Bran Fendigaid Ap Siluria (abt. 18)

Born about 0018 in British Isles

Died [date unknown] in British Isles

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Biography

Bran the Blessed is a legendary or fictional person. Therefore he cannot have parents, spouses, or children, and he cannot have real dates or events.

Research Notes

Bran's profile is being retained on WikiTree because Bran the Blessed appears in many popular genealogies. Therefore it is important to summarize here what the legends are, and to trace, to the extent possible, how they arose and the pedigrees in which they appeared.

Many of the legendary figures, including those who were born before the Common Era, appear on Saint Paul in Britain and Earliest Genealogy of Britain and Wales

Parallel Profiles

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Citing the British Achau or Genealogies of the Saints of Britain: These came with Bran the Blessed from Rome to Britain -- Arwystli Hen (Senex) Ilid, Cyndaw, men of Israel; Maw, or Manaw, son of Arwystli Hen. ...Accordiong to the genius of the British tongue, Aristobulus becomes Arwystli. ^[1]

Bran ^[2]

It appears that Bran left Rome with Aristobulus, his son Manaw, Ilide, and Cyndaw, before Caradoc. He was accompanied by Eurgain, the eldest daughter of Caradoc, and her husband Salog, lord in her right of Caer Salog (Salisbury), a Roman patrician.

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• Bran Fendigaid, born BCE
• Guneril of Siluria, born 110 CE
• Bran the Blessed, born 0018 CE

Outline of the Legend

Pre-BCE Profiles: Antecedents reach back before the Common Era. [[ Earliest Genealogy of Britain and Wales

Conflation: This profile appears to conflate a Christian legend, a pre-Christian Druid legend of a God-king, and a 5th century Britonic king; details regarding each need to be sorted out.

Legend A -- 100 BCE

Bran was born between 100 and 75 BCE in England, and was also known as Lleddiarth ("half-speech Lear")

Legend B -- Siluria

Bran's father listed before merge of http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Britain-3 and http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ap_Bladud-1 was Bladud 1st King of Siluria Of Troy-1

Legend C -- about 1 BCE-CE

Bran Fendigaid was born in 0018. Bran Fendigaid Ap Siluria ... ^[3]

He was born 20-10 BCE in Trevan, Llanilid, Glamorganshire, England.

Legend D -- About 50, CE

Brân the Blessed (Welsh: Bendigeidfran or Brân Fendigaidd, literally "Blessed Crow") is a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology. ^[4]

• Bran the Blessed was said to be a British King prior to the Roman Conquest.
• He was taken to Rome as a captive and made a persuasively eloquent speech before the Romans, and was granted his life.
• For house arrest he was placed in the home of St. Paul, who was living in Rome. Joseph of Arimathea and his daughter Anna were part of the household.
• Bran converted to Christianity, married Anna, and returned to England.
• This explains not only how Christianity first came to England, but also how Welsh royalty are descended from the ancient Hebrews.

1300 Mabinogen and the Welsh Triads

Mabinogen Bran the Blessed appears in several of the Welsh Triads, but his most significant role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Branwen ferch Llŷr. He is a son of Llŷr and Penarddun, and the brother of Brânwen, Manawydan, Nisien and Efnysien. The name "Brân" in Welsh is usually translated as crow or raven. ^[4]

The Welsh mythological texts of the Mabinogion were recorded between the 14th and 15th centuries in Middle Welsh. As a result, there are discrepancies regarding the spelling of names, because English translations maintain Middle Welsh orthography whereas Modern Welsh versions use Modern Welsh orthography. In Middle Welsh, there was some variation on the name Brân; other grammatical forms (following the rules of Welsh mutations) include Vran and Uran (Fran in Modern Welsh orthography).^[4]

In the Mabinogion, the character is referred to virtually exclusively as "Bendigeituran"; that is, with the epithet "Bendigeit" (blessed or praiseworthy) attached. The only exceptions are in the patronymic of his son Caradog ap Brân and a single reference to his gathering in Ireland as Gwledd Brân, "The feast of Brân (or 'Crow')". This usage is followed in the Welsh Triads. Bendigeituran becomes "Bendigeidfrân" or "Brân Fendigeid" in Modern Welsh; Bendigeidfran is the form used in many Modern Welsh adaptations of the Mabinogion.[7] ^[5]

