The kings of Dumnonia were the rulers of the large

Brython The Britons ( *''Pritanī'', la, Britanni), also known as Celtic Britons or Ancient Britons, were people of Celtic language and culture who inhabited Great Britain from at least the British Iron Age and into the Middle Ages, at which point the ...

ic kingdom of

Dumnonia Dumnonia is the Latinised name for a Brythonic kingdom that existed in Sub-Roman Britain between the late 4th and late 8th centuries CE in the more westerly parts of present-day South West England. It was centred in the area of modern Devon, ...

in the

south-west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

during the

Sub-Roman Sub-Roman Britain is the period of late antiquity in Great Britain between the end of Roman rule and the Anglo-Saxon settlement. The term was originally used to describe archaeological remains found in 5th- and 6th-century AD sites that h ...

and

early medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...

periods. A list of Dumnonian kings is one of the hardest of the major Dark Age kingdoms to accurately compile, as it is confused by

Arthurian King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...

legend, complicated by strong associations with the kings of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

and

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

, and obscured by the Saxon advance. Therefore, this list should be treated with caution.

Dumnonian kings

The original

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foo ...

chiefs of the

Dumnonii The Dumnonii or Dumnones were a British tribe who inhabited Dumnonia, the area now known as Devon and Cornwall (and some areas of present-day Dorset and Somerset) in the further parts of the South West peninsula of Britain, from at least the Ir ...

ruled in the south-west corner of the British Isles until faced with the arrival of the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

s in their territory in c. AD 55, when the Romans established a legionary fortress at Isca Dumnoniorum (modern

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

). Although subjugated by c. AD 78, the ''civitas Dumnoniorum'' was among the regions of

Roman Britain Roman Britain was the period in classical antiquity when large parts of the island of Great Britain were under occupation by the Roman Empire. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. During that time, the territory conquered wa ...

least affected by Roman influence. Known as Caer Uisc, Exeter was inhabited by Dumnonian Britons until c. 936, when

King Athelstan King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ti ...

expelled them. Several other royal residences may also have served the kings of Dumnonia or Cornwall, including

Tintagel Tintagel () or Trevena ( kw, Tre war Venydh, meaning ''Village on a Mountain'') is a civil parish and village situated on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall, England. The village and nearby Tintagel Castle are associated with the legends surroun ...

and Cadbury Castle. ;Legendary 'Dukes of Cornwall' recorded by

Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography ...

: *

Caradoc Caradoc Vreichvras (; Modern cy, Caradog Freichfras, ) was a semi-legendary ancestor to the kings of Gwent. He may have lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is remembered in the Matter of Britain as a Knight of the Round Table, under the ...

( 290 – c. 305) * Donault, brother of Caradoc (c. 305 – c. 340) ;Presumed kings appearing in the ancestries of later monarchs: * Conan ''Meriadoc'' ap Gereint, '"Conan the Merry" (c. 340 – c. 387) *Gadeon ap Conan (c. 387 – c. 390) *Guoremor ap Gadeon (c. 387 – c. 400) *Tutwal ap Guoremor (c. 400 – c. 410) *Conomor ap Tutwal (c. 410 – c. 435) * Constantine ''Corneu'' ap Conomar, "Constantine of Cornwall" (c. 435 – c. 443) ;Kings recorded in Welsh records and literature: * Erbin ap Constantine (c. 443 – c. 480) * Geraint ''Llyngesic'' ab Erbin, "Gerren the Fleet Owner" (c. 480 – c. 514) * Cado ap Gerren (c. 514 – c. 530) * Custennin ap Cado, probably " Saint Custennin" (c. 530 – c. 560) * Gerren ''rac Denau'' ap Custennin, "Gerren for the South" (c. 560 – c. 598) ;William of Malmesbury: *Gwrgan:

William of Malmesbury William of Malmesbury ( la, Willelmus Malmesbiriensis; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as " ...

reports the terms of a grant of land made by King Gwrgan of Damnonia to the "old church" at

Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbur ...

in AD 601 in the time of Abbot Worgret. ;Possible rulers given in the early 17th-century Book of Baglan as ancestors of an 'Earl of Cornwall'Williams, John. ''Llyfr Baglan: or The Book of Baglan. Compiled Between the Years 1600 and 1607. Edited by Joseph Alfred Bradney''. London: Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910. p. 80 *

Bledric ap Custennin Bledric ap Custennin (also known as Blederic, Bredrice, Peledric, Bletius, Bledrys, Bledrig, Bletricius or Bledericus) was a 6th- and 7th-century ruler of Dumnonia (now part of the English West Country). Life and rule The actual status and realit ...

