Editing Maelgwn Gwynedd (section)

== Fictional tradition ==
As a famous king of the past, Maelgwn's name figures strongly in Welsh legend. It is used more often than most in questionable accounts of history and in genuine efforts at history that either invent fictions of their own or repeat the fictions of others as though they were true. Some of the most significant sources of misinformation about Maelgwn are:

=== The ''History of the Kings of Britain'' ===
[[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s 12th century [[pseudohistory|pseudohistorical]] ''[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]'' includes Maelgwn (Malgo) as a character in its account of [[Great Britain|British]] history. It says that [[Saint David]] was buried at [[St Davids]] on the command of "Malgo, king of the Venedotians",<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1848|pp=271}}, ''History of Britain''</ref> that Malgo addicted himself to sodomy,<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1848|pp=272}}, ''History of Britain''</ref> and that he was succeeded by a certain [[Careticus]].<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1848|pp=273}}, ''History of Britain''</ref> It adds that Britain had groaned under the barbarians since the time of Malgo,<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1848|pp=278}}, ''History of Britain''</ref> that Malgo was the fourth king of Britain after [[King Arthur|Arthur]],<ref name="Giles 1848 282">{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1848|pp=282}}, ''History of Britain''</ref> and that Malgo had two sons, Ennianus and Runo.<ref name="Giles 1848 282"/>

Scholars contend that there is no authority for any of this except Geoffrey's fertile imagination. Historically, [[Rhun ap Maelgwn]] was Maelgwn's son and successor (though this may be the "Runo" Geoffrey refers to). Geoffrey appears to twist [[Gildas]]' words to obtain his reference to [[sodomy]]. In his condemnation of 5 British kings in the ''De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae'', Gildas refers to [[wine]] as "sodomitical" but never applies that word to any person.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Giles|1841|pp=29}}, ''The Works of Gildas''. For example, in his condemnation of Maelgwn, Gildas says "... why art thou (as if soaked in the wine of the Sodomitical grape) foolishly rolling ...". The term is repeated elsewhere as well, with the same context.</ref>

=== The ''Brut Tysilio'' ===
Once attributed to [[Saint Tysilio]] (died 640), the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Britain'' was written c. 1500 as an amalgam of earlier versions of the ''[[Brut y Brenhinedd]]'', a derivative of Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. Among its spurious claims is that Maelgwn Gwynedd came to the crown following [[Vortiporius|Vortiper]], that he was succeeded by a certain Caretig, that he was the fourth king of all Britain after [[King Arthur|Arthur]], and that he had two sons, Einion and Rhun.<ref>{{Citation |year=1811 |editor-last=Roberts |editor-first=Peter |title=Chronicle of the Kings of Britain; Translated from the Welsh Copy Attributed to Tysilio |publisher=E. Williams |publication-date=1811 |location=London |pages=173, 174, 183
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eYrTAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>

=== The ''Iolo Manuscripts'' ===
Maelgwn Gwynedd is mentioned repeatedly in the spurious 18th century ''Iolo Manuscripts'' of [[Iolo Morganwg]]. His three Chief Bards are named, and he is proclaimed King Paramount over the other kings.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=461}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> A Maelgwn Hir of Llandaff is described, and said to be commonly mistaken for Maelgwn Gwynedd.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=465–466}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> [[Taliesin]] is said to have been dispossessed of his property by Maelgwn, and so cursed him.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=467}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> Saint Eurgain is said to be Maelgwn's daughter.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=497}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> [[Cwyllog|Saint Cwyllog]], daughter of Caw Cawlwyd of [[Twrcelyn|Twr Celyn]], had been given lands by Maelgwn Gwynedd.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=507}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> In "The Three Holy Families of the Isle of Britain", there is a story of Caw and his children who had been driven from their lands by the Gwyddelian Picts, and who then came to Wales and were given land in Anglesey by Maelgwn.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Williams|1810|pp=508}}, ''The Iolo MSS.''</ref> Without independent and reputable verification, the material found in the ''Iolo Manuscripts'' is considered to be the product of Iolo's fertile imagination.

