Brychan (straightened) Eglwys Aberhonddu (Brecon, Wales) 02

Brychan Brycheiniog was a

legend A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...

ary 5th-century king of

Brycheiniog Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans be ...

(Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in

Mid Wales Mid Wales ( cy, Canolbarth Cymru or simply ''Y Canolbarth'', meaning "the midlands") or Central Wales refers to a region of Wales, encompassing its midlands, in-between North Wales and South Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the Senedd ...

Life

According to

Celt The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...

hagiography A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies migh ...

Brychan was born in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and his wife, Marchel, heiress of the

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 ...

kingdom of Garthmadrun (Brycheiniog), which the couple later inherited. Upon his father's death, he returned to Garthmadrun and changed its name to Brycheiniog. Brychan's name may be a Welsh version of the Irish name Broccán and that of his grandfather Coronac may represent Cormac. Brychan's education was entrusted to one Drichan. The ''Life of St. Cadoc'' by Lifris (''c''. 1100) portrays Brychan fighting Arthur, Cai and Bedivere because of King Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction of his daughter St.

Gwladys Saint Gwladys ferch Brychan () or St Gladys ( la, Gladusa), daughter of King Brychan of Brycheiniog, was the queen of the saint-king Gwynllyw Milwr and the mother of Cadoc "the Wise", whose ''Vita'' may be the earliest saint's life to mention ...

from his court in

Talgarth Talgarth is a market town, community and electoral ward in southern Powys, Mid Wales, about north of Crickhowell, north-east of Brecon and south-east of Builth Wells. Notable buildings in the town include the 14th-century parish church and a ...

Portraiture and veneration

He is occasionally described as an undocumented saint but the traditional literature does not call him a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

, referring to him as a

patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...

instead, and he has no

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

es named for him. A 15th-century

stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...

window in the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

at St Neot in Cornwall, supposedly depicts Brychan, seated and crowned, holding in his arms eleven children. This, however, has been described by a standard modern guide as "God with Souls in his lap". He is given a saint day on April 6.

Children of Brychan

According to Christian tradition, Brychan was married three times – to Prawst ferch Tydwal, Banhadlwedd ferch Banadi, and

– and had a very large family. These wives are mentioned in several

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printing, printed or repr ...

s, including those by William Worcester, John Leland, and

Nicholas Roscarrock Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its ...

. The number of children attributed to him varies from twelve to sixty-three, the number most frequently encountered being twenty-four. There are two main lists however, one of Welsh origin and one of Cornish origin. Most of his children appear to have travelled from

Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...

to evangelise

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 ...

and North

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, where they are now venerated, but there is little agreement between the two lists. The number of Brychan's children may have grown over time, as more and more secular people as well as saints wished to claim descent from one of the "Holy Families of Britain". Listed below are children from

, Cornish, Irish, and

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...

sources:

Sons in Welsh sources

The sons listed in the ''Cognacio Brychan'', ''De Situ Brecheniauc'' and the genealogies of Jesus College MS 20 are Cynog, Rhain Dremrudd, Clydwyn, Arthen, Papai, Dingad, Berwyn and Rhydog. Also listed, but not in all three, are Cynon, Pasgen, Cylflifer, Marthaerun and Rhun. Other Welsh sources claim the following additional sons: Caian, Cynbryd, Cynfran, Cynin, Dogfan,

Dyfnan Saint Dyfnan was an obscure Welsh saint. He was sometimes accounted a son of Brychan, the invading Irish king of Brycheiniog. Legacy Llanddyfnan ("St Dyfnan's") was dedicated to him on Anglesey and claimed his relic In religion, a relic is ...

, Dyfrig, Hychan, Llecheu, Neffei, Rhawin, Llofan, Llonio, Heilin, Afallach and Gwynnws.

Daughters in Welsh sources

The ''De Situ Brecheniauc'' lists:

Meleri Saint Meleri was a late 5th century Welsh saint and Queen of Ceredigion. Meleri was one of the 24 daughters of King Brychan Brycheiniog of Brycheiniog (now Brecknockshire) in Wales. She married King Ceredig of Ceredigion, one of the son of Cun ...

, Hunydd, Gwladys, Ceingar, Tudglid, Nyfain, Gwawr, Marchell, Lluan, Gwrygon Goddeu, Arianwen, Bethan, Ceinwen ( Keyne), Cerddych, Clydai, Cynheiddon (identified with

Saint Endelienta Saint Endelienta (also Endelient, Edellienta or Endellion) was a Cornish saint of the 5th and 6th century. She is believed to be a daughter of the Welsh King Brychan, and a native of South Wales who travelled to North Cornwall to join her sibl ...

Dwynwen Saint Dwynwen (; 5th century), sometimes known as Dwyn or Donwen, is the Welsh patron saint of lovers. She is celebrated throughout Wales on 25 January. History and legend The original tale has become mixed with elements of folktales ...

