ILLTUD, ILLTUD'S GHOST AND ELDAD: MAGISTER MILITUMS AND TERRIBLE WARRIORS

Plan of Dinas Powys Hillfort (Courtesy COFLEIN)

I had conveniently put out of mind one of my earlier candidates for Uther: St. Illtud (from *Elu-toutos, [the man] of many tribes).  As it happened, a final argument for that chieftain came from a possible identification of Illtud with Geoffrey of Monmouth's Eldad, whom the author compares with the Biblical Samuel.  No less an authority that John Koch (see the entry for Illtud in CELTIC CULTURE: A HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA) says that

"It has also been conjectured that Illtud’s name (recorded in many variant spellings) might explain the dedication of ‘St Aldate’ churches at Gloucester and Oxford."

This Aldate is believed to = Eldad.  I would opt for seeing the former as deriving from the latter, although P.C. Bartrum (A CLASSICAL WELSH DICTIONARY) instead has

“Oxford or the martyrology of Gloucester gave him [Geoffrey] St.Aldate, his Bishop Eldad.” (E.K.Chambers, Arthur of Britain, 1927, p.34). The name Eldad or Aldate occurs in Martyrologies of the thirteenth century and his commemoration day is given as February 4 in several Calendars, but he is not known to Welsh Calendars (LBS II.427-8)."

The reason it was so exciting to find that Illtud might have been compared to Samuel is because I had already (see  https://mistshadows.blogspot.com/2018/11/repost-of-true-identity-of-uther.html and related posts) shown that Illtud was given a number of ranks, honorific titles and descriptors that, when combined, could easily account for an Uther Pendragon.  The following selection is drawn from the previously cited blog:

<He [Illtud] was referred to as 'farchog', "knight", and filwr, 'soldier/warrior', as well as  'princeps militie' (militum princeps) and magister militum (https://freidok.uni-freiburg.de/fedora/objects/freidok:6837/datastreams/FILE1/content). 

Chapter 2 of the VITA SANCTI ILTUTI calls the living Illtud "miles magnificus."  We may compare this with Uther [Pen]dragon (where dragon has the usual metaphorical meaning of “warrior”; see R. Bromwich for Pendragon as either 'chief warrior' or 'chief of warriors').

W. uthr

fearful, dreadful, awful, terrible, tremendous, mighty, overbearing, cruel; wonderful, wondrous, astonishing, excellent. 

L. magnific.us                 

splendid/excellent/sumptuous/magnificent/stately; noble/eminent; proud/boastful

But, even better, at the end of his VITA we are told of a 'terrible soldier/warrior' [terribilis miles], who though of a heavenly nature and left unnamed, is plainly the returning spirit of the old soldier Illtud, out to retrieve his stolen bell.>

Marged Haycock (in her version of MARWNAT VTHYR PEN) tells us that

"The guide-title mar. vthyr. . . dragon together with the abbreviated red title

marwnat vythyr pen show that the poem was thought to be an elegy for Uthr

Bendragon at some stage in its transmission."

W. vthyr dragon would translate directly the Latin terribilis miles.  In the past I have remarked upon the 'terrible warrior' (mil uathmar) in the Irish story of the Conception of Mongan, a probable source for Geoffrey of Monmouth's own tale on Arthur's birth.  For Pendragon, we need only utilize Illtud's magister/princeps militum rank.  Bromwich makes it clear (in the note to her TRIADS on Uther) that dragon in the context of the epithet can be either singular or plural.  

Other "facts" seemed to support the idea that Illtud could be Uther.  One of the most important was the localization of Illtud as a warrior captain at Dinas Powys, a hillfort located near to the harbor of the River Ely's estuary.  In the very early Arthurian 'Pa Gur' poem, we are told that one of the warriors of the River Ely is Mabon, 'servant of Uther Pendragon.'  The implication would seem to be that Uther is to be found at the Ely.  This is especially so as there is no indication why only Mabon should be at the Ely.  Instead, it seems he is a warrior attendant on Uther.  Other than this reference in the 'Pa Gur', we have nothing pre-Galfridian that helps us situate Uther anywhere.  I have made efforts to locate an Elai in the North, but have failed.  We have plenty of early spellings for the River Ely in Wales, and both Elai and Elei are quite acceptable.  

