Harleian genealogies explained

The Harleian genealogies are a collection of Old Welsh genealogies preserved in British Library, Harley MS 3859. Part of the Harleian Library, the manuscript, which also contains the Annales Cambriae (Recension A) and a version of the Historia Brittonum, has been dated to c. 1100, although a date of c.1200 is also possible.^[1]

Since the genealogies begin with the paternal and maternal pedigrees of Owain ap Hywel Dda (d. 988), the material was probably compiled during his reign. The collection also traces the lineages of less prominent rulers of Wales and the Hen Ogledd. Some of the genealogies reappear in the genealogies from Jesus College MS 20. The collection features the oldest genealogies of Welsh royal families, and include the dynasty of Cunedda (Cunedag), all the way to Beli Mawr, as head of the house of Gwynedd.^[2]

Despite their sometimes contradictory pedigrees and recognizable distortions,^[3] they contain genuine historical material of a sometimes surprising variety. One of the genealogies preserved the names of the Iron Age rulers Caratacus, Cunobelinus, and "Teuhant", contemporaries of Augustus.^{[4] [5]} The latter's name, Teuhant, was unknown elsewhere until coins minted with his original Brythonic name, Tasciovanus, were discovered in the 19th century, connecting his existence with the genealogies.^{[6] [7]}

See also

• Genealogies from Jesus College MS 20
• Bonedd Gwŷr y Gogledd
• Book of Baglan
• Frankish Table of Nations

References

Secondary sources

• Siddons, Michael. "Genealogies, Welsh." In Celtic Culture. A Historical Encyclopedia, ed. John T. Koch. 5 vols. Santa Barbara et al., 2006. pp. 800–2.
• Watkin, M., "The Chronology of the Annales Cambriae and the Liber Landavensis on the basis of their Old French Graphical Phenomena", National Library of Wales Journal 11, no.3 (1960), 181–226.
• Remfry, P. M., Annales Cambriae. A Translation of Harleian 3859; PRO E.164/1; Cottonian Domitian, A 1; Exeter Cathedral Library MS. 3514 and MS Exchequer DB Neath, PRO E.164/1 .

Editions

• . A copy of this text is reproduced on-line at Full-text resources for ‘Dark Age’ history, Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews.
• Bartrum, Peter C. (tr.). Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. Cardiff: UWP, 1966.

Further reading

• • • • James, J.W. “The Harleian Ms. 3859 Genealogy II: The Kings of Dyfed down to Arthur Map Petr. died c. 586.” Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 23:2 (1969), 143-52.

Notes and References

1. Siddons, "Genealogies, Welsh," pp. 800-2; Remfry, P.M., 'Annales Cambriae. A Translation...', p. 4.
2. Web site: The Dynasty of Cunedag and the 'Harleian Genealogies'. Nicholson. E. Williams B.. 1908. XXI. Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. London. 63-67-105.
3. Guy . Ben . The earliest Welsh genealogies: textual layering and the phenomenon of 'pedigree growth' . Early Medieval Europe . 2018 . 26 . 4 . 462-485 . 10.1111/emed.12296 . 6 April 2025 . en . 1468-0254.
4. Koch . J. T. . Llawr en asseð (CA 932) 'The laureate hero in the war-chariot': Some Recollections of the Iron Age in the Gododdin . Études celtiques . 1987 . 24 . 266-270 . 7 April 2025.
5. https://ia601204.us.archive.org/10/items/coinsofancientbr00evan/coinsofancientbr00evan.pdf The coins of the ancient Britons
6. Koch . J. T. . Llawr en asseð (CA 932) 'The laureate hero in the war-chariot': Some Recollections of the Iron Age in the Gododdin . Études celtiques . 1987 . 24 . 266-270 . 7 April 2025.
7. https://ia601204.us.archive.org/10/items/coinsofancientbr00evan/coinsofancientbr00evan.pdf The coins of the ancient Britons