List of kings of Dumnonia

The kings of Dumnonia were the rulers of the large

Legendary 'Dukes of Cornwall' recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth

• Caradoc (c. 290 – c. 305)
• Donault, brother of Caradoc (c. 305 – c. 340)

Presumed kings appearing in the ancestries of later monarchs

• Conan Meriadoc ap Gereint, '"Conan the Merry" (c. 340 – c. 387)
• Gadeon ap Conan (c. 387 – c. 390)
• Guoremor ap Gadeon (c. 387 – c. 400)
• Tutwal ap Guoremor (c. 400 – c. 410)
• Conomor ap Tutwal (c. 410 – c. 435)
• Constantine Corneu
  ap Conomar, "Constantine of Cornwall" (c. 435 – c. 443)

Kings recorded in Welsh records and literature

• Erbin ap Constantine (c. 443 – c. 480)
• Geraint Llyngesic ab Erbin, "Gerren the Fleet Owner" (c. 480 – c. 514)
• Cado ap Gerren (c. 514 – c. 530)
• Saint Custennin
  " (c. 530 – c. 560)
• Gerren rac Denau ap Custennin, "Gerren for the South" (c. 560 – c. 598)

William of Malmesbury

• Gwrgan: William of Malmesbury reports the terms of a grant of land made by King Gwrgan of Damnonia to the "old church" at Glastonbury in AD 601 in the time of Abbot Worgret.^[3]

Possible rulers given in the early 17th-century Book of Baglan as ancestors of an 'Earl of Cornwall'^[4]

• Bledric ap Custennin (c. 598 – c. 613)
• Clemen ap Bledric (c. 613 – c. 633)
• Petroc Baladrddellt ap Clemen, "Petroc Splintered Spear" (c. 633 – c. 654)
• Culmin ap Petroc (c. 659 – c. 661)
• Donyarth ap Culmin (c. 661 – c. 700)

Kings recorded in Anglo-Saxon sources

• Geraint (c. 700 – c. 710)

Breton Princes of Armorican Dumnonia, from the Life of Saint Winnoc;

see also Domnonée. (The earlier portion follows the Dumnonian line beginning with Gereint, Cado, Erbin, Guitol ap Gradlon, Marchell, and Riothamus^[5])

• Riwal (510–520)
• Deroch (520–535), son of Riwal
• Iona (535–540), son of Deroch
• Judual (Judwal), son of Iona (540–545)
• Conomor (540–555), count of Poher, first regent, then usurper, possibly Mark of Cornwall
• Judwal (555–580, re-established)
• Judaël (580–605), older son of Judwal
• Haëloc (605–610), younger son of Judaël
• Saint Judicael (r. 610–640, † 647/652), elder son of Judaël, abdicated
• Judoc (r. 640–640, † 669), younger son of Judaël, renounced the throne
• Saint Winnoc (r. 640, † 717), possibly a son of Judicael, renounced the throne.

Native tradition

Susan Pearce views the only native 4th- to 7th-century Dumnonian rulers known to history as:

• Constantine (Welsh Custennin Gorneu), mentioned in De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae
• Erbin
• Geraint (Welsh Geraint fab Erbin)
• Cadwy (Cado)

Pearce identifies Constantine with the Constantine mentioned by Gildas, anchoring his reign to the 6th century, and giving later dates for the reigns of Erbin, Geraint, and Cadwy.^[6]

Cornish kings

By the end of the 8th century, Dumnonia was much reduced in size by the advance of the West Saxons and the remaining territory became a rump state in Cornwall.

Recorded in Old Welsh documents, Saints' Lives and in local and Arthurian tradition

• King Mark – of Tristan and Iseult fame. According to Cornish folklore, he held court at Tintagel.
• King Salomon – father of Saint Cybi, probably ruled after Mark; not to be confused with Salomon, King of Brittany.
• Dungarth – was recorded by the Annales Cambriae as having drowned in 876. The Annales refer to him as "rex Cerniu", King of Cornwall.

In records open to interpretation

• Ricatus (fl. c.900s) is mentioned on a memorial stone; he may have ruled a more localised region.
• Athelstan of Wessex as his overlord. 'West Wales' was an old term for Dumnonia or Cornwall, but may also refer to present day West Wales, then generally known as Deheubarth, where Hywel Dda was king.^[8][9]

An early 17th century pedigree of a so-called 'Earl of Cornwall' in the Book of Baglan may possibly represent a list of rulers in Cornwall.^[4]

• Ithel Eiddyn ap Donyarth (Ithel the Rock) (c.710–c.715)
• Dyfnwal Boifunall ap Ithel (Dyfnwal of Boifunall) (fl. c.730s)
• Cawrdolli ap Dyfnwal (fl. c.750s)
• Oswallt ap Cawrdolli (fl. c.770s)
• Hernam ap Oswallt (fl. c.790s)
• Hopkin ap Hernam (fl. c.810s)
• Mordaf ap Hopkin (fl. c.830s)
• Fferferdyn ap Mordaf (fl. c.850s)
• Donyarth (c.865–c.876)
• Eluid ap Fferferdyn (fl. c.880s)
• Alanorus ap Eluid (fl. c.890s)

Others

• William I of England at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 in order to remain Earl of Cornwall.^[10]
• In the De Gestis Herewardi Saxonis written in the 12th century it is recorded that Hereward the Wake took refuge in Cornwall in the 11th century at the court of the Cornish Prince or King Alef.^[11]

Cornish earls

If he is not to be identified with Hywel Dda of Deheubarth, the singularly recorded Huwal could have been the last native king. Some of the later supposed rulers listed below are given the title 'Earl of Cornwall'.

• Conan (c.926–c.937)
• Rolope ap Alanorus (fl. c.940s)
• Vortegyn Helin ap Rolope (Vortegyn the High Lord) (fl. c.960s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex'
• Veffyne ap Vortegyn (fl. c.980s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex'
• Alured ap Veffyne (fl. c.1000s) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex'
• Godwyn ap Alured (fl. c.1010) as 'Duke of Cornwall and Wessex', possibly Godwin, Earl of Wessex
• Herbert FitzGodwyn (fl. c.1050)
• Condor of Cornwall (pre-1066–c.1068; probably legendary^[10])
• Robert, Comte de Mortain
  (c.1068–c.1084)
• William FitzRobert
  (c.1084–c.1106) (opposed by Cadoc ap Cador)
• Cadoc (fl. c.1100; probably legendary^[10])

References