, Eiliwedd, Goleudydd, Gwen, Lludd, Tudful, Tudwystl and Tybie. Other Welsh sources claim the following additional daughters: Beiol ( Bilo), Tydieu, Eufail, Hawystl, Edwen, Gwenrhiw, Tudwen, Callwen, Gwenfyl, Gwennan and Mwynwen.

Descendants in Cornish sources

Listed in the ''Life of Saint Nectan'' are, by his wife, Gwladys:

Adwen Adwen or Adwenna was a 5th-century Christian virgin and saint.Baring-Gould, Sabine & al''The Lives of the British Saints: The Saints of Wales and Cornwall and Such Irish Saints as Have Dedications in Britain'', Vol. II, pp. 107& ...

, Canauc (Cynog), Cleder (Clether), Dilic (Illick),

Endelient Saint Endelienta (also Endelient, Edellienta or Endellion) was a Cornish people, Cornish saint of the 5th and 6th century. She is believed to be a daughter of the Welsh King Brychan, and a native of South Wales who travelled to North Cornwall to ...

(Endelienta), Helie, Johannes (Sion), Iona, Juliana (Ilud), Kenhender (Cynidr), Keri (Curig), Mabon (

Mabyn Mabyn, also known as Mabena, Mabon, etc., was a medieval Cornish saint. According to local Cornish tradition she was one of the many children of Brychan, king of Brycheiniog in Wales in the 5th century. The village and civil parish of St Mabyn ...

Menfre Menefrida is the 5th-century Cornish saint associated with the parish of St Minver, near the Camel estuary in Cornwall, England. Alternative spellings of her name include Menefreda, Menwreda, Menfre, Mynfreda and Minefreda. At the time of King ...

(Menefrewy), Merewenne (Marwenna), Morewenna (

Morwenna Morwenna is the eponymous patron saint of Morwenstow, a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, UK. Her name is thought to be cognate with Welsh '' morwyn'' "maiden", although the first name is also used in Brittany and said to be composed o ...

), Nectanus ( Nectan), Tamalanc, Tedda (

Tetha Tetha ( kw, Tedha; cy, Tedda), also known as Teath (), Tecla, and by a variety of other names, was a 5th-century virgin and saint in Wales and Cornwall. She is associated with the parish church of St Teath in Cornwall. Baring-Gould gives her ...

), Wencu (Gwencuff, Gwengustle, name of Saint Nennocha), Wenheden ( Enoder), Wenna (Gwen), Wensent, Wynup (Gwenabwy) and Yse (Issey). According to Robert Hunt, of the holy children that settled in Cornwall, we learn that the following gave their names to Cornish churches # Johannes at St Ive #

at St Endellion #

at St Minver # Tethe at

St Teath St Teath (; kw, Eglostedha) is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. Geography The village is situated approximately three miles (5 km) southwest of Camelford and seven miles (11 km) northeast o ...

# Mabon at St Mabyn # Merewenne at

Marhamchurch Marhamchurch ( kw, Eglosvarwenn) is a civil parish and village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Marhamchurch village is situated south of Bude off the A39 road. The Civil Parish population at the 2011 census was 837. History The ...

# Wenna at St Wenn # Keyne at

St Keyne St Keyne ( kw, Sen Keyn) is a village in the civil parish of St Keyne and Trewidland, in east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The parish lies between the parishes of Liskeard and Duloe. The parish population at the 2011 census was 492. The ...

# Yse at St Issey #

Morwenstow Morwenstow ( kw, Logmorwenna) is a civil parish in north Cornwall, UK. The parish abuts the west coast, about six miles (10 km) north of Bude and within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Morwenstow is the most norther ...

# Cleder at

St Clether St Clether is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the east flank of Bodmin Moor approximately eight miles (13 km) west of Launceston in the valley of the River Inny. The population o ...

# Keri at Egloskerry # Helie at Egloshayle #

Advent Advent is a Christian season of preparation for the Nativity of Christ at Christmas. It is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity. The name was adopted from Latin "coming; arrival", translating Greek ''parousia''. In ...

# Lanent at Lelant

Irish sources

The Book of Leinster lists the following sons by Brychan's wife, Dína daughter of the King of the Saxons: Mo-Goróc, Mo-Chonóc (Cynog), Diraid, Dubán (Dyfnan), Cairinne (Caian), Cairpre, Iast, Ellóc (Dilic), Paan, Cáemán and Mo-Beóc.

Breton sources

Breton tradition says that Brychan married Menedoc daughter of Constantine, King of the Scots. Together they were the parents of Saint Nennocha.

References

Secondary sources

*Thornton, David E. "Brychan Brycheiniog (''fl''. c.500)."
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
'. Oxford University Press, 2004.

External links

* Brychan of Brecknock at OrthodoxWiki. {{authority control 5th-century Irish people Monarchs of Brycheiniog 5th-century Welsh monarchs 5th-century births Medieval Welsh saints Children of Brychan Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 5th-century Christian saints Welsh hermits Irish hermits