King of the Britons

The Britons or Brythons were the indigenous Celtic-speaking people of what is now England, Wales and southern Scotland, whose ethnic identity is today maintained by the Welsh and to a lesser extent the Cornish and Bretons [cite book|author=C. A. Snyder|title=The Britons|publisher=Blackwell|year=2003|id=ISBN 0-631-22260-X] . The title King of the Britons was often used by, or bestowed (often retrospectively) upon, the most powerful ruler among the insular Britons, both before [cite book|author=Stuart Laycock|title=Britannia: The Failed State |publisher=Tempus|year=2008|id=ISBN 0-7524-4614-1] and after [cite book|author=Kari Maund|title=The Welsh Kings: The Medieval Rulers of Wales |publisher=Tempus|year=2000|id=ISBN 0-7524-2321-5] the Roman occupation, up until the Norman Conquest of England. Some rulers of Brittany were also referred to by this title [ [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/ArmoricaDomnonia.htm Post-Roman Celtic Kingdoms: Celts of Armorica] ] , but in those cases (with the possible exception of Riothamus) the title signifies King of the Bretons.

At least twenty kings among the insular Britons were referred to as King of the Britons, while many others were given related titles or descriptions. From the 12th century onwards the title evolved into that of the Prince of Wales [cite book|author=Kari Maund|title=The Welsh Kings: The Medieval Rulers of Wales |publisher=Tempus|year=2000|id=ISBN 0-7524-2321-5] . Although the majority of the Kings of the Britons had their power base in Gwynedd in north Wales, most insular Brythonic areas from the 7th century on are to be found in the list below, from Dumnonia in south-west England, to Strathclyde in south-west Scotland.

Historical rulers upon whom the title "King of the Britons" (or a related title) was bestowed

References

ee also

*List of legendary kings of Britain
*Pendragon
*Bretwalda