However, earlier references generally do not include the epithet, instead calling the character Brân fab Llŷr or simply Brân.^[6] Ifor Williams thought Bendigeit was a late addition, perhaps a replacement for a word that had become obsolete by the time the Mabinogi was recorded. <re name="note8"/> "Vran" appears in an old poem in the Book of Taliesin,[9]

^[7] while Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr and Prydydd y Moch mention Brân fab Llŷr several times in their poetry, under different spellings. However, Bleddyn Fardd refers to "Benigeitran" in his elegy for Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, demonstrating that the epithet "Bendigeit" had been attached to Brân since the late 13th century.[8]^[6]

In West Penwith the name Bran is associated with Caer Bran a Cornish Round and the Men Scryfa which records a Brittonic RIALOBRANI CUNOVALI FILI ('royal raven' son of 'Famous Leader') suggesting a local leader carried the name of the famous hero, the son of a Cynfawl.^[4]

Role in the Mabinogion

The Irish king Matholwch sails to Harlech to speak with Bran the Blessed high king of the Island of the Mighty and to ask for the hand of his sister Branwen in marriage, thus forging an alliance between the two islands. ^[4]

Bendigeidfran agrees to Matholwch's request, but the celebrations are cut short when Efnisien, a half-brother to the children of Llŷr, brutally mutilates Matholwch's horses, angry that his permission was not sought in regard to the marriage. ^[4]

Matholwch is deeply offended until Bran offers him compensation in the form of a magic cauldron that can restore the dead to life. Pleased with the gift, Matholwch and Branwen sail back to Ireland to reign.^[4]

Once in Matholwch's kingdom, Branwen gives birth to a son, Gwern, but Efnysien's insult continues to rankle among the Irish and, eventually, Branwen is mistreated, banished to the kitchen and beaten every day. ^[4]

She tames a starling and sends it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brother Bendigeidfran, who sails from Wales to Ireland to rescue her with his brother, Manawydan and a huge host of warriors, mustered from the 154 cantrefs of Britain. ^[4]

The Irish offer to make peace and build a house big enough to entertain Bendigeidfrân but hang a hundred bags inside, supposedly containing flour but actually containing armed warriors. Efnisien, suspecting treachery, reconnoitres the hall and kills the warriors by crushing their skulls. Later, at the feast, Efnisien, again feeling insulted, murders Gwern by burning him alive, and, as a result, a vicious battle breaks out. Seeing that the Irish are using the cauldron to revive their dead, he hides among the Irish corpses and is thrown into the cauldron by the unwitting enemy. He destroys the cauldron from within, sacrificing himself in the process.^[4]

Only seven men survive the conflict, among them Manawydan, Taliesin and Pryderi fab Pwyll, prince of Dyfed, Branwen having herself died of a broken heart. ^[4]

The survivors are told by a mortally wounded Bran to cut off his head and to return it to Britain. For seven years the seven survivors stay in Harlech, where they are entertained by Bran's head, which continues to speak. They later move on to Gwales (often identified with Grassholm Island off Dyfed) where they live for eighty years without perceiving the passing of time. Eventually, Heilyn fab Gwyn opens the door of the hall facing Cornwall and the sorrow of what had befallen them returns. As instructed they take the now silent head to the Gwynfryn, the "White Hill" (thought to be the location where the Tower of London now stands), where they bury it facing France so as to ward off invasion. The imagery of the talking head is widely considered to derive from the ancient Celtic "cult of the head"; the head was considered the home of the soul.^[4]

According to the Welsh Triads, Brân's head was buried in London where the White Tower now stands. As long as it remained there, Britain would be safe from invasion. However, King Arthur dug up the head, declaring the country would be protected only by his great strength. ^[8]

There have been attempts in modern times to link the still-current practice of keeping ravens at the Tower of London under the care of Yeomen Warder Ravenmaster with this story of Brân, whose name means crow (cigfran means Raven).^[4]

Several scholars have noted similarities between Brân the Blessed and the Arthurian character the Fisher King, the keeper of the Holy Grail. ^[4]

The Fisher King first appears in Chrétien de Troyes's 12th century French romance Perceval, the Story of the Grail; he has been dealt a mortal wound in the leg (Brân's wound was in his foot) but stays alive in his mystical castle due to the effects of the Grail, waiting to be healed by Percival. A later author who took up the story, Robert de Boron, describes the history of the Grail in ancient times, and says the first Fisher King was a man called "Bron". ^[4]

