Rhydderch Hael ( en, Rhydderch the Generous), Riderch I of Alt Clut, or Rhydderch of Strathclyde, ( ''fl.'' 580 – c. 614) was a ruler of Alt Clut, a Brittonic kingdom in the ''

Hen Ogledd Yr Hen Ogledd (), in English the Old North, is the historical region which is now Northern England and the southern Scottish Lowlands that was inhabited by the Brittonic people of sub-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages. Its population sp ...

'' or "Old North" of Britain. He was one of the most famous kings in the ''Hen Ogledd'', and appears frequently in later medieval works in

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 peopl ...

and

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

.MacQuarrie, pp.6–7.Clarkson, T. (2014), ''Strathclyde and the Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age'', Birlinn, Edinburgh, p. 30

Historical / Semi-historical references

Rhydderch appears in

Adomnán Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of ...

Vita Sancti Columbae The ''Life of Columba'' ( la, Vita Columbae) is a hagiography recounting the life of Columba, the founder of Iona Abbey, written a century after Columba's death by Adomnán, one of his successors as Abbot of Iona. Adomnán (also known as Eunan), ...

, written around 700, where he sends a secret message to the saint asking him to prophesy the method of his death. The king is concerned if he should die by the hand of one of his enemies, but the saint tells him that he will die at home in his bed. The description of his death is assumed to be accurate, as Adomnán was writing at a time when Rhydderch's life was probably still relatively well known, and he would be unlikely to attribute a false prophecy to St Columba. In the 9th century

Historia Brittonum ''The History of the Britons'' ( la, Historia Brittonum) is a purported history of the indigenous British ( Brittonic) people that was written around 828 and survives in numerous recensions that date from after the 11th century. The ''Historia B ...

, Rhydderch is one of four Brythonic kings (along with Urien, Gwallog and

Morcant Morcant Bulc was a Brythonic prince, probably a king, from Northern Britain, during the period between the end of the Roman Empire and the establishment of an English state during the early Middle Ages. Morcant appears in a line of ''Men of the ...

) named as fighting against Hussa of Bernicia. This is often interpreted as an alliance of Northern Brythonic kings, though it is not explicitly stated that they fought together against Hussa. If they did fight together, Rhydderch may have been present at the siege of Ynys Metcaut (the Island of

Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...

), where Urien was assassinated by Morcant. Rhydderch was possibly the leader of the victorious army at the

Battle of Arfderydd The Battle of Arfderydd (also known as Arderydd) was fought, according to the Annales Cambriae, in 573. The opposing armies are variously given in a number of Old Welsh sources, perhaps suggesting a number of allied armies were involved. The main ...

(dated 573 by the Annals Cambriae). The earliest (12th century copy of presumed 10th century original) manuscript of the AC dates the battle, but does not give the combatants. The 13th century Black Book of Chirk contains a story about a military expedition by Clydno Eidyn and the Tri Hael (Rhydderch, Nudd Hael and Mordaf Hael), where they travel to

Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the North West Wales, north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County B ...

to avenge the death of Elidir Mwynfawr. Elidir had apparently been killed in a dispute with Rhun Hir over the succession of the kingdom following the death of the previous king

Maelgwn Gwynedd Maelgwn Gwynedd ( la, Maglocunus; died c. 547Based on Phillimore's (1888) reconstruction of the dating of the ''Annales Cambriae'' (A Text).) was king of Gwynedd during the early 6th century. Surviving records suggest he held a pre-eminent position ...

. The historical validity of this story is doubted.

Legendary material

Life of St Kentigern In the Life of St Kentigern, Rhydderch is the royal patron of the saint, and through this tied to the founding of the city of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

. One of the saint's miracles was to save Rhydderch's adulterous Queen Languoreth from the king's wrath, by rediscovering her lost ring and thereby proving her innocence. The coat of arms of Glasgow features a salmon with a ring in its mouth in reference to this story. Welsh mythology Rhydderch appears in several of the

Welsh Triads The Welsh Triads ( cy, Trioedd Ynys Prydein, "Triads of the Island of Britain") are a group of related texts in medieval manuscripts which preserve fragments of Welsh folklore, mythology and traditional history in groups of three. The triad is a ...

, along with many characters and events associated with him, indicating a once well known story now lost. He is the owner of one of the

Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain The Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain (Welsh: ''Tri Thlws ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain'') are a series of items in late-medieval Welsh tradition. Lists of the items appear in texts dating to the 15th and 16th centuries.Jones, Mary"Tri Thlws a ...

: a magical sword called Dyrnwyn (white-hilt). The list also attempts to justify Rhydderch's epithet 'Hael' in describing the sword: "if a well-born man drew it himself, it burst into flame from its hilt to its tip. And everyone who used to ask for it would receive; but because of this peculiarity everyone used to reject it. And therefore he was called Rhydderch the Generous."

References

Sources

* Bromwich, Rachel, ''Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain''. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1978; revised ed. 1991
Clarkson, Tim. "Rhydderch Hael." ''The Heroic Age'', Autumn/Winter 1999
* MacQuarrie, Alan, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) ''Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G. W. S. Barrow'', (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 1–19. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rhydderch Hael 610s deaths Monarchs of Strathclyde 6th-century Scottish monarchs 7th-century Scottish monarchs Year of birth unknown Year of death uncertain Mythological swordfighters