A story is told of a Sawyl Benuchel near St. Cadog's monastery, which appears to match the story of Illtud's soldiers at the same institution!  The following is drawn from P.C. Bartrum's A CLASSICAL WELSH DICTIONARY:

<  SAWYL BENUCHEL. ‘S. High-head or Proud’. He is mentioned in the Life of St.Cadog (§16) as a chief living near the monastery of Cadog. During the absence of Cadog Sawyl and his accomplices robbed the monastery of food and drink and proceeded to consume it. Cadog returned soon after and advised the distracted monks to wait till the robbers fell asleep after their debauchery, then to shave off half of their beards and hair, and to disfigure their horses. The robbers woke and began to leave. Then Cadog and nearly fifty clerics went to meet the tyrant with hymns and psalms. When they came to a certain mound Sawyl Benuchel and his satellites descended to meet them. But the earth opened up and swallowed the tyrant alive with his men. The ditch ‘appears to this day’.

[The traditional spot of Sawyl's grave is Allt Cunedda in Kidwelly, but this is probably only because that hill is right next to a Llangadog, 'Cadog's Church'.]

In §19 we are told that Illtud was captain of the soldiers of Pawl Penychen. During Illtud's

absence the soldiers had stolen food and beer from Cadog's monastery but were swallowed up by the

earth. The result was the conversion of Illtud. This is also told in the Life of St.Illtud (§§2-3), and by

Walter Map, De Nugis Curialium, Distinctio II Cap.X.

  3. As a result of a miracle performed by St.Cadog he was persuaded to become a monk.

  3. The same story is told in the Life of St.Cadog (§19) but is improbable as Illtud was probably senior to Cadog by some years.>

Sawyl Benisel, in later sources, is wrongly called Sawyl Benuchel.  And there was a St. Sawyl in Carmarthenshire.

<SAWEL, ST. The saint of Llansawel, formerly under Cynwyl Gaeo, Ystrad Tywi (PW 50). His festival is given in one Calendar as on January 15 (LBS I.70, IV.176). LBS calls him Sawyl and mentions Pistyll Sawyl, now Ffynnon Sawyl, by Penygarn in Llansawel (IV 176). Llansawel (Briton Ferry) in Morgannwg is apparently corrupted from Llanisawel, and does not incorporate a saint's name. See LBS IV.176, PW 69 n.2.>

Thus one version of the story has Sawyl as the leader of the men who raid Cadog's monastery, while the other has Illtud's soldiers perform the dastardly deed.  Could the synthetic genius Geoffrey of Monmouth have known both these versions, and so linked Samuel with his Eldad?

Why did I discount all of this and more, moving on to develop other theories concerinng Uther's potential historicity?

I really don't know, to be honest. Partly the whole "saint" thing threw me off.  I mean, while Illtud spent much of his life as a soldier, he became a famous saint and is not recorded as having any children.  He is said to be a cousin of Arthur.

The Illtud-Uther theory also seemed a bit too, well, neat.  A little too simple. I mean, surely there had to be more to it than that?

Yet here I am, coming back to it once more.  It certainly seems that Illtud possesses everything necessary to eminently qualify him as Arthur's father.  Can we afford to ignore what seems to be our best candidate for a historical Uther, merely because alternative personages seem more glamorous? 

