Mynyddog Mwynfawr facts for kids
Mynyddog Mwynfawr was an important leader from ancient Welsh stories. He ruled a kingdom called Gododdin. This kingdom was in a place called the "Old North." The Old North is now parts of Scotland and northern England. We know about Mynyddog from a very old Welsh poem. This poem is called Y Gododdin. It was written by a poet named Aneirin.
People believe Mynyddog was the king of Gododdin. His main home might have been in Din Eidyn. This place is now the city of Edinburgh. The poem says he gathered a famous group of warriors. These brave warriors fought in a big battle called the Battle of Catraeth. Mynyddog helped pay for and support these fighters.
Who Was Mynyddog Mwynfawr?
Mynyddog Mwynfawr was a leader from a long time ago. He was a Brittonic ruler. The Brittons were an ancient Celtic people. They lived in Great Britain. His kingdom, Gododdin, was in the northern part of Britain. This area is known as the Hen Ogledd, or "Old North." It included parts of what is now Scotland and northern England.
The Poem Y Gododdin
Most of what we know about Mynyddog comes from the poem Y Gododdin. This poem is very old. It tells the story of Mynyddog's warriors. They were a group of brave fighters. They went to battle at a place called Catraeth. The poem describes their courage. It also tells about their sad defeat. Scholars, who are people who study history, mostly agree on this story.
What His Name Means
The name Mynyddog Mwynfawr has a special meaning. If we translate it, it means "Mynyddog the Wealthy." The word Mynyddog comes from the Welsh word mynydd. This word means "mountain." So, it can also mean "mountainous."
Some experts have different ideas about his name. One scholar, John T. Koch, thinks Mynyddog Mwynfawr might not be a person. He suggests it could be a place. It might mean "Wealthy Mountain." Koch believes it could be a way to describe Din Eidyn. Or maybe it describes the whole kingdom of Gododdin. It might even mean the entire Old North.
A Poet's Pen Name
A famous Welsh poet used the name Mynyddog. His real name was Richard Davies. He lived from 1833 to 1877. He chose "Mynyddog" as his pen name. A pen name is a special name a writer uses. Many Welsh poets of his time used Welsh-language pen names. This was a common tradition.
