Eldol, Consul of Gloucester
Encyclopedia
Eldol was the Consul or Count of Gloucester
, who was the sole British leader to escape from the massacre of Salisbury in Geoffrey of Monmouth
's circa 1136 work Historia Regum Britanniae
(The History of the Kings of Britain). Hengist invited all of the British Leaders to a peace treaty. When all of the leaders were there, there were about 460 rulers, he ordered his men to draw their long knives and kill every leader. Vortigern
was spared, but every other ruler was slain, save Eldol, who grabbed a stick up off the ground and killed 70 men in his escape.
After the massacre Eldol was a key supporter of Aurelius Ambrosius and helped him defeat the Saxons. Eldol defeated Hengist in hand to hand combat at the battle at Kaerconan/Cunungeburc, which may be the town of Conisbrough
, and beheaded him. He was also at the siege of Vortigern's tower. Eldad, Bishop of Gloucester, was his brother.
Morvid, Consul of Gloucester in King Arthur
's reign, may be related to Eldol.
In Welsh legend Eldol becomes Eidol or Eidiol Gadarn, recorded as one of the three strong men of Britain, having, at the meeting on Salisbury plain, slain 660 Saxons with a billet of wood.
There was a Welsh hero Eidiol mentioned in The Gododdin
who may have inspired the use of the name in Geoffrey's work.
He should not be confused with King Eldol
who lives generations earlier in Geoffrey's work.
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, who was the sole British leader to escape from the massacre of Salisbury in Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey 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 circa 1136 work Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
(The History of the Kings of Britain). Hengist invited all of the British Leaders to a peace treaty. When all of the leaders were there, there were about 460 rulers, he ordered his men to draw their long knives and kill every leader. Vortigern
Vortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
was spared, but every other ruler was slain, save Eldol, who grabbed a stick up off the ground and killed 70 men in his escape.
After the massacre Eldol was a key supporter of Aurelius Ambrosius and helped him defeat the Saxons. Eldol defeated Hengist in hand to hand combat at the battle at Kaerconan/Cunungeburc, which may be the town of Conisbrough
Conisbrough
Conisbrough is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is located roughly midway between Doncaster and Rotherham, and is built alongside the River Don at...
, and beheaded him. He was also at the siege of Vortigern's tower. Eldad, Bishop of Gloucester, was his brother.
Morvid, Consul of Gloucester in 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 reign, may be related to Eldol.
In Welsh legend Eldol becomes Eidol or Eidiol Gadarn, recorded as one of the three strong men of Britain, having, at the meeting on Salisbury plain, slain 660 Saxons with a billet of wood.
There was a Welsh hero Eidiol mentioned in The Gododdin
Y Gododdin
Y Gododdin is a medieval Welsh poem consisting of a series of elegies to the men of the Britonnic kingdom of Gododdin and its allies who, according to the conventional interpretation, died fighting the Angles of Deira and Bernicia at a place named Catraeth...
who may have inspired the use of the name in Geoffrey's work.
He should not be confused with King Eldol
Eldol
Eldol is a legendary king of Britain in Geoffrey of Monmouth's circa 1136 work Historia Regum Britanniae ....
who lives generations earlier in Geoffrey's work.