Additionally, the Welsh story Peredur son of Efrawg, a version of the Percival story with several striking deviations, features the hero visiting a mysterious castle, but he does not find the Grail there, but rather a severed human head. Additionally, some works attribute to the Grail the power to restore the fallen, making it somewhat similar to Brân's cauldron. Others have identified Bendigeidfran with the Irish hero Bran mac Febal. ^[9]

John T. Koch proposes a number of parallels between the mythological Bendigeidfran and the historical Celtic chieftain Brennus, who invaded the Balkans in the 3rd century BC.[3] ^[4]

He goes on to suggest an association between Brân and Brancaster, a fort on the Norfolk coast, while Rachel Bromwich suggests that Castell Dinas Brân in Denbighshire is similarly related. ^[9]

Count Nikolai Tolstoy proposes that Brân's original function was that of a psychopomp, guiding the souls of the dead to the Otherworld.[4]^[4]

Brân is praised in the poetry of 12th century bard Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, in which he is described as "a good commander of the host; in battle, in hostile territory, in the contest, in stress", while, in his elegy for Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, Bleddyn Fardd compares the overthrow of the prince to the deaths of Llywelyn Fawr, King Arthur and Brân.[5] ^[4]

A poem found in the Black Book of Carmarthen refers to Bendigeidfran's death in Ireland, claiming that Gwyn ap Nudd was present at the battle, either as a warrior or in his traditional role as a psychopomp.[6]^[4]

1800 Iolo Morganwg Fraud

Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg ([ˈjɔlɔ mɔrˈɡanʊɡ]; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was an influential Welsh antiquarian, poet, collector, and literary forger. He was widely considered a leading collector and expert on medieval Welsh literature in his day, but after his death it was revealed that he had forged a number of his manuscripts, especially parts of the Third Series of Welsh Triads. Nonetheless, he had a lasting impact on Welsh culture, seen most notably in his foundation of the Gorsedd, and the philosophy he developed in his forgeries had a huge impact on the early neo-druid movement. His bardic name is Welsh for "Iolo of Glamorgan" (the county's name is spelt "Morgannwg" in modern Welsh). Iolo is the diminutive of "Iorwerth", a Welsh name often seen as equivalent to "Edward", although neither name is a translation of the other. ^[10]

Morganwg: Role in Conversion of Wales to Christianity

He was the first of the race of the Cymry who was converted to the faith in Christ. ^[11]

His family is the most ancient of the Holy Families of the Island of Britain, and his church is in Llandaff. ^[11]

Arwystli Hen, a man from Italy; he came with Bran, the son of Llyr, to the Island of Britain to teach the Christian faith. ^[11]

Saint Iliid, a man of Israel, who came with Bran, the son of Llyr, from Rome to teach the Christian faith to the race of the Cymry. ^[11]

Eigen, the daughter of Caradoc, the son of Bran, the son of Llyr Llediaith, wife of Sallwg, lord of Garth Mathrin. ^[11]

Saint Lleurwg, called Lleuver Mawr [the great luminary,] the son of Coel, the son of Cyllin, the son of Caradoc, the son of Bran, the son of Llyr Llediaith, sent to Pope Eleutherius to request bishops to confer baptism on those of the race of the Cymry who should believe in Christ. ^[11]

Saint Gwerydd, the son of Cadwn, the son of Cenau, the son of Eudav, of the family of Bran the Blessed, the son of Llyr Llediaith. His church is Llanwerydd, the same as Saint Dunawd. Saint Gwynno, of the family of Bran the Blessed, the son. ^[11]

British History BCE: National CV

See The National CV Rulers BC.

1852 Williams and Rees

Bran and Ilid from Rome to Wales to Teach Christianity

Saint Ilid^[12], a man of Israel, who came with Bran, the son of Llyr, from Rome to teach the Christian faith to the race of the Cymry.
^[13]

Ilid. A saint who is said to have accompanied Bran ab Liyr to Britain, about A. D. 70, with Arwystli Hen, cyndav, and Mawan, and to have been one of the first preachers of the Gospel in this country. Ilid and Cyndav are called men of Israel, which would imply that they were converted Jews. Ilid is said to have converted many of the Cymry to the Christian faith. A saying of his is preserved in "Chwedlau y Doethion," "Hst thou heard the saying of St. ilid, one come of the rase of Israel? There is no madness like extreme anger." (Iolo Morganwg's Welsh MSS.) ^[14]

Death

Following the 1852 account of Williams and Rees, if he returned from Rome in the year 70, his death would have occurred after that time. ^[12]

Gedcom: 10 AD Death

Wikidata has 30 Nov 69.

