Bendigeid Vran

Family: Wales · Role: crowned king of the Island · First appears: BRANWEN THE DAUGHTER OF LLYR 1

Bendigeid Vran, son of Llyr, was the crowned king of the Island, with Manawyddan as his brother and Nissyen and Evnissyen as his brothers by their mother. In chapter 1, after a dispute with Matholwch, he completed reparations for the damaged horses at Talebolion, accepted peace, and gave Matholwch a cauldron that restored the slain, though without their speech: “I will give unto thee a cauldron, the property of which is, that if one of thy men be slain to-day, and be cast therein, to-morrow he will be as well as ever he was at the best, except that he will not regain his speech.”

In chapter 2, a bird brought Branwen’s letter to him at Caer Seiont in Arvon, revealing her mistreatment. He summoned the Island, spoke of the grief his sister endured, and resolved with them to go to Ireland; he sailed with his hosts and crossed the river at Linon by lying across it as a bridge. In chapter 3, peace was made and sovereignty given to Gwern, but Evnissyen thrust Gwern into the fire. The Irish then restored their dead through the cauldron, and the battle ended with the Island of the Mighty defeated: only seven escaped, while Bendigeid Vran was wounded in the foot by a poisoned dart. His head was cut off, carried onward by Pryderi, Manawyddan, Gluneu Eil Taran, Taliesin, Ynawc, Grudyen, and Heilyn, and buried by Manawyddan in the White Mount in London, facing France.