Hen Ogledd

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Yr Hen Ogledd or "The Old North". Part of northern Britain before the Anglo-Gaelic conquest

The Hen Ogledd, or Yr Hen Ogledd, is an Old Welsh term meaning "The Old North" which referred specifically to the Brythonic kingdoms of northern Britain that flourished during the 5th, 6th and 7th Centuries in the area south of Pictavia. These kingdoms formed from around AD 420 onwards following the rule of Coel Hen, High King of Northern Britain who had reigned around the time of the Roman withdrawal. After his death his large and powerful realm was divided, as was the custom, between his sons; to be ruled by them and their successors. The names of many of these realms have been lost to history, but the ones that are known to us are listed (with dates they were absorbed into other kingdoms):

Bryneich (606AD)
Gwenddolau (573AD)
Ebrauc (581AD)
Catraeth (599AD)
Meicen (c.600AD)
Elmet (616AD)
Gododdin (638AD)
Manau Gododdin (c.640AD)
Rheged (c.700AD)
Strathclyde (c.900AD)

These states were all extinguished or brought under other kingdoms following successive attacks or diplomatic takeovers from the 6th Century onwards by the Angles of Bernicia and Deira (which merged to become Northumbria), and by the Kingdom of Alba which also absorbed the Kingdoms of the Picts.

Hen Ogledd

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