Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles

Cornubia (Corniu / Cerniw / Cornwall) (Romano-Britons)

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With the expulsion of Roman officials in AD 409 (see feature link), Britain again became independent of Rome and was not re-occupied. The fragmentation which had begun to emerge towards the end of the fourth century now appears to have accelerated, with minor princes, newly declared kings, and Roman-style magistrates all vying for power and influence while also facing the threat of extinction at the hands of the various barbarian tribes which were encroaching from all sides.

The former tribal territory of the Cornovii re-emerged as Cornubia, an apparent subsidiary territory of the greater Dumnonian kingdom to its east. The Isles of Scilly to the west, sometimes known in traditional sources as Lyonesse, appears to have been a Cornish sub-territory. According to tradition and the few early writings available, Cornubia was first created a sub-kingdom either by the Dumnonian king, Constantine Corneu, or upon his death around AD 443.

This may have been its first spell as a (semi-) independent territory since the first century AD. Penwith, the upper westernmost cantref (or district), was for a time a principality in its own right, being held by the sixth century King Tewdr Mawr of Armorica.

Cornubia was the last British territory in the south of the country (outside Wales) to retain its independence from the English kingdoms. As Dumnonia was slowly squeezed westwards, it and Cornubia merged into a single entity, generally Cornish in nature.

Known as Cornubia in Roman and immediately post-Roman Britain, the name became corrupted by the dramatic changes in the British language in the sixth and seventh centuries, and also by being passed through Welsh hands. The name means 'people of the horn', ie the Land's End section of the Cornish peninsula.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information by Edward Dawson, from The Landscape of King Arthur, Geoffrey Ashe, from History of the Kings of Britain, Geoffrey of Monmouth, from De Excidio Brittaniae et Conquestu (On the Ruin of Britain), Gildas (J A Giles, Ed & Trans, 1841, published as part of Six Old English Chronicles (Henry G Bohn, London, 1848)), from the Annales Cambriae, James Ingram (taken from the Harleian manuscript, the earliest surviving version, London, Everyman Press, 1912), from the Ravenna Cosmography (compiled by an anonymous cleric), from The Cambridge Historical Encyclopaedia of Great Britain and Ireland, Christopher Haigh (Ed), from The Oxford History of England: Roman Britain, Peter Salway, from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, Anne Savage (translator and collator, Guild Publishing, 1983), from A History of the English Church and People, The Venerable Bede (Leo Sherley-Price translation - revised by R E Latham), and from The Age of Arthur, John Morris.)

c.430

A theory by Dr John Morris, not fully accepted by modern scholars, is that there are two periods in this century in which elements of the Cornovii of the Midlands are moved into the south-west of Britain: Cornubia.

According to the theory, around this time, the leading nobles of Viroconium move to Dumnonia, transplanting their Cornovian name to the western peninsula and ruling over the Dumnonians.

Part of this theory is the suggestion that the Dumnonian King Constantine of circa 530 is unflatteringly described by Gildas as a 'tyrant whelp of the filthy lioness of Dumnonia' (see feature link), suggesting, however obliquely, that he may not himself be a Dumnonian. The suggestion is so oblique that many scholars can easily brush it aside.

By this time, Dumnonia and its territories in Cornwall had probably extended into the former lands of the Durotriges in neighbouring Dorset (click or tap on map to view full sized)

c.440 - 441

Saxon foederati and laeti (settled on the east coast and Thames Valley, and probably increased in number since the barbarian raids on Britain of 409) take advantage of the unrest and openly revolt.

The Gallic Chronicles report large sections of Britain under Germanic control by 441 following Saxon revolt. Communications between Britain and Gaul are disrupted. The migration of Romano-British towards Dumnonia and Cornubia and from there into Armorica turns into a torrent (see feature link).

c.443 - c.510

Dumnonia is divided by Constantine Corneu, with the main kingdom going to his son Erbin. Cornubia is governed as a sub-kingdom by Erbin's younger brother, Merchion. The Latin form of his name is probably Marcianus, which is linked to an official or governor of the same name in Cernyw at around this time, Marius.

