Beli Mawr
Encyclopedia
Beli Mawr was an ancestor figure in medieval Welsh literature and genealogies. He is the father of Caswallawn, Arianrhod
, Lludd Llaw Eraint
, Llefelys
, and Afallach. In certain medieval genealogies he is listed as the husband of Anna, cousin of the Virgin Mary. Several royal lines in medieval
Wales
traced their ancestry to him.
as a Middle Welsh reflex of the Gaulish
and Brittonic
theonym Belenus
(also attested as a personal name), but a more recent alternative is that proposed by the Celticist John Koch
, who suggests that Beli
derives from an Old Celtic name Belgius or Bolgios
, borne by one of the chieftains who led the Gallic
invasion of Macedonia in 280-279 BCE. He therefore proposes that this great leader Belgius came to be regarded as the namesake and ancestor of the powerful British and Gallic tribal group the Belgae
, whence would have come the doctrine that Beli
was the ancestor of tribal dynasties.
tribe, Cunobelinus
and his son Adminius
(or Amminius). Via a series of textual corruptions that span several different popular books from Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages, the names of Cunobelinus and his son Adminius were combined and then jumbled, giving way to the new Welsh literary characters Beli and Manogan:
Thus, although Beli became a separate personage in medieval pseudohistory
from Cunobelinus (Welsh Cynfelyn, Shakespeare's Cymbeline
), he was generally presented as a king reigning in the period immediately before the Roman invasion; his "son" Caswallawn is the historical Cassivellaunus
.
, in his Historia Anglorum (first published in 1129 AD), follows the Historia Brittonum in his discussion of Julius Caesar's
invasion of Britain, mentioning a Belinus, brother of Cassibella(u)nus, who are both styled sons of Liud (see Lludd Llaw Ereint), who is substituted for the Historia Brittonum's Minocannus.
's pseudo-history Historia Regum Britanniæ (1130s) as the British king Heli, son of Digueillus
and father of Lud
, Cassivelaunus and Nennius
. He is said to have held the throne for 40 years, after which he was succeeded by his son Lud (Llud). In the Middle Welsh translations of Geoffrey's work known collectively as Brut y Brenhinedd, Heli's name was restored to Beli and his father re-named to Manogan.
Arianrhod
Arianrhod is a figure in Welsh mythology who plays her most important role in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi. She is the daughter of Dôn and the sister of Gwydion and Gilfaethwy; the Welsh Triads give her father as Beli Mawr...
, Lludd Llaw Eraint
Lludd Llaw Eraint
Lludd Llaw Eraint, "Lludd of the Silver Hand", son of Beli Mawr, is a legendary hero from Welsh mythology. As Nudd Llaw Eraint he is the father of Gwyn ap Nudd...
, Llefelys
Llefelys
Llefelys is a character in Welsh mythology appearing in the medieval Welsh tale Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys. In the tale, Llefelys is king of France while his brother Lludd is king of Britain...
, and Afallach. In certain medieval genealogies he is listed as the husband of Anna, cousin of the Virgin Mary. Several royal lines in medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
traced their ancestry to him.
Beli and Belenus
The origin of the name Beli is still a matter of debate among scholars. The most popular hypothesis sees the name BeliBeli
-People:*Beli I of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons*Beli II of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons-Mythology:*Beli , a giant killed by Freyr in Norse mythology...
as a Middle Welsh reflex of the Gaulish
Gaulish language
The Gaulish language is an extinct Celtic language that was spoken by the Gauls, a people who inhabited the region known as Gaul from the Iron Age through the Roman period...
and Brittonic
Brythonic languages
The Brythonic or Brittonic languages form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family, the other being Goidelic. The name Brythonic was derived by Welsh Celticist John Rhys from the Welsh word Brython, meaning an indigenous Briton as opposed to an Anglo-Saxon or Gael...
theonym Belenus
Belenus
In Celtic mythology, Bel, Belenos was a deity worshipped in Gaul, Cisalpine Gaul, and Celtic areas of Austria, Britain and Spain. He is particularly associated with Cornwall, West Cornwall being anciently called Belerion, the place of Bel...
(also attested as a personal name), but a more recent alternative is that proposed by the Celticist John Koch
John Koch
John Koch was an American painter, and an important figure in 20th century realist painting. His early work may be considered Impressionist...
, who suggests that Beli
Beli
-People:*Beli I of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons*Beli II of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons-Mythology:*Beli , a giant killed by Freyr in Norse mythology...
derives from an Old Celtic name Belgius or Bolgios
Bolgios
Bolgios was a Gaulish leader who led an invasion of Macedon and Illyria in 279 BC, killing the Macedonian king Ptolemy Keraunos....
, borne by one of the chieftains who led the Gallic
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
invasion of Macedonia in 280-279 BCE. He therefore proposes that this great leader Belgius came to be regarded as the namesake and ancestor of the powerful British and Gallic tribal group the Belgae
Belgae
The Belgae were a group of tribes living in northern Gaul, on the west bank of the Rhine, in the 3rd century BC, and later also in Britain, and possibly even Ireland...
