Cunedagius (Latinized form; Welsh: Cunedda[1]) was a legendary king of the Britons, as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He came to power in 850BC.[2]
| Cunedagius | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Cornwall | |
| Predecessor | Henwin, Duke of Cornwall |
| Successor | Rivallo |
| King of South Britain | |
| Reign | c. 850BCE |
| Predecessor | Cordelia |
| Successor | Rivallo |
| King of North Britain | |
| Reign | c. 850BCE |
| Predecessor | Marganus I |
| Successor | Rivallo |
| Issue | Rivallo |
| Father | Henwin, Duke of Cornwall |
| Mother | Regan |
He was the son of Henwin, Duke of Cornwall, and Regan, the daughter of King Leir.
Cunedagius, grandson of Leir, despised the rule of his aunt Cordelia. With the help of his cousin Marganus, Cunedagius took over the kingdom from Cordelia and ruled half of it. Following Cordelia's Suicide, Cunedagius came to rule the region of Britain southwest of the Humber.[3]
Two years after they split the island, Marganus invaded Cornwall and destroyed much of the land. Cunedagius met him in battle and defeated him. Marganus fled throughout Britain until he was cornered in Wales. Cunedagius killed him and became king of all of Britain. He ruled all of Britain for 33 years and was succeeded by his son Rivallo.[3]
Geoffrey synchronizes Cunedagius' reign with the ministry of the Jewish prophet Isaiah and the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus.[3] Both events are dated to the 8th century BC.
Later tradition
editCunedagius and Marganus' conflict is mentioned twice in Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville's play Gorboduc (1561), as a warning against the possibility of civil strife: "Morgan slaine did yeld his conquered parte unto his cosins sworde in Camberland" (Act I, Scene II); "the cruell sworde bereft Morgan his life with cosyns hand" (Act III, Scene I).