Legendary Bladud: The Flying King And Historical Founder Of Bath, England

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - There is an ancient and very curious legend of Britain. This legend was first mentioned by the historian Geoffrey of Monmouth in 'History of the Kings of Britain' (Historia Regum Brittaniae') and 'The Life of Merlin', written in the twelfth century in 1136.

When he was clear he returned to his father's court, where he was welcomed with open arms by his mother, who recognized the golden ring. Painting - King Bladud in exile. Credit: Benjamin West PRA (1738 - 1820). Public Domain

According to Geoffrey, Bladud was the eldest son of the legendary King Lud (Lud Hurdibras), who lived in the ninth century BC.

Popular among the ancient Britons, the legend has it that Bladud, a British Prince in Celtic times, contracted leprosy. Disfigured and rejected by his father, the boy was banished to Swainswick to become a pig farmer. Before he left, his mother gave him a golden ring – a key to return to the kingdom if he could ever cure himself of the disease.

Soon, his pigs, too, became afflicted with the disease. One day as he was watching his pigs, Bladud noticed that some of the pigs were rolling around in a black bog in the marshy ground.

'Lud Hurdibras, Bladud and King Leir (Lear)' from: 'Genealogy and Race of all the Kings of England' 1562 by Giles Godet. Credit: Public Domain

He went to take a closer look and he found that the marsh was fed by a bountiful hot spring. Noticing that the pig's scurvy had been cleared up by the mud, Bladud himself started to roll in it, smothering his whole body from head to foot.

His leprosy soon disappeared, and he was fully cured of the disease.

When he was clear, he ran back in delight to his father's court, where he was welcomed with open arms by his mother, who recognized the golden ring she had given to her son many years ago.

Bladud became a king and ruled wisely for twenty years. He founded the city of Bath (Caerbadum) that lies on the River Avon, twelve miles south-east of Bristol, England; he also built the temple of Aqua Sullis dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Minerva.

It is said that Bladud was a man of great learning; he studied in Athens and brought much Greek wisdom to Britain. He was killed because something went wrong with his experiment. He built for himself a pair of wings and succeeded in flying as far as the Temple of Apollo in the town of Trinovantum (the name mythically given to London in earliest times), where he crashed and was 'dashed into countless fragments, according to Geoffrey's account.

King Bladud is said to have lost his life in 852 BC.

However, Bladud left his kingdom to a son, whose name is famous - King Lear.

Updated on May 22, 2022

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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