Legendary Dukes of Cornwall
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- This article is about British history. For the soul group "Legendary Dukes" that originated in the 1960s, please see Wilmer and the Dukes
Legendary Duke of Cornwall appear in pseudo-historical authors as Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth. The list is extremely patchy, and not every succession was unbroken. Indeed, Geoffrey repeatedly introduces Dukes of Cornwall only to promote them to the Kingship of the Britons and thus put an end to their line as (merely) dukes. As adjuncts or supporting roles to the kings of the Britons, the dukes of Cornwall are considered part of the vast Matter of Britain.
The list is more often thought of as a conglomeration of various Celtic rulers, Celtic warlords, and mythical heroes. If the lists of kings of Britain are legendary, then the list of dukes must be considered still more a genealogical and historical legend with no solid basis to most historians.
Even within Geoffrey, the title of these rulers fluctuates between "duke" (dux Cornubiae) and "king" (rex Cornubiae).
| king or duke | title | notes | approximate time frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corineus | in the time of Brutus | c. 1100 BCE | |
| Henwinus | duke | in the time of Leir | c. 750 BCE |
| Cunedagius | duke | in the time of Queen Cordelia | c. 715 BCE |
| Cloten | king | during pentarchy after Ferrex and Porrex | c. 450 BCE |
| Dunvallo Molmutius | king | then king of Britain | c. 420 BCE |
| Belinus | simultaneously king of Britain | c. 390 BCE | |
| Tenvantius | duke | in time of Cassibelanus | c. 55 BCE |
| Asclepiodotus | duke | becomes king of Britain | c. 295 CE |
| Caradocus | duke | becomes king of Britain | c. 380 CE |
| Dionotus | duke | simultaneously king of Britain | c. 390 CE |
| Gorlois | duke | first husband of Igraine, Arthur's mother | c. 510 CE |
| Mark of Cornwall | king | uncle of Tristan | c. early 6th century |
| Cador | duke, then king | relative of Arthur | c. 530 CE |
| Constantine | duke | subsequently king of Britain | 542 CE |
| Blederic | duke | at the time Augustine arrives | 597 CE |
For a list of Dukes of Cornwall from 1337 to the present, see Duke of Cornwall.
