Caer Dathyl (Prydain)
Encyclopedia
Caer Dathyl is the location from which the High King
of Prydain
ruled in the stories told in Lloyd Alexander
's Chronicles of Prydain
. It was built by the Sons of Don in the north of Prydain, among the Eagle Mountains, intended to protect Prydain from further conquests by Arawn
of Annuvin. A tall fortress on a hill dominated the cottages, shops and other buildings in the valleys below it; the stones used to make the fortress had a color similar to gold.
The fortress of Caer Dathyl was not only a place of defense and a seat of royal power, but also served as a repository of literature and art of every variety from throughout Prydain. A grove of hemlocks was planted in one of its courtyards above the burial mounds of past kings and heroes, and storehouses preserved the treasures of craftsmen collected from every corner of the land.
The Chief Bard
also resides at Caer Dathyl, where he maintains the Hall of Lore and the Hall of Bards, both of which store many of the historical documents, songs, poems, and other items of literature. Access to the Hall of Bards was limited to official bards, though other people were permitted within the Hall of Lore.
In The Book of Three, Prince Gwydion
surmises that Arawn's war leader, the Horned King
, intends to destroy Caer Dathyl with the army he rallied in the southern realms of Prydain. The story's protagonist, Taran
, sets out with his companions to warn the people of Caer Dathyl of the attack, though he failed to reach the fortress before the vigilant Sons of Don met the Horned King's army in battle in the valley beyond Caer Dathyl. The battle ended decisively in the Sons of Don's favor when the Horned King himself was slain, sparing Caer Dathyl itself from any damage. After the battle, Taran and his companions were welcomed as heroes by the High King Math
, and saw much of Caer Dathyl before returning home to Caer Dallben
.
Caer Dathyl saw battle again in the final book of the series, The High King
. Gwydion designated it as the rallying point for all the armies in Prydain who were loyal to the Sons of Don, though only the armies of the northern realms and the Free Commots
made it there before a fierce battle ensued. Pryderi
, king of those western domains that were loyal to the Sons of Don, came to Gwydion and Math, demanding they either surrender to him and Arawn or fight them. His ultimatum was rejected, and the next morning his armies faced the defenders of Caer Dathyl in the snow-covered valley before the fortress, led by Gwydion, the Chief Bard Taliesin
, and Taran.
As evening approached, Pryderi's forces broke ranks and retreated, but were then joined by an army of Huntsmen of Annuvin and deathless Cauldron-Born
sent from Annuvin. The Cauldron-Born slew the High King Math inside the gates of the fortress, and throughout the night they leveled Caer Dathyl in its entirety, killing all who stood in their way.
After the conclusion of the war, Taran determined to rebuild Caer Dathyl, including the Hall of Lore and Hall of Bards, hoping to recover the knowledge preserved there as well as providing a place for future learning to be stored. This goal was eventually fulfilled during his reign as High King of Prydain.
High king
A high king is a king who holds a position of seniority over a group of other kings, without the title of Emperor; compare King of Kings.Rulers who have been termed "high king" include:...
of Prydain
Prydain
Prydain is the modern Welsh name for Britain.-Medieval:Prydain is the medieval Welsh term for the island of Britain . More specifically, Prydain may refer to the Brittonic parts of the island; that is, the parts south of Caledonia...
ruled in the stories told in Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Alexander
Lloyd Chudley Alexander was a widely influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books...
's Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain
The Chronicles of Prydain is a five-volume series of children's fantasy novels by author Lloyd Alexander...
. It was built by the Sons of Don in the north of Prydain, among the Eagle Mountains, intended to protect Prydain from further conquests by Arawn
Arawn
In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn, appearing prominently in the first branch, and alluded to in the fourth. In later tradition, the role of king of Annwn was largely attributed to the Welsh psychopomp, Gwyn ap Nudd...
of Annuvin. A tall fortress on a hill dominated the cottages, shops and other buildings in the valleys below it; the stones used to make the fortress had a color similar to gold.
The fortress of Caer Dathyl was not only a place of defense and a seat of royal power, but also served as a repository of literature and art of every variety from throughout Prydain. A grove of hemlocks was planted in one of its courtyards above the burial mounds of past kings and heroes, and storehouses preserved the treasures of craftsmen collected from every corner of the land.
