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Cerdic

JohuaJ.Mark
pulihedon30Decemer2014

Cerdic(reigned519-534C)waKingoftheWetaxonandthefounderofWeex.Hi
influencewaoprofoundthatlatergenealogieofthenglihmonarchwouldclaimthatallthe
overeignofritain,aveforCanute,Hardecanute,theHarold,andWilliamtheConqueror,were
decendedfromhim.Precielwhhewaoinfluentialideated,however,inthattheancient
ourceconflictintheiraccountofhilife,whohewa,andwhatheaccomplihed--omucho,in
fact,thatanumerofhitorianinthepreentdaquetionwhetherCerdicevenexited.arl
ource,traditionallegend,andlaternovelclaimhefoughtagaintKingArthurutaloclaimhe
wagrantedWeexthatking.TherearealohitorianwhoclaimCerdicwathehitoricalfigure
uponwhomtheArthurianlegendareaedandlinkothArthurandCerdictotheWelhhero
CaradocVreichvra,whileotherwriterclaimCerdicwathemodelforMordredintheArthurian
ccle.Heialternateldecriedaaritihearlwholedaaxonarm,annglihnole,aaxon
commander,aWelhhero,andannglihking.Hidepictioninthe2004filmKingArthuri
emlematicoftheproleminidentifingwhoheactuallwa.Thatfilm,whichpreenteditelfa
hitoricallaccurateandclaimedtodrawonoriginalource,portraCerdicaaaxonwarlord
whoidefeatedArthurattheattleofadon;Cerdicinevermentionedinanaccountof
adon,eventhoughiteemhewawellknownenoughthathewouldhaveeenhadheeen
engagedthere.

WCANNOTAUTHORITATIVLYTATTHTRUTHOF
MANYOFTHUPPOD"FACT"CONCRNINGCRDIC'

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MANYOFTHUPPOD"FACT"CONCRNINGCRDIC'
LIF,AVTHATHWAKNOWNATHFOUNDROF
WX.
TheprimarourceonCerdic'lifeandreignarethehitorianNenniu(9thcenturC),The
Anglo-axonChronicle(9th-12thcenturieC),andGeoffreofMonmouth(12thcenturC),
amongother.Atheinformationaouthimintheeourceiolight,laterwritereemtohave
feltcompelledtofillintheelank,whichhareultedinvariouinterpretationofCerdic'life.
ThefactthatomanlaterwriterfelttheneedtodooitetimontohowimportantCerdicwa
innglihhitor.ItigenerallacceptedthatCerdicwaanactualhitoricalfigurewhofounded
Weexandthenemarkedoncampaigntoexpandhikingdomand,eentiall,foundedthe
nationknowntodaangland;thedetailoftheecampaign,however,wereneverrecordedor
werelot,reultingintheemellihmenttohilifenotedaove.

CRDICINTHANGLO-AXONCHRONICL
TheAnglo-axonChroniclearemanucriptfirteguninthelate9thcenturCunderthereignof
AlfredtheGreat(849-899C).Thecontinuedtoewritten,edited,andre-writtenthroughthe
12thcenturCandrecordthehitorofritainfrom1Cthrough1154C.Theprolemwith
reliaililitofTheAnglo-axonChroniclehaveeennotedmanhitorianoverthecenturie
and,chiefamongtheedifficultie,ithattheentrie(recordedinoneortwolinepereventper
ear)providelittledetailoftheeventandoftenrepeatthemelveindifferentear.Afurther
difficultiinundertandingexactlwhichearieingreferenced,incethepracticeofdatingthe
eginningoftheeartoJanuar1thadnoteteenimplemented.omecrieeemto
recognizethetartofthenewearaChritma,whileotherdateittoater.Anentr,then,for
519C,mightactuallhavetakenplacein520or518C.InthecaeofCerdic,theeprolem
haveforcedhitoriantoagreeonwhichdatearemotlikelcorrectandworkfromthere.
AlthoughanarrativeofCerdic'lifeandreigncanecontructedthimethod,itdoenotmean
thatthegenerallaccepteddatearethecorrectone.
HitorianJohnMorri,inhicontroverial1973CworkTheAgeofArthur,makemanclaimthat
haveeencriticizedhitorianutiquiteoftenaccuratewhendecriingtheourceonemut
relon.RegardingTheAnglo-axonChronicle,hewrite:
TheearlyWestSaxonentriesintheSaxonChronicleareexceptionally
confused,duplicatedunderdifferentdatesand,atfirstsight,contradictory.
Theconfusionhasaspecialcause.TheeasierambiguitiesoftheKentand
Sussexannalsaretheconsequencesoffadingmemoryandoftraditionill
understoodbuttheWessexentriesarethedeliberatecontrivanceofninth
centuryscholars,devisedtoservethepoliticalneedsoftheirownday.Their
storyisthatthekingdomofWessexoweditsorigintoCerdic,whowasin
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commandofanumberofseparateSaxonforcesundernamedleaders,ata
datethatwasoriginallysetatabout480.Cerdicistheonlyfounderofan
EnglishkingdomwhohasanunequivocablyBritishname.Hispedigreesalone
arepatentinventions,forhis'ancestors'areliftedfromthestraightforward
traditionsofotherEnglishdynasties,andlaterWessexkingsarerepresented
ashisdescendantsbyimprobableandcontradictorylinksthatcreditsomeof
themwithtwoorthreedifferentfathers(103104).

