Centre for Scottish & Celtic Studies

The committee for the International Congress of Celtic Studies XVI in Bangor, Wales (22-26 July 2019) accepted my paper proposal and consequently with the money that I was awarded from the Centre I was able to attend the conference and present my paper, 'Conflicting Concerns? Kedymdeith and Courtly Commitments in Chwedyl Iarlles y Ffynnawn'.

Tension stemming from one’s courtly commitments are evident from the opening scenes of Chwedyl Iarlles y Ffynnawn, when Cai is reluctant to carry out his courtly duties as the Court’s Steward. This sets a precedence for what is to come. This paper will examine the conflict between the Laws of the Court and the bonds of friendship that can be seen between the Countess, Luned and Owain. This tension is particularly apparent when Luned chooses to ignore her Court’s diaspedein (shoutings, cryings, bawlings, shriekings) to look after Owain instead.  If this passage is read alongside two Welsh legal triads, in which the diaspedein of the court signifies the three incitements of revenge and the three shames of a corpse, then the magnitude of Luned’s actions, perverting the course of justice in favour of a possible friendship with Owain, are driven home. These tensions are further emphasised when the tale is contrasted with its French counterpart The Knight with the Lion. My paper demonstrated that by taking this approach we can make significant headway in identifying not only one of the key themes of Chwedyl Iarlles y Ffynnawn, but also in explaining why the tale is often viewed as a 'native tale'.

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First published: 3 May 2021