Eudaf Hen (Eudaf "the Old") is a figure of Welsh tradition. He is remembered as a King of the Britons and the father of

Elen Luyddog Saint Elen ( cy, Elen Luyddog, lit. "Helen of the Hosts"), often anglicized as Helen, was a late 4th-century founder of churches in Wales. Traditionally, she is said to have been a daughter of the Romano-British ruler Octavius / Eudaf Hen ( ...

and

Conan Meriadoc Conan Meriadoc (; Welsh: Cynan Meriadog; Breton: Konan Meriadeg) is a legendary Celtic leader credited with founding Brittany. Versions of his story circulated in both Brittany and Great Britain from at least the early 12th century, and supplan ...

in sources such as the Welsh prose tale ''

The Dream of Macsen Wledig Welsh mythology (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Mytholeg Cymru'') consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales, and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. As in most of the predominantly oral ...

'' and

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 ...

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 of the ...

chronicle ''

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. I ...

''. He also figures into Welsh genealogies. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls him Octavius, a corruption and faux-Latinization of Old Welsh/Breton Outham (later spelled Eudaf). According to the medieval Welsh genealogy from Mostyn MS. 117, Eudaf was a direct ancestor of King Arthur.

Etymology

Modern Welsh The history of the Welsh language (Welsh: ''Hanes yr iaith Gymraeg'') spans over 1400 years, encompassing the stages of the language known as Primitive Welsh, Old Welsh, Middle Welsh, and Modern Welsh. Origins Welsh evolved from British, the C ...

''Eudaf'' (

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 ...

''Eudav'', early Old Welsh ''Out(h)am'') comes from

Brittonic Brittonic or Brythonic may refer to: *Common Brittonic, or Brythonic, the Celtic language anciently spoken in Great Britain *Brittonic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages descended from Common Brittonic *Britons (Celtic people) The Br ...

''*Aui-tamos'' meaning "Very Strong in Will".

Geoffrey of Monmouth

, in his ''

'', renders the name in pseudo-Latin form as ''Octavius'' and introduces him as a half-brother to

Constantine I Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

, who has become King of the Britons following the death of his father Constantius. Eventually Constantine is made Roman Emperor, requiring him to leave Britain in the hands of a

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ...

. Octavius (Eudaf Hen), rebels against Roman rule, killing the proconsul and proclaiming himself king. Constantine responds by sending three legions to Britain under the command of his great-uncle Trahern, the brother of the late King

Coel Coel ( Old Welsh: ''Coil''), also called ''Coel Hen'' (Coel the Old) and King Cole, is a figure prominent in Welsh literature and legend since the Middle Ages. Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen, a 4th-century leader in Roman or Sub-Rom ...

. Trahern lands at "Kaerperis" and captures it, forcing Octavius to conscript all the island into the army to combat the Roman legions. Octavius engages Trahern in a field outside Winchester and is victorious. Trahern flees to

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 Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingdom ...

(

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

) and pillages the land, and Octavius comes after him. They meet at

Westmorland Westmorland (, formerly also spelt ''Westmoreland'';R. Wilkinson The British Isles, Sheet The British IslesVision of Britain/ref> is a historic county in North West England spanning the southern Lake District and the northern Dales. It had an ...

, and Octavius was defeated and forced out of Britain. Trahern takes the crown himself, while Octavius seeks aid from King Gunbert of

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. In Britain, supporters of Octavius ambush Trahern and kill him near

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, allowing Octavius to return to Britain. Once arrived, he scatters the Roman forces and retakes the throne of Britain, gaining an incredible amount of wealth and prestige. Eventually,

Caradocus Caradocus (''middle Welsh'': Karadawc), according to Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia regum Britanniae'', a pseudohistorical account of the kings of the Britons, was the duke of Cornwall under the reign of Octavius, who became king of Cornwall ...

, Duke of Cornwall, suggests that Octavius marry his only daughter Helen to the new Roman Emperor, Maximianus (Magnus Maximus), thereby uniting the British and Roman crowns. Octavius agrees, and Caradocus' son Mauricius is sent to Rome with the proposal. However Octavius' nephew

(elsewhere his son) opposes the union, and nearly attacks the arriving Maximianus. Finally Caradocus restores the peace, and Octavius abdicates the throne in favor of Maximianus.

The Breton Life of Saint Gurthiern

Utilizing an archaic spelling of his name, Eudaf Hen is mentioned as Outham Senis (Outham "the Old") in a fabricated genealogy from the '' Life of Saint Gurthiern'', included in the Breton Latin Kemperle Cartulary, compiled between 1118 and 1127. This text traces the descent of Saint Gurthiern back to the ancestor figure Beli (

Beli Mawr Beli Mawr ("Beli the Great") was an ancestor figure in Middle Welsh literature and genealogies. He is the father of Cassivellaunus, Arianrhod, Lludd Llaw Eraint, Llefelys, and Afallach. In certain medieval genealogies he is listed as the son or h ...

) son of Outham son of Maximianus (

Maximus Maximus (Hellenised as Maximos) is the Latin term for "greatest" or "largest". In this connection it may refer to: * Circus Maximus (disambiguation) * Pontifex maximus, the highest priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome People Roman h ...