ThetandardverionofCerdic'torthatMorrirefertorelatehowCerdicarrivedinHamphire
in495Cwithhion,Cnric,infivehipandintantldefeatedtheWelh(or,alternatel,the
riton).Afterthivictor,heetalihedahomeaeinWeexfromwhichhecampaignedfurther
toetalihtheKingdomoftheWetaxon519C,whenhewacrownedking.Thiverionof
hilifeiaedontheentrieinTheAnglo-axonChronicle,whichread:
495:Thiearcametwoleaderintoritain,CerdicandCnrichion,withfivehip,ata
placethaticalledCerdic'-ore.AndthefoughtwiththeWelhtheameda.
508:ThiearCerdicandCnriclewaritihking,whoenamewaNatanleod,andfive
thouandmenwithhim.AfterthiwathelandnamedNetle,fromhim,afaraCharford.
514:ThiearcametheWet-axonintoritain,withthreehip,attheplacethaticalled
Cerdic'-ore.AndtufandWhitgarfoughtwiththeritonandputthemtoflight.
519.ThiearCerdicandCnaricundertookthegovernmentoftheWet-axon;theame
earthefoughtwiththeritonataplacenowcalledCharford.Fromthatdahavereigned
thechildrenoftheWet-axonking.
527:ThiearCerdicandCnricfoughtwithritonintheplacethaticalledCerdic'-le.
530:ThiearCerdicandCnrictooktheIleofWight,andlewmanmeninCarirook.
534:ThieardiedCerdic,thefirtkingoftheWet-axon.Cnrichionucceededtothe
governmentandreignedafterward26winter.Andthegavetotheirtwonephew,tufand
Wihtgar,thewholeoftheIleofWight.
Thiaccountitraightforwardenoughutlackthedetailfromwhichtocreateacompletetor;
thiiwhlaterwriterfelttheneedtouppltheirowndetail.Drawingupontheearlierource,
hitorianGeorgeH.TownendcreatedhiworkTheManualofDatein1862Cand,for520C,
wrotehowCerdic"foughtthereknownedKingArthur."Othercholarhavealouggetedatrong
linkwithArthur,omeclaimingCerdicwaArthur'onornephewandotherclaimingthewere
adverarie.Theattleof527CatCerdic'-leianotherpoiilit(eidethe520Cconflict),
propoedaaattleetweenCerdicandArthur.Itiaccepted,however,thatin530CCerdic
conqueredtheIleofWight,havingalreadetalihedhikingdomandclearlhavingathi
dipoalanarmandnav.TheeentrieintheChronicleandlaterinterpretationfromother
ourceepitomizethedifficultinreconcilingtheourceofthetimeintoaingle,coheive
narrative.ThehitorianNenniu,whoithoughttohavewrittenhiHitoroftheritonin828C,
claimArthurneverlotaingleoneofhifamoutwelveattlewhichwouldhavetakenplacein
the6thcenturC.Iteemunlikel,ifArthurhaddefeatedCerdicin520or527C,thathewould
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havethenallowedhimtocontinuerulinginWeex,muchlegoontoconquertheIleofWightin
hiownnameandforhiownglor.

