NIGHTBRINGER | The Arthurian Encyclopedia

Cheldric of Germany

Childric, Cordryk

A Saxon warleader who came from Germany to help his fellow Saxons – Colgrim (Colgrin) and Baldulph (Baldulf) – conquer Britain. Geoffrey of Monmouth is the first to mention him. Layamon calls him “emperor” and seems to place him above the other Saxons.

Cheldric arrived just in time to save Colgrim from Arthur’s siege at York. Arthur defeated him at Lincoln and at Caledon Forest, after which Cheldric agreed to leave Britain. Cheldric and the others betrayed Arthur, however, and landed again at Totnes. He conquered Somerset, Devonshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire before Arthur arrived and defeated him at Bath (Badon), where Colgrim and Baldulph were killed.

Seeing the others fall, Cheldric fled into Scotland, but was pursued by Cador of Cornwall, who killed Cheldric at either the Isle of Thanet or at the river Teign. In an alternate version provided by John Hardyng, Arthur bestowed Cheldric with the country of Wessex after defeating him at Bath.


Sources
Historia Regum Britanniae | Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1138
Roman de Brut | Wace, c. 1155
Brut | Layamon, late 12th century to mid-13th century
John Hardyng’s Chronicle | John Hardyng, 1457–1464