(c. 598 – c. 613) *

Clemen ap Bledric Clemen ap Bledric (also known as Clement or Clemens) was a 7th-century King of Dumnonia (now the English West Country). Family, life and rule Born about 580, the son of Bledric ap Custennin, Clemen ruled after his father was killed by King Æthel ...

(c. 613 – c. 633) * Petroc ''Baladrddellt'' ap Clemen, "Petroc Splintered Spear" (c. 633 – c. 654) *Culmin ap Petroc (c. 659 – c. 661) *Donyarth ap Culmin (c. 661 – c. 700) ;Kings recorded in

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened wit ...

sources: * Geraint (c. 700 – c. 710) ; Breton Princes of Armorican Dumnonia, from the ''Life of Saint

Winnoc Saint Winnoc (c. 640-c. 716/717) was an abbot or prior of Wormhout who came from Wales. Three lives of this saint are extant ( BHL 8952-4). The best of these, the first life, was written by a monk of St. Bertin in the middle of the ninth centu ...

''; see also

Domnonée Domnonée is the modern French form of Domnonia or Dumnonia (Latin for "Devon"; br, Domnonea), a historic kingdom in northern Armorica (Brittany) founded by British immigrants from Dumnonia (Sub-Roman Devon) fleeing the Saxon invasions of Britai ...

. (The earlier portion follows the Dumnonian line beginning with Gereint, Cado, Erbin, Guitol ap Gradlon, Marchell, and

Riothamus Riothamus (also spelled Riutimus or Riotimus) was a Romano-British military leader, who was active circa AD 470. He fought against the Goths in alliance with the declining Western Roman Empire. He is called "King of the Britons" by the 6th-centu ...

) *Riwal (510–520) *Deroch (520–535), son of Riwal *Iona (535–540), son of Deroch *Judual (Judwal), son of Iona (540–545) *

Conomor Conomor ( ), also known as Conomerus or Conomor the Cursed, was an early medieval ruler of Brittany. His name, which has the Welsh cognate Cynfawr, means "Great Dog", but could also indicate "Sea Dog" in early Brythonic. Conomor was notorious for ...

(540–555), count of Poher, first regent, then usurper, possibly

Mark of Cornwall Mark of Cornwall ( la, Marcus, kw, Margh, cy, March, br, Marc'h) was a sixth-century King of Kernow (Cornwall), possibly identical with King Conomor. He is best known for his appearance in Arthurian legend as the uncle of Tristan and the husb ...

*Judwal (555–580, re-established) *Judaël (580–605), older son of Judwal *Haëloc (605–610), younger son of Judaël *

Saint Judicael Saint Judicael or Judicaël ( – 16 December 647 or 652) ( Welsh:Ithel), also spelled Judhael (with many other variants), was the King of Domnonée, part of Brittany, in the mid-7th century and later revered as a Roman Catholic saint. Ba ...

(r. 610–640, † 647/652), elder son of Judaël, abdicated *Judoc (r. 640–640, † 669), younger son of Judaël, renounced the throne *Saint

(r. 640, † 717), possibly a son of Judicael, renounced the throne.

Native tradition

Susan Pearce views the only native 4th- to 7th-century Dumnonian rulers known to history as: *Constantine (Welsh '' Custennin Gorneu''), mentioned in ''

De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'' ( la, On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain, sometimes just ''On the Ruin of Britain'') is a work written in Latin by the 6th-century AD British cleric St Gildas. It is a sermon in three parts condemning ...

