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Gradlon the Great (''Gradlon Meur'') was a semi-legendary 5th century "king" of
Cornouaille Cornouaille (; , ) is a historical region on the west coast of Brittany in West France. The name is cognate with Cornwall in neighbouring Great Britain. This can be explained by the settlement of Cornouaille by migrant princes from Cornwall ...
who became the hero of many Breton folk stories. The most famous of these legends is the story of the sunken city of Ys. He is supposed to have been the son of
Conan Meriadoc Conan Meriadoc (; ; ) is a legendary British 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 supplanted earlier legends of Brittany's ...
, but Conan lived much earlier in the late 4th Century.


Legend of Ys

King Gradlon (Gralon in
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 **Gale ...
) ruled in Ys, a city built on land reclaimed from the sea, sometimes described as rich in commerce and the arts. He lived in a wealth palace of marble, cedar and gold. In some versions, Gradlon built the city upon the request of his daughter Dahut, who loved the sea. To protect Ys from inundation, a dike was built with a gate that was opened for ships during low tide. The one key that opened the gate was held by the king. Some versions, especially early ones, blame Gradlon's sins for the destruction of the city. However, most tellings present Gradlon as a pious man, and his daughter Dahut as a sorceress or a wayward woman who steals the keys from Gradlon and opens the gates of the dikes, causing a flood which destroys the whole city. A Saint (either St. Gwénnolé or St. Corentin) wakes the sleeping Gradlon and urges him to flee. The king mounts his horse and takes his daughter with him, but the rising water is about to overtake them. Dahut either falls from the horse, or Gradlon obeys a command from St. Gwénnolé and throws Dahut off. As soon as Dahut falls into the sea, Gradlon safely escapes. He takes refuge in
Quimper Quimper (, ; ; or ) is a Communes of France, commune and Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Finistère Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the ...
and reestablishes his rule there.


Malgven

Some versions add the story of Gradlon's wife, a Viking princess and sorceress named
Malgven Malgven, or Malgwen(n), is a character introduced into the legend of the city of Ys, a mythical city on the coast of Brittany, at the end of the 19th century by Édouard Schuré, and is possibly based on a local legend from the Cap Sizun. She ...
. This character's first known appearance was in 1892 in the writings of
Édouard Schuré Eduard (Édouard) Schuré (January 21, 1841 in Strasbourg – April 7, 1929 in Paris) was a French philosopher, poet, playwright, novelist, music critic, and publicist of esoteric literature. Biography Schuré was the son of a doctor in t ...
, where she dies suddenly after Gradlon becomes king of
Cornouaille Cornouaille (; , ) is a historical region on the west coast of Brittany in West France. The name is cognate with Cornwall in neighbouring Great Britain. This can be explained by the settlement of Cornouaille by migrant princes from Cornwall ...
, leaving him to raise their daughter Dahut. Malgven was popularized in Charles Guyot's ''La Légende de la ville d'Ys d'après les anciens textes''. In Guyot's version, Gradlon invades Norway and there meets Queen Malgven, who helps him enter the city and kill her decrepit, avaricious husband. She and Gradlon flee on the magical horse
Morvarc'h Morvarc'h (Breton language, Breton for "Water horse, sea horse") is the name of a fabulous horse of Breton mythology, Breton legend found in two folktales reworked in the 19th and 20th centuries. Though its name appears in older sources, it was in ...
, which can run on the water. However, Malgven dies giving birth to Dahut, who closely resembles her. The grieving Gradlon lavishes his attention on his daughter. It is debated how much of this story is traditional, with some readers believing it is totally literary and others seeing possible parallels in folklore.Matthieu Boyd, citant


Graelent

Some scholars have connected Gradlon to the Breton lai of ''
Graelent ''Graelent'' is an Old French -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... Breton lai, named after its protagonist. It is one of the so-called anonymous lais ...
'', as far back as Kerdanet's edition of Albert Le Grand's ''Vies des Saints.'' The knight Graelent, reduced to poverty after angering the queen, meets a beautiful woman at a fountain and takes her as his mistress. She restores his wealth. However, he breaks his promise to her and tells others of her existence. When she leaves, he pursues her and nearly drowns trying to follow her across a river. She relents and takes him with her to her world, leaving his horse waiting on the bank. The couple is never seen again.


Historicity

Gradlon Mor or, in Latin, Gradlonus Magnus, appears in the Life of St. Winwaloe written before 884. Here he is depicted as the founder of Cornubia (Cornwall) who died at the beginning of the 6th century. Elsewhere, a
cartulary A cartulary or chartulary (; Latin: ''cartularium'' or ''chartularium''), also called ''pancarta'' or ''codex diplomaticus'', is a medieval manuscript volume or roll ('' rotulus'') containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the fo ...
of Landévennec describes
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
sending ambassadors to appeal for Gradlon Mur's help. Gradlon Mor, the son of
Conan Meriadoc Conan Meriadoc (; ; ) is a legendary British 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 supplanted earlier legends of Brittany's ...
, was succeeded by his son Salomon I and then by his grandson Auldran. According to Amy Varin, the Landevennec Cartulary credits Gradlon with one son named Riwallon who died young. Gradlon may have been a common Breton name; the cartulary of Landévennec also mentions two other Cornish counts named Gradlon Flam and Gradlon Plueneuor.


See also

* Argol Parish close *
Culture of France The culture of France has been shaped by geography, by historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in particular Paris, has played an important role as a center of high culture since the 17th century and from ...
*
History of France The first written records for the history of France appeared in the Iron Age France, Iron Age. What is now France made up the bulk of the region known to the Romans as Gaul. Greek writers noted the presence of three main ethno-linguistic grou ...
*
Religion in France Religion in France is diverse, with the largest religious group being Christianity. A very significant part of the population is irreligion, not religious, and significant minorities profess Islam and other religions. Freedom of religion and free ...
*
Roman Catholicism in France The Catholic Church in France, Gallican Church, or French Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion, communion with the Pope in Holy See, Rome. Established in the 2nd century in unbroken communion with the bishop ...


References

{{Reflist Breton mythology and folklore Monarchs of Brittany Year of birth missing Year of death unknown 5th-century Breton people