General Notes

According to Welsh legend, the Emperor Magnus Maximus, known as
MacsenWledig (the Imperator), was a widowed senator living in
Rome. Being aminor member of the Constantinian Imperial family,
he felt it unjust thatthe Empire was ruled by the Emperors,
Gratian and Valentinian, but therewas little he could do about
it. In about 365, Maximus was out hunting one day when he
rested beneath atree and fell asleep. He had a long dream about
a palace far away. Heentered the palace and encountered an
ageing King and two young menplaying chess. Turning, his eyes
met the most beautiful woman he couldever have imagined,
sitting on a golden throne. On waking, Maximusimmediately
sought out a local oracle who urged him to search out
thisbeautiful maiden. So messengers were sent out across the
Empire but,dispite exhaustive searches, all returned empty
handed. There was no signof Maximus' beauty. Meanwhile, at the
edge of the Empire, High-King Eudaf Hen of Britain wasgetting
very old. He decided it was time to appoint his official heir
tothe British Kingdom. His nephew, Cynan Meriadog, was perhaps
the mostobvious choice, though the King's direct heir was his
only daughter,Elen. Eudaf's chief advisor, Caradog, the King of
Dumnonia, advocatedstrengthening Roman links by marrying Elen
to a man with Imperialconnections. The two could then inherit
the Kingdom together. He knew ofsuch a steady young man in Rome
who would make an ideal husband. Eudafwas intrigued, so had
Caradog send his son, Meurig, to seek this Romanout. Meurig
arrived in Rome at the house of Magnus Maximus, just as he
hadreceived the unfortunate news that his dream girl could not
be found.Glad of the distraction and persuaded by Meurig's
suggestion that hemight find support in Britain for his
Imperial claims, Maximus gladlyagreed to return with him. Comes
Theodosius' historical expedition toBritain in order to quell
barbarian risings actually brought MagnusMaximus to these
shores in 368. Legend tells how the arrival on theisland of a
large army of men caused quite a stir and, not realising whoit
was, Eudaf sent Cynan with an army to disperse them.
Fortunately,Meurig persuaded all of their good intentions and
Maximus was able toride off to Eudaf's court at Carnarfon
(Caer-yn-Arfon alias Caer-Segeint). Upon being introduced to
everyone, Maximus was astounded to find thatEudaf was the old
man in his dream and Cynan, one of the chess-players(some say
the other was his son, Cadfan). He was then overjoyed to
findthat Eudaf's daughter, Elen, was his dream-girl. The two
fell in loveimmediately and were married with great pomp and
ceremony. Eudaf died soon afterward, and Maximus and Elen
inherited his Kingdom.Cynan was extremely annoyed and rode
north to gather an army of Picts andScots to overthrow them.
However, Maximus defeated him and, beingmagnanimous in victory,
the two made peace. Cynan became Maximus' dearestfriend and
also his magister militum. At this point, we return to more
historic details. News reached Britainthat Maximus' relative,
Theodosius had been elevated to the EasternImperial throne.
Incensed, Maximus, along with his son Victorius andPrince
Cynan, invaded the Western Empire in 383. They withdrew
troopsfrom Carnarfon (Caer-Segeint) and elsewhere in Britain
and his menquickly proclaimed Maximus as Emperor. His armies
marched across thecontinent, establishing his rule as they
went. Cynan eventually killedthe Western Emperor, Gratian, in
battle (being given Brittany as areward), and Maximus became
sole ruler of the West. Maximus set up his capital at Trier and
ruled well over Britain, Gaul andSpain for four years. He was
baptised a Christian, and was recognised asEmperor by
Theodosius who was occupied with his own troubles
elsewhere.Eventually however, Maximus was forced to make a move
against Gratian'syounger brother, Valentinian, the Southern
Emperor, who threatened hisrule from Rome. He invaded Italy,
took Milan and for a whole yearbesieged Rome, before Cynan
arrived once more and finished the job.Unfortunately though,
Valentinian escaped. He soon returned, backed up bythe Roman
Emperor of the East, Theodsoius. Maximus' forces were
twicedefeated at Illyricum, before he was finally killed, with
his son, atAquileia. ---------- MAGNUS CLEMENS MAXIMUS (d. 388)
ruled as usurping Roman Emperor from 383to 388. Of Spanish
birth, Magnus Maximus served in the Roman amy inBritain from
367 and rose to high military command. In 383 he
proclaimedhimself Emperor, crossed the Channel with an army and
established hisrule over Gaul and Spain. In 387 he moved into
Italy but in 388 wasdefeated by the rightful Emperor,
Theodosius I, and executed atAquileia. His significance in
British history is twofold. First, hiswithdrawals of troops
from Britain made the province even more vulnerablethat it
already was to Pictish, Irish and Saxon marauders. Secondly,
hewas remembered (under the name Macsen) in medieval Welsh
tradition as theancestor of several British princely dynasties.