The Chief Bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
also resides at Caer Dathyl, where he maintains the Hall of Lore and the Hall of Bards, both of which store many of the historical documents, songs, poems, and other items of literature. Access to the Hall of Bards was limited to official bards, though other people were permitted within the Hall of Lore.
In The Book of Three, Prince Gwydion
Gwydion
Gwydion fab Dôn is a magician, hero and trickster of Welsh mythology, appearing most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, which focuses largely on his relationship with his young nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes...
surmises that Arawn's war leader, the Horned King
Cernunnos
Cernunnos is the conventional name given in Celtic studies to depictions of the horned god of Celtic polytheism. The name itself is only attested once, on the 1st-century Pillar of the Boatmen, but depictions of a horned or antlered figure, often seated in a "lotus position" and often associated...
, intends to destroy Caer Dathyl with the army he rallied in the southern realms of Prydain. The story's protagonist, Taran
Taran
- Given name :* Taran, a 7th century king of the Picts* Taran Taran, founder of the Taran Panth religious sect* Taran Adarsh, an Indian film critic* Taran Killam, an American comic actor* Taran Noah Smith, an actor...
, sets out with his companions to warn the people of Caer Dathyl of the attack, though he failed to reach the fortress before the vigilant Sons of Don met the Horned King's army in battle in the valley beyond Caer Dathyl. The battle ended decisively in the Sons of Don's favor when the Horned King himself was slain, sparing Caer Dathyl itself from any damage. After the battle, Taran and his companions were welcomed as heroes by the High King Math
High King Math
Math son of Mathonwy is the High King of the fictional realm of Prydain in the Lloyd Alexander novel series The Chronicles of Prydain. He rules above all lesser kings in Prydain. Math is patriarch of the Royal House of Don, comprising descendants of the Lady Don and her consort, Belin, the Sun king...
, and saw much of Caer Dathyl before returning home to Caer Dallben
Caer Dallben
Caer Dallben is a cottage farm within the lands of Prydain and the starting point for each book of Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain. It is also the setting for the series' final chapter....
.
Caer Dathyl saw battle again in the final book of the series, The High King
The High King
The High King is the last book in the Chronicles of Prydain fantasy series of books by Lloyd Alexander. It was awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1969.-Plot overview:...
. Gwydion designated it as the rallying point for all the armies in Prydain who were loyal to the Sons of Don, though only the armies of the northern realms and the Free Commots
Free Commots
The Free Commots are a region in the fictional country of Prydain in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy series, The Chronicles of Prydain. They are most prominently featured in the fourth novel, Taran Wanderer, where the protagonist of the series, Taran, does much of his maturing into...
made it there before a fierce battle ensued. Pryderi
Pryderi
Pryderi fab Pwyll is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology, the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, and king of Dyfed following his father's death. He is the only character to appear in all Four Branches of the Mabinogi, although the size of his role varies from tale to tale...
, king of those western domains that were loyal to the Sons of Don, came to Gwydion and Math, demanding they either surrender to him and Arawn or fight them. His ultimatum was rejected, and the next morning his armies faced the defenders of Caer Dathyl in the snow-covered valley before the fortress, led by Gwydion, the Chief Bard Taliesin
Taliesin
Taliesin was an early British poet of the post-Roman period whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the Book of Taliesin...
, and Taran.
As evening approached, Pryderi's forces broke ranks and retreated, but were then joined by an army of Huntsmen of Annuvin and deathless Cauldron-Born
Cauldron-Born
In Lloyd Alexander's series of fantasy books The Chronicles of Prydain, the Cauldron-Born are a race of deathless warriors in the service of Arawn, Death-Lord of Annuvin.- Origins :...
sent from Annuvin. The Cauldron-Born slew the High King Math inside the gates of the fortress, and throughout the night they leveled Caer Dathyl in its entirety, killing all who stood in their way.
After the conclusion of the war, Taran determined to rebuild Caer Dathyl, including the Hall of Lore and Hall of Bards, hoping to recover the knowledge preserved there as well as providing a place for future learning to be stored. This goal was eventually fulfilled during his reign as High King of Prydain.