Uthr Pendragon: a Cymric Arthurian Hero, also known as Uther (Terrible Chief Leader)

Synonyms: Uther Pendragon, Uthir Pendragon
Cym: Terrible Chief Leader

Uther Pendragon is such a well-known Arthurian figure that he presents those seeking information about Celtic gods and heroes with a major problem: namely, did he have an independent existence before Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote his Historia Regium Brittonum (History of the Kings of Britain). The proof of this would be any mention before Geoffrey (so-called pre-Galfridian) in a native text or context. The oldest collection of Cymric poetry is contained within the Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin and Uthr's name is mentioned in the poem Pa gur yw y porthaur (What man is the porter?) contained therein. The appropriate stanzas being: Mabon mab mydron/guas uthir pendragon (Mabon son of Modron/servant of Uthr Bendragon). This poem dates from the late tenth or early eleventh century and places Uthr in an obviously Arthurian context (indeed, many of the other characters in the poem play parts of primary importance in the Mabinogion of Culhwch ac Olwen). In the Llyfr Taliesin we have the poem Marwnad Uthr Pen. (The Eulogy of Uthr Pen) to which a later hand has added Dragon in the marginalia. Like many of the poems in the Llyfr Taliesin the poem itself is very obscure, and seems to be in the form of 'transformational' poems typical of the other volumes in this volume. However, the poem does contain the lines: Neu vi a rannwys vy echlessur/nawuet ran yg gwrhyt arthur (I have shared my refuge/a ninth-part of Arthur's valour). Taken together these references are sufficient to show that Uthr Pendragon was known in the pre-Galfridian Cymric tradition and that he was linked to the mythos of Arthur. What they do not prove is anything about the relationship between Uthr and Arthur. The closest we come to Arthur's parentage in early poetry is a poem from the Jesus College MS 20 known as Arthur a'r Eryr (Arthur and the Eagle). Though the MS itself dates to the 14th Century, it has been argued that the poem itself may have its inception in the mid 12th Century. Perhaps more importantly the poem contains characters that fall into the native tradition of the Mabinogion of Culhwch ac Olwen rather than the later tradition of Geoffrey of Monmouth, for in this poem Arthur rules in Cernyw (Cornwall) rather than the later Caerleon. In this poem, the crucial lines come when the transformed eagle reveals himself to be Eliwlat vab Madawc vab Uthyr, in response to which Arthur asks: ae ti Eliwlat vy nei? (Are you, Eliwlad my nephew?). Thus Arthur is the brother of Madawg and the son of Uthyr.

The independent existence of Madawg is confirmed by a mention in the Llyfr Taliesin poem Marwnad Madawg (Madawg's Eulogy). Interestingly both Madawg and his son Eliwlad belong to an entirely native tradition and there is no mention of them in Geoffrey of Monmouth's works. Thus it is fairly evident that Uthr was known in Cymric tradition and that he was also known as Arthur's father. Against this argument it must be pointed out that the ajective uthr (terrible) occurs frequently in early Cymric poetry and some commentators have dismissed all mentions of the personal name Uthyr as mis-interpretations of the parent ajective. Against this argument it must be pointed out that Uthyr is definitely known as a personal name in early Cymric sources (cf Candolan filius Uther) and as Uithir or Uithidir is also known from Irish sources.

Apart from the sources already mentioned, Uthyr is also known from two poems in the Trioedd Ynys Prydein. Triad 28 names the 'Three Great Enchantments of the Island of Britain', one of which was the enchantment of Uthyr Pendragon '(which he taught to Menw mab Teirgwaedd)'. The second Triad, traid 58 is definitely post-Galfridian and names the 'Three Dishonoured Men of the Island of Britain'. The second of these is Gwrtheyrn Gwrthneu who was responsible for exiling Uthur Pendragon and his brother Emrys Wledig to Armorica (Brittany). This of course, is merely fanciful filling-in from the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth. In fact, a more accurate genealogy is provided in the Mostyn 117 manuscript, also known as Bonedd yr Arwyr (descent of the heroes) which gives Arthur's descent as Arthur m. Vthyr m. Kustenhin m. Kynuawr m. Tutwal m. Moruawr m. Eudaf m. Kadwr m. Kynan m. Karadawc m. Bran m. Llyr lletieith, which places the lineage amongst that of the northern leaders o Dumnonia. The same document also gives Uthr's daughter as Anna and his wife as Eigyr: Nonn mam Dewi oed verch y Anna verch Vthyr pendragon. Mam Anna oed verch Eigyr (verch) Anlawd wledic. Eigyr, of course, is the same figure as Igerna whom, in the Galfridian tradition, Uther seduced by means of a glamour fashioned by Merlin.

Uthur also figures amongst the list of the names of the kings of the Brython named in the Jesus MS 20 genealogical list where he is named as Vthur pendreic. This brings us quite neatly to Uthyr's epithet of Pendragon. This often occurs as part of doublet containing both Pendreig and Pendragon. Both words ultimately derive from the Latin draco (dragon) where draig or dreig is the current modern form, but dragon is an obliquie case derived from the same root. Pendragon can be interpreted as 'Chief Dragon' where the term 'dragon' is used figuratively to mean either 'foremost leader' or 'chief of warriors' (or both). It is interesting that Geoffrey of Monmouth completely missed the actual meaning and rendered Pendragon as 'dragon's head'. This mis-interpretation then being incorporated into the Cymric Bruts which were largely based on Geoffrey's work.

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