443 - after 500

Son of Constantine Corneu, king of Dumnonia.

c.450

In its Welsh form, Merchion's name is intriguing. The '-ion' ending of Merchion (or Meirchion) is a plural suffix, so his people, not him, would be the Meirchion. His name would be Meirch, with his 'people (or followers) of Meirch'. Meirch has survived as March.

Duke Gorlois of Cornwall (Cornubia) and his wife, Igraine, as depicted in the illustration for Warwick Deeping's 1903 work, Uther and Igraine

The Arthurian 'Duke of Cornwall' is one Gorlois, who is more readily known in later Welsh as Gwrlais. This individual does not appear to be tied to the genealogies of any kings of south-west Britain, making it impossible to attempt to pin him down.

According to later tradition, he is cuckolded by Uther Pendragon when the latter besieges his castle at Tintagel and tricks his way inside to lay with his beautiful wife, Igraine. The son born of this meeting is Arthur, the future battle leader and possible high king. How he fits in with Marcianus is unknown.

c.460

As a continuation of the theory by Dr John Morris, he suggests that at this time the majority of the Cornovii migrate from the Midlands, now within a territory known as the Paganes, and settle in Cornubia.

Whilst in general this seems unlikely, it could happen as part of the general migration of people in southern Britain towards the comparative safety of the south-west and possible migration onwards to Armorica. It could also be due to a far earlier fracturing of the tribe, perhaps in the face of the arrival of Belgae groups in the second and first centuries BC.

St Sampson's Church in Gollant, Cornwall, is traditionally where King Mark, son of Marcianus, and his wife worshipped, as did Tristan and Iseult (click or tap on image to view the full church tour page for this area)

c.500

According to tradition, the territory of the Isles of Scilly (the kingdom of Lyonesse) is granted to Merchion's younger son(-in-law), while his elder son inherits Cornubia. It is around this time, in the fifth century, that the former hill fort of the Cornovii, Castle Dore, is re-inhabited as a royal residence.

This is probably by Cyn-March who, by his appearance in later Arthurian stories, may be a ruler of some note. A large hall is built in wood within the fort's enclosure along with two other wooden buildings, although one school of thought regards this as a Roman-period occupation.

Tradition, however, places Cyn-March very firmly at Castle Dore, the Lancien, a form of Lantyan, of Béroul. The name Lantyan still exists and is part of a farm to the south of Lostwithiel, and to a nearby wood beside the River Fowey.

fl c.500

Son. Prince of Poher? Meirchion's brother-in-law (Lyonesse).

c.510

The Welsh version of Mark's name is interesting: Cyn-march. The first part, 'cyn', is 'dog', so his name means 'dog of March' - March being his father, of course. Literally speaking, the son is the father's dog!

Perhaps the later Welsh genealogists who record his name in works which have survived (as opposed to earlier materials which may be lost) fail to understand the name properly, as they tag on 'ap Meirchion', 'son of Meirchion'.

Cyn-March is best known for his appearance in early Arthurian literature as 'King Mark of Cornwall'. There, he is the uncle to Tristan (of Lyonesse), who falls in love with the king's wife, Iseult. Tristan manages to escape when the king discovers his treachery, and the couple are later forgiven. Tristan & Iseult portrays Mark in a sympathetic fashion.

The story of Tristan and Iseult is possibly one of the earliest of the Arthurian cycle of tales, and therefore has a much deeper rooting in possible historical fact

Later works paint him in increasingly darker tones, making him more and more evil and less of a sympathetic figure. One late version even has him going so far as to destroy Camelot (likely Cadbury Castle) soon after the death of Arthur.

His daughter is St Crida who apparently founds a community of Christian nuns at the site of the later St Crida's Church (see feature link). In the Life of St Pol de Leon (St Paul Aurelian) completed in 883, there is a 'King Marc whose other name is Quonomorus', or Cunomorus, meaning 'hound of the sea'.

This may be a confusion with the slightly later King Conomor of Domnonia in Armorica, with whom the Cornish and Dumnonian Britons would have had very close links in this period. However, it is more likely to refer to Marcus Conomari of Dumnonia, who had ruled in the early fifth century.

fl c.510

Cousin. Father of St Kybi. Captain of the guard or sub-king.

c.510

The line of sub-kings appears to die out here, so the region seemingly passes back into Dumnonian hands, with a 'duke' of Cornubia nominally governing the land or being included within the titles of the Dumnonian kings. The first of these, Cado, may be the Duke Cador of Cornwall of Geoffrey of Monmouth. It is probably this Cado who is mentioned in connection with Arthur in the Life of St Crannog (of Ceredigion).

