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Owain mab Urien (
Middle Welsh Middle Welsh ( cy, Cymraeg Canol, wlm, Kymraec) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh ( cy, Hen G ...
Owein) (died c. 595) was the son of
Urien Urien (; ), often referred to as Urien Rheged or Uriens, was a late 6th-century king of Rheged, an early British kingdom of the Hen Ogledd (today's northern England and southern Scotland) of the House of Rheged. His power and his victories ...
, king of
Rheged Rheged () was one of the kingdoms of the ''Hen Ogledd'' ("Old North"), the Brittonic-speaking region of what is now Northern England and southern Scotland, during the post-Roman era and Early Middle Ages. It is recorded in several poetic and b ...
c. 590, and fought with his father against the
Angles The Angles ( ang, Ængle, ; la, Angli) were one of the main Germanic peoples who settled in Great Britain in the post-Roman period. They founded several kingdoms of the Heptarchy in Anglo-Saxon England. Their name is the root of the name ...
of
Bernicia Bernicia ( ang, Bernice, Bryneich, Beornice; la, Bernicia) was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now southeastern Scotland and North East England. The Anglian territory of Bernicia was ap ...
. The historical figure of Owain became incorporated into the Arthurian cycle of legends where he is also known as
Ywain Sir Ywain , also known as Yvain and Owain among other spellings (''Ewaine'', ''Ivain'', ''Ivan'', ''Iwain'', ''Iwein'', ''Uwain'', ''Uwaine'', etc.), is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, wherein he is often the son of King Urie ...
, Yvain, Ewain or Uwain. In his legendary guise he is the main character in
Chrétien de Troyes Chrétien de Troyes (Modern ; fro, Crestien de Troies ; 1160–1191) was a French poet and trouvère known for his writing on Arthurian subjects, and for first writing of Lancelot, Percival and the Holy Grail. Chrétien's works, including ...
's '' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion'' and the Welsh Romance '' Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain'', which corresponds to Chrétien's poem.


Historical Owain

Our chief references to the historical Owain appear in the poems of
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the court ...
, Urien's bard. In one poem, he appears as the victor of the Battle of Alclud Ford. Another, ''Gweith Argoed Llwyfain'' ("The
Battle of Argoed Llwyfain The Battle of Argoed Llwyfain was fought between the forces of the Kingdom of Rheged under the command of Urien and Owain mab Urien and the forces of the Kingdom of Bernicia under ''Fflamddwyn'' (Firestealer or Flamebearer). Most of what is known ...
"), tells of Owain's part in a battle between the men of
Rheged Rheged () was one of the kingdoms of the ''Hen Ogledd'' ("Old North"), the Brittonic-speaking region of what is now Northern England and southern Scotland, during the post-Roman era and Early Middle Ages. It is recorded in several poetic and b ...
under Urien and the men of Bernicia under "Fflamddwyn" (Firestealer), possibly the Anglian king Theodric. When Fflamddwyn demands hostages, Owain shouts defiance and inspires the men of Rheged to fight rather than give tribute to the English. Taliesin also composed ''Marwnad Owain'', an elegy to Owain. In the poem, it is said that Owain slew Fflamddwyn: :Pan laddodd Owain Fflamddwyn Nid oedd fwy nogyd cysgaid :Cysgid Lloegr llydan nifer , A lleufer yn eu llygaid :A rhai ni ffoynt haeach , A oeddynt hyach na rhaid :Owain a'u cosbes yn ddrud , Mal cnud yn dylud defaid :When Owain slew Fflamddwyn it was no more to him than to sleep :The wide host of Lloegr nglandsleeps with the light in their eyes :And those that did not flee were braver than was needed :Owain punished them harshly like a pack of wolves chasing sheep He inherited the kingdom of Rheged when his father was killed, but was immediately beset by his British neighbours, Gwallawc Marchawc Trin of
Elmet Elmet ( cy, Elfed), sometimes Elmed or Elmete, was an independent Brittonic kingdom between about the 5th century and early 7th century, in what later became the smaller area of the West Riding of Yorkshire then West Yorkshire, South Yorks ...
and Dunaut Bwr; the former attacking Owain's brother Elffin whilst Owain and Pasgen, another brother, fought Dunaut. Owain was slain in battle against his father's old nemesis Morcant Bulc of
Bryneich Bernicia ( ang, Bernice, Bryneich, Beornice; la, Bernicia) was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now southeastern Scotland and North East England. The Anglian territory of Bernicia was appr ...
after a short reign. His death marked the end of Rheged as an effective power. He is said to be buried at ''Llan-Forfael'' or ''Llan-Heledd'', which local traditions place in the churchyard of St. Andrew's at Penrith, though it is possible that the grave is actually that of the later Owen Cesarius. Owain is said to be the father of St. Kentigern Garthwys by
Denw Teneu (or Thenew ( la, Theneva), Tannoch, Thaney, Thanea, Denw, etc.) is a legendary Christian saint who was venerated in medieval Glasgow, Scotland. Traditionally she was a sixth-century Brittonic princess of the ancient kingdom of Gododdin ...
, the daughter of "Leuddun", commonly identified with Lot of
Lothian Lothian (; sco, Lowden, Loudan, -en, -o(u)n; gd, Lodainn ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Scott ...
. Owain is believed to have dressed as a woman and raped Saint Teneu, the mother of Kentigern.


