Aergol Lawhir

Aergol Longhand (Modern Welsh: Aergol Lawhir; fl. 460) was a semi-legendary king of Dyfed and son and heir of King Triffyn Farfog.[1] His name is the Welsh form of the Latin Agricola, just as his father's name is the Cambrian form of "tribune".[2]

His court was at Lis Castell (Lydstep) near Din Bych (Tenby); there may have been another at Castell Argoel (probably Caeth Argoel) in Dyfed, which was presumably named in his honor.[3][4] He was a patron of the church at Llandaff and the bishops of Glywysing Saints Teilo and Euddogwy. He received Euddogwy's father King Budic II of Brittany after the latter was expelled from his land, and was remembered by Gildas as a "good king".[1]

Aergol was known to be an enemy of King Cynan Garwyn of Powys and they clashed at Crug Dyfed.[5] He possibly conquered the Ystrad Tywi around the late 400s which was why he was given the name "Long-Hand."

References

  1. ^ a b Bartrum, Peter C. (1993). "Aergol Lawhir". A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend up to about A.D. 1000 (2009 ed.). Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales. pp. 4–5.
  2. ^ Wade-Evans, Arthur (1934). Welsh Christian Origins. Oxford: The Alden Press. pp. 91, 261–262.
  3. ^ Owen of Henllys, George (1603). Owen, Henry (ed.). The Description of Penbrokshire Part III (1906 reprint ed.). London: The Beford Press. p. 234. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  4. ^ Wade-Evans, Arthur. Welsh Medieval Law. Oxford Univ., 1909. Accessed 31 Jan 2013.
  5. ^ Morris-Jones, John (1918). "Taliesin". Y Cymmrodor: The Magazine of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. XXVIII. London: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion: 200. Retrieved 28 June 2025.