Alain II Hir, "Alain II the tall", (c. 630 690), also known as Alan Hir was a king of Brittany who succeeded his father Iudicael as King of Cornouaille not to be confused with the contemporary Saint Iudicael King of Domnonee who was son of Iudhael King of Domnonee. He was the grandson of Hoel III King of Brittany and descended from Aldroen grandson of Cynan Meiriadog of the Welsh tale Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig via his son Gwereg the historical "Erec" from the Breton Romance Erec et Enid. He was the father of a supposed figure named Ifor who ruled Cornwall after reconquering it from the West Saxons who then left it to his nephew either Idwal Iwrch King of Gwynedd or his son Rhodri Molwynog King of the Britons as versions of the story vary, his daughter who in welsh genealogical manuscripts is either the mother or wife of Idwal Iwrch and possible mother of the aforementioned Rhodri Molwynog. According to Welsh tradition he was a 4th great nephew of Arthur by the marriage of Arthur's sister Elen (sometimes mistaken as her other sisters in later Romance as Anna or Gwyar) to Hoel II of Brittany.
Cadwaladr
According to
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 historiograph ...
, Cadwaladr fled from Britain during a devastating plague. He sought help from Alain to restore the British to power in their homeland, but he then received an angelic visitation which told him that he must renounce his crown and go to Rome as a penitent. If he did so the British people (Welsh and Bretons) would be reunited in the future and the English (Anglo-Saxons) expelled from the land. King Alain then consults books of prophesies written by the
Sybils and by
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
, discovering that "these and other prophecies accorded to the divine answer that Cadwaladr had heard" (in the version reported in ''The Chronicles of England''). Alain assures Cadwaladr that he must do as the heavenly voice commanded.
[Rutter, Russell, "Printing, Prophecy and the Foundation of the Tudor Dynasty", ''Prophet Margins: The Medieval Vatic Impulse and Social Stability'', pp.123-149.]
References
External links
*The History Files
Princes of Domnonia*The History Files
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alain 02 Hir
630s births
690 deaths
7th-century rulers of Brittany
Kings of Brittany
Year of birth uncertain
Place of birth unknown
Angelic visionaries