'' *Erbin *Geraint (Welsh '' Geraint fab Erbin'') *Cadwy (Cado) Pearce identifies Constantine with the Constantine mentioned by

Gildas Gildas ( Breton: ''Gweltaz''; c. 450/500 – c. 570) — also known as Gildas the Wise or ''Gildas Sapiens'' — was a 6th-century British monk best known for his scathing religious polemic ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'', which recount ...

, anchoring his reign to the 6th century, and giving later dates for the reigns of Erbin, Geraint, and Cadwy.

Cornish kings

By the end of the 8th century, Dumnonia was much reduced in size by the advance of the West Saxons and the remaining territory became a

rump state A rump state is the remnant of a once much larger state, left with a reduced territory in the wake of secession, annexation, occupation, decolonization, or a successful coup d'état or revolution on part of its former territory. In the last case ...

in Cornwall. The generally accepted date for this transition is around 800. ;Recorded in

Old Welsh Old Welsh ( cy, Hen Gymraeg) is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic ...

documents, ''Saints' Lives'' and in local and

tradition *

King Mark Mark of Cornwall ( la, Marcus, kw, Margh, cy, March, br, Marc'h) was a sixth-century King of Kernow (Cornwall), possibly identical with King Conomor. He is best known for his appearance in Arthurian legend as the uncle of Tristan and the husb ...

– of

Tristan and Iseult Tristan and Iseult, also known as Tristan and Isolde and other names, is a medieval chivalric romance told in numerous variations since the 12th century. Based on a Celtic legend and possibly other sources, the tale is a tragedy about the illic ...

fame, probably ruled in the late 5th century. According to Cornish folklore, he held court at

. * King Salomon – father of Saint

Cybi Saint Cuby (in Cornish) or Saint Cybi (in Welsh) was a 6th-century Cornish bishop, saint and, briefly, king, who worked largely in Cornwall and North Wales: his biography is recorded in two slightly variant medieval 'lives'. Life in Cornwall ...

, probably ruled after Mark; not to be confused with Salomon, King of Brittany. *

Dungarth Donyarth ( la, Doniert) or Dungarth (died 875) was the last recorded king of Cornwall. He was probably an under-king, paying tribute to the West Saxons. He is thought to be the 'Doniert' recorded on an inscription on King Doniert's Stone, a 9t ...

– was recorded by the

Annales Cambriae The ( Latin for ''Annals of Wales'') is the title given to a complex of Latin chronicles compiled or derived from diverse sources at St David's in Dyfed, Wales. The earliest is a 12th-century presumed copy of a mid-10th-century original; later ...

as having drowned in 876. The Annales refer to him as "rex Cerniu", King of Cornwall. ;In records open to interpretation * Ricatus (''fl. c''.900s) is mentioned on a memorial stone; he may have ruled a more localised region. *

Huwal of the West Welsh Huwal was a Brittonic monarch of the early to mid-10th century whose name appears in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' as the ruler of the "West Welsh". His identity is a matter of debate: " West Welsh" in medieval English sources usually refers to th ...

(''c''.910–''c''.926), about whom there has been controversy since the 19th century. He only appears in the ''

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of A ...

'' entry for 927, accepting King Athelstan of

Wessex la, Regnum Occidentalium Saxonum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the West Saxons , common_name = Wessex , image_map = Southern British Isles 9th century.svg , map_caption = S ...

as his overlord. 'West Wales' was an old term for

or Cornwall, but may also refer to present day

West Wales West Wales ( cy, Gorllewin Cymru) is not clearly defined as a particular region of Wales. Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, which historically comprised the Welsh principality of '' Dehe ...

, then generally known as

Deheubarth Deheubarth (; lit. "Right-hand Part", thus "the South") was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House o ...

