Aurelius Conanus (in Welsh, Cynan Wledig) is a legendary king of the Britons, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia regum Britanniae, a fictional account of the rulers of Britain. He is almost certainly to be identified with Aurelius Caninus, one of the historical early 6th century tyrants criticized by Gildas. Geoffrey claimed that Aurelius succeeded his uncle, Constantine, by imprisoning the rightful heir, another uncle. He had been a youth of great promise, but ripped the country apart with civil war. His reign lasted three years. Gildas similarly accuses him of murder, fornication, adultery and a love of civil war and the collecting of spoils. His alteration of the name to 'Caninus' appears to have been in order to make a pun on the Latin word for 'dog'. Because Gildas seems to list his tyrants in geographical order, it is often suggested that Aurelius Conanus really ruled in Gwent in Wales. However, David Nash Ford suggests he be identified with Cyngen Glodrydd, King of Powys which adjoined Gwent. Since the name is similar to that of Aurelius Ambrosius, there has also been speculation concerning a possible link to Aurelius' illustrious family.
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| Preceded by Constantine III |
Mythical British Kings | Succeeded by Vortiporius |
