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The 'Kingdom of Cornwall' or 'Kernow' existed during the sub-Roman and Early Middle Ages in Great Britain's south-western peninsula.

Contents

Name

Status and character

Kings of Cornwall

Arthurian connection

Saxon dominion

References

See also

External links

Name

Its name seems to derive from a Brythonic tribe called the ''Cornovii'', whose existence is implied from the place-name ''Durocornavium'' (see Dumnonii) recorded in the Roman ''Ravenna Cosmography''.
''Kernow'' is the Cornish language name of Cornwall to this day, with cognates in Welsh ''Cernyw'' and Breton ''Kernev''. (''Kernev'' is also the Breton form of the region of Brittany known in French as Cornouaille.) Its Latin name is ''Cornubia'', but it was known to the Anglo-Saxons of neighbouring Wessex as the kingdom of the ''West Welsh'', later as ''Cornwall''.

Status and character

Cornwall seems to have originally been part of the greater kingdom of Dumnonia. Although tradition seems to indicate that it had its own monarchs at times and may have been one of a number of sub-kingdoms. Some historians believe it was always independent of Dumnonia though. This was certainly the case after the majority of the latter kingdom fell under Anglo-Saxon control in the 8th century.
Cornwall was always largely un-Romanized and settlements continued in use into the post-Roman period. It is suggested that the kings were itinerant, stopping at various palaces, such as Tintagel, at different times of the year. Lesser lords built defended 'rounds' like Kelly Rounds and Castle Dore.
Cornwall is said^[] to have reverted to paganism after the Roman departure from Britain, or perhaps Christianity never reached these far-flung parts of the Empire. In the 5th and 6th centuries, however, the area was evangelised by the children of Brychan Brycheiniog and saints from Ireland. There was an important monastery at Bodmin and odd Cornish bishops are named in various records until they submitted to the See of Canterbury in the mid-9th century.

Kings of Cornwall

Cornish monarchs are recorded in a number of Old Welsh documents and ''Saints' Lives'' as well as in local and Arthurian tradition:

★ King Mark – of Tristan and Iseult fame, probably ruled in the late 5th century. According to Cornish folklore, he held court at Tintagel.

★ King Salomon – father of Saint Cybi, probably ruled after Mark.

★ King Dungarth – Traditionally the 'last king', said in Annales Cambriae to have drowned in 875.
A series of men with Cornish names held the title "Earl of Cornwall" after 875 which may indicate a continuation of the Cornish royal line, ending in the deposition of Cadoc in 1066 following the Norman Conquest.
Other 'kings' mentioned on memorial stones may have ruled more localised regions.

Arthurian connection

★ Geoffrey of Monmouth said that King Arthur was conceived at Tintagel Castle.

★ Geoffrey also said that Arthur’s final Battle of Camlann, was fought in Cornwall. Tradition points to Slaughter Bridge near Camelford.

★ Camelford is sometimes said to have been Camelot.

Saxon dominion

As a peninsula, Cornwall was protected from Anglo-Saxon land invasions until 814 when King Egbert of Wessex, subdued parts of Devon that were until then part of Cornwall. Clashes continued throughout the early 9th century and many of Cornwall's possessions in what is now Devon may have been lost after the Cornish/Viking defeat at Hingston Down in 838. The modern eastern border of the region was set at the River Tamar in 927 by King Athelstan.
After the 11th Century Cornwalls kings subordinated to the rank of Earl but it appears they did not lose their power. In 1066 the last native Earl of Cornwall, Earl Cadoc, was deposed by William the Conqueror.

References

★ Christopher A. Snyder (2003), ''The Britons''

See also

★ Legendary Dukes of Cornwall for the pseudo-historic rulers of Cornwall mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth

★ Dumnonii

★ Dumnonia

★ List of topics related to Cornwall

★ Constitutional status of Cornwall

★ History of Cornwall

★ Cornish Assembly

External links

★ Early British Kingdoms: Kingdoms of the West Country

★ Early British Kingdoms: Kings of Dumnonia, and of Cerniw