Urien Rheged: a Cymric Hero of the Old North, also known as Urian (He of Priviliged Birth)

Urien Rheged ranks amongst the most well-known of the heroes of the Old North; those regions of modern Northern England and Southern Scotland which were under Cymric rule. Urien's fame partly derives from his (and his sons') battles against the encroaching Saxons. His fame also spread due to the parise poetry sung to him and his family by Taliesin and later in the Powys poetical cycle of he Canu Llywarch Hen. During the tenth century Urien also gained additional notice as he became integrated into emergent Arthurian literature. This page will focus on who Urien was and what we know about him from the extant sources.

As we are left with only scant period references the true extent of Urien's realm is difficult to pinpoint though there are some toponymic clues and references. In Scotland we have Dunragit near Stranraer (which may be the 'Fortress of Rheged) and Rochdale in Lancashire may also contain the name Rheged. There is also a tradition in Gwynedd (recorded in the twelfth century) that Rheged included Carlisle. If this is the case then it seems likely that the realm of Rheged bounded the Solway estuary and included Carlisle, Annan and the Eden Valley. Interestingly the Llyfr Taliesin poems also describe Urien as llyw Catraeth (The ruler of Catraeth, an ancient Brythonic realm centred around modern-day Catterick) it could well mean that at one point Rheged stretched as far south as Yorkshire. The problem is compounded somewhat in that the poems about Llywarch Hen (who was Urien's cousin) describe Rhydderch as ruling Southern Rheged whilst Urien ruled Northern Rheged. It may well be that Llywarch's realm was but a single cantref (commot) and that Urien ruled the major part of the realm, with the split ocurrning during the time of their respective grandfathers, Meirchion. Regradless of this, the sheer physical size of Urien's (and subsequently his son, Owein's) realm would, of necessity, make him an important figure.

Urien would have been one of the big players during the latter half of the fifth century and with his realm bordering the Brythonic kingdom of Ystradclud (Strathclyde) to the north as well as the Pictish and emerging Gaelic kingdoms in Scotland, as well as Elmet (Yorkshire), the lands of the Cymry and the emergent Saxon kingdom of Berenicia Urien would have been an important power-broker during this age. Urien's lineage also gives us a clue to his importance. The Harleian genealogy VIII gives Urien's descent as: [U]rbgen map Cinmarc map Merchianum map Gurgust map Coilhen. Thus, like many of the great Cymric families Urien hails from the lineage of Coel Hen. Coel himself was undoubtedly of Roman descent and was responsible for the defence of Britain (Northern Britian at least). This role also seems to have passed to his descendant, Urien who, in some of the poems in the Llyfr Taliesin is given the title gwledig. A title that is only ever conferred on families of Roman descent who act as commanders of native defensive forces. This descent may also accunt for Urien's name, which as we shall see below is given in the Old Cymric form of Urbgen by Nennius writing in the ninth century. This form can be derived from the Brythonic *Ōrbogěnos which can be derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic elements *orbjo- (heir) and *genjo- (birth) yielding the standard interpretaton 'of Privileged Brith' (cf the meaning of his son Owein's name which means 'well-born'). This was a dynasty meant to rule; this may be because they represented a surviving remnant of the Roman past.

As already intimated, one of the first proper references we have to Urien Rheged is in the Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) which is generally attributed to Nennius, an early ninth century monk from Bangor, Gwynedd. However, it should be noted here that the earliest extant text of the Historia Brittonum, the Chartres 98 MS claims to have been written by Run map Urbag(h)en rather than by Nennius. It is certainly possible that Rhun may have written many of the historical elements later synthesized by Nennius, though the veracity of this supposition remains a matter of considerable debate. What this does point to is an elder form of the name Urien where the medial 'a' still remains. Whatever the case, it does seem possible that Nennius' account of Urien may only be one generaton removed from the events themselves (rather than the 300-odd years of temporal separation betweeen the two men). Nenius' mention of Urien is as follows:

Four kings fought against them [the kings of the Bernicians], Urien and Rhydderch Hen and Gwallawg and Morcant. Theodoric fought vigorously against Urien and his sons. During that time, sometimes the enemy, sometimes the Cymry were victorious and Urien blockaded them for three days and three nights in the island of Metcaud (Lindisfarne). But during this campaign Urien was assassinated by the instigation of Morcant, from jealousy, because his military skill and generalship surpassed that of all other kings.

