Gildas (English pronunciation: ,

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Gale ...

: ''Gweltaz''; ) — also known as Gildas Badonicus, Gildas fab Caw (in

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh (, ) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh (). Literature and history Middle Welsh is ...

texts and antiquarian works) and ''Gildas Sapiens'' (Gildas the Wise) — was a 6th-century

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

monk best known for his religious

polemic Polemic ( , ) is contentious rhetoric intended to support a specific position by forthright claims and to undermine the opposing position. The practice of such argumentation is called polemics, which are seen in arguments on controversial to ...

, which recounts the history of the Britons before and during the coming of the Saxons. He is one of the best-documented figures of the Christian church in the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

during the sub-Roman period, and was renowned for his Biblical knowledge and literary style. In his later life, he emigrated to

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, where he founded a monastery known as

Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys () is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. Inhabitants of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys are called in French ''Gildasiens''. Its French name refers to Saint Gildas, who founded the abbey of ...

Hagiography

Birthplace

Differing versions of the ''Life of Saint Gildas'' exist, but both agree that he was born at a place called ''Arecluta'' which is described by the author as taking its name from a "certain river called the Clut, by which that district is, for the most part, watered." This was long taken by historians to mean that Gildas was born in what is now

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

on the banks of the

River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...

. He is now thought to have his origins farther south. His writing suggests a lack of familiarity with the geography of

Strathclyde Strathclyde ( in Welsh language, Welsh; in Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic, meaning 'strath

alley An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, footpath, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road (back lane), or a path, w ...

of the River Clyde') was one of nine former Local government in Scotland, local government Regions and districts of Scotland, regions of Scotland cre ...

, but is more accurate with regards to southern Britain. Furthermore, Gildas shows a familiarity with classical Latin texts that historians such as Nick Higham and E.A. Thompson view as more likely to have been acquired further south, within the bounds of former

Roman Britain Roman Britain was the territory that became the Roman province of ''Britannia'' after the Roman conquest of Britain, consisting of a large part of the island of Great Britain. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. Julius Caes ...

. Thompson suggested

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

as a possible birthplace, while the linguist Andrew Breeze suggests

Arclid Arclid is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is about east of Sandbach and west of Congleton. The parish had a population of 199 according to the 2001 cen ...

, near

Sandbach Sandbach (pronounced ) is a market town and civil parish in the Cheshire East borough of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements: Sandbach, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock, Cheshire, Wheelock. At the 2021 United Kingd ...

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

, based on its plausible derivation from ''Arecluta''.

Life

In his own work, he claims to have been born the same year as the

Battle of Mount Badon The Battle of Badon, also known as the Battle of Mons Badonicus, was purportedly fought between Britons and Anglo-Saxons in Post-Roman Britain during the late 5th or early 6th century. It was credited as a major victory for the Britons, st ...

. He was educated at a monastic centre, the College of St. Illtud, where he chose to forsake his royal heritage and embrace monasticism. He became a renowned teacher, converting many to Christianity and founding numerous churches and monasteries throughout Britain and Ireland. He is thought to have made a pilgrimage to Rome before emigrating to Brittany, where he took on the life of a

hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Chr ...

. However, his life of solitude was short-lived, and pupils soon sought him out and begged him to teach them. He eventually founded a monastery for these students at

, where he wrote ''De Excidio Britanniae,'' criticising British rulers and exhorting them to put off their sins and embrace true Christian faith. He is thought to have died at Rhuys and was buried there.

Biographies

The First ''Life'' of Gildas was written in the 9th century by an unnamed monk at the monastery which Gildas founded in

Rhuys The Rhuys Peninsula (, ) is located in the ''département'' of Morbihan in the region of Brittany in northwestern France. Three communes are located on the peninsula: * Sarzeau, the largest, covering 50% of the area of the peninsula * Arzon * ...

, Brittany. According to this tradition, Gildas is the son of Caunus, king of Alt Clud in the ''

Hen Ogledd Hen Ogledd (), meaning the Old North, is the historical region that was inhabited by the Celtic Britons, Brittonic people of sub-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, now Northern England and the southern Scottish Lowlands, alongside the fello ...

'', the Brythonic-speaking region of northern Britain. He had four brothers; his brother Cuillum ascended to the throne on the death of his father, and the rest became monks. Gildas was sent as a child to the College of St. Illtud in

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

, under the care of St Illtud, and was a companion of St

Samson of Dol Samson of Dol (also Samsun; born late 5th century) was a Welsh saint, who is also counted among the Brittany#Religion, seven founder saints of Brittany with Paul Aurelian, Pol Aurelian, Saint Tudwal, Tugdual or Tudwal, Brieuc, Saint Malo (saint ...

and St

Paul Aurelian Paul Aurelian (known in Breton as Paol Aorelian or Saint Pol de Léon and in Latin as Paulinus Aurelianus) was a 6th-century Welshman who became first bishop of the See of Léon and one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. He allegedly die ...

