Gurguint Barbtruc

Gurguint Barbtruc ( Gwrgant Varf Drwch in Welsh) is a legendary king of the island of Brittany (current Great Britain), whose “history” is reported by Geoffroy de Monmouth in his Historia regum Britanniae (towards 1135). He is the son of Belin Large the.

The kingdom of the island of Brittany

After the Trojan War, Énée arrives in Italy, with his/her son Ascagne and becomes the Master of the kingdom of the Romans. Its grandson Brutus is constrained with the exile after having accidentally killed his father. After a long navigation, Brutus unloads in the island of Brittany, occupies it and makes its kingdom of it. He marries Innogen of which he has three wire. With its death, the kingdom is divided in three parts and its sons succeed to him: Locrinus receives the center from the island to which it gives the name of “Loegrie”, Kamber receives the “Cambrie” (current Wales) and its name gives him, Albanactus inherits the area of north and calls it “Albania” (Scotland). Following the invasion of Albania by Huns and of died of Albanactus, the kingdom is reunified under the sovereignty of Locrinus. It is the beginning of a long list of sovereigns.

The reign of Gurguint Barbtruc

Gurguint Barbtruc succeeds his/her father on the throne of the kingdom of Brittany. Its reign is marked by the domination of the Denmark and the concession of the Ireland to wandering people.

Geoffroy de Monmouth describes it as being “wise and measured” and, following the example of his father and his grandfather Dunvallo Molmutius, it controls peacefully and with justice. When the king of the Danes refuses to pay the tribute and to lend allegiance, it arms a fleet and invades Denmark, killing the king and reducing the country in control.

During the voyage which brings back it with its army in the island of Brittany, it meets, close to the Orkneys, a fleet of 30 ships. These men and these women are people in exile originating in Spain, Basclenses, who have sought a ground of asylum for one year and half. Their chief, Partholoim, request that their part of Brittany is conceded, but Gurguint Barbtruc brings them in Ireland and gives them the island, then uninhabited.

Gurguint drives peacefully and is buried in Caerleon (that the Romains will call City-of-Legions), city which it had contributed to develop.

Guithelin succeeds to him on the throne.

Partholoniens

The episode of Basclenses, exiled of Spain and in the search of a ground, is a loan with the Irish Celtic Mythologie. The name of their chief, Partholoim, evokes the Partholoniens of which it is question in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (the “Book of the Conquests of Ireland”), but their origin corresponds to another legendary people, the Milesiens.

Source

  • Geoffroy de Monmouth, History of the kings de Bretagne , translated and commented on by Laurence Mathey-Mesh, Beautiful letters, coll “the Wheel with books”, Paris, 2004.

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