ST. ILLTUD FROM JOHN KOCH'S CELTIC CULTURE: A HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA:

Illtud, St, is well attested in Breton and Welsh hagiography

(e.g. the Life of Leonorus, and the Breton
vita of Gildas), where he is presented as a figure of
religious authority and great learning. Importantly,
‘Eltutus’ appears in the oldest of the Brythonic Latin
saints’ lives, the 7th- or 8th-century first Life of
Samson. There, he is described in detail as a wise and
highly educated man, a disciple of, and ordained presbyter
(priest) by, St Germanus, and Samson’s teacher.
The Life of St Brioc confirms that Illtud was a fellowdisciple,
with Brioc, of Germanus. According to the
9th-century Life of Paul Aurelian by Uurmonoc,
Illtud taught Paul, David (Dewi Sant), Gildas, and
Samson. If reliable, these details would place Illtud’s
career in the 5th century, possibly beginning in Gaul,
though we should remember that Germanus visited
Britain twice, the first time c. 429. More than 20
places in Wales (Cymru) and several more in Brittany
(Breizh) are under Illtud’s patronage and/or take their
names from him. It has also been conjectured that
Illtud’s name (recorded in many variant spellings) might
explain the dedication of ‘St Aldate’ churches at
Gloucester and Oxford. In the 9th-century Historia
Brittonum, Illtud is attributed a miraculous altar in
Gower (Gßyr). In the saints’ lives, he is repeatedly connected
with the regions of Dyfed and Glamorgan
(Morgannwg) in south Wales, as well as Brittany,
called both Brittannia (Ulterior) and Letavia and, more
specifically, with a hermitage on insula Piro, i.e. Ynys
B½r (Caldy Island) in the Bristol Channel, and the
important monastery bearing his name, Llanilltud Fawr
(rather unfortunately Anglicized Llantwit Major). The

latter had been the site of a large Romano-British villa,
and thus provides a significant example of a centre of
Roman civilization continuing as a focus of post-Roman
Christianity and learning. The place is mentioned
many times in the Book of Llandaf, where
its Old Welsh name is given as Lann-Iltut. An inscription
on stone, now in the church at Llanilltud, has been
dated both to the 10th century and more probably to
the 7th, and names an Iltutus as well as a Samson.
However, since these names recurred in the Brythonic
world in the early Middle Ages, the inscription is better
understood as evidence for a tradition centred on
this place, rather than referring specifically to the
5th-/6th-century saints. A surviving Life of Illtud—
possibly written by, or reworked by, Caradog of
Llancarfan—describes him as an Armorican cleric
who took service with ‘Poulentus, king of Glamorgan’,
but this detail appears to be an adaptation of a
story about St Cadoc and Paul of Penychen, a cantref
of Glamorgan. There is a passing reference to
Arthur—said to be Illtud’s cousin—and the king’s
magnificent court (see Arthur in the saints’
lives), as well as several stories concerning Illtud’s
dealings with a king of Glamorgan with the common
early Welsh name Meirchiaun (from Latin Marcianus).
Illtud’s name is Celtic, deriving from *Elu-toutos ‘[the
man] of many tribes’. His feast-day is 6 November.
Further Reading
Arthur; Breizh; Britain; Cadoc; cantref; Caradog of
Llancarfan; Christianity; Cymru; Dewi Sant; Dyfed;
Gaul; Germanus; Gildas; hagiography; Historia
Brittonum; Llandaf; Morgannwg; Paul Aurelian;
Samson; Baring-Gould & Fisher, Lives of the British Saints 3.303–
17; Bartrum, Welsh Classical Dictionary 385; Cartwright, Celtic
Hagiography and Saints’ Cults; Doble & Evans, Lives of the Welsh
Saints; Henken, Welsh Saints; Wade-Evans, Vitae Sanctorum
Britanniae et Genealogiae 194–233.
Graham Jones, JTK

ST. ILLTUD FROM P. C. BARTRUM'S A CLASSICAL WELSH DICTIONARY:

