Marganus (''

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

:'' Margan) was a legendary king of the Britons as accounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of Maglaurus, Duke of

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scottish people, Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed i ...

ny, and Goneril, the daughter of King Leir. Marganus, grandson of Leir, despised the rule of his aunt

Cordelia Cordelia is a feminine given name. It was borne by the tragic heroine of Shakespeare's ''King Lear'' (1606), a character based on the legendary queen Cordelia. The name is of uncertain origin. It is popularly associated with Latin '' cor'' ( geni ...

in Britain. With the help of his cousin

Cunedagius Cunedagius ( Latinized form; cy, CuneddaHenry Lewis (ed.), ''Brut Dingestow'' (University of Wales Press, 1942), p. 31.) was a legendary king of the Britons, as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of Henwinus, Duke of Cornwall, and R ...

, Marganus took over the kingdom from Cordelia and ruled half of it. Following Cordelia's suicide, Marganus came to rule the region of Britain northeast of the

Humber The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between th ...

. Marganus was eldest male heir of Leir and, influenced by his peers, became discontent with ruling only half of Britain. He began a scorched earth march through

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

until reaching the army of Cunedagius. Cunedagius defeated Marganus and Marganus fled. Cunedagius followed him throughout Britain until cornering him in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. There, Cunedagius killed Marganus and became king of all Britain. He named the place Margon in honour of his cousin.Cunliff, John W., ''Early English Classical Tragedies'', Clarendon Press, 1912, p.300.

References

{{Geoffrey of Monmouth Legendary British kings