Archgallo ('' Welsh:'' ''Arthal map Morydd'') was a legendary king of the

Britons British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, w ...

as recounted by

Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth (; ; ) was a Catholic cleric from Monmouth, Wales, and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur. He is best known for his chronicle '' The History of ...

. He ruled from 339BC.Monarchie Nobelesse website, ''Bretons''
/ref> He was the second son of King Morvidus and brother of Gorbonianus. Archgallo began as an evil king bent on destroying the nobles and undoing all his brother had done. He gained a fortune of stolen wealth from the nobles. This caused the nobles to rebel and they deposed Archgallo and replaced him with his brother, Elidurus. Archgallo wandered throughout the neighbouring countries for five years without friends or a home until he returned to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

. While he was wandering in the Forests of Calaterium, his brother, Elidurus, found him and embraced him as a brother. He took him to a nearby city and hid him in a room. For a year, Elidurus faked sickness and required all the nobles of the kingdom to visit him. Once there, Elidurus demanded each pledge their allegiance to Archgallo again or they would be beheaded. They complied and after the last had pledged, Elidurus took Archgallo to

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and removed his own crown and reinstated Archgallo's kingship. This story is told by

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poetry, Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romanticism, Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Balla ...

in his poem Artegal and Elidure. During Archgallo's second reign, he ruled peacefully and faithfully never reverting to his former ways. For ten years he gave the deserved their proper wealth and administered justice throughout the realm. Finally, he fell into a coma and died. He was buried in

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and succeeded by Elidurus. Two of Archgallo's sons would later become kings of Britain;

Marganus II Marganus II ('' Welsh:'' ''Morgan mab Arthal'') was a legendary king of the Britons as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth (; ; ) was a Catholic cleric from Monmouth, Wales, and one of the major figures in the developmen ...

and Enniaunus.

References

{{Geoffrey of Monmouth Legendary British kings 4th-century BC legendary monarchs