Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles

Deywr / Deifr

Part of the kingdom of Ebrauc, Deywr's original territorial boundaries are probably mirrored in the modern county boundaries of East Yorkshire, and it is likely that the region regarded Petuaria (modern Brough) as its local capital, until this lost its importance in the mid-fourth century, perhaps because the harbour had silted up. The main military post moved to Malton. From at least the early fifth century laeti were hired and settled locally in order to protect the north eastern shoreline of Britain.

The traditional pedigree of the Anglian royal family which later ruled the area, claiming descent from Waegdaeg's Folk, suggests that these laeti settled on the coast under their own leaders on lands allotted to them by their British paymasters, and often within the structure of existing estates. In one version of the Anglian pedigree there is a note against the name of one Soemil to the effect that 'he first separated Deira from Bernicia'. A direct ancestor of Edwin (612-632), Soemil could have been a prominent figure among the Yorkshire laeti in the fifth century. It looks as if he was remembered for the leading part he played in making his people independent (at least nominally) from the regional British authority.

In 559 or 560, the long-lived king of Ebrauc died, and the Angles under their leader, Ælle, seem to have taken total control with very little fuss. In their northern Teutonic tongue, they pronounced Deywr as Deira. They quickly overwhelmed Ebrauc.

c.420 - 559

Deywr is part of the territory belonging to the kingdom of Northern Britain with is governed from Ebrauc. Anglian laeti are settled along the coast to serve in the defence of the coastline against raiders, and the leader of these is possibly one Saebald, son of Sigegeat of Waegdaeg's Folk in Angeln, and ancestor of the later first Anglian king of Deira.

c.420

Saebald / Sibald

Leader of the Anglian laeti upon their first arrival from Angeln?

c.440

Saefugul / Segulf / Saefugel

Son.

c.460

Soemel / Soemil / Saefugel (II)

Son. Assumed a level of independence for the Angles in Deywr?

c.480

Uestorualcna / Sguerthing / Westerfalea

Son.

There is also a Sguerthing who is king of the Geats, and probably a contemporary. Given that it is likely that Angles are in Deywr at this time, then there are either two leading figures with the same name at the same approximate time at either end of the North Sea, or Sguerthing and his descendants have not yet arrived to take control of the Angles in this region of Britain. Either is possible, although that would make these Anglian kings into Geats. A third option (perhaps the most favourable) is that the names simply become confused in oral tradition or later written form.

Colgrin

Saxon' leader, led a massive alliance of Scots, Picts and Irish.

Colgrin is mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth as a 'Saxon' leader who leads a wide-ranging alliance against Arthur, high king of Britain, along with Badulf his brother and Duke Cheldric, a Saxon who brings a powerful force with him from Germany (probably Childeric I, king of the Salian Franks of Yssel at this time). Colgrin is actually an eleventh century Anglo-Norman name with Old Norse ancestry (see the Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 1338, Sources), making it a modern name in Geoffrey's terms.

Ultimately all three are killed in battle against Arthur as he successfully reclaims Britain from Saxon infiltration. Unfortunately, in reality, although Arthur is almost certainly able to stem the Germanic advance, he is not able to reclaim areas such as Kent and possibly Lindsey, while Deira itself is apparently still a subject region of Ebrauc (although possibly semi-autonomous) with a large population of Angles who serve as laeti.

c.500

Uilgils / Giulglis / Wilgils

Son.

c.520

Uuscfrea / Ulfrea / Uxfrea

Son.

c.540

Yffi / Iffi / Yffe

Son. Father of Ælle.

559

The Deiran Angles take full independent control of Dewyr under Ælle.