Battle of Gwen Ystrad

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Gwen Ystrad
partof=
date="c."575
place=possibly near Wensleydale, Yorkshire
result=British victory
combatant1=Rheged
combatant2=probably Bernicia
commander1=Urien Rheged
commander2=probably King of Bernicia
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=Anglian army destroyed

The Battle of Gwen Ystrad was fought in "c."575, possibly near Wensleydale [ [http://www.celtnet.org.uk/ancient_books/llyfr_taliesin.html Llyfr Taliesin.] Retrieved on 2007-11-22.] in the English county of North Yorkshire, and is best known from the poem by the famous bard, Taliesen.

Urien ap Cynfarch, King of Rheged (probably Cumbria and/or Galloway), was the most powerful British ruler of the time and a great battle leader. He appears to have forged a northern alliance of Brythonic kings in "c."570 [ [http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/kingdoms/496.html Historical Chronolgy of the Early British Kingdoms Part 2: AD 496-599.] Retrieved on 2007-11-22.] by uniting the armies of Riderch Hael of Strathcylde, Gwallog ap Llaennog of Elmet and Morcant (possibly of Bryneich) to oppose the expanding Anglian kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira, and the battle may have been part of this campaign.

In the poem, the battle was fought on the gravel bank of the "River Garanwynyon" where Urien furiously attacked his foes at "the white stone of Galystem". Urien's "rage was a blade" and in the bloody battle the British were clearly the victor. The exact opponents are not mentioned, however the leader was probably either Ida [ [http://www.cyberscotia.com/ogmios/texts/simpson/catstane/catstane.html The Catstane.] Retrieved on 2007-11-22.] or more likely one of his sons, with Theodoric of Bernicia a likely candidate given the approximate dates of the battle and his reign.

References

External links

* [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/t31.html/ Celtic Literature Collective: The Battle of Gwenystrad, Book of Taliesin XXXI ]