Bran the Blessed
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Bran the Blessed, also known as Bran Vendigaid, Bendigeidfran or Branovices, is a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology. He appears in several of the Welsh Triads, but his most significant role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogion, Branwen, daughter of Llyr. He is a son of Llyr and Penarddun, and the brother of Branwen, Manawydan, and Efnisien. The name "Bran" translates from Welsh as "raven".
[edit] Role in the Mabinogion
Matholwch, King of Ireland, visited Bran to ask for the hand of Bran's sister Branwen in marriage. Bran agreed to this, but during a feast to celebrate the betrothal, Efnisien, a half-brother of Branwen and Bran, arrived and asked what was going on. When told, he was furious that Branwen had been given in marriage without his permission, and vented his spleen by mutilating Matholwch's horses. Matholwch was deeply angered until Bran gave him a magic cauldron which restored the dead to life.
Once in Ireland, Branwen was treated cruelly by her husband, Matholwch, and was forced to work in the kitchen. She tamed a starling and sent it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brother Bran, who sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her with his brother, Manawydan. When Matholwch saw the giant, he asked for peace and built a house big enough for him. Matholwch agreed to let Bran live with them and give the kingdom to Gwern, his son by Branwen. The Irish lords didn't like the idea, so they hid themselves in flour bags to attack the Welsh. Efnisien guessed what was happening and killed them inside the bags by squeezing their heads, then threw Gwern into the fire.
In the ensuing war, the Irish at first had the advantage because of Matholwch's magic cauldron. When the Irish dead were placed in it, they came to life and were able to fight as well as ever. Efnisien lay down among the dead and was placed in the cauldron, then broke it, bursting his heart and dying in the process. The Welsh eventually won the war, but only seven men survived. Bran himself was mortally wounded and ordered that his head should be cut off. On the return of the survivors to Wales, Branwen died of grief for all the destruction on her account and was buried beside the River Alaw in Anglesey.
[edit] Association with the Tower of London
According to the Triads, Bran's head was buried in London where the White Tower now stands. As long as it remained there, Britain would be safe from invasion. However, King Arthur dug up the head, declaring the country would be protected only by his great strength. There have been attempts in modern times to link the still-current practice of keeping ravens at the Tower of London under the care of Yeomen Warder Ravenmaster, and with this story of Bran, whose name means Raven.
