Guiderius

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Guiderius (Welsh Gwydr) is a legendary British king according Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) and related texts. He can probably be identified as deriving from the historical Togodumnus.

The eldest son of Cymbeline, he succeeds his father to the kingship of Britain. Cymbeline had voluntarily paid tribute to Rome, but Guiderius refuses to pay it. The emperor Claudius responds by invading. Claudius and his chief of staff, Lelius Hamo, land at Portchester, entrenching themselves there while besieging the city. Guiderius conscripts all the men of Britain against Claudius and marches south to meet him in battle. The Britons clash with the Romans and succeed so well that the Roman army begins retreating to their ships.

Hamo, though, takes on British armour and begins attacking his own army, urging the Britons to do likewise. Because of this, Hamo is able to get close enough to Guiderius to strike him. Guiderius dies then or soon after and is succeeded by his brother Arvirargus, who takes over as king during the battle.