Cadwallon Lawhir ap Einion
Encyclopedia
Cadwallon ap Einion usually known as Cadwallon Lawhir ('Long Hand') and also called Cadwallon I by some historians, was a king of Gwynedd
.
According to tradition, Cadwallon ruled during, or shortly after, the Battle of Mons Badonicus
, and King Arthur
's victory over the Saxons
(in either the early 490s or the mid 510s). Cadwallon's name is not connected with the legendary battle, but he may have benefitted from the period of relative peace and prosperity throughout Britain
that it procured. The most momentous military achievement of Cadwallon's reign was the final expulsion of Irish
settlers on Anglesey
, and the re-absorption of that island, which later became the cultural and political base of the kingdom, into Gwynedd.
Cadwallon's epithet, Lawhir, may possibly refer to him having longer than usual arms or might also be a metaphor, referring to the extent of his authority. The late medieval poet Iolo Goch
claims that he could "reach a stone from the ground to kill a raven, without bending his back, because his arm was as long as his side to the ground."
According to Gildas
, Cadwallon's son, Maelgwn Gwynedd, murdered his uncle to ascend to the throne, which suggests that someone other than Cadwallon himself inherited the kingdom upon Einion's death. No clear evidence exists as to who this "lost king" might be (assuming, of course, that Gildas's account is reliable), but some have suggested the name of Owain Ddantgwyn
as the unfortunate heir/victim.
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
.
According to tradition, Cadwallon ruled during, or shortly after, the Battle of Mons Badonicus
Battle of Mons Badonicus
The Battle of Mons Badonicus was a battle between a force of Britons and an Anglo-Saxon army, probably sometime between 490 and 517 AD. Though it is believed to have been a major political and military event, there is no certainty about its date, location or the details of the fighting...
, and King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's victory over the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
(in either the early 490s or the mid 510s). Cadwallon's name is not connected with the legendary battle, but he may have benefitted from the period of relative peace and prosperity throughout Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
that it procured. The most momentous military achievement of Cadwallon's reign was the final expulsion of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
settlers on Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, and the re-absorption of that island, which later became the cultural and political base of the kingdom, into Gwynedd.
Cadwallon's epithet, Lawhir, may possibly refer to him having longer than usual arms or might also be a metaphor, referring to the extent of his authority. The late medieval poet Iolo Goch
Iolo Goch
Iolo Goch , , was a medieval Welsh poet or bard who composed poems addressed to Owain Glyndŵr, among others.- Lineage :...
claims that he could "reach a stone from the ground to kill a raven, without bending his back, because his arm was as long as his side to the ground."
According to Gildas
Gildas
Gildas was a 6th-century British cleric. He is one of the best-documented figures of the Christian church in the British Isles during this period. His renowned learning and literary style earned him the designation Gildas Sapiens...
, Cadwallon's son, Maelgwn Gwynedd, murdered his uncle to ascend to the throne, which suggests that someone other than Cadwallon himself inherited the kingdom upon Einion's death. No clear evidence exists as to who this "lost king" might be (assuming, of course, that Gildas's account is reliable), but some have suggested the name of Owain Ddantgwyn
Owain Ddantgwyn
Owain Ddantgwyn is the popularly recognised form of the name of a prince of North Wales, probably a King of Rhos in the late 5th century.-Extant records:...
as the unfortunate heir/victim.