Battle of Arfderydd

Date	573
Location	Arfderydd Coordinates: 55°01′N 02°55′W / 55.017°N 2.917°W / 55.017; -2.917
Result	Christian victory, death of Gwenddoleu

Belligerents

Alt Clud
Ebrauc

Arfderydd

Commanders and leaders

Riderch I of Alt Clut
Peredur ab Eliffer
Gwrgi ab Eliffer

Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio †

Strength

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Unknown

The Battle of Arfderydd (also known as Arderydd) was fought, according to the Annales Cambriae, in 573. The opposing armies are variously given in a number of Old Welsh sources, perhaps suggesting a number of allied armies were involved. The main adversaries appear to have been Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio and either the princely brothers, Peredur and Gwrgi, or King Riderch Hael of Strathclyde. Gwenddoleu was defeated and killed. His bard, Myrddin Wyllt, went mad and ran into the forest. He is probably the original of the Arthurian character, Merlin. The Welsh Triads refer to this battle as one of the "Three Futile Battles of the Island of Britain", along with the Battle of Camlann and the Battle of the Trees.

The 14th-century chronicler John of Fordun's Chronica Gentis Scotorum places the battle on the plain between Liddel and Carwannok. This was identified by W. F. Skene as being at Arthuret, near Longtown, in Cumberland (now Cumbria).

The battle of Arfderydd is mentioned numerous times in a number of medieval Welsh texts, including the Welsh Triads (Trioedd Ynys Prydein) and the Red Book of Hergest (Llyfr Coch Hergest). The Welsh Triads name Gwenddoleu's warband as one of the "Three Faithful Warbands of the Island of Britain", going on to say that they "continued to battle for a fortnight and a month after their lord was slain." The retinue of Dreon the Brave "at the Dyke of Arfderydd" is named as one of the "Three Noble Retinues", while a listing of the three "Horse-Burdens" of Britain relates that Gwrgi, Peredur, Dunawd the Stout and Cynfelyn Drwsgl were carried by a horse called Corvan, which enabled them to watch the clouds of dust ("battle-fog") coming from Gwenddolau and his (mounted) forces in the battle of Arfderydd.

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Wikipedia