Owain of legend

Over the centuries, the history of Owain known to storytellers faded sufficiently that he was incorporated into Welsh
Arthurian legend The Matter of Britain is the body of medieval literature and legendary material associated with Great Britain and Brittany and the legendary kings and heroes associated with it, particularly King Arthur. It was one of the three great Wester ...
and stories about him spread to continental Europe. Chrétien's ''Yvain, the Knight of the Lion'' and the related
Mabinogion The ''Mabinogion'' () are the earliest Welsh prose stories, and belong to the Matter of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions. There are two main source manuscripts, creat ...
story ''Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain'' are devoted to his exploits, and he appears prominently in the
Mabinogion The ''Mabinogion'' () are the earliest Welsh prose stories, and belong to the Matter of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions. There are two main source manuscripts, creat ...
tale ''
The Dream of Rhonabwy ''The Dream of Rhonabwy'' ( cy, Breuddwyd Rhonabwy) is a Middle Welsh prose tale. Set during the reign of Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys (died 1160), its composition is typically dated to somewhere between the late 12th through the late 14th ...
'' and briefly in
Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography ...
's ''
Historia Regum Britanniae ''Historia regum Britanniae'' (''The History of the Kings of Britain''), originally called ''De gestis Britonum'' (''On the Deeds of the Britons''), is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written around 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. ...
''. The character is portrayed as an excellent knight in the later romances, the
Lancelot-Grail The ''Lancelot-Grail'', also known as the Vulgate Cycle or the Pseudo-Map Cycle, is an early 13th-century French Arthurian literary cycle consisting of interconnected prose episodes of chivalric romance in Old French. The cycle of unknown author ...
cycle and Sir Thomas Malory's ''
Le Morte d'Arthur ' (originally written as '; inaccurate Middle French for "The Death of Arthur") is a 15th-century Middle English prose reworking by Sir Thomas Malory of tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the ...
'', under one spelling of his name or another. In ''The Dream of Rhonabwy'', he plays a game of chess against Arthur while Rhonabwy looks on and the Saxons prepare to fight. The outlines of Chrétien's '' Yvain, the Knight of the Lion'' and ''Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain'' are essentially the same; Owain hears of a magical storm-making fountain in the forest of
Brocéliande Brocéliande, earlier known as Brécheliant and Brécilien, is a legendary enchanted forest that had a reputation in the medieval European imagination as a place of magic and mystery. Brocéliande is featured in several medieval texts, mostly ...
and seeks it out, only to find it defended by an excellent knight. He defeats this warrior and marries his wife Laudine, but forsaking his marital duties for knightly exploits, he loses her love. With the aid of a lion he rescues from a serpent, he completes several adventures and is eventually reunited with his lady. He appears in most of the later accounts, his importance indicated by his close friendship with
Gawain Gawain (), also known in many other forms and spellings, is a character in Arthurian legend, in which he is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. The prototype of Gawain is mentioned under the name Gwalchmei in the earliest ...
and the passage in the ''Mort Artu'' section of the Lancelot-Grail cycle where he is one of the last knights to die before Arthur. Almost all versions of the Arthurian story have Owain as
Urien Urien (; ), often referred to as Urien Rheged or Uriens, was a late 6th-century king of Rheged, an early British kingdom of the Hen Ogledd (today's northern England and southern Scotland) of the House of Rheged. His power and his victories ...
's son and Arthur's nephew, and the later accounts assume his mother is
Morgan le Fay Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan ''n''a, Morgain ''a/e Morg ''a''ne, Morgant ''e Morge ''i''n, and Morgue ''inamong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a ...
, if not one of the King's other half-sisters. He has a half brother called Owain (or Yvain) the Bastard after him, the product of a union between Urien and his seneschal's wife. The Welsh give him a twin sister,
Morvydd Morfydd ferch Urien (Middle Welsh orthographical variations include ''Morvydd verch Urien''; "Morfydd daughter of Urien") is a figure of Welsh Arthurian legend. She is the daughter of Urien Rheged by Modron, and twin sister to Owain. Morfydd appear ...
, and as Arthur's maternal nephew he is a cousin to Gawain and the Orkney clan.


See also

* List of characters named Ywain in Arthurian legend {{DEFAULTSORT:Owain Mab Urien 595 deaths 6th-century births 6th-century English monarchs 6th-century Welsh monarchs 6th-century Scottish monarchs 6th-century soldiers Monarchs of Rheged Medieval Welsh killed in battle