
adapted him.
Looking at all the stories, and there are truly so many as to boggle the mind, the
first job is to delete the obvious romances and parodies of later years. Then take the
earlier offerings and, along with some thought for the political and religious
agendas of the periods, see what we really have.
This takes us back to the 12th century, and everyone's favourite liar, Geoffrey of
Monmouth.
Most later works - the ones that
weren't total fabrications - were based
either on G of M's works, or on similar 'evidence' to that he worked with.
(Now, if that isn't an over-generalisation worthy of a spot in the Guinness Book of
Records, then I don't know one!)
My opinion - and this is only an opinion - is as follows:-
In British times names as we know and accept them are seldom recorded. What
could be termed 'titles' or 'nicknames' are prevalent.
Sometimes two very different people, though famous, noteworthy people in their
own right, could have the same 'name' within a generation of each other.
Then again, a single person could go through more than one 'title' in their single
lifetime. This can obviously lead to some confusion.
Looking at the names/titles involved in the Arthurian stories, and applying them to
other histories and documentation as we know them, seems to give us two
separate, and clearly defined, targets.
We have two Myrddins for a start. One youthful lad in the mid 5th century and one
slightly older chap in the mid 6th century. The 100 years between them
eliminating
any chance of them being the same person (unless you REALLY believe in magic.).
Peredur, Gawain, Uriens and many of the 'Knights' of the 'Round Table' are very
much alive and active in Northern Britain in the latter half of the 6th century.
At that time the Northern British War Chief, ' Great Warrior' or 'PenDragon' to give
him his proper title, was one Gwenddolau of Arddrydd (choose your own spelling).
It is not a big step from 'King of Arthuret' to 'King Arthur', especially allowing for the
British passion for titles and their grammar.
His chief councillor is recorded as one of the Myrddins mentioned above.
His wife's name is not recorded, but would likely be titled after him - therefore
would be Gwen-something, almost as in Mrs Gwenddolau.
So Gwenifar - or Guinevere in later tongues - would not be impossible.
Near his capital is a round circle where Celts have met since the dawn of time. For
meetings to be held there, in the neutral open, - especially as the so-called 'knights'
were all in-fact princes 'equal' to Gwenddolau - would be quite feasible. And the
Celt's love of pomp and ceremony would near demand it. Oh yes - the nearby hill is
still named 'Arthur's Seat'. Hence, perhaps, the 'round table'.
Even Myrddin's sister, a trouble-maker beyond belief, makes a good basis for the
'wicked sister' of the later legends. She was also married to the Prince of Din Eidin,
one Morgn of great fame. So her acceptable title could well have been Morganna.
Let's hope she wasn't much of a witch - as she seems to have left Morgn to live with St.
Kentigern (a.k.a. St. Mungo).
After Gwenddolau's death, in c573, his greatest friend Aiden, soon chief of the Dal
Rhiadda Scots, 'named' his next born son Arthur in his memory.
Mere coincidence of course. As are all of the above.
Now further back we have our other Myrddin. He is sat closer to 460AD and is in
Gwynedd (modern North Wales). Here we meet the red and white Dragons. Quite
probably an idea based on old Roman cavalry standards (not so old then of course).
Nennius, writing in the early 9th century, puts this story in Snowdonia, and Welsh
tradition also has it at Dinas Emrys near Beddgelert.
Here we have a youthful Myrddin Ambrosius putting his case forward to King
Vortigern for him (Myrddin) to be warlord of the British. And his proven control over
the fractious cavalry wins his argument.
Ambrosius is said to be of Roman lineage and the two dragons could also be taken
from the insignia of the Roman administration of the area. Again, something of a
statement as to who controlled what.
From Gwynedd he reputedly moved his base south to Powys. Later poems (Llywarch
the Old - 9th century - comes to mind) often referred to the kings of Powys as 'the
heirs of Arthur'. This was written well before the glamorised romances of Norman
times.
Indeed, Viroconium, the capitol of Powys, is shown in excavations as one of, if not
the most, sophisticated cities in Britain in the late 5th century.
A recorded leader in the area during the 490's was one Owain Ddantgwyn.