CRDICAARTHUR
ThehitorianJohnC.andJoephW.Rudminclaimthatthedifficultofreconcilingtheancient
ourceonCerdicwiththoeofArthurieailolvedonceonerecognizethattheweretheame
peron.RegardingCerdic'foundingofWeexandhiuequentrule,andtheclaimthatArthur
ruledtheameterritorattheametime,thewrite:
ThereisnogoodsolutiontotheproblemofArthurpresidingovertheterritory
andtimeofthefoundingoftheSaxonkingdomofWessexunlesshepresided
overit!If,intheyear500,therulerofsouthcentralBritainwasArthur,and
therulerofsouthcentralBritainwasCerdic,thenArthurwasCerdic.Forover
athousandyears,theliteratureofBritainhashadalostkingandaforgotten
victory.NowtheidentityofthenationalheroofWaleshasbeendiscovered,
andhehasturnedouttobethefounderofthekingdomofEngland(24).

Theevidence,thepointout,peakforitelfonceonrealizethatCerdiciidenticaltotheWelh
heroCaradocVreichvra(aloknownaCaradocreifraintheArthurianlegend).Tociteonla
fewofthecomparionthemake:"Arthur"and"Vreichvra"othmean"trongarm";othare
aociatedwithWeexand,epeciall,Wincheter;othareillegitimateon;othdominatethe
regionlaterknownaWeexc.500C;ArthuritheonofUtherandIgernawhileCerdicithe
onofleaandIaive;andArthurmarrieGuinevereofCornwall,CerdicmarrieGuignierof
Cornwall.Alloftheeimilaritie,iticlaimed,proveArthurandCerdictoeonehitoricalfigure
whoeexploitwereonotalethattheweremthologizedlaterwriteratheArthurian
Legend,whichwerefinallcollected,edited,andutantiallexpandeduponirThoma
Malorinthe15thcenturC.
TheprolemwiththeRudmin'claim,athethemelveadmit,ithatit"maketooman
aumption"ando,"thetandardofomehitorian...inotanacceptalepaper"(2).till,their
claimiinteretingtoconider,evenifitcannotedefinitivelproven.Oneofthemoreeriou
prolemwiththeirclaimithatiftheritihCerdiciidenticaltotheWelhheroVreichvra,evenif
thatcouldeproven,thereitillthedifficultofutantiatingthatVreichvrawaArthur,ince
VreichvraiknownaaKnightoftheRoundTalewhoervedunderothUtherandArthurandi
neveridentifiedaaking.HeirecognizedatheancetorofthelaterkingofGwentinWelh
legendutneveraakinghimelf.

CRDICAARITIHARL
WhileitiunlikelthatCerdicwaArthur,itievenlelikelthathewaaaxon.venthoughthe
Anglo-axonChronicleeemtopreentCerdicaaaxonwarleader,ithaeennoteda
numerofhitorianeideMorriortheRudmin(uchaProfeorJohannP.ommervilleofthe
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UniveritofWiconin)that"Cerdic"iaritihname,notaxon.Theclaimofanumerof
hitorianithatCerdicwaaritihearlwhowadrivenfromtheregionandtookrefugeinrittan
fromwhencehelaterreturnedin495Cattheheadofaaxonforce.

axonquare-Headedowrooch

videnceforCerdicaaritihearlaociatedwiththeaxoniuggetednotonlhinameut
alopaageintheworkofNenniuandGeoffreofMonmouth.ThehitorianFrankD.Reno,
writingonCerdic'nationalit,tate:
Plummer,theforemostauthorityonthemanuscriptsoftheChronicles,has
thistosayabouttheentryof495,theveryfirstentryinwhichCerdicmakes
anappearance:"495ThecomingoftheWestSaxonsthefoundation,asit
proved,ofEngland.ItiscurioustofindthetraditionalfounderoftheWest
Saxonkingdom,thesourcetowhichallWestSaxonpedigreesaretraced,
bearinganameCerdic,Certic,soliketheWelshCeredig,Ceretic.Itisworth
nothingthatinNennius,Chapter37,Cereticisthenameof[King]Hengist's
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interpreter"(111).

