Bernaccia / Bryneich

Bernaccia was a British kingdom that was created as part of the division of the Old North after the death of Coel Hen in c.420. With its capitals at Cataractonium (Catterick) and Corstopitum (Corbridge), the kingdom stretched east of the Pennines from the River Tees to north of Hadrian’s Wall. The Britons of Bernaccia were descendants of the southern Votadini tribes and presumably enjoyed peaceful relations with the northern Votadini in Goutodin.

Not much is known about the kingdoms of the North at this time, and Bernaccia is no exception. Its first king is recorded as Gorbanian / Germanianus, a younger son of Coel Hen. Later kings and events are mostly remembered in Welsh myth; many of the tales told about the Old North probably have a basis in truth but they are highly embellished and it is difficult to unpick fact from fiction.

Archaeological evidence suggests that laeti from Angeln were settled along the coast and Hadrian’s Wall by the early fifth century, presumably employed to protect the kingdom from Pictish and Germanic raiders in the dark days of Sub-Roman Britain. In 547, a century after the laeti revolt in Southern Britain, the Bernaccian Angles, led by a warrior named as Ida, revolted and seized the kingdom, kicking out the young king in the process. Morcant Bulc, the last British king of Bernaccia, fled north to Goutodin. Led by Morcant Bulc, a confederation of British kings from North Rheged, Elmet and Alt Clut attempted to retake Bernaccia in 590. They almost succeeded but the assassination of King Urien of Rheged (probably ordered by Morcant Bulc) fatally weakened the British cause and the confederation fell apart. Morcant Bulc died soon after and with him died the British kingdom of Bernaccia. The Anglian settlers called their new kingdom Bernicia and would in time unite with their southern neighbours, Deira, to form the powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria.