Creiddylad is a daughter of Lludd Llaw Eraint in Welsh mythology. Originally betrothed to Gwythr ap Greidawl, she is abducted by Gwyn ap Nudd, causing the two rivals to go to war over her. In the early Arthurian tale Culhwch and Olwen, King Arthur settles the feud by arranging for the two to battle every May Day until Doomsday. Interestingly, the names of Creiddylad's and Gwyn's fathers are cognates of the same figure. Creiddylad's story is somewhat similar to Persephone's in Greek mythology, and the English version of her name is Cordelia, suggesting she may be related to the later character Queen Cordelia in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae and William Shakespeare's King Lear.
Celtic mythology series | |
|---|---|
| Welsh mythology | |
| Stories | Cad Goddeu • Mabinogion • Trioedd Ynys Prydein |
| Characters | Amaethon • Arawn • Arianrhod • Arthur • Afallach • Beli Mawr • Blodeuwedd • Bendigeidfran • Branwen • Caswallawn • Ceridwen • Cigfa • Creiddylad • Culhwch • Cyhyraeth • Dôn • Dylan Eil Ton • Efnysien • Elen • Euroswydd • Gilfaethwy • Gofannon • Gwawl • Gwydion • Gwyn ap Nudd • Hafgan • Llefelys • Lleu • Llŷr • Lludd • Llwyd • Mabon • Macsen Wledig • Manawydan • Math • Matholwch • Modron • Nisien • Olwen • Penarddun • Pryderi • Pwyll • Rhiannon • Taliesin • Ysbaddaden |
| Places | Annwn • Cornwall (Celliwig) • Dyfed (Arberth, Gwales) • Gwynedd (Aberffraw, Arfon, Ardudwy) • Ireland • London (Ludgate) |