InthepaagefromChapter37,one"Ceretic"actainterpreteretweenVortigern,Kingofthe
riton,andHengitoftheaxon,andhitorianhaveclaimedthatCerdic,thelaterWetaxon
king,itheamemanaCeretictheinterpreterfromNenniu.ThecholarRichardarercite
Nenniu'lineregardingCereticatVortigern'court:"Nootherritonamongtheritonknew
axonexceptthiman;andheappliedhimelftoacquiringknowledgeofit(orreadingit)untilhe
waaletoundertandtheaxonpeech"(TheFigureofArthur,112).Cerdic,accordingtothee
claim,waaninfluentialearlwhocouldpeaktheaxontongueandwhoalocommandedan
impreivemilitarforce.GeoffreofMonmouthmentionCerdicaanallofHengitand
VortigerninChapterVI.13ofhiHitoroftheKingofritonwhenVortigernandHengitcallfor
"gallantwarrior"tocomehelpthemdefeattheararian:"andCerdiccamewiththreehundred
hip(Nenniua40)allfullofanarmedhot,allofwhomdidVortigernreceivekindl,etowing
uponthemuntintedlargee.Forthemheconqueredallhienemieandwoneverfieldthat
wafought."
Atomepoint,afterhiervicetoVortigern,Cerdicleftthemainlandforrittan,gatheredaaxon
forcethere,andreturnedin495C.Theapparenteaeofhivictorieetween495-519C
uggettoomehitorianthathewaalreadawell-knownandrepectedleader.Hitorian
(includingtheRudmin)pointtotheoriginalnameoftheregionofWeex,"Gewie",afurther
proofthatCerdicandhifollowerwerealreadknowninthelandpriorto495C,athe
interprettheplace-name"Gewie"alinkedtotheGermanword"gewi"("certainl"or"ure"),
whichwatheamewordinOldaxonandhadtheamemeaning.TheKingdomofGewie,
accordingtothiargument,wouldhaveeenknownthatnameecaueCerdicwa"certainl
known"or"urelknown"andohiterritorwacalled"theKingdomoftheOneWhoiKnown".
OtherexplanationforWeexeingoriginallknownaTheKingdomofGewiemakefarle
ene,uchatheclaimthatitwanamedforCerdic'mother.

THCRDICOFHITORY
Thetruthehindtheoriginalnameofthekingdom,likemuchofCerdic'life,manevereknown
anditilldeatedinthepreentda.Theundertandingof"accurac"inreportinghitorical
eventwanotheldtotheametandardinthe9th-12thcenturieCaititodaand,anoted
aove,eachourceeemtoindicatealightl,orignificantl,differentkindofnarrative.ven
Nenniu,whoiregularlregardedareliale,iupect;aarernote,"Nenniu...iothan
antiquarianwithpoliticalmotiveandanauthorconciouofcontinentaltradition"(85).Hi
narrative,therefore,needtoereadinlightofthoemotiveandtradition,notaanojective
hitor.GeoffreofMonmouthhalongeencriticizedformakinguplargeegmentofhi
"hitor"rightdowntohiclaimthatheionltranlatinganancientworkhefound.achauthor
whoaddreedhimelftothetopicofCerdic'lifeandreigneemtohavehadaparticularagenda
toadvance(awatatedMorri,aove).ThehitorianRogerCollincommentonthi,
regarding"hitor"andplacename,writing:
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Thereisanunbridgeablechronologicalgulfbetweenthesupposedfounding
periodofthenotionalkingdomofWessexinthelatefifthcenturyandthenext
periodinwhichthosewhoaresaidtobemembersofitsrulinghouseappear,
inthesecondhalfofthesixthcentury.Muchoftheinformationrelatingtothe
earlyphaseisofadistinctly`folkloric'orrationalizingcharacter:forexample,
CerdicandCynriclandataplacecalledCerdicesoratheykilla'Welsh'king
calledNatanleod,andsubsequentlythatdistrictiscalledNatanleod(Netley
nearSouthampton),andsoon.Itmustbesuspectedthattheplacenames
precededthepersonsreferredto,ratherthanthereverse,andthatthehistory
ofthelatterwasconcoctedtoexplaintheexistenceoftheformer(178).

