Latin: Venedotia
Norgales, Norgalis, Norgoise, Northgales, Northgalis
The northern part of Wales is given as its own kingdom in a large number of Arthurian romances.
In the First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval, it is ruled by King Camadans, an ally of Arthur. According to the Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal, its first Christian king was Celidoine, the son of Nascien.
The Vulgate Merlin gives the kingdom, in Arthur’s time, to both Belinant and Tradelmant. In the Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin and in Malory, it is one of the kingdoms ruled by Rions. Geoffrey of Monmouth says it was ruled by Peredur after Arthur’s death, and the Italian La Tavola Ritonda names two kings of North Wales: Alois and Ansilerno.
In Malory, the unnamed Queen of North Wales is a companion of Morgan Le Fay in her plans to imprison Lancelot in Cart Castle, to trap Elaine of Corbenic in a bath of boiling water, and to bear Arthur’s body from the battlefield of Salisbury to Avalon.
In the chronicles, the region is called Venedotia. Venedotia, also known as Gwynedd, was an ancient kingdom in what is now northwest Wales. Venedotia covered parts of modern-day Gwynedd, Conwy, and Anglesey, and was one of the traditional kingdoms of Wales.
Kings of Wales
Bernant of North Wales | The Legend of King Arthur
Camandans | The Legend of King Arthur
Castis | The Legend of King Arthur
Ferramonte | The Legend of King Arthur
Galihodin | The Legend of King Arthur
Sources
Historia Regum Britanniae | Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1138
First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval | Attributed to Wauchier of Denain, c. 1200
Vulgate Estoire del Saint Graal | 1220-1235
Vulgate Merlin | 1220-1235
Post-Vulgate Suite du Merlin | 1230-1240
La Tavola Ritonda | 1325–1350
Le Morte Darthur | Sir Thomas Malory, 1469-1470