Gododdin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingdom of Gododdin
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| circa 4th century | |||||||||||
Yr Hen Ogledd (The Old North) c. 550 – c. 650
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| Common languages | Brythonic | ||||||||||
| Religion | Celtic Christianity | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
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| Historical era | Early Middle Ages | ||||||||||
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• Established
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circa 4th century | ||||||||||
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The Gododdin were an ancient people who lived in what is now south-east Scotland and north-east England. They were part of a larger group called the Brittonic people. This was during a time known as the sub-Roman period, after the Roman Empire left Britain.
The Gododdin were descendants of an older tribe called the Votadini. They are most famous because of a 6th-century Welsh poem. This poem, called Y Gododdin, tells the story of a big battle. It is believed to have been written by a poet named Aneirin.
Contents
The Ancient Kingdom of Gododdin
The exact size of the Gododdin kingdom is not fully known. It likely stretched from the Stirling area down to the kingdom of Bryneich. This area included places like Lothian and the Scottish Borders today. To the west, it bordered another Brittonic kingdom, Kingdom of Strathclyde. To the north were the Picts.
Important Places in Gododdin
People living near Clackmannanshire were known as the Manaw Gododdin. Old stories say that the kings of this time lived in important places. These included Traprain Law and Din Eidyn, which is now Edinburgh. Another possible royal site was Din Baer, known today as Dunbar. The Gododdin kingdom included areas like Manaw Gododdin and Eidyn, which were south of the Firth of Forth.
A Famous Warlord
There's a legend about a warlord named Cunedda. He is said to be the founder of the Kingdom of Gwynedd in north Wales. Cunedda was supposedly a leader from Manaw Gododdin. He is believed to have moved southwest during the 5th century.
The End of Gododdin
In the 6th century, a group called the Angles invaded the nearby kingdom of Bryneich. This kingdom then became known as Bernicia. The Angles kept moving north, expanding their territory.
The Battle of Catraeth
Around the year 600, the Gododdin gathered a fighting force. They had about 300 men. Their goal was to attack an Angle stronghold called Catraeth. This place might be modern Catterick, North Yorkshire. The battle was a disaster for the Britons. This terrible event was remembered in the famous poem Y Gododdin.
Gododdin Becomes Part of Northumbria
In 638, Eidyn, which is modern Edinburgh, was attacked. It fell to the Angles. It seems the Gododdin kingdom then came under the control of Bernicia. We don't know if the local people were replaced or if they blended in with the Angles. Bernicia later became part of a larger kingdom called Northumbria.
Eventually, this area became part of a unified England. Much later, in 1018, Malcolm II brought the region up to the River Tweed under Scottish rule.
Images for kids
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This map shows place names in the Gododdin area. Green names are Brittonic, like the Gododdin spoke. Red and orange names are Old English, from the Angles.
See also
- Mynyddawg Mwynfawr