. His master Illtud loved him tenderly and taught him with special zeal. He was supposed to be educated in liberal arts and divine scripture, but elected to study only holy doctrine, and to forsake his noble birth in favour of a religious life. After completing his studies under Illtud, Gildas went to Ireland where he was ordained as a priest. He returned to his native lands in northern Britain where he acted as a missionary, preaching to the pagan people and converting many of them to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

. He was then asked by Ainmericus, high king of Ireland ( Ainmuire mac Sétnai, 566–569), to restore order to the church in Ireland, which had altogether lost the Christian faith. Gildas obeyed the king's summons and travelled all over the island, converting the inhabitants, building churches, and establishing monasteries. He then travelled to Rome and Ravenna where he performed many miracles, including slaying a dragon while in Rome. Intending to return to Britain, he instead settled on the Isle of Houat off

where he led a solitary, austere life. At around this time, he also preached to Nonnita (Non), the mother of

Saint David David (; ; ) was a Welsh Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Mynyw during the 6th century. He is the patron saint of Wales. David was a native of Wales, and tradition has preserved a relatively large amount of detail about his life. ...

, while she was pregnant with the saint. He was eventually sought out by those who wished to study under him, and was entreated to establish a monastery in Brittany, which he did at a place now known as

. The second "Life" of Gildas was written by Caradoc of Llancarfan, a friend of

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 ...

and his Norman patrons. This is an entirely fictional account intended to associate Gildas with Glastonbury Abbey. It also associates him with

King Arthur According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...

. Arthur kills Gildas's brother Hueil, which causes enmity between them for a time. Hueil's enmity with Arthur is also mentioned in the Welsh prose tale ''

Culhwch and Olwen ''Culhwch and Olwen'' () is a Welsh tale that survives in only two manuscripts about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, , and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, . It ...

'', written around 1100. A tradition in north Wales places Hueil's execution at

Ruthin Ruthin ( ; ) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and Rhewl. The name comes from the Welsh ''rhud ...

, and the supposed execution stone, Maen Huail, is preserved in the town square. The Llancarfan life also contains the earliest surviving appearance of the abduction of the Guinevere episode, common in later Arthurian literature. Gildas secures the release of Guinevere after she had been abducted by Melvas, king of the "Summer Country", preventing war between him and Arthur.Lambdin, Laura C. and Lambdin, Robert T., ''Arthurian Writers: A Biographical Encyclopedia'', ABC-CLIO, 2008, p. 2
/ref>

''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae''

Gildas is best known for his

, which recounts the sub-Roman history of Britain, and which is the only substantial source for history of this period written by a near-contemporary, although it is not intended to be an objective chronicle. The work is a sermon in three parts condemning the acts of his contemporaries, both secular and religious.Butler, Rev. Alban, "The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints", Vol. I, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, 1864
/ref> The first part consists of Gildas' explanation for his work and a brief narrative of

from its conquest under the

Principate The Principate was the form of imperial government of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the reign of Augustus in 27 BC to the end of the Crisis of the Third Century in AD 284, after which it evolved into the Dominate. The principate was ch ...

to Gildas' time. He describes the doings of the Romans and the Groans of the Britons, in which the Britons make one last request for military aid from the departed Roman military. He excoriates his fellow Britons for their sins, while at the same time lauding heroes such as

Ambrosius Aurelianus Ambrosius Aurelianus (; Anglicised as Ambrose Aurelian and called Aurelius Ambrosius in the ''Historia Regum Britanniae'' and elsewhere) was a war leader of the Romano-British who won an important battle against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th c ...

, whom he is the first to describe as a leader of the resistance to the

Saxons The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

. He mentions the victory at the

Battle of Mons Badonicus The Battle of Badon, also known as the Battle of Mons Badonicus, was purportedly fought between Celtic Britons, Britons and Anglo-Saxons in Post-Roman Britain during the late 5th century in England, 5th or early 6th century in England, 6th cen ...

, a feat attributed to

in later texts, though Gildas does not mention who led the battle. Part two consists of a condemnation of five British kings, Constantine,

Aurelius Conanus Aurelius Conanus or Aurelius Caninus was a Britons (historical), Brittonic king in 6th-century sub-Roman Britain. The only certain historical record of him is in the writings of his contemporary Gildas, who excoriates him as a tyrant. He is also me ...

Vortiporius Vortiporius or Vortipor (, or ''Gwerthefyr'') was a king of Dyfed in the early to mid-6th century. He ruled over an area approximately corresponding to modern Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire, Wales. Records from this era are scant, and virtu ...