) son of Constantius the son of

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I *Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine given name ...

the son of Helen "who was thought to have held the Cross of Christ". Outham is given another son, Kenan (

), who is said to have been the founder of Brittany. Evidence suggests that the sources for the Life originated in Wales. The text's compiler, Gurheden, says that his source for the information was one "Iuthael son of Aidan"; while the name ''Iuthael'' is a Brythonic name known in both Wales and Brittany, the Gaelic ''Aidan'' is not attested in early Brittany, but is known in Wales. Additionally, Gurthiern's genealogy corresponds strongly with the descent elsewhere attributed to the Welsh saint

Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( lat-med, Cadocus; also Modern Welsh: Cattwg; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learni ...

, further suggesting a Welsh origin.

The Dream of Macsen Wledig

Although the '' Mabinogion'' tale ''Breudwyt Macsen Wledic'' (''The Dream of Macsen Wledig'') is written in later manuscripts than Geoffrey's version, the two accounts are so different that scholars agree the Dream cannot be based purely on Geoffrey's version. The Dream's account also seems to accord better with details in the Triads, so it perhaps reflects an earlier tradition. Macsen Wledig, the Emperor of Rome, dreams one night of a lovely maiden in a wonderful, far-off land. Awakening, he sends his men all over the earth in search of her. With much difficulty they find the maiden in a rich castle in Wales,

Segontium Segontium ( owl, Cair Segeint) is a Roman fort on the outskirts of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales. The fort, which survived until the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, was garrisoned by Roman auxiliaries from present-day Belgium and Ge ...

(

Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...

), and lead the Emperor to her. Everything he finds is exactly as in his dream, including the presence of her young, '' gwyddbwyll''-playing brothers Cynan (

) and Gadeon, as well as her father, king Eudaf Hen, son of Caradawc (

Caradog ap Bran Caradog ap Bran (sometimes spelled as Caradoc) is the son of the British king Bran the Blessed in Welsh mythology and literature, who appears most prominently in the second branch of the Mabinogi, the tale of Branwen ferch Llŷr. He is further men ...

). The maiden, whose name is Helen or ''Elen Llwyddawc'', accepts and loves him. Because Elen is found a virgin, Macsen gives her father sovereignty over the island of Britain and orders three castles built for his bride. In Macsen's absence, a new emperor seizes power and warns him not to return. With the help of men from Britain led by Cynan and Gadeon, Macsen marches across Gaul and Italy and recaptures Rome. In gratitude to his British allies, Macsen rewards them with a portion of Gaul that becomes known as Brittany.

Medieval Welsh Genealogies and Triads

Eudaf appears in a number of medieval Welsh genealogies and Triads including:

Genealogies from Jesus College MS 20

The lineage of Saint Cattwg (''Llyma weithon ach Cattwc sant'')

Kynan son of Eudaf son of Custenin son of Maxen son of Maximianus son of Constantinus son of Custeint.

Family of Cunedda (''Plant Cunedda'')

The wife of

Coel Hen Coel (Old Welsh: ''Coil''), also called ''Coel Hen'' (Coel the Old) and King Cole, is a figure prominent in Welsh literature and legend since the Middle Ages. Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen, a 4th-century leader in Roman or Sub-Roman ...

was daughter of Gadeon son of Eudaf Hen (''Gwreic Coyl hen oed verch Gadeon m Eudaf hen vchot'').

Lineage of Morgan son of Owein (''Ach Morgan ab Owein'')

Gereint son of Erbin son of ustennin son ofKynwawr son of Tudwawl son of Gwrwawr son of Gadeon son of Cynan son of Eudaf Hen.

Genealogies from Mostyn MS. 117

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

son of Vthyr son of Kustenhin son of Kynuawr son of Tutwal son of Moruawr son of Eudaf son of Kadwr son of Kynan son of Karadawc son of Bran son of Llyr lletieith.

The North Britain Triads

These are the three times when the Lordship of Gwynedd went by the Distaff

One of them was Stradweul daughter of Gadean ap Cynan ab Eudaf ap Caradog ap Bran ap Llyr Llediaith; and this Stradweul wife of Coel Godebog was mother to Dyfrwr and mother to Ceneu son of Coel ().

Medieval Welsh Poetry

The Gododdin

The "daughter of Eudaf ''Hir'' (''the Tall'')" is mentioned briefly in the famous poem

Gododdin The Gododdin () were a Brittonic people of north-eastern Britannia, the area known as the Hen Ogledd or Old North (modern south-east Scotland and north-east England), in the sub-Roman period. Descendants of the Votadini, they are best known ...

Aneirin Aneirin , Aneurin or Neirin was an early Medieval Brythonic war poet. He is believed to have been a bard or court poet in one of the Cumbric kingdoms of the Hen Ogledd, probably that of Gododdin at Edinburgh, in modern Scotland. From the 17th c ...

: :A.67 (LXVII): : : : : :"Poetry as deserved for brilliant high hosts. :for the purpose of the courtly subjects of the mountain realm, :and the daughter of Tall Eudaf, here camethe violence of border fighting. :The breakers of countries were dressed in purple."

Lewis Glyn Cothi

The poet Lewis Glyn Cothi (''fl.'' 1447-86 CE), in an ode to Dafydd ap Sion of

Gower Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...

, compares his subject to Macsen Wledig and his bride Gwenllian (daughter of Jenkin son of Owen) to Elen daughter of Eudaf: :XXXVI, ''I Davydd ap Sion, o Vro Wyr'', l. 51: :''Ail yw Gwenllian Elen verch Eudav'';Glyn Cothi, Lewis, Gwaith Lewis Glyn Cothi, Cymmrodorion Society, 1837, p. 118 : :"Gwenllian is a second Elen daughter of Eudaf"

References

{{Geoffrey of Monmouth British traditional history Britons of the North