St. Erbin of Dumnonia (c.443 - c.480)

Born around 427, Erbin was a son of Constantine of Cornwall. After his father’s death in c.443, his kingdom was divided between two of his sons, an entirely normal practice in Celtic Britain. As the eldest son, Erbin became king of Dumnonia while his younger brother, Merion, ruled the sub-kingdom of Cornwall. Welsh genealogies list a third brother, Digain, but very little is known about him and it is entirely possible that he died as a young man.

Very little is known about his reign and, from the lack of mentions in any later sources, its presumed that it was largely peaceful and uneventful. Erbin had at least one son, Geraint, an important character in Arthurian folklore and Erbin’s successor following his death in c.480. According to some legends, he was also the father of Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur. As Geraint’s father, Erbin is mentioned in Geraint and Enid, a romance in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval Welsh manuscripts. He is also listed as a saint in Welsh genealogies and is traditionally associated with Erbistock in Denbighshire. His feast day is 13 January.