Cuneglasus Cuneglasus (fl. 540) was a prince of Rhos in Gwynedd, Wales, in the late 5th or early 6th century. He was castigated for various sins by Gildas in '' De Excidio Britanniae''. The Welsh form Cynlas Goch is attested in several genealogies of the ...

, and Maelgwn. As it is the only contemporary information about them, it is of particular interest to scholars of British history. Part three is a similar attack on the clergy of the time. The works of Gildas, including the ''Excidio'', can be found in volume 69 of the ''

Patrologia Latina The ''Patrologia Latina'' (Latin for ''The Latin Patrology'') is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques Paul Migne between 1841 and 1855, with indices published betwe ...

.'' ''De Excidio'' was usually dated to the 540s, but the historian Guy Halsall inclines to an "early Gildas" c. 490. Cambridge historian Karen George offered a date range of c. 510–530 AD. Gildas states that he was 44 when he wrote the work.Dark, p. 36

Veneration

Gildas'

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

were venerated in the abbey which he founded in Rhuys, until the 10th century, when they were removed to

Berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

. In the 18th century, they were said to be moved to the cathedral at

Vannes Vannes (; , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Morbihan, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany, northwestern mainland France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic ...

and then hidden during the French Revolution. The various relics survived the revolution and have all since been returned to

where they are visible at various times of the year at a dedicated "treasury" in the village. The body of Saint Gildas (minus the pieces incorporated into various reliquaries) is buried behind the altar in the church of Saint Gildas de Rhuys. The gold and silver covered relics of Saint Gildas include: * A reliquary head containing parts of the saint's skull * An arm reliquary containing bone pieces, topped with a blessing hand * A reliquary femur and knee The embroidered

mitre The mitre (Commonwealth English) or miter (American English; American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, see spelling differences; both pronounced ; ) is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of ...

supposedly worn by Gildas is also kept with these relics. Gildas is the patron saint of several churches and monasteries in Brittany, and his feast day is celebrated on 29 January.

Further traditions

Gildas is credited with a

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

called the ''Lorica'', or ''Breastplate'', a prayer for deliverance from

evil Evil, as a concept, is usually defined as profoundly immoral behavior, and it is related to acts that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others. Evil is commonly seen as the opposite, or sometimes absence, of good. It can be an extreme ...

, which contains specimens of

Hiberno-Latin Hiberno-Latin was a learned style of literary Latin first used and subsequently spread by Irish monks during the period from the sixth century to the twelfth century. Vocabulary and influence Hiberno-Latin was notable for its curiously learn ...

. A proverb is also attributed to ''Gildas mab y Gaw'' in the ''Englynion y Clyweid'' in Llanstephan MS. 27. In '' Bonedd y Saint'', Gildas is recorded as having three sons and a daughter. Gwynnog ap Gildas and Noethon ap Gildas are named in the earliest tracts, together with their sister Dolgar. Another son, Tydech, is named in a later document.

Iolo Morganwg Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10March 174718December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia''. R ...

adds Saint Cenydd to the list. The scholar

David Dumville David Norman Dumville (5 May 1949 – 8 September 2024) was a British medievalist and Celtic scholar. Life and career Dumville was born on 5 May 1949 to Norman Dumville and Eileen Florence Lillie Dumville (née Gibbs). He attended Emmanuel Coll ...

suggests that Gildas was the teacher of

Finnian of Moville Finnian of Movilla (–589) was an Irish Christian missionary. His feast day is 10 September. Origins and life Finnian (sometimes called Finbarr "the white head", a reference to his fair hair), was a Christian missionary in medieval Ir ...

, who in turn was the teacher of St

Columba Columba () or Colmcille (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is today Scotland at the start of the Hiberno-Scottish mission. He founded the important abbey ...

Iona Iona (; , sometimes simply ''Ì'') is an island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there are other buildings on the island. Iona Abbey was a centre of Gaeli ...

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * * * *

External links

* * * * *
''The Life of Gildas''
by A Monk of Rhuys.

by Caradoc of Llancarfan.
Gildas and ''The History of the Britons''
commentary from ''

The Cambridge History of English and American Literature ''The Cambridge History of English and American Literature'' is an encyclopedia of literary criticism that was published by Cambridge University Press between 1907 and 1921. Edited and written by an international panel of 171 leading scholars and ...

'', Volume 1, 1907–21.
Vortigernstudies: Gildas (sources)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gildas 400s births 500s births 570 deaths 6th-century Christian saints 6th-century historians Arthurian characters Arthurian legend Medieval Welsh literature Northern Brythonic saints Southwestern Brythonic saints Sub-Roman writers Medieval Welsh saints Medieval Breton saints 6th-century Welsh people Last of the Romans 6th-century writers in Latin 6th-century Breton people