Gwallog ap Llênog: Difference between revisions

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The other document of historical interest found in Harley 3859 is the [[Historia Brittonum]]. This text is a composite narrative cobbled together from Bede and other, lost sources, created in Gwynedd in 829 AD.<ref>[[David Dumville|Dumville, David N.]], “‘Nennius’ and the ''Historia Brittonum''”, ''Studia Celtica'' 10–11 (1975–1976), pp. 78–95. It is still debated as to what extent the ''Historia Brittonum'' is useful as a historical source.</ref> In it, a series of events are connected to the reigns of various Northumbrian kings. Gwallog occurs in a section dated to the reign of [[Theodric of Bernicia]] (d. c. 572 x 593), where he, together with Urien, [[Rhydderch Hael|Rhydderch Hen]], and [[Morcant Bulc|Morgan]], are recorded as fighting against that Anglian king.<ref>[[John_Morris_(historian)|Morris, John]] (ed. and tr.) ''Nennius: British History and the Welsh Annals'' (London: Phillimore, 1980), §63.</ref> Gwallog is only mentioned in one sentence of this narrative, however, and it is unknown what other involvement he had in this campaign. According to the narrative, the four besieged Theodric on [[Lindisfarne]], but the alliance dissolved when Urien was slain by Morgan. This is perhaps because Lindisfarne was situated near Morgan's territory, and so Morgan felt threatened by Urien's power more than that of the weakened Theodric.<ref>Parker, Will, 'The Coeling: Narrative and Identity in North Britain and Wales AD 580–950', ''Northern History'' 59, pp. 2-27 (19-20).</ref>

===Role in '"saga poetry'"===

Like many of the figures associated with fifth- and sixth-century Brythonic-speaking territories in Britain, Gwallog becomes a figure in the later Welsh literature about the [[Hen Ogledd|'Old North']]. The historical value of these literary sources is doubtful, as are all to be dated even at their most conservative estimates around the same period as the ''Historia Brittonum''.<ref>Even Jenny Rowland, essentially following the arguments of Ifor Williams set down a half-century prior, dates the material concerning Gwallog in 'Canu Urien' to the late eighth century at the earliest. See Rowland, Jenny (ed.) ''Early Welsh Saga Poetry: A Study and Edition of the'' Englynion (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1990), pp. 388-9; henceforth ''EWSP''.</ref> The chronologically earliest pieces of literature traditionally dated around the same time as the ''Historia Brittonum'' are called '"saga poems'", so named by comparison with [[Icelandic sagas]], since it is thought that these poems originally were featured in longer oral or prose stories, much like the poems in the Norse texts. Like the Norse texts, these poems could be of historical value, but it is difficult to discern fact from fiction in their contents.<ref>See, e.g. Byock, Jesse L., ‘Saga Form, Oral Prehistory, and the Icelandic Social Context’, New Literary History, 16 (1984), pp. 153-173., for an overview of the Icelandic problem.</ref> It is doubly difficult with this material, as its diction and 'narrative' are extremely obscure.

One group of poems in the '"saga'" literature is called the 'Urien Rheged' cycle by modern scholars, as the poems are concerned with the events in [[Rheged]] after the slaying of Urien. The poems survive from the [[Black Book of Carmarthen]] (c. 1250), the [[Red Book of Hergest]] (after 1382), and various other later copies. Nevertheless, they are traditionally understood to be copies of [[Old Welsh]] material. The narrative of the poems suggests Urien's kingdom was beset with enemies after his death, and Gwallog is among them. One poem states that 'Gwallog, horseman in battle, intended to make corpses in [[Urien Yrechwydd#Location_of_Yrechwydd|Erechwydd]] against the onslaught of Elffin [ab Urien]'.<ref>Pwyllei wallawc marchawc trin. /

erechwyd gwneuthur dynin. / yn erbyn kyfryssed elphin. ''EWSP'', 'Canu Urien', §39 ('Dwy Blaid')</ref>