List of legendary rulers of Cornwall explained
"Duke of Cornwall" appears as a title in pseudo-historical authors such as Geoffrey of Monmouth. The list is patchy and not every succession was unbroken. Indeed, Geoffrey repeatedly introduces Dukes of Cornwall only to promote them to the Kingship of the Britons and thus put an end to their line as (merely) dukes. As adjuncts or supporting roles to the kings of the Britons, the legendary dukes of Cornwall are considered part of the vast Matter of Britain, and can also be found in other stories, such as Culhwch and Olwen, the Prose Tristan, Havelok the Dane, and Gesta Herewardi. Antiquaries such as Richard Carew (Survey of Cornwall, 1602) and John Williams (the Book of Baglan, 1600–1607) also provide lists of legendary rulers of Cornwall, often combining the above with other sources.
As a result, these lists are more often thought of as a conglomeration of various Celtic rulers, Celtic warlords, and mythical heroes. If the lists of kings of Britain are legendary, then the list of dukes must be considered still more a genealogical and historical legend with no solid basis in the view of most historians. The titles given for the rulers also vary, even within sources; Geoffrey's History, has the title fluctuating between "duke" (dux Cornubiae) and "king" (rex Cornubiae), and Carew wrote that before the Norman Conquest "these titles of honour carry a kinde of confusednes, and rather betokened a successive office, then an established dignity. The following ages received a more distinct forme, and left us a certeyner notice."[1]
Pre-Arthurian
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Corineus | Duke | First ruler of Cornwall; given the land by Brutus | 1154 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae
- Survey of Cornwall
|
| Gwendolen | Queen | Daughter of Corineus; became queen regnant of Britain | | Historia Regum Britanniae |
| Gorbonian | Duke | Son of Camber; also became chief governor of Cambria | | Book of Baglan folios 84, 305 |
| Difnwall Hen | Duke | Son of Gorbonian; also one of or the chief governor of Cambria | | Book of Baglan folios 84, 306 |
| Kingen | Duke | Son of Difnwall Hen; also chief governor of Cambria | | Book of Baglan folios 84, 306 |
| Aser | Duke | Son of Kingen; also chief governor of Cambria | | Book of Baglan folios 84, 306 |
| Bledhud | Duke | Son of Aser; also chief governor of Cambria | | Book of Baglan folios 84, 306 |
| Henwin | Duke | Son of Bledhud; also chief governor of Cambria; Duke under King Leir; husband of Leir's daughter Regan or Gonorille, and with her ruled half of Britain | 899 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall; Book of Baglan folios 84, 306 |
| Cunedagius | Duke | Son of Henwin; duke of Cornwall under Queen Cordelia; became king of Britain; built a temple to Apollo in Cornwall | 832 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall |
| Antonius | Duke | Great-great-grandson of Henwin; second son of Gorwst, king of Britain | | Book of Baglan folios 83, 306 |
| Aedhmawr | Duke | Son of Antonius | | Book of Baglan folios 83, 306, 307 |
| Prydan | Duke | Son of Aedhmawr | | Book of Baglan folios 83, 307 |
| Kynfarch | Duke | Son of Prydan | | Book of Baglan folios 83, 307 |
| Cloten | King/Duke/Prince | Son of Kynfarch; ruled Cornwall during the pentarchy after Ferrex and Porrex | 528 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall; Book of Baglan folios 83, 165, 307; Gorboduc |
| Dyfnwal Moelmud | King/Duke | Son of Cloten; unites Britain as its king | | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall; Book of Baglan folios 83, 165, 307 |
| Belinus | | Son of Dyfnwal Moelmud; became king of Britain, and direct ruler of Loegria, Kambria, and Cornwall, as his appanage; brother of Brennus | 430 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall |
| Tasciovanus | Duke | Son of King Lud; made duke by his uncle King Cassibelanus; succeeds him as king of Britain | 96 BC | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall |
| Thanor | King | Contemporary with Joseph of Arimathea | c. 1st century AD | Prose Tristan |
| Asclepiodotus | Duke | Duke under Allectus; becomes king of Britain | 231 AD | Historia Regum Britanniae; Survey of Cornwall |
| Conan Meriadoc | Duke | Nephew of Octavius; became king of Armorica | 329 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Salomon | Duke | Father of Corinius who was said to have attended the Synod of Arles | 351 AD | Survey of Cornwall | |
Arthurian
Sources diverge leading up to the time of King Arthur, with Caradoc placed either during the time of Arthur (as in the Welsh Triads, and later tradition), soon before Gorlois (Carew's Survey of Cornwall), or before his brother Dionotus as Caradocus in the Historia Regum Britanniae, while the Book of Baglan only keeps Gorlois, but gives him an entirely different set of ancestors. Gorlois is sometimes given other names, such as Ricca in Culhwch and Olwen, Tador in William Worcester's Itineraries, and Hoel in the Prose Merlin. In some sources Gorlois is not ruler of Cornwall, and is replaced in this role by Mark in the Prose Tristan, Ydiers in the Prose Merlin, and the unnamed King Cornwall in "King Arthur and King Cornwall".