ILLTUD, ST. (470) His ‘Life’ is preserved in Cotton MS.Vespasian A xiv amd was edited in VSB pp.194 - 233. In its present form it dates from about 1140, as is proved by the mention in §7 of ‘Dubricius, Bishop of Llandaf’. This betrays the influence of the Book of Llandaf which appeared in about 1140 (VSB p.xii). The following is a brief analysis of the Life: §1. He was the son of Bicanus, a prince of Letavia [Llydaw]. His mother was Rieingulid [Rhieinwylydd] daughter of Anblawd [Amlawdd Wledig], a king of Britannia [i.e. Wales]. [§4 He was dedicated by his parents to a clerical pursuit]. He was first instructed in literature, and then turned himself to military training. He was a man of such memory that he never forgot anything that he learnt. ‘None was more eloquent throughout Gaul than Œltutus miles in discoursing philosophic eloquence.’ 2. Desiring to meet his cousin Arthur, of whose magnificence he had heard, he visited his court and was much pleased and impressed by his reception. He then took service under Poulentus, rex Gulat Morcanensium [Pawl Penychen], accompanied by his wife, Trynihid. He quickly gained the affection of his master, and was soon promoted to preside over the royal household. A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY 439 3. As a result of a miracle performed by St.Cadog he was persuaded to become a monk. See the story s.n. Pawl Penychen. 4-6. Illtud leaves his wife and settles in a beautiful fertile valley called Hodnant. 7. With the consent and aid of Dubricius, ‘bishop of Llandaf’, he founded a church (ecclesia) in that place. Many came to him to be taught and were trained in a thorough knowledge of the seven arts. [§11 Samson, Paulinus, Gildas and Dewi are particularly mentioned as studying under him]. 8-10. Merchiaunus Vesanus, [Meirchion Wyllt], the king of that district, finding Illtud already settled there without his permission, was at first annoyed, but later, impressed by the saint's piety and miracles, bestowed on him the land where he was settled. See further s.n. Meirchion Wyllt. 13. A miracle. 14. Another miracle this time by Samson. 15. Samson was ordained by Dubricius. He bade farewell to Illtud and on that spot a spring appeared which was called by Samson's name. Samson went to Letavia and became bishop of Dol. On his death his body was born miraculously across the sea in a sarcophagus to Illtud's harbour and was buried in the cemetery of Illtud's monastery. 16. Trynihid, Illtud's wife, was meanwhile dwelling in solitude on a mountain, where she founded an oratory. Once when she visited Illtud, he was displeased, and she was temporarily struck blind. She returned to her solitude and never visited him again. 17-18. A wicked steward of king Meirchion afflicted Illtud, and as a result melted away like wax before a fire. When Meirchion attempted to take revenge against Illtud, the saint retired to a secret cave on the bank of the rived Ewenny, and stayed there for a year and three days. 19. Gildas sent a bell by messenger to Dewi. On the way the messenger passed by Illtud's cave. Illtud heard the bell and was attracted by its beautiful sound and asked the man where he was going. When the bell was brought to Dewi at Mynyw it would not sound. Dewi guessed the reason and bade the messenger take the bell to Illtud. So Illtud's hiding place was discovered, and the monks of Illtud's monastery brought him back again to be abbot. 20-21. Another wicked steward of Meirchion was swallowed up by a marsh. This infuriated Meirchion who rode armed to the monastery but was swallowed up by the earth. Then Illtud retired to the cave of Lingarchia [Llwynarth] where he remained for three years. 