=== The ''Tale of Taliesin'' ===
The ''Tale of Taliesin'' (''Hanes Taliesin'' or ''Ystoria Taliesin'') is a genuine legendary story about [[Taliesin]] which is preserved in two principal redactions dating from the mid-16th century and the early 17th century but which probably derives from older sources.<ref>Patrick K. Ford (ed.); ''Ystoria Taliesin'', University of Wales Press, 1992. Annotated edition of the two texts.</ref> It was first printed in [[Lady Charlotte Guest]]'s translation of the ''[[Mabinogion]]'': the notes to that edition are the work of [[Iolo Morganwg]] and contain inaccuracies and some of his inventions. The story itself tells of events where the Taliesin of legend is placed in difficult or impossible situations but invariably overcomes all obstacles, usually through feats of magic. Maelgwn Gwynedd is conspicuously depicted in a negative light, being foiled in unscrupulous actions of deceit and being outwitted.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Charlotte|1877|pp=471–503}}, ''Taliesin''</ref>

The historical Taliesin was actually a contemporary of Maelgwn Gwynedd's son and successor [[Rhun Hir ap Maelgwn|Rhun]]. An elegy for Rhun, the ''Marwnad Rhun'' ({{langx|en|Elegy of Rhun}}) was once attributed to Taliesin by some scholars.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Morris-Jones|1918|pp=209–222}}, Taliesin's ''Marwnad Rhun (Elegy of Rhun)''</ref> but is now considered to be of later provenance and is no longer accepted as his work.<ref>Ifor Williams (ed.); ''Canu Taliesin'', University of Wales Press, 1960, introduction.</ref> There is nothing to connect the historical Taliesin with Maelgwn Gwynedd, although references to the legend are found in medieval Welsh poems.<ref>''Canu Taliesin'', introduction.</ref>

=== The ''Chronicle of the Scottish Nation'' ===
According to the account of [[John of Fordun]]'s ''Chronicle of the Scottish Nation'', written c. 1360, a certain "Maglo, King of the Britons" asks for aid from King Aydanus. There is nothing to link Maelgwn Gwynedd to the Pictish king, Fordun's claim notwithstanding. In the next section, Fordun says that later on it is "Cadwallo, King of the Britons" who is receiving aid from King Aydanus.<ref>{{Citation |last=John of Fordun |authorlink=John of Fordun |year=1360 |editor-last=Skene |editor-first=William Forbes |editor-link=William Forbes Skene |contribution=Aydanus sends assistance to Malgo, King of the Britons |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gb4PAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA105 |title=John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish Nation |publisher=Edmonston and Douglas |publication-date=1872 |location=Edinburgh |pages=105–106}}</ref>

This story is repeated uncritically in some later histories, and subsequently "Malgo the Briton" is mentioned in [[Thomas Stephens (historian)|Thomas Stephens]]' notes on an 1888 publication of ''[[Y Gododdin]]'', with the stated suggestion that Maelgwn was an ally of "Aeddan" against the [[Picts|Pictish]] king [[Bridei I|Bridei]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Stephens |first=Thomas |authorlink=Thomas Stephens (historian) |year=1888 |editor-last=Powel |editor-first=Thomas |title=The Gododdin of Aneurin Gwawdrydd |publisher=Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion |publication-date=1888}}</ref> Fordun's ''Chronicle'' is given as one of Stephens' references.

=== The Pictish king Bridei ===
[[Bridei I|Bridei]] (died c. 584) was the son of a certain Maelchon (or Melcho, or Maelchú in [[Ireland|Irish]] records). Aside from having a similar name, there is nothing that connects the father of Bridei to Maelgwn Gwynedd.

Of those who have promoted a connection, perhaps the most notable person of late is [[John Morris (historian)|John Morris]] in his ''Age of Arthur'', where he refers in passing and without authority, to "... Bridei, son of Maelgwn, the mighty king of north Wales, ...".<ref>{{Citation |last=Morris |first=John |authorlink=John Morris (historian) |year=1973 |title=The Age of Arthur: a history of the British Isles from 350 to 650 |publisher=Weidenfeld and Nicolson |publication-date=1973 |location=London |page=192}}</ref> Though the book has been a commercial success, it is disparaged by historians as an unreliable source of "misleading and misguided" information.<ref>D. P. Kirby and J. E. C. Williams, "Review of ''The Age of Arthur''", ''Studia Celtica'', 10-11 (1975-1976), pp. 454–486; "an outwardly impressive piece of scholarship", it went on to argue that this apparent scholarship "crumbles upon inspection into a tangled tissue of fact and fantasy which is both misleading and misguided".</ref>

=== Later fiction ===
As a famous king of the past, Maelgwn has been associated with unsubstantiated but popular legends and stories throughout history. Modern authors have occasionally used his name as a character in fictional stories. These include the trilogies of [[Traci Harding]], Mary Gilgannon's historical novels, and a fantasy novel by [[Nikolai Tolstoy]].