King of Northern Britain Coel (Old King) Hen ap Tegfan

• General Notes
  • Romano-British ruler of Eboracum
    founder of the city of Colchester in Essex, England. "Colchester" means "Cole's castle." king of the Britons following the reign of King Asclepiodotus. The Welsh chronicles state further that his name was Coel Hen Godhebog, which would integrate the two possible names together. Monmouth states that Coel, upset with Asclepiodotus's handling of Diocletian's massacres, began a rebellion in the duchy of Kaelcolim (Colchester), of which he was duke. He met Asclepiodotus in battle and killed him, thus taking the kingship of Britain upon himself. Rome, apparently, was thrilled that Britain had a new king and sent a senator, Constantius Chlorus, to act as a diplomat to Coel. Afraid of the Romans, Coel met Constantius and agreed to pay tribute and submit to Roman laws as long as he was allowed to retain the kingship of Britain. Constantius agreed to these terms but one month later, Coel died. Constantius took Coel's daughter, Helena, and crowned himself as Coel's successor. Helen later gave birth to a son who became Emperor Constantine the Great. Yet another possibility is that Cole is the Celtic deity Camulus, god of war.
    
    Geoffrey of Monmouth lists a King Cole in his Historia Regum Britanniae as a king of the Britons following the reign of King Asclepiodotus. The Welsh chronicles state further that his name was Coel Hen Godhebog, which would integrate the two possible names together. Monmouth states that Coel, upset with Asclepiodotus's handling of Diocletian's massacres, began a rebellion in the duchy of Kaelcolim (Colchester), of which he was duke. He met Asclepiodotus in battle and killed him, thus taking the kingship of Britain upon himself. Rome, apparently, was thrilled that Britain had a new king and sent a senator, Constantius Chlorus, to act as a diplomat to Coel. Afraid of the Romans, Coel met Constantius and agreed to pay tribute and submit to Roman laws as long as he was allowed to retain the kingship of Britain. Constantius agreed to these terms but one month later, Coel died. Constantius took Coel's daughter, Helena, and crowned himself as Coel's successor. Helen later gave birth to a son who became Emperor Constantine the Great. Note that the Historia Regum Britanniae is not generally considered historically accurate.