Conan Meriadoc
Conan Meriadoc is a legendary British leader credited with founding the Breton Lands.
His story is known by the Welsh text known as The Dream of Macsen Wledig. The text tells of Magnus Maximianus (Macsen Wledic), a Roman usurper of the Valentinian dynasty who was widely regarded as having deprived Britain of its defences when he took its legions to claim the imperial throne.
Conan's sister, Saint Elen, is said to have been Macsen Wledic's wife.
His story is known by the Welsh text known as The Dream of Macsen Wledig. The text tells of Magnus Maximianus (Macsen Wledic), a Roman usurper of the Valentinian dynasty who was widely regarded as having deprived Britain of its defences when he took its legions to claim the imperial throne.
Conan's sister, Saint Elen, is said to have been Macsen Wledic's wife.
Summary
Conan was the son of Eudaf Hen, King of the Britons and heir to the throne. When the throne is offered instead to Macsen Wledig, Conan at first opposes him, but Mascen sees Conan's sister Elen and her kingdom in a dream vision, and seeks her out and marries her.
Conan swears allegiance to Mascen who declares himself Emperor and the leads the armies of Britain to march on Rome, and he conquers Armorica.
Here, he establishes Conan as the king with instructions to found "another Britain", where Conan kills all the men and replaces them with his own soldiers. Conan then orders the tongues of all the women cut out, lest their speech corrupt that of the Britons.
Conan repels numerous attacks from the Gauls and Aquitanians. Later, Mascen is killed in Rome and his fleeing troops return to Armorica and join Conan's settlement.
Conan swears allegiance to Mascen who declares himself Emperor and the leads the armies of Britain to march on Rome, and he conquers Armorica.
Here, he establishes Conan as the king with instructions to found "another Britain", where Conan kills all the men and replaces them with his own soldiers. Conan then orders the tongues of all the women cut out, lest their speech corrupt that of the Britons.
Conan repels numerous attacks from the Gauls and Aquitanians. Later, Mascen is killed in Rome and his fleeing troops return to Armorica and join Conan's settlement.
In Literature
The Dream of Macsen Wledig (The Dream of Emperor Maximian)
Macsen Wledig, the Emperor of Rome, dreams one night of a lovely maiden in a wonderful, far-off land. Awakening, he sends his men all over the earth in search of her. With much difficulty they find her in a rich castle in Britain, daughter of a chieftain based at Caernarfon, and lead the Emperor to her.
Everything he finds is exactly as in his dream. The maiden, whose name is Elen, accepts and loves him.
Macsen gives her father sovereignty over the island of Britain and orders three castles built for his bride. In Macsen's absence, a new emperor seizes power and warns him not to return.
With the help of men from Britain led by Elen's brother Conan Meriadoc, Macsen marched across Gaul and Italy. In gratitude to his British allies, Macsen rewards them with a portion of Gaul that becomes known as the Breton Lands.
Macsen Wledig, the Emperor of Rome, dreams one night of a lovely maiden in a wonderful, far-off land. Awakening, he sends his men all over the earth in search of her. With much difficulty they find her in a rich castle in Britain, daughter of a chieftain based at Caernarfon, and lead the Emperor to her.
Everything he finds is exactly as in his dream. The maiden, whose name is Elen, accepts and loves him.
Macsen gives her father sovereignty over the island of Britain and orders three castles built for his bride. In Macsen's absence, a new emperor seizes power and warns him not to return.
With the help of men from Britain led by Elen's brother Conan Meriadoc, Macsen marched across Gaul and Italy. In gratitude to his British allies, Macsen rewards them with a portion of Gaul that becomes known as the Breton Lands.
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