Breton genealogies

The Vita secunda S. Winnoci (c. 1064), which gives the pedigree of the kings of Domnonia, and is composed of two segments a and b, states:

“Riwalus Britanniae dux filius fuit Derochi filii Guitoli filii Urbieni filii Catoui filii Gerentonis. Hic Riwallus, ad transmarinis veniens Britannicis cum multitudine nauium, possedit totam minorem Britanniam tempore Clotarii regis, qui Clodovei filius existitit.”

This suggests Riwal, who appears in segment b, belonged to gen. 0. I believe he was the father of Tristan.That Riwal was of gen. 0 is confirmed by Cartulaire de Landévennec, Cartulaire de Quimper and Cartulaire de Quimperlé. Those documents mention various dukes of Brittany. Conanus Sunnoc was Conan III. Alanus Hir Anger was Alan Fergant, i.e. Alan IV. Houel Huuel was Hoel II. Alain Canhiart died 1058.

Riwal’s sister, Pompaea who was the mother of Tudwal, is likely to be Alma Pompa, the mother of Leonorius. The former son was was a contemporary of Deroch II and the latter of Childebert. Breton tradtion states that Pompaea was married to Hoel Meur. This is chronologically possible according to Chronicon Briocense.

Triens of Judicahel struck at Rennes 632 – 638

Now turning to segment a of the V. Winocci, the Chronicle of Fredegar indicates Judicahel was a contemporary of Dagobert, and so belonged to gen. 3. That Judicahel was of gen. 3 is confirmed by Cartulaire de Redon as his descendant, Roiantdreh, took prince Salomon, who was duke of Brittany from 857 to 874, as her adopted son when her son died in 861.

Jonas, who is listed in segment a, appears in Culhwch ac Olwen as Iona, king of France, a companion of Arthur. His father, Riatham, is Riothamus who Jordanes called the king of the Britains and who was militarily active around 470.

Aurilla, who appears in the V. Melori Martyris, is said to have been the daughter of Iudoc who belonged to gen. 3. This would suggest Melor was of gen. 5. However, it is more likely that Aurilla was the daughter of Rydoch ap Brychan as indicated by JC 2 11. DSB 11 11 adds the comment “in Francia” and a gloss refers to him as Iudoc. Brychan is of gen. -3 since his daughter, Meleri, was married to Ceredig ap Cunedda Wledig.

 

Gen.	CB a	CB d	CB e		CdL	CdQ
19						Conanus Sunnoc
18						Alanus Hir Anger
17					Houel Huuel	Houel
16					Alan Canhiarh	Alanus Chaniart
15					Binidic	Budic
14					Budic Bud Berhuc	Budic Castellin
13					Diles Heirguor Chebre	Diles Hergu Kembre
12					Aulfret Alesrudon	Aufret Alefrondon
11					Gradlon Plueneuor	Gralen Ploeneor
10					Fragual Fradleoc	Ffraval Fradleuc
9					Budic Mur	Budic Mur
8					Concar Cheroenoc	Congar Keroenuc
7					Gradlon Flam	Gradlem Flam
6					Daniel Unua	Daniel Unna
5					Iahan Reith	Jahan Reeth
4	Alanus Magnus				Budic et Maxenri	Budic et Maxenti
3	Salomon II				Daniel Drem Rud	Daniel Drem Rud
2	Hoelus Tertius				Gradlon Mur	Gradlen Mur
1	Alanus	Judualus		Tremorus	Concar	Congar
0	Hoelus Secundus	Jonas	Conomerus	Tryphina	Riuelen Marthou	Ri Welen Mar Chou
-1	Hoelus Magnus	Riatan		Werochus I	Riuelen Mor Marthou	Ri Welen Mur Mar Chou
-2	Budicus	Derochus
-3	Audroenus	Rivalus Murmaczon
-4	Salomon
-5	Grallonus Magnus
-6	Conanus Meriadocus