, where

Hywel Dda Hywel Dda, sometimes anglicised as Howel the Good, or Hywel ap Cadell (died 949/950) was a king of Deheubarth who eventually came to rule most of Wales. He became the sole king of Seisyllwg in 920 and shortly thereafter established Deheubart ...

was king. Philip Payton. (1996). ''Cornwall''. Fowey: Alexander AssociatesAnn Williams et al. (1991). ''A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain''. London: Seaby ;The Book of Baglan An early 17th century pedigree of a so-called 'Earl of Cornwall' in the

Book of Baglan The Book of Baglan (''Llyfr Baglan'' in Welsh) is a collection of old Welsh manuscripts, containing much genealogical data, compiled by John Williams from several sources between 1600 and 1607. It was transcribed from the original manuscript preserv ...

may possibly represent a list of rulers in Cornwall. *Ithel ''Eiddyn'' ap Donyarth (''Ithel the Rock'') (''c''.710–''c''.715) *Dyfnwal ''Boifunall'' ap Ithel (''Dyfnwal of Boifunall'') (''fl. c''.730s) *Cawrdolli ap Dyfnwal (''fl. c''.750s) *Oswallt ap Cawrdolli (''fl. c''.770s) *Hernam ap Oswallt (''fl. c''.790s) *Hopkin ap Hernam (''fl. c''.810s) *Mordaf ap Hopkin (''fl. c''.830s) *Fferferdyn ap Mordaf (''fl. c''.850s) *

Donyarth Donyarth ( la, Doniert) or Dungarth (died 875) was the last recorded king of Cornwall. He was probably an under-king, paying tribute to the West Saxons. He is thought to be the 'Doniert' recorded on an inscription on King Doniert's Stone, a 9 ...

(''c''.865–''c''.876) *Eluid ap Fferferdyn (''fl. c''.880s) *Alanorus ap Eluid (''fl. c''.890s) ;Others *

Antiquarians An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifacts, archaeological and historic sit ...

from the sixteenth century on recorded claims that

Condor Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are: * The Andean condor (''Vu ...

– sometimes described as a descendant of the Cornish royal line – paid homage to

William I of England William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

at the time of the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conq ...

in 1066 in order to remain

Earl of Cornwall The title of Earl of Cornwall was created several times in the Peerage of England before 1337, when it was superseded by the title Duke of Cornwall, which became attached to heirs-apparent to the throne. Condor of Cornwall * Condor of Cornwall, ...

. *In the ''De Gestis Herewardi Saxonis'' written in the 12th century it is recorded that

Hereward the Wake Hereward the Wake (Traditional pronunciation /ˈhɛ.rɛ.ward/, modern pronunciation /ˈhɛ.rɪ.wəd/) (1035 – 1072) (also known as Hereward the Outlaw or Hereward the Exile) was an Anglo-Saxon nobleman and a leader of local resista ...

took refuge in Cornwall in the 11th century at the court of the Cornish Prince or King Alef.Bevis, Trevor (1981). Hereward, together with ''De Gestis Herewardi Saxonis''. Pub. March: Westrydale Press, . P. 13.

Cornish earls

If he is not to be identified with

, the singularly recorded Huwal could have been the last native king. Some of the later supposed rulers listed below are given the title '

', although in two cases may have been recognized as rebel kings (Conan in 934 and Cadoc in 1100). *Conan (''c''.926–''c''.937) *Rolope ap Alanorus (''fl. c''.940s) *Vortegyn Helin ap Rolope (''Vortegyn the High Lord'') (''fl. c''.960s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex' *Veffyne ap Vortegyn (''fl. c''.980s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex' *Alured ap Veffyne (''fl. c''.1000s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex' *Godwyn ap Alured (''fl. c''.1010) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex', possibly

Godwin, Earl of Wessex Godwin of Wessex ( ang, Godwine; – 15 April 1053) was an English nobleman who became one of the most powerful earls in England under the Danish king Cnut the Great (King of England from 1016 to 1035) and his successors. Cnut made Godwin the ...

*Herbert FitzGodwyn (''fl. c''.1050) * Condor of Cornwall (pre-1066–''c''.1068; probably legendary) * Robert, Comte de Mortain (''c''.1068–''c''.1084) * William FitzRobert (''c''.1084–''c''.1106) (opposed by Cadoc ap Cador) *Cadoc (''fl. c''.1100; probably legendary) Cadoc's daughter Avice is said to have married William FitzRobert de Mortaigne and the title of Earl of Cornwall passed to the

Normans The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...

and never returned to the native royal family.

References

Sources