1861 Morgan: St Paul in Britain

Modern Compilations

2014 Stewart Baldwin

Noted genealogist Stewart Baldwin states plainly, "Unfortunately, these entirely mythical individuals come from various discredited genealogies which are incessantly repeated by amateur genealogists (and also by some who should know better). None of the above individuals ever existed, and any source which claims that they did is not trustworthy. ^[15]

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Directory of Associated Profiles

Mabinogion

Bran the Blessed or Bran Fendigaid has been shown with the following children. Since Bran is a legendary rather than historical figure, these children have been de-linked. There is no expectation that the relationships of legendary persons will fit logical dating patterns! ^[16]

1. Avallach ap Bran. No birth year, possibly born unknown BCE.
2. Caradog ap Bran, born 0035, Glamorganshire, England
3. Beli ap Bran born 0060,
4. Protage ap Bran, or Protage Benardin Bran, born 0110, Glamorgan, Wales.

Morganwg

Other Persons and Profiles Associated with Bran

Beli the Great, son Lud, and grandsons Llyr and Tenvantius

• Beli the Great, around 100 BCE ^[17]

• Lud, son of Beli the Great. Erected walls around London, is said by R W Morgan to have had two sons, ^[17]
• Llyr and Tenvantius; the sons were in fact Androgeus and Tenvantius [see Lud, Cassivelaunus & Nennius]; Llyr is the 39th entry in the Cambrian Genealogy and is there recorded as the son of Baran [Source: The Genealogy of Iestyn, the Son of Gwrgan]; Androgeus's role as a traitor may have played a part in these discrepant accounts [see Julius Caesar]; ^[17]

Llud

Llud Llaw Eirent Ap Beli ...

^[18]

Lludd Llaw Encint (or Llud) (the silver handed), born Britain abt. 80 b.c.. (c) Legendary king of the British mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth's History. Lud is listed as the eldest son of Heli (or Beli), and the brother of the historically real Caswallon, which would place Lud's existence at about 60BC. ^[18]

Llyr Llediath

Bran the Blessed was the son of Llyr Llediaith. ^[11]

Llyr Lleddiarth, born unknown. 75 BC or 100 BCE. Name: Half-speed Lear. Died 10 AD.

National CV says his father is actually named Androgeus. ref name="rulersad"/>

Siblings

Bran Fendigaid -- probably the same person. born date unknown. King of Siluria; Commander of the Bitish Fleet - Monmouthshire, Wales. Married Unknown Ana (probably once daughter of Joseph of Arimathea. Parent of Beli the Great, King of Britons. From Beli a line of descent on WikiTree goes for 11 generations, names only, Unknown, Avallech, Unknown Avallech, etc, no dates. Guneril Of Siluria -- sister, born 0100.

Williams and Rees

Bran the Blessed, the son of Llyr Llediaith, the first of the race of the Cymry who was converted to the faith in Christ ; and his family is the most ancient of the Holy Families of the Island of Britain, and his church is in Llandaff. ^[19][20], a man of Israel, who came with Bran, the son of Llyr, from Rome to teach the Christian faith to the race of the Cymry.

• Eigen, the daughter of Caradoc,
• the son of Bran,
• the son of Llyr Llediaith, wife of Sallwg, lord of Garth Mathrin.

Saint Lleurwg, called Lleuver Mawr [the great luminary],

• the son of Coel,
• the son of Cyllin,
• the son of Caradoc,
• the son of Bran,
• the son of Llyr Llediaith,

sent to Pope Eleutherius to request bishops to confer baptism on those of the race of the Cymry who should believe in Christ.

Saint Gwerydd, the son of Cadwn,

• the son of Cenau,
• the son of Eudav,
• of the family of Bran the Blessed,
• the son of Llyr Llediaith.

