King Urien of Gorre goes by the name of King of Rheged. He was a king in the 6th century. Rheged was part of Hen Ogledd, the early British Kingdom that is Southern Scotland and Northern England in today’s time. So, if you plan on visiting this particular place, see if you can take a tour!
King Arthur was a famous British leader and details of his life are discussed through folklore. King Urien of Gorre became an integral part of Arthurian legend.
King Urien’ son was Owain mab Urien. He fought with his father against the Angles of Bernicia, however, later he came to be known as Ywain. Sir Ywain was also quite popular and would be accompanied by his pet lion most of the time. Thus, both father and son had been quite popular in Wales for centuries.
Owain was the eldest son of King Urien and succeeded him after the assassination.
After the death of Uther, King Urien apposed the accession to the throne of King Arthur. He along with others rebelled but were defeated and became allies. It is believed that King Urien married Morgan le Fay, who was the sister of King Arthur. In other legends, a different sister has been named. It is said that King Urien’s marriage to Morgan was successful and a good one but in other legends, there is a different plot according to which she tried to take the magical sword of King Arthur and wanted to get the throne by killing both King Arthur and King Urien.
It’s interesting how different stories and legends have gained popularity but who knows what had been the actual reality of the past. Some legends mention a second son while in others a daughter has been mentioned born to King Urien. In some places, it is said that King Urien had at least five sons.
Urien died when he was at the peak of military success. His death affected Rheged. Taliesin was a court bard of Urien and he recorded the wars in a series of poems. These poems gained popularity in Wales in the later years.
Being a King has its price, and jealousy is something that can affect the life of any person. It is believed that Morgant Bwlch was jealous of King Urien’s power and he hired a man to kill Urien. The man he hired is said to be Llofan Llaf Difo.
