Edern ap Nudd
Encyclopedia
Edern ap Nudd is a warrior of Arthur's
court in early Arthurian tradition. As the son of Nudd (spelled Nu or Nut in Old French romance), he is the brother of Gwyn
, Creiddylad
and Owain ap Nudd. His equivalent in the Latin Historia Regum Britanniae
is Hiderus fils Nu and in the Old French
Roman de Brut
and Erec and Enide
he appears as the knight Yder fils Nu(t). As St Edern, he has two churches dedicated to him in Wales.
name Edern comes from a Brittonic borrowing of Latin Aeternus, meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal".
, he is named as one of Arthur's knights in a list of his retinue, but plays no part in the narrative. Edern is next seen in Geoffrey of Monmouth
's Historia Regum Britanniae
as Hiderus filius Nu, a knight of King Arthur's who fought in his Gallic campaign. The poet Wace
, in his adaptation of the Historia Regum Britanniae called the Roman de Brut
, renders the name as Yder fils Nu(t).
Edern plays a more important role in Geraint son of Erbin (a Welsh adaptation of Chrétien de Troyes
' romance Erec et Enide), in which he and two companions, a beautiful lady and a whip-brandishing dwarf, come across Gwenhwyfar
, one of her handmaidens and the knight Geraint ab Erbin
in a forest. The handmaiden is sent to discover Edern's identity, but is rebuked and struck by the dwarf. Geraint also goes and suffers the same fate, but chooses to spare the dwarf's life and retreats.
Seeking his adversary, Geraint heads to a "walled town"
, where a great tournament is annually held. Edern, champion of the tournament for two years running, challenges Geraint to joust. Initially, Edern has the upper hand but by the end of the duel, he suffers vicious wounds at Geraint's hand and begs for mercy. Geraint allows Edern to keep his life on the condition that he rides to Arthur's court to make amends for his insult. Edern accepts the condition, and reveals his name to his rival. Edern later rides to Arthur's court where his apology is accepted by Gwenhwyfar. Heavily injured, he is treated by Morgan Tud
, the chief physician of the court. Upon his recovery, he is chosen to accompany Geraint to the kingdom of Geraint's father, Erbin.
Edern also appears in The Dream of Rhonabwy
(a late medieval Welsh Arthurian romance) in which he commands a "pure black troop" of Danish soldiers allied to Arthur against the Saxons
. He is named one of Arthur's foremost councellors during the battle.
in Anglesey, and the church in the village of Edern, Gwynedd
.
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
court in early Arthurian tradition. As the son of Nudd (spelled Nu or Nut in Old French romance), he is the brother of Gwyn
Gwyn ap Nudd
Gwyn ap Nudd is a Welsh mythological figure, the king of the Tylwyth Teg or "fair folk" and ruler of the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. Described as a great warrior with a "blackened face", Gwyn is intimately associated with the otherworld in medieval Welsh literature, and is associated with the...
, Creiddylad
Creiddylad
Creiddylad is a figure from Welsh mythology known from the early medieval Welsh Arthurian tale of Culhwch ac Olwen, one of the tales of the Mabinogion. She is the daughter of Lludd Llaw Eraint...
and Owain ap Nudd. His equivalent in the Latin Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
is Hiderus fils Nu and in the Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
Roman de Brut
Roman de Brut
Roman de Brut or Brut is a verse literary history of Britain by the poet Wace. Written in the Norman language, it consists of 14,866 lines....
and Erec and Enide
Erec and Enide
Erec and Enide is the first of Chrétien de Troyes' five romance poems, completed around 1170. It is one of three completed works by the author...
he appears as the knight Yder fils Nu(t). As St Edern, he has two churches dedicated to him in Wales.
Etymology
The WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
name Edern comes from a Brittonic borrowing of Latin Aeternus, meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal".
Appearances
In Culhwch ac OlwenCulhwch and Olwen
Culhwch and Olwen is a Welsh tale about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors that survives in only two manuscripts: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, ca. 1400, and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, ca. 1325. It is the longest of the surviving Welsh prose...
, he is named as one of Arthur's knights in a list of his retinue, but plays no part in the narrative. Edern is next seen in Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
as Hiderus filius Nu, a knight of King Arthur's who fought in his Gallic campaign. The poet Wace
Wace
Wace was a Norman poet, who was born in Jersey and brought up in mainland Normandy , ending his career as Canon of Bayeux.-Life:...
, in his adaptation of the Historia Regum Britanniae called the Roman de Brut
Roman de Brut
Roman de Brut or Brut is a verse literary history of Britain by the poet Wace. Written in the Norman language, it consists of 14,866 lines....
, renders the name as Yder fils Nu(t).
Edern plays a more important role in Geraint son of Erbin (a Welsh adaptation of Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
' romance Erec et Enide), in which he and two companions, a beautiful lady and a whip-brandishing dwarf, come across Gwenhwyfar
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
, one of her handmaidens and the knight Geraint ab Erbin
Geraint
Geraint is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a king of Dumnonia and a valiant warrior. He may have lived during or shortly prior to the reign of the historical Arthur, but some scholars doubt he ever existed...
in a forest. The handmaiden is sent to discover Edern's identity, but is rebuked and struck by the dwarf. Geraint also goes and suffers the same fate, but chooses to spare the dwarf's life and retreats.
Seeking his adversary, Geraint heads to a "walled town"
Caerdydd
Caerdydd is a Welsh language television programme set in Cardiff made by Fiction Factory for Welsh public service television station S4C...
, where a great tournament is annually held. Edern, champion of the tournament for two years running, challenges Geraint to joust. Initially, Edern has the upper hand but by the end of the duel, he suffers vicious wounds at Geraint's hand and begs for mercy. Geraint allows Edern to keep his life on the condition that he rides to Arthur's court to make amends for his insult. Edern accepts the condition, and reveals his name to his rival. Edern later rides to Arthur's court where his apology is accepted by Gwenhwyfar. Heavily injured, he is treated by Morgan Tud
Morgan Tud
Morgan Tud is the head physician of King Arthur's court in early Arthurian tales.In the medieval tale, Geraint son of Erbin, Morgan is called to treat Edern ap Nudd, Knight of the Sparrowhawk, following the latter's defeat at the hands of his adversary Geraint. He is later called on by Arthur to...
, the chief physician of the court. Upon his recovery, he is chosen to accompany Geraint to the kingdom of Geraint's father, Erbin.
Edern also appears in The Dream of Rhonabwy
The Dream of Rhonabwy
The Dream of Rhonabwy is a Middle Welsh prose tale. Set during the reign of Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys , it is dated to the late 12th or 13th century. It survives in only one manuscript, the Red Book of Hergest, and has been associated with the Mabinogion since its publication by Lady...
(a late medieval Welsh Arthurian romance) in which he commands a "pure black troop" of Danish soldiers allied to Arthur against the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
. He is named one of Arthur's foremost councellors during the battle.
Saint
Edern is the patron saint of two churches in Wales: St Edern's Church, BodedernSt Edern's Church, Bodedern
St Edern's Church, Bodedern is a medieval parish church in the village of Bodedern, in Anglesey, north Wales. Although St Edern established a church in the area in the 6th century, the oldest parts of the present building date from the 14th century...
in Anglesey, and the church in the village of Edern, Gwynedd
Edern, Gwynedd
Edern, formerly known as Edeyrn, is a village and former civil parish in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The civil parish was abolished in 1939, and incorporated into Nefyn....
.