Lailoken
Encyclopedia
Lailoken was a Northern Brythonic
fool or prophet
of the late 6th century. The Life of St Kentigern talks of A certain foolish man, who was called Laleocen who lived at or near the village of Peartnach (Partick
) within the Kingdom of Strathclyde
. Laleocen prophesied the death of King Rhydderch Hael.
Because of the description of him as a wild man and seer living in the forests of Southern Scotland he is sometimes identified with Myrddin Wyllt
, the prototype for the wizard Merlin
of Arthurian legend. Myrddin is particularly associated with the Battle of Arfderydd
in Cumberland
(now Cumbria
) and the area just to the north, over the border in modern Scotland
. Myrddin fought for the losing side and after the battle went insane.
In the Welsh text Cyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer (The Conversation of Merlin and Gwendydd his sister), Gwenddydd refers to Merlin as Llallawg and its diminutive Llallogan. A.O.H. Jarman also associates Llallogan ~ Laloiken with the primitive character Myrddin Willt that would give birth to the Arthurian Character Merlin
. There was also a late-15th-century story Lailoken and Kentigern
which states: "...some say he was called Merlynum".
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
fool or prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
of the late 6th century. The Life of St Kentigern talks of A certain foolish man, who was called Laleocen who lived at or near the village of Peartnach (Partick
Partick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
) within the Kingdom of Strathclyde
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
. Laleocen prophesied the death of King Rhydderch Hael.
Because of the description of him as a wild man and seer living in the forests of Southern Scotland he is sometimes identified with Myrddin Wyllt
Myrddin Wyllt
Myrddin Wyllt , Merlinus Caledonensis or Merlin Sylvestris is a figure in medieval Welsh legend, known as a prophet and a madman...
, the prototype for the wizard Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
of Arthurian legend. Myrddin is particularly associated with the Battle of Arfderydd
Battle of Arfderydd
The Battle of Arfderydd was fought, according to the Annales Cambriae, in 573. The opposing armies are variously given in a number of Old Welsh sources, perhaps suggesting a number of allied armies were involved...
in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
(now Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
) and the area just to the north, over the border in modern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Myrddin fought for the losing side and after the battle went insane.
In the Welsh text Cyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer (The Conversation of Merlin and Gwendydd his sister), Gwenddydd refers to Merlin as Llallawg and its diminutive Llallogan. A.O.H. Jarman also associates Llallogan ~ Laloiken with the primitive character Myrddin Willt that would give birth to the Arthurian Character Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
. There was also a late-15th-century story Lailoken and Kentigern
Saint Mungo
Saint Mungo is the commonly used name for Saint Kentigern . He was the late 6th century apostle of the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde in modern Scotland, and patron saint and founder of the city of Glasgow.-Name:In Wales and England, this saint is known by his birth and baptismal name Kentigern...
which states: "...some say he was called Merlynum".