Petroc Baladrddellt

Petroc "Baladrddellt " (also known as Pedrog, or Pedrogl "Paladrddellt") was a 7th century King of Dumnonia (now the English West Country).

Monarch

According to the Welsh pedigrees in the "Bonedd y Saint" or "Genealogies of the Saints", Petroc "Baladrddellt" ap Clemen was the son of Clemen (or Clement) ap Bledrig, his epithet meaning "Splintered Spear". [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/petrobdm.html Early British Kingdoms: Petroc Baladrddellt.] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] It is thought he was born in "c." 600 and succeeded to the Dumnonian throne after his father in "c." 630, [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/BritainDumnonia.htm Post-Roman Celtic Kingdoms: Dumnonia] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] reigning at a time of continued West Saxon aggression which had also affected his father. His time may have came in "c." 652 when King Cenwalh of Wessex is said to have defeated the Britons at the battle of Bradford-on-Avon, taking large swathes of Dorset and Somerset. Other sources are unclear as to whether this battle was civil war between Cenwalh and his kinsman Cuthred, [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Bradford-on-Avon 1911 Encyclopedia: Bradford-on-Avon] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] or against the Welsh or the Mercians or both. [Morris, John. "The Age of Arthur" 2004 ISBN 1-824212-477-3 p308 ]

Family

King Petroc may have had two sons, Culmin (or Cwlfyn) [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/gene/dumped.html Early British Kingdoms: West Country Royal Pedigree.] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] and Progmael (or Brochwel).Hughes, David. "Royalty, The British Chronicles, 2 vols" 2007 ISBN 0-78-843301-6 Cornovia, 3A ] In the later case Culmin is given as the son of Progmael and grandson of Petroc, as given in the Book of Baglan. If so, Prince Progmael appeared to have predeceased his father who died in "c."654, at Y Ferwig in Ceredigion, leaving the Dumnonian kingdom to Culmin.

In Welsh Literature

In the Welsh Triads Trioedd Ynys Prydein, Petroc is given as one of the three "Marchawg Cyviawnbwyell" or Just Knights of BritainWilliams, Robert. "Enwogion Cymru". W. Rees. 1852 p394 ] in Arthur’s court as Pedrog Splintered-Spear, son of Clement Prince of Cornwall. With Blaes son of the Earl of Llychlyn, and Cadog son of Gwynlliw the Bearded, he was described as slewing whoever did wrong to the weak, no matter how strong they might be, and the three had themselves to preserve justice by every Law. Pedrog’s was by Law of arms [ [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/triads4.html Celtic Literature Collective: The Twenty-Four Knights of Arthur's Court.] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] .

Petroc himself would have lived much later than King Arthur, however his namesake St Petroc, with which he is often confused, was described as one of the seven survivors of the Battle of Camlann according to Evan Evans’ copy of the 17th century Peniarth 185 manuscript [ [http://www.maryjones.us/jce/survivors.html Celtic Literature Collective: The Seven Survivors of Prydein.] Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] .

Williams credits Petroc (Pedrogl "Paladrddellt") with being better known as the English translation of the name Lancelot du Lac of Arthurian Legend, in his Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Welshmen.

References