CADGUALLAUN LIU GRANDSON OF SAWYL BENISEL = CAEDUALLA REX BRETTONUM?

Aerial View of Site of the Ribchester Roman Fort

In 2004, Alex Woolfe published an article in NORTHERN HISTORY that may have considerable bearing on my theory that the legendary Arthur came from a royal family based at Ribchester:

https://www.academia.edu/313147/Caedualla_rex_Brettonum_and_the_passing_of_the_old_north

In this piece, Dr. Woolfe very plausibly suggests that a great chieftain of the 7th century named Cadwallon Lyw (the chieftain, lord, leader, ruler, governor; see GPC), usually assigned to the Gwynedd dynasty, should instead be attached to the family of Sawyl Benisel: 

"It remains now to identify an alternative and better placed candidate for Bede's Caedualla rex Brettonum. What is sought is a northcountryman, a neighbour to both Deira and Bernicia, who was appropriately placed to be over-king of both and who had afloruit in the early to mid seventh century. Happily a candidate readily presents himself. Harley pedigree 19 reads:

Catguallaun liu [1] map Guitcun map Samuil penissel map Pappa post Priten map Ceneu map Gyl hen"

I've read his entire paper - more than once now.  And it seems to me that if he is right, this would reinforce my own idea that Arthur was a son of Sawyl.  How?  Well, only because it would be proof that Sawyl's family (and, presumably, kingdom) was extremely powerful in the North during the Dark Ages.  And, that by being so, it would have been fertile ground for the production of a significant hero prior to Sawyl's grandson. 

The case could even be made that Arthur's earlier victories against the Saxons in the North, including that of Badon, had set the stage for the later military successes of Cadwallon.  

[1]

Dr. Woolfe argues, for instance, that the Ynys Glannauc (Enislannach in Gerald of Wales) battle of Cadwallon was a relocated event. I agree.  In my opinion the proper location is the Llan Lleennawc, "Lleenog's enclosure", probably here a fort or fortified settlement and not, as later, a church.  This place is found mentioned in the Book of Taliesin and incorporates the name of the father of Gwallog of Elmet.  

The Kingdom of Elmet lay to the south of Birdoswald on Hadrian's Wall.  Birdoswald/Banna was ruled over by Sawyl, and Ekwall etymologizes the place-name as containing W. buarth, "fold", plus the OE personal name Oswald.  I would suggest that the Roman period Banna was also Cadwallon's fort, and that it was renamed after Oswald killed the former at Heavenfield.  

XI.

GWALLAWC

[BT 29]

"Ef differth aduwyn llan lleennawc"

On the identification of Heavenfield, where Cadwallon met his death, see https://mistshadows.blogspot.com/2020/05/where-exactly-was-hefenfeldheavenfield.html.