Thiameparadigmcouldholdtruefortheoriginalnameofthekingdomeforeitwaknowna
"TheKingdomoftheWetaxon"andthenhortenedto"Weex".Itmightaloetruethat
Cerdicwa,infact,knownintheregionandhadalreadetalihedhimelftherefirmlpriortohi
departure,forwhateverreaon,torittan;oritmanote.Thereinowatoauthoritativeltate
thetruthofmanoftheuppoed"fact"concerningCerdic'life,avethathewaknownathe
founderofWeex.ventheclaimthatallnglihmonarchdecendedfromCerdiciopento
quetionince,aCollinnote,"Genealogicalinformationiequallduiou.[Thelateraxonking]
Ceawlin'relationhiptoCerdicandCnricineverpecifiedintheChronicle,thoughheiaidin
theentrfortheear560tohaveuccededtothekingdomofWeexthatthecreated"(178).The
duiougenealogithereultoflatercriewiththeirownagenda;Cerdic'nationalithadto
ealteredthelatergenealogofthe9thcenturCtoalignhimwiththeAngle,whogrewin
powerfromtheirkingdomofNorthumriatofinallrulealltheland,inteadofwiththeriton
whowereamongthepeopletheconquered.Morriwrite:
ArulerwithaBritishname,withnoancienttraditionofEnglishforebearsor
Englishdescendants,isplainlyBritish.Thoughhewastheearliestrulerofthe
futureWessexwhomthelaterEnglishknew,theclaimofninthcentury
WessexkingstosuzeraintyoveralltheEnglishcouldnotbebuiltuponthe
authorityofaBritishking.HehadtobetreatedasanEnglishman.The
relationshipsareinventedbutthesubstanceofthetraditionthathadtobe
disguisedisitselfancient.CerdicwasregardedastheruleroftheWinchester
Southamptonareainthelatefifthcentury,asthecommanderoftheSaxons
wholandedinthatarea,andasakingwhoconsistentlyfoughtwiththe
EnglishagainsttheBritisharmies...Excavation[inthepresentday]locates
anddatesthehomesofhisfederates,andsuggestswhereheraisedthem
(104).

Thereoncewa,iteem,amannamedCerdicwhoeitherarrivedorreturnedtonglandin495C,
foundedWeex,andetalihedapowerfulkingdomwhich,intime,wouldevolveintothenation
knownangland.ngland,the"landoftheAngle",emracedthiearlkingatheirfounder,
anglicizedhimthroughgenealogie,andmadehimoneoftheirown.WhotheactualCerdicwa,
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whathedid,andwhhemadeuchanimpreion,remainunclear;theCerdicwhowacreated
thelaterwriteritheCerdicofhitor.

AOUTTHAUTHOR
JOHUAJ.MARK
Afreelancewriterandpart-timeProfeorofPhiloophatMaritCollege,New
York,JohuaJ.MarkhalivedinGreeceandGermanandtraveledthrough
gpt.Heteacheancienthitor,writing,literature,andphilooph.

HLPUWRITMOR
We'reamallnon-profitorganiationrunahandfulofvolunteer.acharticlecot
uaout$50inhitorookaourcematerial,plueditingandervercot.Youcan
helpucreateevenmorefreearticleforalittlea$5permonth,andwe'llgiveou
anad-freeexperiencetothankou!
COMAMMR

ILIOGRAPHY
Arthur,Cerdic,andTheFormationofWeex:JohnC.andJoephW.Rudmin
KingArthur,2004
arer,R,TheFigureofArthur(DoretPre,1972).
Collin,R,arlMedievalurope,300-1000(PalgraveMacmillan,2010).
GeoffreofMonmouth,TheHitoroftheKingofritain(Penguinook,1958).
Inghram,J(tr.),TheaxonChronicle(tudiodition,London,1993).
Morri,J,TheAgeofArthur(Charlecriner'on,1973).
Reno,F.D,HitoricKingArthur(McFarland&Compan,1996).
Townend,G.H,TheManualofDate:ADictionarofReference(Routledge,Warne,&Routledge,London,1862).
CITTHIWORK

LGALNOTIC

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LGALNOTIC
WrittenJohuaJ.Mark,pulihedon30Decemer2014underthefollowinglicene:CreativeCommon:
Attriution-NonCommercial-hareAlike .Thiliceneletotherremix,tweak,anduilduponthicontentnoncommerciall,alongathecredittheauthorandlicenetheirnewcreationundertheidenticalterm.

ADVRTIMNT

RMOVAD

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