His church is Llanwerydd, the same as Saint Dunawd. Saint Gwynno, of the family of Bran the Blessed.^[21]

Draft Guidance on Legendary Welsh Profiles

1. Legendary Welsh Profiles should receive the template Uncertain Existence until they qualify for Disproven Existence.
2. Only facts about real people go in the Biography Section. Information about legendary people should appear in Research Notes.
3. While it is good for biographies of real people to be presented in chronological order of events in their lives, profiles for legendary persons should present the chronology of the legends about them.
4. When the person's supposed father is part of the legend, it can be part of the patronymic LNAB.
5. A person who never existed cannot have parents, spouses and children. Relatives who are part of the legend should be noted in the Research Notes, not the DAta Field.

Sources

1. ↑ Morgan, 154
2. ↑ Morgan, 157
3. ↑
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18} Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
5. ↑ For instance, Dafydd & Rhiannon Ifans' Y Mabinogi. Cited in Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Bromwich, Rachel (2006). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain. University Of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1386-8. Pages 290-292. Cited at Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
7. ↑ Book of Taliesin XIV, "Kerd Veib am Llyr". From Llyfr Taliesin at maryjones.us. Retrieved February 7, 2007. Cited at Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
8. ↑ Bromwich, Rachel (2006). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain. University Of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1386-8. Triad 37. pp. 94–102. Cited at Wikipedia: Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Bromwich, Rachel (2006). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain. University Of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1386-8. p. 290 Cited at Wikipedia: Wikipedia: Bran the Blessed Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
10. ↑ Wikipedia. Iolo Morganwg] Fraud. Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7} Lolo Manuscripts: A Selection of Ancient Welsh Manuscripts, in Prose and Verse, from the Collection Made by the Late Edward Williams, Iolo Morganwg, for the Purpose of Forming a Continuation of the Myfyrian Archaiology; and Subsequently Proposed as Materials for a New History of Wales]. (Google eBook). Iolo Morganwg. W. Rees; sold by Longman and Company, London, 1848 - English literature - 712 pages p. 538. accessed 2014-04-26, amb
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Robert Williams. A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Welshmen: From the Earliest Times to the Present, and Including Every Name Connected with the Ancient History of Wales ... (Google eBook). William Rees, 1852. Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
13. ↑
14. ↑
15. ↑ Stewart Baldwin, Soc.Genealogy.Medieval Google Group. Note 23 April 2014
16. ↑ jhd Jan 27, 2018
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} The National CV Rulers AC. Accessed August 24, 2017. jhd
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} [www.users.qwest.net/~butchmatt Matthew Geneological Research Foundation]
19. ↑ Wikipedia: Arwystli Hen, a man from Italy; he came with Bran, the son of Llyr, to the Island of Britain to teach the Christian faith. Saint Ilid
20. ↑ Robert Williams. "William Rees, 1852" A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Welshmen: From the Earliest Times to the Present, and Including Every Name Connected with the Ancient History of Wales ... (Google eBook).
21. ↑ Iolo Manuscripts, p. 538. accessed 2014-04-26, amb Note the Iolo Morganwg has been shown to have created fraudulent documents and therefore everything sourced to him must be viewed with suspicion.

Bibliography of Frequently Cited Sources

• Morgan, Richard Williams. St. Paul in Britain or, The origin of British as Opposed to Papal Christianity. Oxford and London: J. H. and Jas. Parker, 1861. Morgan's book's main purpose is to present an ancient British Christianity that was different from Papal Christianity, but to do so, he presents accounts of ancient British and Welsh leaders which are now considered mythological.

See also:

• The National CV of Britain, Rulers AD

• Iolo Manuscripts: A Selection of Ancient Welsh Manuscripts, in Prose and Verse, from the Collection Made by the Late Edward Williams, Iolo Morganwg, for the Purpose of Forming a Continuation of the Myfyrian Archaiology; and Subsequently Proposed as Materials for a New History of Wales. (Google eBook). Iolo Morganwg. W. Rees; sold by Longman and Company, London, 1848 - English literature - 712 pages

• John de Wavrin, A Collection of the Chronicles and ancient Histories of Great Britain, now called England, pp. xxvii - xxxi, translated by Will. Hardy: From Albina to A, Part 688 (Google eBook)

• Chronicles of the Early Britons, p. 24.

• The Second Branch - The Mabinogi of Branwen

• David Hughes. British Chronicles, Volume I

• David Nash Ford St. Joseph of Arimathea: Ancestor of Kings?

• Wikipedia: Castell Dinas Bran