, whence would have come the doctrine that Beli
Beli
-People:*Beli I of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons*Beli II of Alt Clut , a king of the Britons-Mythology:*Beli , a giant killed by Freyr in Norse mythology...
was the ancestor of tribal dynasties.
Beli son of Manogan
Another Beli from medieval Welsh literature, who first appears in the 9th c. Historia Brittonum and is often confused or conflated with Beli Mawr in both medieval and modern sources, is Beli son of Manogan (also spelled Mynogan). This Beli is actually derived from the historical pre-Roman, British king of the CatuvellauniCatuvellauni
The Catuvellauni were a tribe or state of south-eastern Britain before the Roman conquest.The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through numismatic evidence and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Dio Cassius, who implies...
tribe, Cunobelinus
Cunobelinus
Cunobeline or Cunobelinus was a historical king in pre-Roman Britain, known from passing mentions by classical historians Suetonius and Dio Cassius, and from his many inscribed coins...
and his son Adminius
Adminius
Adminius, Amminius or Amminus was a son of Cunobelinus, ruler of the Catuvellauni, a tribe of Iron Age Britain. His name can be interpreted as Celtic *ad-mindios, "to be crowned"....
(or Amminius). Via a series of textual corruptions that span several different popular books from Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages, the names of Cunobelinus and his son Adminius were combined and then jumbled, giving way to the new Welsh literary characters Beli and Manogan:
- Adminio, Cunobellini Brittannorum regis filio (SuetoniusSuetoniusGaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
, Caligula, Ch. 44) - Minocynobellinum Britannorum regis filium (Orosius, Historia Adversus Paganos, vii 5.5)
- Bellinus, filius Minocanni (Historia Brittonum, ch. 19)
Thus, although Beli became a separate personage in medieval pseudohistory
Pseudohistory
Pseudohistory is a pejorative term applied to a type of historical revisionism, often involving sensational claims whose acceptance would require rewriting a significant amount of commonly accepted history, and based on methods that depart from standard historiographical conventions.Cryptohistory...
from Cunobelinus (Welsh Cynfelyn, Shakespeare's Cymbeline
Cymbeline
Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...
), he was generally presented as a king reigning in the period immediately before the Roman invasion; his "son" Caswallawn is the historical Cassivellaunus
Cassivellaunus
Cassivellaunus was an historical British chieftain who led the defence against Julius Caesar's second expedition to Britain in 54 BC. The first British person whose name is recorded, Cassivellaunus led an alliance of tribes against Roman forces, but eventually surrendered after his location was...
.
Henry of Huntingdon's Belinus
The 12th century English historian Henry of HuntingdonHenry of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon , the son of a canon in the diocese of Lincoln, was a 12th century English historian, the author of a history of England, Historia anglorum, "the most important Anglo-Norman historian to emerge from the secular clergy". He served as archdeacon of Huntingdon...
, in his Historia Anglorum (first published in 1129 AD), follows the Historia Brittonum in his discussion of Julius Caesar's
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
invasion of Britain, mentioning a Belinus, brother of Cassibella(u)nus, who are both styled sons of Liud (see Lludd Llaw Ereint), who is substituted for the Historia Brittonum's Minocannus.
Geoffrey's Heli
Beli also appears in Geoffrey of MonmouthGeoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's pseudo-history Historia Regum Britanniæ (1130s) as the British king Heli, son of Digueillus
Digueillus
Digueillus was a legendary king of the Brythons according to Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of King Capoir and succeeded by his son Heli. Geoffrey portrays him as a wise and modest ruler who cared greatly about the administration of justice among the Brythons....
and father of Lud
Lud son of Heli
Lud , according to Geoffrey of Monmouth's legendary History of the Kings of Britain and related medieval texts, was a king of Britain in pre-Roman times. He was the eldest son of Geoffrey's King Heli, and succeeded his father to the throne. He was succeeded, in turn, by his brother Cassibelanus...
, Cassivelaunus and Nennius
Nennius of Britain
Nennius is a prince of Britain at the time of Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain in Geoffrey of Monmouth's legendary History of the Kings of Britain . In Middle Welsh versions of Geoffrey's Historia he is called Nynniaw....
. He is said to have held the throne for 40 years, after which he was succeeded by his son Lud (Llud). In the Middle Welsh translations of Geoffrey's work known collectively as Brut y Brenhinedd, Heli's name was restored to Beli and his father re-named to Manogan.
Primary sources
- Branwen uerch Lyr
- Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig ("The Dream of Macsen Wledig")
- Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys ("Llud and Llefelys)
- Trioedd Ynys Prydein
- Brut y Brenhinedd
- Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia Regum Britanniæ, tr. Lewis Thorpe, Geoffrey of Monmouth. The History of the Kings of Britain. Harmondsworth, 1968.
Secondary sources
- Koch, John T. "The Celtic Lands." In Medieval Arthurian Literature: A Guide to Recent Research, ed. N. Lacy. New York, 1996. 239-322.