Amdarch of Strathclyde
Encyclopedia
Amdarch was a military leader of the Kingdom of Strathclyde
, the probable son of King Dyfnwal III of Strathclyde, and noted in the historical records only as the slayer of King Cuilén of Scotland in 971.
His name occurs in various forms only in the various versions of the Chronicle of the Kings of Scotland, as Amdarch, Andarch, Amdrach, Radharc and Amthar, and as "Radhard" in an insertion to the Chronicle of Melrose although the tendency of some medievalists to Brythonize the names of tenth century Strathclyde kings has meant that he is often referred to as Riderch, or variations thereof, such as Rhiderch or Rhydderch. However, it has never been explained why the actual name should be ignored and the Welsh name is acknowledged as tenuous.
The Chronicle calls Amdarch "Dyfnwal's son", and it is usually presumed that this means he was the son of King Dyfnwal III of Strathclyde, although direct evidence for this is lacking.
Amdarch is mentioned in the Chronicle as the slayer of king Cuilén of Scotland, and the Chronicle recorded that Amdarch killed Cuilén "in Ybandonia, for the sake of his daughter". While Ybandonia has never been firmly identified, additions to the Chronicle of Melrose locate Cuilén's death in Lothian, and repeat the importance of the daughter, "because of the rape of his daughter, whom the king [Cuilén] had carried for himself." The Prophecy of Berchán
confirms that Cuilén was killed by the Britons, as does the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
, which adds that Cuilén's brother Eochaid was also killed.
Nothing else is known about Amdarch. If Amdarch was ever king, for which there is no evidence, it is known that the man who would have been his successor, Máel Coluim I
was king of the Cumbrians by 973, the year for which Florence of Worcester
related that the latter had met King Edgar of England
at Chester
.
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
, the probable son of King Dyfnwal III of Strathclyde, and noted in the historical records only as the slayer of King Cuilén of Scotland in 971.
His name occurs in various forms only in the various versions of the Chronicle of the Kings of Scotland, as Amdarch, Andarch, Amdrach, Radharc and Amthar, and as "Radhard" in an insertion to the Chronicle of Melrose although the tendency of some medievalists to Brythonize the names of tenth century Strathclyde kings has meant that he is often referred to as Riderch, or variations thereof, such as Rhiderch or Rhydderch. However, it has never been explained why the actual name should be ignored and the Welsh name is acknowledged as tenuous.
The Chronicle calls Amdarch "Dyfnwal's son", and it is usually presumed that this means he was the son of King Dyfnwal III of Strathclyde, although direct evidence for this is lacking.
Amdarch is mentioned in the Chronicle as the slayer of king Cuilén of Scotland, and the Chronicle recorded that Amdarch killed Cuilén "in Ybandonia, for the sake of his daughter". While Ybandonia has never been firmly identified, additions to the Chronicle of Melrose locate Cuilén's death in Lothian, and repeat the importance of the daughter, "because of the rape of his daughter, whom the king [Cuilén] had carried for himself." The Prophecy of Berchán
Prophecy of Berchán
The Prophecy of Berchán, is a relatively large historical poem written in the Middle Irish language. The text is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, as MS 679 , with a few early modern copies...
confirms that Cuilén was killed by the Britons, as does the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, or Scottish Chronicle, is a short written chronicle of the Kings of Alba, covering the period from the time of Kenneth MacAlpin until the reign of Kenneth II . W.F...
, which adds that Cuilén's brother Eochaid was also killed.
Nothing else is known about Amdarch. If Amdarch was ever king, for which there is no evidence, it is known that the man who would have been his successor, Máel Coluim I
Máel Coluim I of Strathclyde
Máel Coluim I of Strathclyde was ruler of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, the probable son of one of his predecessor King Dyfnwal III of Strathclyde; he was brother of Amdarch, who possibly held the throne in 971....
was king of the Cumbrians by 973, the year for which Florence of Worcester
Florence of Worcester
Florence of Worcester , known in Latin as Florentius, was a monk of Worcester, who played some part in the production of the Chronicon ex chronicis, a Latin world chronicle which begins with the creation and ends in 1140....
related that the latter had met King Edgar of England
Edgar of England
Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I , also called the Peaceable, was a king of England . Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England.-Accession:...
at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.