Details of the Ancestry of
Lot Luwddoc
by David Nash Ford
LOT
LUWDDOC'S
ANCESTRY
Votadinian
Tribal Origins
Lot
Luwddoc (of the Host) is well-known
from Arthurian
stories as either the King of Orkney or of
Lothian. The latter was Lot's actual kingdom and was
named after him. It was originally called Gododdin, a
name taken from the tribe of the Votadini who lived in
the area.
Lot was
portrayed by Geoffrey
of Monmouth as Llew ap Cynfarch, a brother of
King Urien
Rheged of North Rheged (Cumbria), but it is
unlikely that the Rheged dynasty extended their
influence as far as the Forth. In his Chronica
Gentis Scotorum, John of Fortrun claims Lot was
descended from Fulgentius, an early mythical King of
Britain mentioned by Geoffrey; whilst John of
Glastonbury gives an implausible descent from one
Petrus, a supposed follower of St.
Joseph of Arimathea:
| Petrus |
| Erlan |
| Melianus |
| Arguth |
| Edor |
| Lot |
It is,
however, much more probable
that Lot's ancestry is recorded in the otherwise
unidentified 'Pedigree 16' in the Harleian MS 3859:
| Constantini |
Constantius,
Roman Emperor |
| Constantini
Magni |
Constantine
the Great, Roman Emperor |
| Constantis |
Constantine
II, Emperor of the West |
| Teuhant |
Tasciovanus,
Chief of the Catuvellauni |
| Cinbelin |
Cunobelinus,
Chief of the Catuvellauni |
| Caratauc |
Caratacus,
Chief of the Catuvellauni |
| Guid
Gen |
Gwyddien
alias Gwydion |
| Louhen |
Lleu
Hen (the Old) alias Lleu Llaw
Gyffes |
| Cinis
Scaplaut |
Corrupt |
| Decion |
Roman
Office of Decurion |
| Catel |
Cadell |
| Catleu |
Cadlew,
mentioned briefly by Geoffrey of Monmouth |
| Letan |
Lleuddun
alias Lot Luwddoc (of the Host) |
Lot's
ancestry is therefore quite muddled. However, his
great grandfather's name, Decion or Decurion, may
indicate descent from men given Roman military
positions in the borderland buffer zone north of
Hadrian's Wall. The appearance of Lleu
and Gwydion would seem to show the commonly claimed
descent from Celtic Gods, though their positioning is
a little strange. The latter was associated with Arfon
in North Wales and their presence has led to a
suggestion that this line represents that of an
unknown group of lords from this area. Gwydion may also
represent Guiderius, Geoffrey's name for Togodumnus,
Chief of the Catuvellauni tribe (from Hertfordshire)
and brother of Caratacus,
shown in the previous generation. Caratacus,
Cunobelinus and Tasciovanus are historical pre-Roman
figures recorded by Dio Cassius and Tacitus. The Roman
Emperors are obviously completely misplaced and
actually extend back through a long list of their
twenty-nine predecessors in the Imperial office, represented
as a single family. Lot's descent continues thus:
| Letan |
Lleuddun
alias Lot Luwddoc (of the Host) |
| Serguan |
Serwan,
probably the origin of the form Sir Gawain. Also
known as Gwalchmai |
| Caurtam |
Cawrdaf |
| Caten |
Cathen |
| Neithon |
Neithon |
| Run |
Rhun |
According
to various traditions, largely Arthurian, Lot married Anna
Morgause daughter of Gorlois
of Tintagel and maternal half-sister of King
Arthur. Together, they had a
number of children:
- Gwalchmai
alias Gawain Gwalltafwyn, King of Gododdin, Abt
491 -
m. Ragnelle the Loathly Lady
- Aggrafayne, Abt 494 -
- Garwth alias Gweir, Abt 497 - , m. Lynet
the Damsel Savage
- Gwalchafed alias Gaheris,
Abt 500 - , m. Lyones of the Castle Perilous
- Medrod alias Mordred, Abt 503 - , m(1)
Unknown & m(2) Guinevere
ferch Lleudd Ogrfan Gawr (the Giant)
- Clarissant, Abt 507 -
- Thaney,
Abt 511 - , m. Owein
ap Urien, King of North Rheged, Abt 510 -
- Eries, Abt 514 -
- Soredamor, Abt 517 -
- Itonie, Abt 521 -
- Peren, Abt 525 - , m. Bugi
ap Gwynllyw, Abt 525 -
- St. Tenoi, Abt 530 - , m. Dingat
ap Nudd, King of Selcovia, Abt 540
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