Geraint of Dumnonia

Geraint of Dumnonia

Geraint (d. 710; known in Latin as Gerontius) was a King of Dumnonia who ruled in the early 8th century. During his reign, it is believed that Dumnonia came repeatedly into conflict with neighbouring Anglo-Saxon Wessex. Geraint was the last recorded king of a unified Dumnonia, and was called King of the Welsh by the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle". Subsequent kings of Dumnonia (for example Donyarth and possibly Huwal) reigned over a reducing area that eventually encompassed only the present day Cornwall. [Philip Payton. (1996). "Cornwall". Fowey: Alexander Associates]

A long and rather acrimonious letter survives addressed to him from Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne on the Easter Problem and the shape of the tonsure. It is clear from this letter that in the later 7th century the Britons in Cornwall and Devon still observed Easter on the dates that Celtic Christianity had calculated, at variance with Roman Catholic practice. Geraint ultimately agreed with Aldhelm to comply with Roman practice on these points. According to John of Worcester, Geraint was killed after a series of battles that culminated in a victory of the West Saxons under Ine of Wessex in 710. It was probably around this time that Devon was conquered by the West Saxons. After Geraint's death, however, Ine was unable to establish his authority over neighbouring Cornwall; in 722, according to the "Annales Cambriae", the Cornish won a battle at "Hehil", probably against Wessex.

Derek Bryce, following other scholars, suggests Geraint of Dumnonia be identified as the warrior eulogized in the poem "Battle of Llongborth", traditionally ascribed to Llywarch Hen. Other scholars associate the slain man with Geraint ab Erbin, a king said to have lived during the 5th century but of dubious historicity. Bryce identifies Llongborth with the 710 battle between Geraint and Ine, and suggests Langport in Somerset as the location of the battle. [ [http://www.templum.freeserve.co.uk/history/strathclyde/awp/geraint.htm History of Drumchapel: Geraint, Son of Erbin] ]

References

*Bryce, Derek (ed.) (1988). "Arthur and the Britons in Wales and Scotland by W F Skene". Lampeter: Llanerch Enterprises

External links

* [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/gerredm.html Early British Kingdoms: Gerren, King of Dumnonia]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dumnonia — This article is about the kingdom in Southwestern Britain. For Brythonic colony of the same name in Brittany, see Domnonée. For the kingdom in northern Britain, see Damnonii. Dumnonia is the Latinised name for the Brythonic kingdom in sub Roman… …   Wikipedia

  • Geraint — Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe. Geraint ist ein walisischer Vorname, der vom lateinischen Namen Gerontius abgeleitet wurde. Geraint ist auße …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Geraint — is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a king of Dumnonia and a valiant warrior. He may have lived during or shortly prior to the reign of the historical Arthur, but some scholars doubt he ever existed. The name is a Welsh form… …   Wikipedia

  • Dumnonia — Britannien ca. 500 Dumnonia war ein keltisches Königreich im nachrömischen Britannien. Seine Lage befand sich im Südwesten des heutigen Englands und umfasste das Gebiet der heutigen Grafschaft Devon, sowie den größten Teil Somersets und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Erbin of Dumnonia — was a 5th century King of Dumnonia (now the English West Country) and saint of Wales.MonarchTraditionally, Erbin was a King of Dumnonia, the son of Constantine Corneu and the father of Geraint. He chiefly appears in Geraint and Enid , one of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Constantine (Briton) — Constantine /ˈkɒnstəntaɪn/ was a minor king in 6th century sub Roman Britain, who was remembered in later British tradition as a legendary King of Britain. The only contemporary information about him comes from Gildas, who calls him king of… …   Wikipedia

  • Ine of Wessex — Infobox Monarch name =Ine title =King of Wessex reign =688 ndash;726 predecessor =Cædwalla successor =Æthelheard queen =Æthelburg of Wessex father =Cenred date of death =after 726 place of death =Rome, Italy|Ine was King of Wessex from 688 to 726 …   Wikipedia

  • History of Devon — Devon is a county in south west England, bordering Cornwall to the west with Dorset and Somerset to the east. There is evidence of occupation in the county from Stone Age times onward. Its history starts in the Roman period when it was a civitas …   Wikipedia

  • Battle of Llongborth — The Battle of Llongborth was an ancient battle in Great Britain mentioned in a poem of the same name, traditionally attributed to Llywarch Hen. The poem in question, also known as Elegy for Geraint , celebrates Geraint ab Erbin from Dyfnaint, who …   Wikipedia

  • Aldhelm — NOTOC Infobox Saint name=Saint Aldhelm birth date=c. 639 death date=25 May 709 feast day=25 May venerated in=Roman Catholic Church; Anglican Communion imagesize=200px caption=Stained glass window showing Aldhelm, installed in Malmesbury Abbey in… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”