Welsh Triads
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Arthur | Chief lord | Chief lord of the "three tribal thrones of the Island of Prydain": Celliwig in Cornwall, Pen Rhionydd in the north, and Mynyw in Wales | | Peniarth MS 54, triad 1 |
| Caradawg Vreichvras | Chief elder | Arthur's chief elder for Cornwall; also one of the "three cavaliers of battle of the Island of Prydain" | | Peniarth MS 54, triads 1, 16 | |
Historia Regum Britanniae
Survey of Cornwall
Book of Baglan
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Owen | Duke | Direct descendant of Dyfnwall Moelmud; son of Maxentius, king of Britain and emperor of Rome | | Book of Baglan folios 82, 276, 309 |
| Moure | Duke | Son of Owen; also called Mour or Moor | | Book of Baglan folios 82, 276, 309 |
| Golor | Duke | Son of Moure; also called Solor | | Book of Baglan folios 82, 276, 309 |
| Pendoff the Great | Duke | Son of Golor; also duke of Wessex; also called Pendof or Pendaff the Great | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276, 309 |
| Sortogus | Duke | Son of Pendoff | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276, 309 |
| Gurleis | Duke/Prince | Son of Sortogus; married Eigyr, a descendant of Joseph of Arimathea's sister; also called Goulisor or Gwrleis | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276, 309 |
| Cador | Duke/Prince | Son of Gurleis | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 | |
Culhwch and Olwen
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Arthur | | Has his court at Celliwig in Cornwall | c. 6th century AD | Culhwch and Olwen |
| Ricca | Chief Elder | Father of Arthur's half-brother Gormant | c. 6th century AD | Culhwch and Olwen |
| Gwyn Hywar | Overseer | Overseer or steward of Cornwall and Devon; one of the nine who plotted the Battle of Camlann | c. 6th century AD | Culhwch and Olwen | |
Prose Tristan
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Felix | King | Many generations after Thanor | c. late 5th century AD | Prose Tristan |
| Mark of Cornwall | King | Son of Felix, and uncle of Tristan | c. early 6th century AD | Prose Tristan | |
Prose Merlin
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Hoel | Duke | Duke of Tintagel, husband of Ygerne; had five daughters with her, who married King Lot, King Ventres, King Urien, and King Briadas | | Prose Merlin |
| Ydiers | King | King of Cornwall; one of seven kings who fight Arthur; joins forces with Arthur during the Saxon invasion | | Prose Merlin | |
Post-Arthurian
Survey of Cornwall
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Blederic | Duke | Fought with other Welsh kings against Ethelferd, and by dying won the battle | 603 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Ivor | | Son of King Alane of Brittany; won Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset from the Saxons | 688 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Roderic | King | King of the Bretons in Wales and Cornwall; lost Cornwall to King Adelred of Wessex and fled to Wales | 720 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Bletius | Prince | Prince of Cornwall and Devon under King Roderic | 720 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Dungarth | King | Drowned by mischance | 872 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Alpsius | Duke | Duke of Devon and Cornwall | 900 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Orgerius | Duke | Father of Alfride who married King Edgar | 959 AD | Survey of Cornwall |
| Condor | Earl | Paid homage to William the Conqueror for his earldom | 1067 AD | Survey of Cornwall | |
Book of Baglan
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Bredrice | Duke | Grandson of Cador; son of Constantyn III the king of Britain; also called Peledric | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Clement | Duke/Prince | Son of Bredrice; also called Clemeas | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Pedrock | Duke | Son of Clement; also called Pedronck | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Progmaell | Duke | Son of Pedrock | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Coilbye | Duke | Son of Progmaell; also called Koilbie | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Caret | Duke | Son of Coilbye; also called Garet | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Dwn | Duke | Son of Caret | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Ithel | Duke | Son of Dwn; also called Ithyn | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Dyfnuall | Duke | Son of Ithel; also called Boifunall | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Canordolye | Duke | Son of Dyfnuall; also called Canordoly | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Ostwallt | Duke | Son of Canordolye; also called Ustwalld | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Hernam | Duke | Son of Ostwallt | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Hopkin | Duke | Son of Hernam; also called Hopkyn | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Mordaph | Duke | Son of Hopkin; also called Mordaff | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Fferverdyn | Duke | Son of Mordaph | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Elnyd | Duke | Son of Fferverdyn | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Alanor | Duke | Son of Elnyd | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Rolopedaph | Duke | Son of Alanor | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Vortegyn | Duke | Son of Rolopedaph; also duke of Wessex | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Vephyne | Duke | Son of Vortegyn; also duke of Wessex | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Alured | Duke | Son of Vephyne; also duke of Wessex | | Book of Baglan folios 81, 276 |
| Godwyn | Duke | Son of Alured; also duke of Wessex | Died 1013 | Book of Baglan folios 39, 81, 276, 327, 373 |
| Herbert | Lord/Earl | Son of Godwyn; also duke of Wessex; father of Henry Herbert Lord of the Forest of Deane and Chamberlain to Henry I of England | | Book of Baglan folios xxiii, xxiv, 39, 81 |
| Candor | Earl | Paid homage to William the Conqueror | Earl in 1066 | Book of Baglan folio 196 |
| Candor | Earl | Son of Candor; father of Avicia who married Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall | | Book of Baglan folio 196 | |
Havelok the Dane
| Name | Title | Notes | Approximate time frame | Sources |
|---|
| Godrich | Earl | Earl under King Athelwold; made regent of England | c. 6th/7th century AD | Havelok the Dane |
| Bertram | Earl | Godrich's cook; made earl by Havelok | c. late 6th/7th century AD | Havelok the Dane | |
Gesta Herewardi
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Carew, Richard . The Survey of Cornwall. And An Epistle concerning the Excellencies of the English Tongue . 1769 . 1602 . E. Law and J. Hewett .
