- Geraint
Geraint is a character from Welsh folklore and
Arthurian legend , a king ofDumnonia 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 of theLatin Gerontius .Historical character
Geraint's father was Erbin, a herder of
sheep , and according to "Culhwch and Olwen ", he had brothers named Ermind and Dywel. It is uncertain whether other records of a similar period refer to the same or another man. David Nash Ford suggests they were two people. A 'Geraint of the South' appears at theBattle of Catraeth (circa600 ) in the poem "Y Gododdin ", attributed toAneirin . Geraint was one of the "Three Seafarers of the Isle of Britain" according to theWelsh Triads . His death may be that recorded in the "Elegy for Geraint" at theBattle of Llongborth , although this is also attributed to the8th century man of the same name. A King Geraint also appears in the 'Life of SaintTeilo ' and there are local legends of a King Geraint, thepatron saint ofGerrans , near Falmouth, being buried on Carne Beacon nearVeryan . His feast day is10 August .Arthurian legend
He is probably most famous as the protagonist in the Welsh tale "
Geraint and Enid ", where he becomes the lover of Enid. "Geraint and Enid" is one of the threeWelsh Romances associated with the "Mabinogion ". Its story closely parallels the French writerChrétien de Troyes ' "Erec and Enide ". Some scholars feel both works derived from a common lost source, but most believe the Welsh version derives directly or indirectly from Chrétien. In this case, the renowned figure of Geraint would have been added to the story to suit Welsh audiences unfamiliar with Chrétien's protagonist. "Geraint and Enid" was reworked by Alfred, Lord Tennyson into the poems "The Marriage of Geraint" and "Geraint and Enid", part of his "Idylls of the King ".ee also
External links
* [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/gerresdm.html Early British Kingdoms: St. Gerren, King of Dumnonia]
* [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/gerreldm.html Early British Kingdoms: Gerren Llyngesoc, King of Dumnonia]
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