Precisely whatsignificance this may have is not clear, but it
is possible that Maximusestablished reliable native
subordinates for defensive purposes inpositions of authority
that later became hereditary. On both counts hisunwitting
contribution to the confused process called for convenience'the
end of Roman Britain' was considerable. [Who's Who in Roman
Britainand Anglo-Saxon England, Richard Fletcher,
Shephear-Walwyn Ltd., London,1989]
------------------------------ MAGNUS MAXIMUS, a native of
Spain, who had accompanied Theodosius onseveral expeditions,
and from 368 seems to have had some office inBritain, where he
was proclaimed emperor by the disaffected troops.Denuding, as
it would seem, Hadrian's Wall of its garrison, he crossedover
to Gaul, and overthrew Gratian. Theodosius being unable to
avengethe death of his colleague, an agreement was made (384 or
385) by whichMaximus was recognized as Augustus and sole
emperor in Gaul, Spain andBritain, while Valentinian II was to
rule Italy and Illyricum. In 387Maximus crossed the Alps and
Valentinian was forced to fly toTheodosius. Advancing with a
powerful Army, Theodosius defeated thetroops of Maximus---at
Siscia on the Save, and at Poetovio on theDanube. He then
hurried to Aquileia, where Maximus had shut himself up,and had
him beheaded. [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1961 ed., Vol. XV,
p.119, MAXIMUS, MAGNUS MAXIMUS] ----------------------------
MAXIMUS, MAGNUS (d. Aug. 28, 388), usurping Roman emperor who
ruledBritain, Gaul, and Spain from AD 383 to 388. A Spaniard
of humbleorigin, Maximus commanded the Roman troops in Britain
against the Pictsand Scots. In the spring of 383, Maximus'
British troops proclaimed himemperor, and he at once crossed to
the European continent to confront hisrival, the Western
emperor Gratian. Maximus won over Gratian's advancingtroops;
Gratian fled but was overtaken and killed (Aug. 25,
383).Maximus took up residence at Trier (in present-day
Germany) and enteredinto negotiations with the Eastern emperor,
Theodosius I. Since hostiletribes were threatening his eastern
frontier, Theodosius decided torecognize Maximus rather than
fight a war in the West. Maximus alsoopened negotiations with
Valentinian II, the young ruler who had beencoemperor with
Gratian, and made an uneasy peace with him. At this timeMaximus
elevated his son Flavius Victor to be coruler with him, and
hiselevation was recognized by the other two emperors. In the
summer of 387Maximus invaded Italy, forcing Valentinian to flee
to Thessalonica. Warbroke out in 388 between Maximus and
Theodosius, whose position had beenstrengthened by a treaty
with the Persians. When his troops were defeatednear Siscia and
at Petovio, in Illyricum (in the Balkans), Maximus wascaptured
and executed. [Encyclopaedia Britannica CD '97,
MAGNUSMAXIMUS.] In the history or the mythology of the
beginnings of the kingdoms ofWales, Magnus is a ubiquitous
lurker. He also figures in stories of thesaints; he appears in
the early literature of Cornwall and in thetraditions of the
Men of the North and it is he who is the hero of thestory
'Breuddwyd Macsen.' So great was his appeal to the
Welshimagination and so substantial was his alleged
contribution to theestablishment of the early Welsh kingdoms
that A. W. Wade-Evans andMartin Charlesworth suggested he could
be considered to be the father ofthe Welsh nation. [A History
of Wales, John Davies, Allen Lane, ThePenguin Press, London,
1993.] NOTE ON THE PARENTAGE OF MAGNUS MAXIMUS: The Ancestry of
Magnus Maximus,as found on the Internet at The History Files ©
Home Publishing & P LKessler 1999, says he is the son of
Maximianus Constans, a younger son ofConstantine. However,
nowhere can I find any other of a son ofConstantine named
Maximianus Constans, although Constantine did have ason,
Flavius Julius Constans, who ruled as a Constans, Roman
Emperor,until his death in 350. In addition, 'Message in the
King List No 2 ofHarleian MSS No 3859' - found on the Internet
- states 'As Magnus Maximuscan be shown to be the only son of
Crispus who was Constantine theGreat's eldest son, it is
abundantly clear that Magnus Maximus is heredeclared the
rightful heir after his uncle Constans who succeeded whenMagnus
was yet a child of 10 - 11 years. The text of the message
is:'Magnus Maximus the protected protector (who was)
overturned, theannointed of pure estate, the spring
(descendant) I with the sword.' AsMagnus was removed from Gaul
to Spain at the age of one by the faithfulSpanish Knight,
following the murder of his father Crispus and his motherFlavia
in 325, he is the 'protected protector'.' The problem with
thisreference is that the mother of Crispus was not Flavia, but
wasMinerva/Minervina, and the wife of Crispus was Helena.
However, Crispusis known to exist and there is no evidence that
Maximianus Constans ismore than a fictional person, I have
chosen to represent Magnus as thechild of Crispus and Helena.