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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1999-10 > 0940098479


From: "Todd A. Farmerie" <>
Subject: Re: Llewelyn's wives - a summary
Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 14:27:59 -0400


wrote:
>
> I do not belive that the name Gwenllian would be given to an illegitimate
> daughter or the daughter of a concubine.
>
> Dr Andrew Breeze wrote an article for THE PLANTAGENET CONNECTION that argued
> quite convincingly that Gwennlian was the actual writer of the famous Welsh
> work the _Four Branches of the Mabinogi_. The evidence was, of course,
> circumstantial, but quite interesting.
>
> Now this Gwenllian lived several generations earlier, but the work was handed
> down and preserved in her family. She was so famous that I do not think her
> name would be given to an illegitimate daughter of a concubine.


Is this simply an agrument from personal incredulity, or is there some
kind of analusis done to indicate that a disparity existed between the
names given legitimate and illegitimate children?

Along the same lines Gruffudd ap Cynan, the no less prominant father of
Gwenllian, must have been equally respected, yet his name was used for
an illegitimate son. Most sources suggest that prior to Llywelyn's
marriage to Joan, little distinction was drawn between legitimate and
illegitimate children, and the prominance given to David probably had
more to do with politics.

ta

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