Gen.	CdQl d	CdR	CF				JC 2 11	V. Melori Martyris
20	Berta
19	Conanus
18	Alan
17	Hoel
16	Alan Cainard
15	Binidic
14	Budic Castellin
13	Diles Heergur Kembre
12	Altfret Alefrudon
11	Gradlon Plueneur	Roiantdree
10	Fraugual Fradleuc	Louenan
9	Budic Mur	Juduual
8	Cungar Keroenuc	Argant
7	Gradlun Flam	Custentin
6	Daniel Unua	Judon
5	Jahann Reeth	Urbon
4	Budic et Maxenri	Urbien
3	Daniel Drem Rud	Jedechaël
2	Gradlun Mur		Tewdwr	Waroch II	Iacob
1	Cungar		Budic		Macliau	Canao
0	Rimelen Marthou									Melorus
-1	(Rimelen Mur Marthou)							Rivodius	Meliavus	Aurilla
-2							Reidoc		Budic
-3							Brachan		Daniel
-4									Lex or Regula
-5

Gen.	V. Winnoci a			V. Winnoci b
3	Winnoch	Judoc	Judicahel
2			Juthael
1			Judwal	Deroch II
0			Jonas	Riwal
-1			Riatham	Deroch I
-2				Withol
-3				Urbien
-4				Cathou
-5				Gerenton

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The king list of Gwynedd

The pedigree of the Venedotian kings is given in HG 1. However, this list poses a problem in terms of chronology until it is treated as two separate lines of descent, labelled HG 1a and HG 1b:

Gen.	HG 1a		CBa	HG 1b seg.	ByA 28c
13	Owain
12	Hywel D.
11	Cadell
10	Rhodri M.
9	Merfyn F.
8	Esyllt
7	Cynan D.
6	Rhodri M.
5	Idwal I.
4	Cadwaladr F.		Alain II
3	Cadwallon		Salomon II
2	Cadfan		Hoel III		(Beli m. Rhun)
1	Iago		Alain I	Rhun Hir	Perweur
0	Beli		Hoel II	Maelgwn Gwynedd	Rhun R.
-1	Rhun	[Einion]	Hoel I	Cadwallon L.	Einion
-2			Budic	Einion Y.	Mar
-3			Aldwr	Cunedda W.	Ceneu
-4			Salomon I	Edern	Coel
-5			Gradlon	Padarn B.
-6			Conan M.	Tegid

Although later sources show Merfyn Frych as the husband of Esyllt, a viewpoint supported by Bartrum, this earlier document is correct in stating he was her son. As can be seen in the second column, the list states that Rhun was the father of Beli. This is correct but that individual was not Rhun Hir, the son of Maelgwn Gwynedd, who appears in the fifth column above.

Rhun Hir married Perweur ferch Rhun Ryfeddfawr, whose name appears in ByA 28c, and they both belonged to gen. 1 as shown in the table. Triad 79 tells us she was one of the Three Lively Ladies of Britain. ByA 28c errs when it says Perweur was the “Mam Beli m Rhun …”. As can be seen from the second column Beli ap Rhun belonged to the same generation as his supposed parents. Brut y Brenhinedd confirms that Rhun was the father of Beli. Historia Regum Britanniae wrongly asserts that Einion was the father whereas in fact Einion Yrth was a grandfather. It was Rhun ap Einion Yrth and not Rhun Hir who fled to Armorica. His daughter, Tymyr, married Hoel II who appears in CB, see above table.

Both HRB and ByB correctly assert that Einion was Rhun’s brother. This allows us to solve a 1500 year old murder mystery which is not a whodunit but a “who was it dun to”, as we know the identity of the murderer but it is unclear who the victim was. Gildas wrote of Maelgwn:

In the first years of thy youth, accompanied by soldiers of the bravest, whose countenance in battle appeared not very unlike that of young lions, didst thou not most bitterly crush thy uncle the king with sword, and spear, and fire?[1]

The Latin text uses the word “avunculus” where the above passage reads “uncle”. Strictly speaking, that term means mother’s brother. However, in this context I believe this can be linked to the fact, given in JC 23, that an Einion was half-brother to Cadwallon Lawhir, Maelgwn’s father, through their father Einion Yrth. Their mothers were sisters, daughters of king Didlet.

Although HRB states Rhun escaped to Armorica after the death of Einion because he was driven out by the Saxons, it would seem that Maelgwn had a hand in it as well. After Maelgwn’s death his son successfully thwarted challenges to his kingship. However, it would seem that the rightful lineage to the throne was reestablished when Iago became king. As can be seen in the above table, Cadwallon ap Cadfan is correct when he tells Salomon II  in the ByB that their two fathers were two second cousins.

[1] Williams, H., 1899, 77