Welcome to Domnonée, an ancient Celtic kingdom in eastern Brittany shrouded by the mystical Brocéliande Forest of Arthurian legend. My name is Nimue and I am your tour guide. This entire region was once a deep, dark, mysterious woodland said to be worshipped by druids and inhabited by fairies. Please watch your step along the less-travelled paths, and whatever else you do, do not eat or drink anything unless you wish to become a permanent resident.

Very little is known of the history of the early Celts who lived here. What we do know is recorded in Roman ethnographies, kings' lists, lives of the saints and medieval abbey charters. The Romans conquered Gaul in 52 BC, but allowed the Celts to keep our beliefs, many of which became enmeshed with their own. Likewise, the Romans embraced some of our gods. They particularly favoured the horse goddess Epona.

The Franks arrived on our shores around 400 AD with a view to picking up where the Romans left off, but a wave of British aristocracy held them at bay and by 450 AD, had control of most of the land north of the Loire. The British colonisation of Armorica started long before the end of the Roman Empire and in fact stretches at least as far back as Constantine's expedition to Gaul in 407 AD, and even further, to Magnus Maximus, who conquered Armorica and gave it to Conan Meriadog, King of Dumnonia.

There is little mention of Domnonée beyond its borders, for its people were closed-mouthed about the goings-on behind the forest. The death of King Gradlon Mawr in 421 AD is supposedly when Brittany was divided into the sub-kingdoms of Cornouaille (Kernew), Domnonée and Bro Waroch (Vannes). The official founder was, however, Prince Riwal Mawr, who move here from Gwynedd during the reign of Childebert I of the Franks, in 510 AD, murdered his brother, King Meliau, and usurped the Breton throne. When Riwal died, his son, Deroch inherited the Domnonée kingship in 535 AD. Deroch's son, Iona (Jonas), died shortly afterwards, in 555 AD, and his widow, St. Tryphine married Comorre the Cursed (Cunomorus), Count of Poher and Leon. According to the Chronicle of Fredegar, Iona and St. Tryphine's son, Prince Judwal became king of Domnonée, but saw the writing on the wall and fled back to the relative safety of Childebert's Gwynedd court. A wise move, for St. Samson and Childebert helped him regain the Domnonée throne in 557 AD, and eventually he became High King of Brittany. Cumorre was never heard from again, neither did his subkingdom, Poher remain independent.

Riothamus means "greatest king" and he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders Brittany ever had. He is noted in the Princes of Domnonée lists and several saints' lives as a son of Prince Deroch II, though evidence suggests Deroch I was his father. He was exiled to Britain by General Marchell when his father died, but returned and killed the usurper. Jordane's 6th century Gothic History records that the Roman Emperor Anthemius requested help to fight the invading Visigoths. Riothamus gathered 12,000 armed men and came to the Emperor's aid. Unfortunately, the Roman forces arrived on the battlefield too late. King Euric of the Visigoths won the day, and the entire Breton army became food for the crows…but enough of the mundane history of men.

My own story begins and ends with King Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain. It was a time of magic, romance and adventure, when Arthur and his knights were regular features of the Domnonée landscape and visited my lake. I live to the west, in the fairy-haunted Brocéliande Forest - today's Forêt de Paimpont - where several sites retain Arthurian legends. If you walk through the enchanted Val sans Retour, or Valley of No Return, you will come upon a Neolithic burial site called Hotié de Vivianne hidden in the heather. Along the valley rim is a rock known as Merlin’s seat where the old sorcerer used to sit and contemplate the mysteries of life.

I raised Sir Lancelot in my crystal palace under the deep waters of the Comper, at the bottom of which lies the Fairy Glass. The Fountain of Barenton is where I met Merlin and some say, imprisoned him in nine circles of air. We fell in love at first sight and he taught me all of his secrets. And just off the beaten path you'll find a megalith that marks Merlin’s tomb, another place I supposedly held him captive.

The Faithless Lovers Rock looming in the valley below is where Arthur’s half-sister, Morgan Le Fay lured fickle knights to their doom. She is said to have imprisoned them in the petrified rock, or possibly in an air bubble. In the southern part of the forest, near Pont de Secret, there are ancient forges. Perhaps this is where King Arthur's sword was crafted. Some say Prince Riothamus was King Arthur. Anything is possible in Domnonée and its magical Forest of Brocéliande.


Sources

Chadwick, Nora. Early Brittany. Cardiff: University of Wales Press (1969)

Brittany: Many Kingdoms or One? by Jean-Michel Pognat

Early British Kingdoms: Part 2: AD 496-599

Riothamus

Broceliande - Wikipedia

Credits

Nimue rendered by Shibori Murasaka

Kerlescan Alignment, Phil Beard - Flickr Commons

Hotié de Viviane - Wikimedia Commons

Lake at Val sans Retour, copyright Judy Smith, Brittany Walks,
photo permission granted

Neighbourhood builders:

Article by Nimue Domnonii
Hood design by Fedelm Cruithni

Guide to Celtia
Celtia Site Map

The Articles of Domnonée:

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Sort by: Featured Date | Date | Title

Mead, Metaphor and the Oath Of A Poet Feb 12, 2012

Y Gododdin: An Introduction Feb 12, 2012

Comorre the Cursed: The Bluebeard of Brittany? Feb 12, 2012

Looks can be deceiving Feb 12, 2012

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The Discussions of Domnonée:

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Living in Domnonee

Degemer mat! Welcome!

The Brocéliande Marketplace

Mother of Apples Treasure Hunt
Airmid's Well Night Market