According to Gildas, Ddantgwyn's battle-title was 'The Bear', or Arth.
Also, purely coincidental is that this man's father, Enniaun Girt, was known in battle
as the 'Terrible Chief Warrior' - Uthr Pen Dragon.
It seems to me that we have two Arthurs and two Myrddins and PenDragons in both
situations.... the later stories seem to have blended much from each. The titles and
lineage coming from the 5th century Arthur, the actions, associates, 'round table'
etc., from the 6th century Arthur.
Was Arthur a living king?
No. 'Arthur' was a real living title.
And two great Princes wore it while unknowingly giving their lives to a greater story.
Either one of them is quite possibly more interesting than the 'literary' Arthur.
Indeed, most definitely so.
Just my opinion - as I said. But I hope it helps.
" Bellum Armterid †inter filios Elifer et Guendoleu filium Keidiau; in quo bello Guendoleu cecidit; Merlinus insanus effectus est. " The battle of Arfderydd between the sons of Eliffer [of Ebrauc] and Gwenddolau son of Ceidio [of Caer-Guendolau]; in which battle Gwenddolau fell; Merlin went mad." Annales Cambriae c 970AD with later additions
©
John Davey 1997 All rights reserved
Pour nos cousins Bretons - Salud dit!
Qui était le Roi Arthur ?
( Veuillez pardonner la mauvaise traduction. )
Le problème que nous avons avec 'Arthur 'est sa popularité timeless. Tant de personnes ont adopté Camelot - et l'ont puis adapté. Regardant toutes les histoires, et il y a un trop grand nombre, le premier travail doit supprimer les romances et les parodies évidents des années postérieures. Alors prenez les offres plus tôt et, avec une certaine pensée pour les ordres du jour politiques et d'église des périodes, voyez ce que nous avons vraiment. Ceci rappelle nous le 12ème siècle, et chacun le menteur de favori, Geoffrey de Monmouth. Plus tard des travaux - ceux qui n'étaient pas des fabrications totales - ont été basés sur Geoffrey de Monmouth, ou sur l''évidence 'semblable à cela qu'il a travaillé avec. (maintenant, si ce n'est pas une généralisation grande digne d'une tache dans le Guinness Book of Records , puis je ne connais pas un !)
Mon avis - et c'est seulement une opinion - est comme suit : - En périodes britanniques des noms sont rarement enregistrés. Ils pourraient s'appeler les 'titres ou 'les surnoms. Parfois deux personnes très différentes, bien que célèbres, les personnes remarquables dans leur propre temps, pourraient avoir le même 'nom 'dans une génération. Une personne pourrait passer par plus d'un 'titre 'dans leur propre vie. Ceci peut évidemment mener à de la confusion. Regardant le names/titles impliqué dans les histoires de Arthur, et s'appliquer les aux autres histoires et documentation car nous les savons, semble nous donner deux séparés, et clairement défini, des cibles. Nous avons deux Myrddins pour commencer. Un garçon au 5ème siècle et un homme légèrement plus âgé au 6ème siècle. Les 100 années entre eux éliminant toute chance d'eux étant la même personne (à moins que vous croyez VRAIMENT à la magie). Peredur, Gawain, Uriens et plusieurs des 'chevaliers 'de la table ronde 'sont beaucoup vivants et en activité dans la région du nord de la Grande-Bretagne dans la dernière moitié du 6ème siècle.
À ce moment-là le chef de guerre du nord de la Grande-Bretagne, 'grand guerrier 'ou de 'PenDragon 'de lui donner son titre approprié, était un Gwenddolau d'Arddrydd (choisissez votre propre épellation). Ce n'est pas un grand mouvement pour l''roi d'Arthuret 'de aller bien au l''Roi Arthur ', tenant compte particulièrement de la passion britannique pour des titres et leur grammaire. Son conseiller en chef est enregistré en tant qu'un du Myrddins mentionné ci-dessus. Le nom de l'épouse de Gwenddolau?s n'est pas enregistré, mais serait probablement intitulé après qu'il - donc soyez Gwen-quelque chose, presque comme dans Mme Gwenddolau. Ainsi Gwenifar - ou Guinevere dans des langues postérieures - ne serait pas impossible.