22. Some men brought the body of a holy man in a boat to Llwynarth to be buried. An altar was held up above the body by the divine will. At their request Illtud buried the body and the altar remained by the divine will above the buried body. 23. Two robbers from Brycheiniog attempted to steal a herd of swine belonging to Illtud. The robbers were turned into two stones which are still called ‘The Two Robbers’, and the place where the sty was is still called by Illtud's name. 24. Illtud planned to visit his inheritance in Letavia. Before leaving he ordered his stewards to thresh all the corn in three barns and have it placed in granaries. Before leaving Letavia he saw people afflicted with hunger. As a result of his prayers the corn which had been stored was miraculously conveyed to the afflicted region, being found in a harbour on the shore of Letavia. Illtud returned to Britannia [Wales]. When his death was imminent he returned to Letavia where he died at the monastery of Dol on November 6. NOTES ON THE LIFE 1. Letavia. The much earlier Life of St.Samson has much to say about Illtud. There is no hint in this Life that Illtud was anything but a native of Britannia [Wales], although the Life of Samson was written by a Breton. It may be suspected that the Letavia from which Illtud is said to have come in the Life of Illtud was some long-forgotten district of that name in the direction of Brecon. In further confirmation it may be noted that according to the Life of Illtud the saint is made also to have died in Letavia, while tradition makes him to be buried in the parish of Defynnog in Brycheiniog, within a small tumulus called Bedd Gwyl Illtud, ‘The Grave of Illtud's Festival’, where they kept watch in former times on the eve of his day. See WCO 113, 133, 135; LBS III.314-5. See Llydaw. A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY 440 The Life of St.Samson (I.7) also speaks of the great learning of Illtud. He is described as ‘the most learned of all the Britons in the Old and New Testamants, and in every kind of philosophy, ... And by birth he was a most wise magicus (druid or sage), and had knowledge of the future’ (WCO 133). Œltutus miles. Thus Illtud was sometimes called Illtud Farchog, ‘knight’, e.g. by Tudur Penllyn (Gwaith, ed. Thomas Roberts, 1958, No.34, l.15); Llyfr Baglan (c.1600) ed. J.A.Bradney, p.309; Edward Lhuyd, Parochialia, I.1; the ‘Myvyrian 3rd series’ of triads Nos.56, 84, 121, 122. 3. The same story is told in the Life of St.Cadog (§19) but is improbable as Illtud was probably senior to Cadog by some years. 5. In the Life Hodnant is said to mean ‘Prosperous Valley’, but according to Wade-Evans, ‘Woody Valley’ (WCO 134). Another Hodnant is mentioned in the Life of St.David (Vespasian version) §15. 7. The ecclesia was, of course, Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major) in Morgannwg, too wellknown to be named. Paulinus. This is said by A.W.Wade-Evans to be an error for Paul of Léon (q.v.). (VSB index s.n. Paulinus). See the First Life of Gildas §3 and the Life of Paul of Léon §3. 15. The Life of St.Samson (I.61) distinctly says that Samson was buried in his own monastery at Dol in Brittany. But there was a later Samson who was abbot of Llanilltud and it is probably that Samson who was buried at Llanilltud. See Samson II, abbot of Llanilltud. 19. A similar story is told in the Life of Gildas by Caradog of Llancarfan (§6) where Gildas made a bell for the pope, but for similar reasons it was finally given to Cadog. 22. The story of the altar ‘held up by the will of God’ is told as one of the ‘Mirabilia’ listed in an appendix to the Historia Brittonum (§71). The place is there called Loyngarth, modern Welsh Ystum Llwynarth, English Oystermouth in Gower. This account adds that Illtud founded a church around the body of the holy man and around the altar. The present church is dedicated to All Saints (PW 55). 23. The place is probably Llanharan, Locus Harae, ‘the monastery of the Sty’, in Morgannwg, where to our own time survived a place called Llecha, ‘Stones’ (WCO 135). Llanharan seems to have no dedication. 