Thus we have Urien leading a confederaton of Brythonic kings against the Bernicians (as would befit his status as gwledig) only to be betrayed and murdered by his own compatriot. To shed more light on this tale we have to turn to the surviving Cymric poetical works. An obvious place to start is the Llyfr Taliesin. According to Nennius, Taliesin ranks amongs the cynfeirdd (the earliest poets writing in Old Welsh), the others being Aneirin, Bluchfardd, Cian Gweinth Gwawd and Talhaearn. The poems of Taliesin have survived in a volume known as the Llyfr Taliesin (the book of Taliesin) which, survives as a fourteenth century transcription. This contains a total of fifty-six complete or nearly complete poems which, from the orthography at least, seem to have been written down for the first time during the tenth century, though at least a dozen of the verses contain language that would indicate they originate during the late sixth and early seventh centuries. These are the poems attributed to Taliesin himself and eight of these are for Urien Rheged with one being an elegy to Urien's son, Owein. This large number of praise poems to Urien have led many to believe that Taliesin was Urien's bard. However, in the poem Ardwyre reget (Rheged Arise!) which is a praise poem to Urien of Rheged we have the line neu ti rygosteis kyn bwyf teu (I have watched over you; though I am not one of yours) which suggests that Taliesin came only as a visitor to Urien's court. This supposition is supported by Triad 11 of the Trioedd Ynys Prydein which names Tristfardd Bardd Urien as one of the 'Three Red-speared Bards of the Island of Britain', another being Dygynnelw bardd Owein mab Urien which strongly suggests that Taliesin was merely a visitor at the Llys of Urien rather than being the official court bard. Unfortunately none of Tristfardd's poems have survives and we only have Taliesin's verse to fill-in some of the gaps ragarding Urien's life and exploits.

Though we know that Urien fought many battles, against the Picts, the Gaels and the emerging Angle kingdom of Bernicia we have direct evidence for only four of these battles — the first two from the Taliesin poems in the Llyfr Taliesin and Nennius' report, as above. The first of these is the battle of Gwênystrad (Wensleydale) where the forces of the Brython resolutely trounce those of the Angles. In the poem describing this (Gweith Gwensystrad) Urien is described as a gwarthegyd. The term is also used in other poems and the best translation is probably 'cattle-raider'. It should be noted that this term is in no means perjorative. Rather, cattle and horses were the means by which the Brython of the North held status and prestige. They were horsemen who went to battle upon their steeds with a short round shield on one arm and a throwing spear ever-ready in the hand. Agriculture was the business of spring and summer and the cattle raids were the business of autumn (equivalent tales of cattle raids pervade the Irish annals). Though whether these raids were taken seriously or had degraded to almost ritualistic events may never be known. However, cattle have certainly been an important part of the northern economy since the early iron age, as evidenced by the massive cattle-herding earthworks recently discovered in Yorkshire.

The next poem in the series is Bei Lleas Urien (What if Urien were Slain?) in which Taliesin relates a raid by Urien on Manaw (The land of the Gododdin) seeking booty of cattle and 'things of beauty'. This poem describes Urien as an old man with 'white hair' and his horsemen and trusted spear. In the poem Talisesin wonders what would become of him, of the realm if Urien were slain on the raid. Of course, Urien returns and we are led directly to the next battle in the sequence is that of Argoed Llwyfain (as recorded in the poem of the same name); though the location is not known with any certainty we do have the name of Urien's opponent in this case. The foeman is recorded as Fflamddwyn (flame-bearer) who brings four hosts with him whilst Uriend leads the men of Goddau and Rheged. Flamddwyn has been tentatively identified with Theoderic, son of Ida of Northumbria. Again it seems that Urien is victorious, pushing the Angles back. In one way, however it seems that this was Urien's last huzzah. An old man by now, Urien's strength was failing and we see a shift in Taliesin's poems praising his patron. In the next poem, Arddwyre Reged (Rheged, Arise!) Taliesin urges the men of Rheged to repeat the glories of the past. We have a hint here of the fading light and we hear the glories of Urien's past, when he ranged against Powys, the lands of the Gododdin. Then there are Urien's battles against the Angles which are named as: Alclud, Cellawr Brewyn, Prysg Cadleu, Aber, Cludwein and Pencoed though these are only named and not described. During this time Taliesin seems to have fallen-out with his patron and in the poem Dadolwch Urien (The Reconcilliaion of Urien) we have the bard's attempts at a reconciliation with his patron. This may be when Urien's two oldest sons (Owein and Elffin) fell out with their father and carved-out petty princedoms for themselves in what is now Galloway and Ayre. It may be that Taliesin briefly transferred his alleginace to Owein, for in the Dadolwch he sings: 'I do not greatly care what progeny I see/I'll not go to them, with them I shall not be/I shall not go to the north to the half-kings'. Though they are not named the half-kings here are undoubtedly Owein and Elffin.