Près de son capital est un cercle rond où Celts se sont réunis depuis le début du temps. Pour que les réunions soient tenues il, dans l'ouvert neutre, - particulièrement car les prétendus 'chevaliers étaient tous les princes 'égaux 'à Gwenddolau - y aurait faisable. Et l'amour celtique de la splendeur et de la cérémonie l'exigerait. Oh oui - une colline voisine est encore appelée le 'chaise de Arthur '. Par conséquent, peut-être, 'la table ronde '.
Même la soeur de Myrddin, un ennui-fabricant au delà de croyance, fait une bonne base pour 'la soeur mauvaise 'des légendes postérieures. Elle a été également mariée au prince du vacarme Eidin, un Morgn de la grande renommée. Ainsi son titre acceptable pourrait avoir été Morganna. Espérons-la n'était pas une sorcière - comme elle semble avoir Morgn gauche à vivre avec Saint Kentigern.
Après que la mort de Gwenddolau, dans c573, sienne ami Aiden de fin, bientôt en chef de dal Rhiadda Scots, 'aient appelé 'son prochain fils né Arthur dans sa mémoire. Seule coïncidence naturellement.
De même que toute la ce qui précède. Maintenant nous avons notre autre Myrddin. Il a vécu plus près de 460AD et est dans Gwynedd (le nord du Wales). Ici nous rencontrons les dragons rouges et blancs. Tout à fait probablement une idée basée sur de vieilles normes romaines de cavalerie (pas aussi vieilles puis naturellement).
Nennius, écrivant au 9ème siècle tôt, met cette histoire dans Snowdonia, et la tradition de Gallois l'a au dinas Emrys près de Beddgelert. Ici nous avons un Myrddin jeune Ambrosius proposer son cas au Roi Vortigern pour lui (Myrddin) pour être warlord des Britanniques. Et son contrôle montré de la cavalerie grincheuse gagne son argument.
Ambrosius serait de la lignée romaine et les deux dragons pourraient également être pris des insignes de l'administration romaine du secteur. Encore, quelque chose d'un message quant à qui a commandé ce qui. Le laissant à Gwynedd a d'après les informations reçues déplacé son sud bas à Powys. Les poésies postérieures (Llywarch le vieux au 9ème siècle - vient à l'esprit) se sont souvent rapportées aux rois de Powys en tant que 'héritiers de Arthur '. Ceci a été écrit un long temps avant que glamorised des romances des périodes normandes. En effet, Viroconium, le capitol de Powys, est montré dans les excavations comme ville la plus sophistiquée en Grande-Bretagne vers la fin du 5ème siècle.
Un chef enregistré dans le secteur pendant le 490's était un Owain Ddantgwyn. Selon Gildas, le bataille-titre de Ddantgwyn était 'l'ours ', ou Arth. En outre, purement coïncident est que le père de cet homme, Enniaun enserré, a été connu dans la bataille en tant que 'guerrier en chef terrible '- le Uthr Pendragon.
Il me semble que nous faisons sembler deux Arthurs et deux Myrddins et PenDragons dans les deux situations.... les histoires postérieures avoir mélangé beaucoup de chacun. Les titres et la lignée venant du 5ème siècle Arthur, des actions, des associés, 'de la table ronde 'etc., du 6ème siècle
Arthur. Arthur était-il un roi vivant ? Non. 'Arthur 'était un vrai titre vivant.
Et deux grands princes l'ont porté tout en unknowingly donnant leurs vies à une plus grande histoire. L'un ou l'autre l'un d'entre eux est très probablement plus intéressant que le Arthur 'littéraire '. En effet, le plus certainement ainsi.
Juste mon avis. Mais j'espère qu'il aide.
© John Davey 1997 All Rights Reserved
For further information on this subject may I recommend The Quest for Merlin by Nikolai Tolstoy, (Hamish Hamilton 1985)
The Dance of Life.
O, Dance, Dance, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance said he,
And I lead you all wherever you may be,
I will lead you all in The Dance said he.