24. There are churches in Léon and Cornouaille in Brittany of which he is patron. See LBS III. 317. On the place of his death see note to §1, above. The day of his death, November 6, agrees with that of his festival. See LBS I.75, III.317. ________________ The Life of St.Samson says (I.7) that Illtud was a disciple of St.Germanus, who had ordained him priest. Also, speaking of Llanilltud Fawr, it says (I.42) ‘the monastery which, it is said, had been founded by St.Germanus’. The last statement is not generally accepted, though Wade-Evans did not rule out the possibility (WCO 74, 132). It is also difficult to reconcile the former statement with a satisfactory chronology of Illtud's life, although Wade-Evans accepted it (WCO 211). Paul Grosjean, however, thought that the tradition did not necessarily mean that Illtud went to Auxerre: he could have been brought up or educated by people who claimed to be disciples or followers of St.Germanus (Studies in memory of Fritz Saxl, ed. D.J.Gordon, 1957, pp.75-76, quoted by Idris Foster in Prehistoric and Early Wales, 1965, p.227 n.4). In the Life of St.Brioc (before 850) (§9) we are told that St.Germanus had as pupils Patrick and Illtud along with Brioc. In the Life of St.Dubricius it is stated that Illtud was made abbot of Llanilltud by Dubricius, who visited the residence of the blessed Illtud in the season of Lent, that he might correct what wanted amendment, and confirm what should be observed (BLD 81; LBS III.308). The Life of St.Leonorius (q.v.) says that the saint was a pupil of Illtud and was consecrated bishop by Dubricius. We also find that saint Tudual was said to be his pupil. See s.n. Tudual. The Life of St.Paul of Léon (884) (§2) says that St.Illtud spent much of his time in Insula Pyrus [Ynys Bŷr, Caldy Island]. In §3 we are told that among his disciples were Paul, David, Gildas, Samson and others. A WELSH CLASSICAL DICTIONARY 441 Baglan, the saint of Baglan in Morgannwg, is said to have been a disciple of Illtud and a contemporary of Cadog. See s.n. Baglan (2). One of the ‘Llancarfan Charters’ appended to the Life of St.Cadog (§57) tells how Cadog and Illtud cursed Euan Buurr for killing two men. King Merchiaun [probably Meirchion Wyllt] gave a township, Conhil, to Illtud. Another king, Catlon, gave land to Cadog. Cadog and his familia were witnesses, but only the familia of Illtud were witnesses. See more s.n. Cadog. According to the Life of Cadog (§22) Illtud was present, with other saints, at a dispute between Arthur and Cadog. For details see s.n. Llyngesog Lawhir. Illtud is also listed among the signatories of an ‘Agreement of Refuge’ between Cadog and Rhain ap Brychan in the Life of Cadog (§70). See s.n. Rhain ap Brychan. It has been suggested that Illtud was the ‘instructor’ of Maelgwn, ‘the refined teacher of almost the whole of Britain’ mentioned by Gildas (Epistola §36). See s.n. Maelgwn Gwynedd. In the Life of Samson (I.8) we are told that when Illtud was on his death-bed he called for two abbots, Isanus [Isan] and Atoclius, to visit him. Illtud died the same night, Atoclius soon after, and Isanus after forty days, all of which was prophesied by Illtud. A list of abbots of Llanilltud Fawr is printed from an old deed by David Williams in his History of Monmouthshire, 1796, Appendix, p.50. This gives Iltutus, Piro [Pyr], Isanus, Cennit [Cennydd], Samson, .... Note that Samson was appointed abbot of Llanilltud according to his Life (I.42), but only remained for a short time before leaving for Armorica (I.45). However, Illtud was still alive when Samson went to Armorica according to the Life of Illtud (§15). If we accept all these statements it would seem that Pyr, Isan, Cennydd and Samson were all abbots of Llanilltud Fawr during the lifetime of Illtud, perhaps during some of his many absences or after his retirement. A stone cross in the churchyard of Llanilltud Fawr bears the names of Iltutus and Samson. See s.n. Samson of Dol. There are some 13 churches dedicated to Illtud in Wales, mainly in the South: Morgannwg (6), Brycheiniog (1), Ystrad Tywi (including Gŵyr) (4), Dyfed (1), Ardudwy (1). See PW. LBS III.315 adds some doubtful cases.