Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles

Glastenning

The territory around and mostly to the west of Glastonbury was a sub-kingdom of Dumnonia, and came under its overall control. Based on Ynys Witrin (modern Glastonbury, which was known to the early Saxons in the region as Glestingaburg. It is otherwise known as the Isle of Avalon, 'Avalon' being an old Celtic word for apples, the legendary resting place of Arthur). The kingdom probably covered much of modern Somerset.

From the mid-sixth century its immediate rule was under the king of Dogfeilion, which itself was a sub-kingdom of Gwynedd. The son of Cyndrwyn Glas, Morfael, also became the ruler of the Roman city of Letocetum (Caer-Luit-Coyt) in the eastern half of Pengwern, and his younger brother became king of all of Pengwern, probably upon Morfael's death.

fl c.550

Cyndrwyn Glas (the Blue)

King of Dogfeilion & Glastenning.

c.570s

The name of the last king of Caer Gloui is rather remarkable in that it breaks down as 'Con' meaning 'dog' and 'mail/fael' meaning servant. Speculatively speaking, this 'dog servant' may have links to the kings of Glastenning to their south. Cyndrwyn Glas is also king of Dogfeilion, which name means 'servant of [the god] Dagda'.

577

Once the West Seaxe make the breakthrough of defeating Caer Baddan, Caer Ceri, and Caer Gloui, the heartland of eastern Dumnonia, and Glastenning itself, are under direct threat. However, it seems likely that the three cities had been receiving military support from Glastenning or Dumnonia, and that these kingdoms hold onto the West Wansdyke territory afterwards.

It may also be possible that an access corridor is maintained along the eastern bank of the Severn which allows the kings of Glastenning to reach the Midlands of Pengwern and further west, to Dogfeilion. While a king of Dogfeilion rules Glastenning in the middle of this century, it seems a subsidiary branch from Pengwern has gained it by the early seventh century.

Glast ap Cyndrwyn?

Extrapolated from the name of his son, Morfael.

c.610s - 620s

It is around this time that the Britons of Glastenning found Glastonbury Abbey, which remains one of Britain's best known abbeys until its closure at the Dissolution.

c.612

This point marks the first appearance of the Dogfeilion in Powys and Pengwern. Given Welsh emphasis on ancestry to qualify for a throne, it seems likely that a Dogfeilion leader (probably Cyndrwyn Glas) had married a daughter of the king of Powys, qualifying his descendants to rule Powys by the rules of descent of Gwynedd (which had been inherited from their ancestors, the Pictish Venicones). Romans and Romano-British use primogeniture, but the Pictish rules are that any descendant, regardless of the form of that descent, is qualified to inherit (meaning that even bastard sons of wayward daughters can show up and claim a piece of a territory or even kingship). The fact that the Dogfeilion are accepted as rulers of Powys (and the part of Powys that is known as Pengwern) is very telling. There has to be a valid claim of descent.

fl c.612

Morfael ap Glast

King of Caer-Luit-Coyt (Eastern Pengwern) & Glastenning.

fl c.645

Morgan Glas (the Blue)

King of Glastenning.

652 - 658

Two West Seaxe victories in 652 and 658 sees them occupy the entire Glastonbury region and the British kingdom ceases to exist. Ynys Witrin is rendered as 'Glestingaburg' by the local Somersetae settlers, and the abbey recently founded there survives and prospers.