Notizen zu dieser Person
Eudaf Hen (the Old) first appears in the old Welsh mythological tale,the "Dream of Macsen". The future Roman Emperor, Magnus Maximus,dreamt of Eudaf's beautiful daughter, Elen Lluyddog (of the Host), andsent emissaries across the Empire to find her. She was discovered inher father's palace at Caer-Segeint (Caernarfon) where the old mansat, carving 'gwyddbwyll' pieces (like chess-men). Maximus came toBritain, married the girl and eventually inherited her father'skingdom, much to the disgust of his male heir, Conan Meriadoc. If he existed at all, Eudaf lived in the mid-4th century. He would,therefore, have been a Romano-Briton, living an extremely Romanizedlifestyle. The Latin Octavius the Old is therefore a much moreappropriate form of his name. His daughter was Helena. The Dream story clearly indicates that Octavius was the monarch aroundCaernarfon in North Wales, but later writers - chiefly the mistrustedGeoffrey of Monmouth - made him "Duke of the Giwissei" or "Iarl Ergyngac Ewias": evidently ruling in Ergyng and Gwent. This may have arisenfrom his supposed descent from so-called pre-Roman Kings of Siluria(named after the Celtic tribe who lived in that area). Though theconnection is persistent and it is equally possible that theCaernarfon association is due to Maximus and Helena's later residencethere. Octavius would not have been a king at this date, but perhaps adecurion of one of these civitates (Roman towns). However, he is alsocalled one of the High-Kings of Britain. Such a title would, clearly,not have existed either but it may indicate that he held a position ofconsiderable importance in the Roman administration. The official withcontrol of both the Caernarfon and Gwent areas was the Praeses ofBritannia Prima. Geoffrey's mythology has Octavius Eudaf Hen's Ancestry The family of Eudaf Hen - or Octavius the Old as he would have beenknown to his contemporaries - hailed from the Gwent area of Wales.Eudaf was apparently Lord of the Gewissae. The Gewissae are a confused people. Some think they were the Germanicrace who lived around Dorchester-on-Thames and Abingdon even beforethe Romans left Britain. They later merged with the West Saxons whocontinued to use the name. However, there are other indications thatthey were the British who lived further to the West. The word"Gewissae" may be related to Ewyas, the northern region of Gwent, and,possibly, to the Hwicce, an apparently Saxon people who lived inGloucestershire. Their name may have had British origins. There are tales of Eudaf holding court at Caer Segeint (Caernarfon),but this was probably due to associations with his son-in-law, theEmperor Magnus Maximus. The Gwent/Gloucestershire area would appear tohave been his real home, like the tyrant Vortigern who seems to haveclaimed him as an ancestor. But Eudaf is a man on the boundaries of mythology. All that can reallybe said about him is that he probably lived in the early 4th century.He supposedly took up the British High-Kingship after defeating KingCoel Godhebog (the Magnificent)'s brother, Trahearn. However, even theold Celtic client-kingdoms under Roman rule had disappeared by thisperiod. If Eudaf held any office of power, it would have been a simpleadministrative role; perhaps a praeses of Britannia Prima or adecurion of Gloucester or Caerwent. He had no sons and was succeeded by his son-in-law, the Emperor MagnusMaximus. Conan, his nephew, had to be content as King of both Brittanyand Dumnonia. Like many prominent men of their era, Eudaf and Conanclaimed descent from Celtic Gods: Llyr Llediarth (Half-Speech), God ofthe Sea and his son, Bran Fendigaid (the Blessed), who was mortalizedin popular tradition as a King of Siluria (Gwent). The pedigree belowis gleaned from several sources, but is of little historical value: Llyr Lleddiarth (Half-Speech), Abt 55 bc - m. Iweriadd ferch Beli Mawr (the Great), 60 bc - Bran Fendigaid (the Blessed), Abt 20 bc - Caradog ap Bran (see below) Alan ap Bran, Abt 22 - Sadwr ap Bran, Abt 24 - Nine Others, Abt 26 - Caradog ap Bran, Abt 20 - Coellyn ap Caradog, Abt 60 - Owain ap Beli, Abt 100 - Meirchion ap Owain, Abt 140 - Cwrrig Fawr (the Great), Abt 180 - Gwrddwfn ap Cwrrig, Abt 215 - Einudd ap Gwrddwfn, Abt 250 - Eudaf Hen (the Old), King of Ewyas & High-King of Britain, Abt 283 - St. Elen Lwyddog (of the Host), Abt 340 - (m. Magnus Maximus,Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, d.388) Gereint ap Einudd (see below) Arthfael ap Einudd, Abt 310 - Gwrgant ap Arthfael, Abt 330 - Meirchion ap Gwrgant, Abt 370 - Gereint ap Einudd, Abt 285 - Conan Meriadoc, King of Brittany & Dumnonia, Abt 305 - Abt 367, (1)m.St Ursula of Dumnonia, Abt 305 - from whom descend the Kings ofDumnonia & (2)m. Dareca of Ireland, Abt 310 - from whom descend theKings of Brittany
Karl-Heinz
Böttcher
