Gallway, Galvoie
A county situated on the eastern edge of Galway Bay in Ireland. According to Wace, it was part of Arthur’s empire.
In Les Merveilles de Rigomer, it is ruled by an ally of Arthur’s named Lot (not Gawain’s father) and his son Midomidas. In Meriadeuc, a knight in Arthur’s service named Blidoblidas is called the son of the King of Galway.
The region is sometimes confused with Galloway, an area in Scotland.
Galway | 400-700 AD
Between 400 and 700 AD, historical records become sparse, and much of what is known about the region that is now Galway, Ireland, comes from archaeological evidence, place-name studies, and broader historical context. The transition from the Roman period to the early medieval era saw significant changes in the British Isles, including Ireland.
The Roman Empire did not have a significant presence in Ireland, so the region that would become Galway was not directly affected by Roman governance. The withdrawal of Roman influence from Britain around 410 AD and the subsequent fall of the Western Roman Empire led to a period of increased tribal and regional interactions.
Ireland was divided into a series of trial and regional kingdoms. The region around Galway would have been part of the broader cultural and political landscape of early medieval Ireland.
The Migration Period, spanning roughly the fourth to seventh centuries, saw movement and migrations of various peoples across Europe. While Ireland was not as heavily impacted by these migrations as other parts of Europe, there were interactions with neighboring regions, including Britain and Scandinavia.
The period between 400 and 700 AD marked a transition from prehistoric to early medieval times. Changes in settlement patterns, trade routes, and cultural interactions likely played a role in shaping the region’s landscape.
Christianity began to spread across Ireland during the fifth and sixth centuries. It’s possible that the area around Galway saw the influence of early Christian missionaries and the establishment of Christian communities.
Sources
Les Merveilles de Rigomer | Jehan, mid to late 13th century
Roman de Brut | Wace, c. 1155