King Caw or Cawn (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

495–501 AD) was a semi-legendary king of Strathclyde in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. Very little hard fact is known of him. He flourished 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 ...

'' Period of

Sub-Roman Britain Sub-Roman Britain is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that hin ...

and ruled from a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

at ''Alt Clut''. Legend holds he fought

King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as ...

. He came to power in 495 AD by deposing King Tutagual, but only managed to remain in power for six years before being removed from power himself. This was a very turbulent time and coincided with the

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...

invasion of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. The Kingdom of Strathclyde
. Following this he fled to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

Children

He was the father to many children, many of whom were

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...

s. The most well known was Gildas, which possibly accounts for the poor presentation of King Arthur (and also

Constantin Constantin is an Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian and Romanian male given name. It can also be a surname. For a list of notable people called Constantin, see Constantine (name). See also * Constantine (name) * Konstantin The first name Konsta ...

e) in Gildas' writing. His children are reputed to include: * Hywel * Ane * Aneurin *

Saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...

Caffo Caffo was a sixth-century Christian in Anglesey, north Wales, who is venerated as a saint and martyr. The son of a king from northern Britain who took shelter in Anglesey, Caffo was a companion of St Cybi, and is mentioned as carrying a red-ho ...

* Ceidio * Aeddan Foeddog * Cwyllog * Dirynig *

Cain *

Saint Eigrad Saint Eigrad or Eugrad was a sixth-century Welsh saint and the founder of St Eugrad's Church in Llaneugrad, Anglesey. Life Eigrad is mentioned in Caradoc's ''Life of Gildas'' (12th century). He was a son of king Caw of Strathclyde, a brother ...

* Samson of York *

Saint Eigron Saint Eigron was a pre-congregational saint of medieval South Wales. He was the brother of Saint Gwenafwy whom he travelled to Cornwall with, a brother to Gildas and a son of Caw of Strathclyde. He was the Patron Saint of Llanigon, Wales and f ...

Gwenafwy Saint Gwenafwy (Wenappa) (fl. 6th c.) was a pre-congregational saint of medieval South Wales. She was a daughter of Caw of Strathclyde, and sister of Peillan, Eigron and Peithein among others. She went to Cornwall with her brother Eigron wher ...

* Gallo *

Peirio * Cewydd *

Maelog Maelog was a 6th-century pre-congregational saint of Wales and a child of King Caw of Strathclyde. He was the patron Saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, o ...

* Meilig *

Gwrddelw Saint Gwrddlew or Gwrtheli, Gartheli, was a pre-congregational saint of the 5th century medieval, Wales. Life Gwrddlew was born about 480 AD at Twrcelyn commote, Anglesey, Wales. He was the son of Caw of Strathclyde. His father had moved fro ...

Gwrhai Saint Gwrhai was a 5th-century saint of Wales. He is known from a 10th-century hagiography and is of disputed historicity. He was reputedly the founder of the Church at Penystrywad, Montgomeryshire, and one at Caerleon. He was a colleague of D ...

Huail mab caw In Welsh tradition, Hueil mab Caw (also spelled Huail or Cuillus) was a Pictish warrior and traditional rival of King Arthur's. He was one of the numerous sons of Caw of Prydyn and brother to Saint Gildas. The Latin ''Life of Gildas'' by Caradoc ...

References

{{authority control Year of birth unknown Welsh royalty Legendary rulers