Saint Hoel | |
|---|---|
_6002.JPG) St Malo and Hywel in a stained-glass window inReguiny | |
| Prince ofCornouaille and Knight | |
| Died | 6th century |
| Canonized | Anglican Communion Eastern Orthodox Church Catholic Church |
| Patronage | Llanhowell |
King Hoel (Breton:Hoel I Mawr,lit. "Hoel the Great";Latin:Hoelus, Hovelus, Hœlus), also known asSir Howel,Saint Hywel andHywel the Great, was a late 5th- and early 6th-century[1] member of the ruling dynasty ofCornouaille. He may have ruled Cornouaille jointly after the restoration of his father,Budic II of Brittany, but he seems to have predeceased his father and left his young son,Tewdwr, as Budic's heir.[2]
Hywel appears inWelsh mythology and theMatter of Britain as a "king of Brittany." A relative ofArthur, he was one of his most loyal allies (or, sometimes, aKnight of the Round Table) and was said to have helped him conquer "Gaul" (northern France).[1]
The historical Hywel was the son ofBudic II, king ofCornouaille in northwestBrittany. For all or most of his childhood, a usurping cousin ruled in Budic's place and the family resided in exile withAergol Lawhir, king ofDyfed insub-Roman Britain. He was credited with the foundation of Llanhowell (now inLlanrhian) during this time and, as "Saint Hywel", was revered by a localcult as itspatron saint.[1] The family was eventually restored to their home in Cornouaille, where Hywel may have ruled jointly with his father. He died shortly before he would have inherited the throne, however,[1] and Budic's attempts to enlist his neighbour Macliau's support for the succession of Hywel's son Tewdwr ended badly. After Budic's death, Macliau invaded and the boy was forced into exile inPenwith.[2]
While early Welsh sources say he was the son of Budic II, in later legend he evolves into the son ofEmyr Llydaw and sometimes also the father ofTudwal by SaintPompeia of Langoat.[1] David Nash Ford was of the opinion thatEmyr Llydaw was a title of Budic's—"emperor of Brittany"—eventually mistaken for a name in its own right.[3]
As a son of Budic, he was recorded as a nephew of Arthur. He was said to have visited Arthur's court during his early exile and to have returned to help Arthur against theSaxons after the family's restoration in Brittany. Landing atSouthampton, his army was credited with assisting Arthur at the Battle of Dubglas, the Siege of Caer Ebrauc (i.e.York), and the Battle of Cat Celidon Coit. It was then bottled up and besieged in turn atDumbarton Castle ("Caer-Brithon"). Hoel was also said to have been at theBattle of Badon before conquering France for Arthur, who then moved his court to Paris. Finally returning toBrittany, he was aided byTristram of Lyonesse in suppressing a civil war.[1]
Hywel was eventually turned into "Sir Howel" of theRound Table. He appears thus inmedieval Welsh sources likeThe Dream of Rhonabwy,Geraint and Enid, andPeredur son of Efrawg.
A conflation of the two appears prominently inGeoffrey of Monmouth'spseudohistoricalHistoria Regum Britanniae, where Hywel comes from Brittany to help suppress the revolts which arise after Arthur's coronation. A respected ruler and capable general, his relationship with Arthur is uncertain: he first appears as the son ofBudic II of Brittany who married a sister ofAmbrosius Aurelianus andUther Pendragon, making him Arthur'sfirst cousin, but appears later as the son of Budic and Arthur's sisterAnna, making him Arthur's nephew. (This confusion reappears inWace andLayamon but most later sources make him Arthur's "cousin".) In Geoffrey, Hywel's niece is raped and killed by the Giant ofMont Saint-Michel; Arthur sets off to slay him withSir Kay andBedivere. Arthur returns to fight his traitorous nephewMordred and leaves Hywel in charge of "Gaul". Hywel later joins the Round Table and leaves his nephew Joseph in charge of his kingdom.[4]
Hywel was later attached to theTristan and Iseult legend by such poets asBéroul andThomas of Britain. In these stories, Hywel isduke of Brittany and the father of Tristan's unloved wife,Iseult of the White Hands (Iseut aux Blanches Mains). Hywel takes Tristan in when the young knight has been banished from the kingdom of kingMark of Cornwall, and Tristan later helps him in battle and becomes fast friends with his sonKahedin and his daughter Iseult. Tristan convinces himself to marry this second Iseult, mostly because she shares the name of his first love,Iseult of Ireland. In early versions of the story, Tristan remains in Hywel's land until he dies of poison minutes before Iseult of Ireland, a great healer, arrives to cure him. TheProseTristan has the hero returning to Britain and to his first love, never to see his wife again. This version was followed by thePost-Vulgate Cycle and byThomas Malory'sDeath of Arthur.[5]
Llanhowell inLlanrhian, Pembrokeshire, Wales, is named in his honour.Llanllowell in Monmouthshire originally was as well, although it is now considered dedicated to Saint Llywel.[6] The presentparish church at Llanhowell (Welsh:Eglwys Llanhywel) was largely refurbished in the 1890s but includes sections dating as early as the 12th century. It is listed as aGrade II* protected building.[7]
