Legends from the Lost Kingdoms | Battle of Arfderydd: Prelude, Battle and Aftermath

The stronghold of Caer Laverock (Fort of the Lark) is on the northern side of the Solway Firth, south of Dumfries. This was in Caer Guenddoleu’s territory, which abuts Galwyddel. The Battle of Arfderydd took place in 573 CE near what is now Arthuret, Cumbria, England. One reason for the battle may have been to seize control over the Solway Firth. It was one of the most pointless and destructive disputes of the latter part of the 6th century. 

Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio formed a new alliance with Aedán mac Gabráin, the Christian chief of the Gododdin Britons of Dalriada. With the sudden switch of his allegiance from Hael to Gwenddoleu, mac Gabráin became known as Áedán the Wiley. 

Hael allied with Kings Peredur and Gwrgi of Ebrauc (York) in response. Hael attacked Caer Gwenddoleu from the north. His allies, Peredur and Gwrgi, cousins of Gwenddoleu, came from the south, forming a pincer movement around Gwenddoleu’s and Mac Gabráin’s armies. Hael won the battle, killing Gwenddoleu and crushing his troops. Aedán mac Gabráin did not join in the fight. Perhaps he deserved the name Áedán the Wiley because he would have also died had he fought.

The “Red Book of Hergest” is a significant medieval Welsh manuscript written between 1382 and 1410, which records the battle. Bards and storytellers used triads as memory aids to recall the vast repertoire of poems and stories of their prior oral history. “Triad XXIX: Three Faithful War-Bands of the Island of Britain” recounts the Battle of Arfderydd, featured in the third triad. It states that the War Band of Gwenddoleu continued to fight for a fortnight and a month after Gwenddoleu perished. Sources claim twenty-one hundred men died in the six-week battle.

The legend also connects Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin), Gwenddoleu’s bard, to the Battle of Arfderydd. Watching the carnage continue for so long drove him to madness and forced him to retreat to the forest.