Editing Maelgwn Gwynedd (section)

=== 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>