Angharad

Angharad is a popular name in Celtic countries, particularly Wales, having a long association with Celtic royalty, history and myth. Angharad is also spelt as" Anghared". From Welsh it translates to English as "loved one".

Mythology

Angharad, also sometimes known as Angharad Golden-Hand, is the lover of Peredur in the Welsh myth cycle "The Mabinogion". In some versions of the story, Peredur meets her at King Arthur's court at Caerleon. [http://www.lib.rochester.edu/CAMELOT/peredur.htm]

History

There have been a number of historical (or semi-historical) Angharads, most notably the daughter of Owain Gwynedd, King of Gwynedd, who married Gruffydd Maelor. Other historical Angharads include:

* daughter of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor and sister to Gruffydd II ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran
* daughter of Maredudd ab Owain, mother of Llywelyn ap Seisyll, King of Gwynedd and of Deheubarth, with her first husband, and mother of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn with her second husband.
* Angharad of Brittany, the wife of Idwal ap Cadwaladr
* wife of Rhodri the Great
* Angharad James, the Welsh poet

Literature

Angharad is mentioned peripherally in Lloyd Alexander's series of children's books, "The Chronicles of Prydain," in which the Princess Eilonwy is referred to as "Eilonwy, daughter of Angharad, daughter of Regat, Princess of Llyr." The final book in the series, "The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain," includes the story of how Princess Angharad met her husband, Geraint, Eilonwy's father.

Another Angharad appears in the Welsh Triads as the daughter of King Rhydderch Hael. Rhydderch was one of the "Three Generous Men of the Island of Britain", and his daughter Angharad Ton Felen (Angharad "Yellow Wave") appears as one of the Three Lively Maidens.

The name Angharad has also been used in modern popular fiction such as by those protagonists found in Anne McCaffrey's "The Rowan" (as Angharad Gwyn or "the Rowan"), Robin McKinley's "The Blue Sword" (as Angharad Crewe or "Harimad Sol"/"Harry"), Charles de Lint's "Into the Green" (simply as Angharad - tinker, harper, witch), and Monica Furlong's "Juniper".

In the novel "How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn, the daughter of the Morgan family was named Angharad.

References

* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab10.htm#page_100 Mabinogion, p.100]