An old man, death can not be far away for Urien and by piecing together the evidence from Nennius and the poem Dymkywarwydyat Unhwch recorded in the Llyfr Coch Rhydderch and Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch which is part of the Canu Llywarch Hen cycle of poems. A new translation of this poem, by myself, is recorded here as Urien of Rheged. From Nennius we know that an alliance of four of the Northern kings, Urien, Rhydderch Hael, Gwallawg and Morgant was formed to fight against the Bernicians and their leader, Theoderic. The Angles were pressed back to Lindisfarn where they were blockaded. However, during this time, Morgant, being jealous of Urien's skill as a leader assassinates the leader of Rheged. The Llywarch Hen poem, Urien Rheged suggests that this was done with a 'staff' that pierced Urien's breast. It also seems that Llywarch Hen was present at these events and that he himelf struck-off Urien's head. The poem suggests that this was done out of respect, to protect Urien's head for the body itself becomes the 'food of ravens'. Though whether this is literal or figurative is not known, as the emblem of the house of Rheged was three ravens on a white ground (which explains the association of Owein, Urien's son with a branhes [flight of ravens]). Indeed, later in the poem, Urien's internment in a grave and it is clear that what's being interred is Urien's corpse. It may be that Urien's supporters had to flee the scene of the assassination and Llywarch saves the great leader's head to ensure that something of the grat man is preserved. We certainly know that Owein later fought against Theoderic and defeated him. Perhaps one of Owein's campaigns allowed the recovery of his father's body. This may never be known with any certainty, but the poem strongly suggests that something like this occurred. The poem also names Aber Lleu (which Ifor Williams has identified as Ross Low, opposite Lindisfarne) as the site for Urien's death and gives Gwallagw and Dunawd mab Pabo as two more of Urien's Brythonic enemies.

After Urien's death it seems that Owein took over and initially held his own against the Angles. However, soon after this Owein was slain in battle and the fate of Rheged was sealed.

The other sources of Urien's tale come from the Trioedd Ynys Prydein where the name 'Urien' is mentioned in five of these poems (as well as Triad 11, already discussed above). Triad 5 (the Peniarth 47, Llyfr Gwyn and Llyfr Coch versions) names Urien as one of the 'Three battle-pillars of the Island of Britain'. Triad 6 names him as one of the 'Three Bull-protectors of the Island of Britain'. Similarly, Triad 25 names Urien mab Cynfarch as one of the 'Three Battle-leaders of the Island of Britain'. By the time of the composition of the Triads Urien's exploits had essentially become the stuff of legend and in many ways Urien may be the template for the later Norman romances of Arthur. Of the triads, the next, Triad 33, is amongst the most interesting. It names the 'Three Unfortunate Assassinations of the Island of Britain' of which the third was the salying of Urien son of Cynfarch by Llofan Llaw Ddifo. This contrasts with Nennius, where Morgant is named as Urien's murderer, but it does confirm the tale of Urien's assassination. Finally, triad 70 names Urien's mother as Nefyn and his siblings as Arawn and Lleu. It also names Modron ferch Afallach as Urien's wife (though this is probably a fanciful addition as Modron is the goddess Matrona) and gives Modron's offspring as the twins, Owein and Morfudd. For the legend as to how Urien met Modron see this page dedicated to Modron. A very late manuscript, Peniarth 127 names Urien's sons as: Ywain ap Urien, Rhun ap Urien, Rhiwallon ap Urien, Elffin ap Urien, Pasgen ap Urien, Cadfael ap Urien ap Cynfarch ap Meirchion ap Gorwst ap Ceneu ap Coel. All of these, save Cadfael are known from other sources and only his existence is in doubt.

Unlike Nennius, Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regium Britanniae mentions both Urien (Urianus) and Owein (Iwenus) as north-British opponents of the English (Owein is not mentioned in Nennius). This is perhaps one of the strongest indications that Geoffrey did, indeed, draw upon certain native sources in drawing-up his tales. Geoffrey also names Urien's brothers as Arawn (Anguselus) and Lleu (Lot), a tradition that is corroborated in the (earlier) Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin. Chrétien de Troyes also seems to have relied upon a separate Cymric tradition (apart from Geoffrey of Monmouth), for he also knew that Owein (Yvein) was a son of Urien and it is these that he used to propel both Urien and Owein on renewed careers as Arthurian heroes. Even the tradition of Urien as a leader in northern Britain seems to have been maintained, as Urien (Uryence) became a king of the northern territory of Gorre. Thus a real leader and hero of the Old North became transformed into a semi-mythical figure in Arthurian Romance.

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