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Discover life events, stories and photos about King Coel III Hen Godebog ap Guotepauc of Britannia (0340–0420) of Northumbria, England.
- Male
- Ystradwel Verch Gadeon
Possibly the King who invited Saxon mercenaries to Britain. Note: Although his domain included much of traditional Gododdin, he didn't rule the Gododdin tribe, who had been ushed north into the Lothians, by the Brigantes. Born: abt. 360 Died: abt. 420. HM George I's 29-Great Grandfather. HRE Ferdinand I's 34-Great Grandfather.
- Disambiguation
- Biography
- Research Notes: by Source
- Research Notes: by Topic and Question
- Research Notes: Wife and Children
- Sources
Coel Hen is not to be confused with Duke (King) Coel II of Kaercolvin-1 Colchester (c. 200) who was married to Strada verch Cadvan The Fair of Cambria, (pic #2) or Coel I Of_Britain-13, son of Maurius(pic #1 near bottom). There are 3 Coels:: 1. Coel I - Coellus in Holinshed ([see pic #1 above Monarchs, table column 3, entry 5]); Coel I was of weste...
Projections back from dated individuals suggest that Coel Hen lived around AD 350–420, during the time of the Roman departure from Britain. Coel's frequent appearance in legend and literature suggests that such a person actually existed. However, the earliest version of the Welsh Brut Tysylio dates to the 13th century. The story (and it's variation...
Harleian Genealogies
Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen (Coel the Old), a circa 4th century leader in Roman or Sub-Roman Britain and the progenitor of several kingly lines in the Hen Ogledd ("the Old North"), the Brittonic-speaking part of what is now northern England and southern Scotland. Coel Hen appears in the Harleian genealogies and the later pedigrees known as the Bonedd Gwŷr y Gogledd(The Descent of the Men of the North) at the head of several post-Roman royal families of the Hen Ogledd ("Old North"...
Colchester legend (12th century) and Saint Helen
By the 12th century, Coel had become attached to the "Colchester legend", which claimed Coel was a ruler of Colchester in Essex and the father of Saint Helena, and therefore the grandfather of Constantine the Great. The legend originated from a folk etymology indicating that Colchester was named for Coel (supposedly from "Coel" and "castrum", producing "fortress of Coel"). However, the city was actually known as Colneceaster until the n was dropped in around the 10th century; its name likely...
Geoffrey of Monmouth
In the mid-twelfth century, two works appeared which added to the legend: Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae. (History of the Kings of Britain) and Henry of Huntingdon's HIstoria Anglorum(History of England). In both of these works, King Coel of Colchester became the father of Empress Saint Helena, and therefore the grandfather of Constantine the Great. Diana Greenway notes that the passages are clearly related, even using some of the same words, but it is not clear which versio...
What Variations are there on his Name?
His name varies with the language in which it appears: 1. Coil (Old Welsh). He also appears as Coil Guotepauc (Cole the Protector) in Old Welsh. 2. Coel (Welsh). In the transition from Old Welsh, Coil Guotepauc becomes Coel Godebog (Cole the Protector). However, Charles-Edwards notes that some of the Harleian genealogies list Godebog as Coel's father. He also appears as Coel Hen (Coel the Old). 3. Coillus (Latin). In his Historia Regum Britanniae, Geoffrey of Monmouth shows the name both as C...
Was he the Old King Cole of Nursery Rhyme?
Coel Hen is believed to be the subject of the familiar nursery rhyme: 1. Old King Cole was a merry old soul 2. And a merry old soul was he. 3. He called for his pipe, 4. And he called for his bowl, 5. And he called for his fiddlers, three. However, in the Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, Opie and Opie note that ""Because there is said to have been a Prince Cole in the third century A.D.... it does not follow that the song 'Old (or Good) King Cole' dates back to that period, even in the un...
Development of the Legend
By the 12th century, Coel had become attached to the "Colchester legend", which claimed he was a ruler of Colchester in Essex and the father of Saint Helena, and therefore the grandfather of Constantine the Great. The legend originated from a folk etymology indicating that Colchester was named for Coel (supposedly from "Coel" and "castrum", producing "fortress of Coel"). However, the city was actually known as Colneceaster until the n was dropped in around the 10th century; its name likely co...
Whom did he marry?
Did he marry Seradvan? Did he marry Meric?
Did he have children?
Legendary Issue identified by Boyer Boyer identifies two children, both of them listed by Bartrum, but derived from legend: 1. Ceneu, born 382 2. Gwawl, who married Cunedda Wledig. born 388. Other issue linked on WikiTree 1. Trahaern, date unknown 2. Garbonian, born 390
The National CVMacQuarrie, Alan (1993). "The Kings of Strathclyde : c.400 - 1018". In Grant, A.; Stringer, K (eds.). Medieval Scotland : Crown, Lordship and Community : essays presented to G.W.S.Bar...Geoffrey of Monmouth. Historia Regum Brittaniae (History of the Kings of Britain.)Book 5 Chapter 6. Wikisource. Accessed 6/24/2019 jhdWikipedia: Coel_Hen Accessed 6/24/2019 jhd- Male
- Ystrafael Ferch Cadfan
Coel Hen, King of Gododdin was born in 380, in birth place, to Guotepauc Ap Tegfan and Ms. Tegfan (born England). Coel had 6 siblings: Rhufoning Hen, Meirionydd Hen and 4 other siblings. Coel married Ystradwal Ferch Hen (born Cadfan) circa 381, at age one. Ystradwal was born in 370, in birth place.
Coel Hen Guotepauk ap-Tegfan Koning van Bretagne was born in the year 350, son of Tegfan ap-Deheweint van Bretagne. He was married to Ystradwal verch-Cadfan van Domnonée, they had 2 children. He died on November 19, 420. This information is part of West-Europese adel by Pieter on Genealogy Online.
Jul 28, 2024 · Later medieval legend told of a Coel, apparently derived from Coel Hen, who was the father of Saint Helena and the grandfather of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Other similarly-named characters may be confused or conflated with the Welsh Coel.
Feb 3, 2016 · Coel Hen Guotepauk ap TEGFAN was born about 350 in Bretagne, France, son of Tegfan ap DEHEWEINT. He was married about 395 in Bretagne, France to Ystradwal verch-Cadfan de DOMNONÉE, they had 2 children.