This map of Britain concentrates on British territories and kingdoms which were established during the fourth and fifth centuries AD, as the Saxons and Angles began their settlement of the east coast (click or tap on map to view full sized)

early 6th cent

St Piran is the patron saint of tin-miners, and is generally regarded as the national saint of Cornwall. While the saint's origins are open to debate, it is generally accepted that he is St Ciarán of Saigir who had been born and raised on the island of Cape Clear off County Cork in Ireland. His father and mother are Lughaidh and Liedania.

After studying scriptures in Rome, he returns to Ireland to be made bishop at his monastic settlement of Saighir Kieran in County Offaly (the remnants of Uí Failghe). There is no reference to his death but St Piran is best known for landing on Perran Beach in Cornwall in the early sixth century and building the tiny St Piran's Oratory on Penhale Sands near Perranporth.

c.508 - c.530

King of Dumnonia & duke of Cornubia. 'Duke Cador'?

c.530

Cado is apparently the last to use the title of duke, and certainly no further dukes of Cornubia are known. The title probably persists, doubtlessly as one of the titles of the Dumnonian kings.

Hinton Hill lies near the village of Wellow in Somerset, and in 577 it was the site of the Battle of Deorham between the allied free Britons of the three cities of Caer Baddan, Caer Ceri, and Caer Gloui and the invading West Saxons (External Link: Creative Commons Licence)

c.560

The diminutive territory of Lyonesse may be re-absorbed into Corniu at a time in which the peninsula receives extremely little mention in history. Dumnonia firmly controls the entire south-west.

Curiously, this seems to be around the same time that the first of a short list of kings appear in Leon in Brittany, which of course retains very strong links at this time with south-west Britain. Speaking very theoretically, perhaps the heir to Lyonesse is given British territory in Brittany in compensation.

c.560 - 577

King of Brittany & Penwith.

577

Once the West Seaxe make the breakthrough of capturing Caer Baddan, Caer Ceri, and Caer Gloui, Cornubia is cut off from overland contact with Britons elsewhere in the country. During this and the next two centuries the Cornish language begins its divergence from central and northern Brythonic.

When the West Seaxe removed the entire area between Gloucester and Bath of British resistance in AD 577, the West Wansdyke appears to have remained in British hands (click or tap on map to view full sized)

c.700

The Ravenna Cosmography, written at some point during this century, mentions Purocoronavis, which is almost certainly a corruption of Durocornovium, the fort or walled settlement of the Cornovii. The location of the fort is unknown, but the Carn Brea hill fort or Tintagel are possible candidates. The region is sufficiently established by now to also be recorded as 'Cornubia' around this date.

722

The Annales Cambriae (see feature link) refers to three notable 'Cornish' victories in this year. The opponent is not named but as the 'Britons were the victors in those three battles', the opponent is clearly the West Saxons.

The battles take place at Hehil, Garth Maelog, and Pencon. The first has been the subject of much speculation as to its location, with many scholars taking the mention of 'Cornish' too literally and placing it west of the River Tamar. Instead, all three battles are likely to be in what is now Devon, close to Dumnonia's eastern border.

The victories are hugely important, as they appear to win the Dumnonians and Cornish a century of peace in which to cement their compressed but surviving kingdom, and possibly ensure the survival of their culture and language much longer than may otherwise be the case.

The victories of AD 722 were hugely important, as they apparently won the Dumnonians a century of peace, and may even have penetrated far into Devon - a West Saxon attack of AD 814 seemed to aim at the recovery of these regions (click on map to view full sized)

c.800 - 875

The kingdom of Dumnonia, so compressed by the inroads made by Wessex, effectively ceases to exist during the ninth century. Its final event of note might be said to be the death by drowning of Dunyarth, probably the last of its kings to be able to lay claim to any territory remotely resembling the former Dumnonian lands. The remaining British territory is known as the kingdom of Corniu. The English know it as Cornwall, meaning 'the Welsh of Corniu'.