Llŷr

For people named Llŷr, see Llŷr (given name).

Llŷr (Welsh: Llŷr Llediaith (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈɬɨːr ˈɬɛðjaiθ]); Lleddiaith meaning 'half-speech'^[1] or 'half-language'^[2]) is a figure in Welsh mythology, probably originally a deity, probably derived from Irish Ler ('the Sea'), father of Manannán mac Lir.^[3] Other than his progeny and odd tidbits, his identity remains obscure.

Llŷr appears as the father of Brân, Brânwen and Manawydan by Penarddun in the Branwen, Daughter of Llyr, the Second Branch of the Mabinogi.^[4]

The Welsh Triads states that Llŷr was imprisoned by Euroswydd,^[5] and presumably, Penarddun subsequently married Euroswydd,^[6] giving birth by Euroswydd to her two younger sons, Nisien and Efnisien, as stated in the Second Branch.^[4]

William Shakespeare's play King Lear is based on material taken secondhand (through Raphael Holinshed) from Geoffrey of Monmouth's mythical king King Leir, who has often been connected, but is likely unrelated, to Llŷr.^[7]

The House of Llŷr

Beli mab Mynogan

Llŷr

Penarddun

Euroswydd

Brân the Blessed(♂)

Manawydan(♂)

Rhiannon

Pwyll

Brânwen(♀)

Matholwch

Nisien(♂)

Efnisien(♂)

(*) Unbordered names are figures not in Llŷr's line of descent, though perhaps members of the extended family.
(*) This stemma is subject to further elaboration. If the Beli above is to be equated with Beli Mawr then Caswallawn stands as Penarddun's sibling. But Bromwich observes that Penarddun should be emended to being the sister of Beli, which would bring consistency with statement elsewhere that Caswallawn and Brân are cousins.^[8]

See also

• The House of Dôn

Notes

1. Bromwich 1961, triads #8 and #52
2. Mackillop 1998
3. Mackillop 1998, "Llŷr is often assumed to be borrowed from the Irish Lir, the patronym of the sea-god Manannán
4. Jones & Jones 1993, p. 21: "Bendigeidfran son of Llŷr was crowned king. His two brothers on the mother's side (Nisien and Efnisien) were sons of Euroswydd by his mother Penarddun."
5. Bromwich 1961, triad #52
6. Mountain 1998 Celt. Enc. vol. 4, p. 930, "Penarddun then married Euroswydd and bore his children Nissyen and Evnissyen"
7. Mackillop 1998, "Many trace Shakespear's.. Lear to Llŷr, but the route is tortuous; Shakespeare drew from Holinshed's Chronicles (1577)", etc.
8. Bromwich 1961, endnotes, p.284- on "Bran Vendigeit m. Llyr".

References

(Dictionaries)

• Mackillop, James (1998), Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192801201, p. 301, under "Llŷr".
• Mountain, Harry (1998), Celtic Encyclopedia (preview), vol. 4, Universal-Publishers, pp. 929–, ISBN 978-1-58112-893-2
• The New Companion to the Literature of Wales, Meic Stevens.

(Texts)

• Bromwich, Rachel (1961), Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Welsh Triads (snippet), Cardiff: University of Wales Press
• Bromwich, Rachel (2006), Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, ISBN 0-7083-1386-8
• Gantz, Jeffrey (translator) (1987). The Mabinogion. New York: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044322-3.
• Jones, Gwyn; Jones, Thomas (1993) [1949], The Mabinogion (Revised ed.), London: Everyman, ISBN 9780460872973