-
I Danced with the Wise in their Ring-stone-round,
Danced in the sky and I danced on the ground,
Danced with your gods and the ones you feared,
Wyrd is the Way and the Way is Wyrd.
O, dance, dance, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance said he,
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
I will lead you all in the Dance said he.
-
I danced with Math and I danced with Bran,
Danced with them all since the very world began,
I Danced with Merlin when the man went wyld,
Lately I danced with a young Christ child.
-
I Danced with Uthr and I Danced with Ygrain,
Danced with the living and I Danced with the slain,
I Danced with Urien and I watched him fall,
Danced with Rhiannon all along the Gwall.
I Danced at that battle of the trees did I,
Danced on the seas and I danced in the sky,
Danced with the giants 'for the Cymri came,
I'll Dance with you too if you know my name!
-
O, Dance, Dance, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance said he,
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
I will lead you all in the Dance said he.
Aneirin
A British bardic poet who told his tales in the 6th century.
Hwn yw e Gododin, Aneirin ae cant.
This is Y gododdin, Aneirin sang it.
Gododdin, gofynnay o'th blegyd
Yng ngwydd cant yn arial yn emwyd.
A gwarchanmab Dwywai, dda wryd
Poed gno yn un tyno treisyd.
Nid oedd wan wael rhag tan feithin.
O lychwr i lychwyr lluch bin,
Lluch ddor i borffor berein.
Er pan waned maws, mur trin,
Er pan aeth daear ar Aneirin,
Nw neud ysgarad nad a Gododdin.
(not a direct translation)
Gododdin, I make thy claim, Boldly in this packed court.
Where the tale of the brave son of Dwywai
may manifest itself where none stands against it.
He who was not weak or of no stature before the blazing fire which was lit throughout each night long. Where a well lit door welcomed the purple clad traveller.
Since the gentle man, the battle stalwart wall, was slain.
Since the earth covered Aneirin
Poetry is now gone from the North
Stobo Kirk
Myrddin's Window
After the battle of Adderyd
near Carlisle in 573 AD at which the pagan forces of Gwendoleu were defeated by
the Christian Rydderch Hael, Merlin is believed to have spent many years of his
life in the Caledonian Forest, which at one time covered much of the South of
Scotland,
A thorn bush at Drumelzier close to Broughton marks his burial place and many
strong legends and historical references give credence to his presence.
A stained glass window in Stobo Kirk near Broughton depicts Merlin being
baptised by St Mungo of Kentigern who was appointed Bishop by Rydderch Hael.
(Quote from Broughton Ales)
Pour nos cousins Bretons - Salud dit!
( Veuillez pardonner la mauvaise traduction. )
Après la bataille d'Adderyd près de Carlisle dans 573 auxquels les forces païennes de Gwendoleu ont été défaites par le Rydderch chrétien Hael, MERLIN est censé avoir passé beaucoup d'années de sa vie dans la forêt de Caledonian, qui a en même temps couvert une grande partie du sud de l'Ecosse, buisson de A chez Drumelzier, on dit que qui est près de la ville de Broughton marque son endroit d'enterrement et beaucoup de références fortes de légende et historiques donnent la créance à sa présence. Une fenêtre de verre colorée dans Stobo Kirk près de Broughton dépeint MERLIN étant baptised par St Mungo de Kentigern qui a été nommé évêque par Rydderch Hael. (De Broughton Alès)
So there we have just one page in the chapter of that North to which Elmet belongs. Just the blink of an eye in Elmet's tale - but a time that has managed to survive through the ages - the Arthurian legends and tales. And what times they were!
Christianity flourished in Elmet - some might even put forth claims that the Catholic church, as we know it today, started here. With good reason too. But Roman Christianity overwhelmed it in the 7th and 8th centuries. Yet there is still a tang in the air of that older following.
Even much older beliefs never did totally die out in the Kingdom - reverence to wells and other importance places continued on for centuries - and still does in some ways. Barwick-in-Elmet has the country's largest maypole and the celebrations every third year still attract many hundreds.
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1997-2006.
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A website of information and comparisons between Cumbrian, Welsh, Cornish and Breton histories. Under constant construction but with many items of interest to the Romano-British enthusiast
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genvreudeuriezh.
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