Fortress of Avalon

Funeral procession for a Celtiberian chieftain; art by Sandra Delgado. 🇪🇸 Celtic Europe - channel link: https://t.me/CelticEurope

The last Breton-speaking Duke of Brittany was Alan IV (1072-1112) known as “Alan Fergant”. 🇫🇷 Image: 1844 Portrait by Édouard Odier. To avoid conflict with his Breton neighbors, king William I England (also duke of Normandy) married his daughter Constance to Alan in 1087. Prior to his conquest of England, William had defeated Brittany in a brief war and had Alan’s uncle, duke Conan II assassinated. Constance came to be greatly beloved by the Bretons. She died in the year 1090 and three years later, Alan married Ermengarde of Anjou. Alan’s rule as duke was relatively peaceful and prosperous, even when he was absent for five years to participate in the First Crusade (1096-99). Alan led a Breton contingent as part of the forces commanded by his feudal lord, duke Robert II Curthose of Normandy, who was king William I of England’s eldest son. Alan particularly distinguished himself at the 1097 Siege and Battle of Nicea, in which the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm was captured, and with it the treasury and family of sultan Kilij Arslan I. Alan and the Bretons also fought alongside Robert in all the most important battles of the war, from the Battle of Dorylaeum to the Siege and Battle of Antioch (1097-98) and the 1099 Siege of Jerusalem. Alan returned to Brittany in 1101 and continued to rule peacefully, only briefly participating in the conflict between Curthose and his brother Henry Beauclerc —who’d taken the English throne, arrested Robert, and invaded Normandy— as an adherent of Henry’s. Alan took part in the 1106 Battle of Tinchebray, helping Henry defeat his former feudal lord’s forces. Alan eventually retired to a monastery in 1112, and abdicated the ducal throne to his son, Conan III of Cornouaille. Celtic Europe - channel link: https://t.me/CelticEurope

🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇮🇲

👑 The Celtic way of government. Pictured: Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa; art by Cormac McCann. The most common form of government in ancient Celtic societies was monarchy. But Celtic monarchies were fundamentally different from those of later Europe. They were a type of elective, constitutional monarchy, as opposed to the absolutist monarchies of later Catholic Europe and Anglican England. The distinction that needs made is in understanding that European absolute monarchies were derived from the office of the Roman Emperor, which had been created in 27 B.C. by Caesar Augustus. Charlemagne of France and Otto I of Germany were even crowned “Holy Roman Emperor” by Catholic popes (in AD 800 and 962 respectively). These papal decrees began to change the nature of European monarchy, as more and more rulers aspired to be on equal footing with the emperors of old. Prior to this, medieval kingship had been more like that of the Germanic kings, whose authority —like that of the Celtic ones— was limited in scope. The nature of Celtic monarchy is known chiefly from the history of Gaelic Ireland and the Picto-Scottish Kingdom of Alba: The office of king was primarily that of a war leader. He was essentially a general who could muster armies and levy tributes to pay troops and finance campaigns. Kings generally did not promulgate laws on their own, and rarely pronounced judgments. When they carried out such tasks it was usually by request/appeal and in consultation with the Brehon class (i.e. jurists). The brehons were both lawgivers and judges and functioned independently of the king’s authority. The monarchy was also elective, in that a successor was chosen by the nobility from among several members of the royal dynasty. This often took place at the beginning of a king’s reign, with the chosen successor or “Tanist” taking on a role akin to that of a prime minister. Irish succession laws were stricter than Scottish ones, limiting candidacy to male descendants of recent kings (derbfhine), whereas in early Scotland power could be inherited through a female relative as well. The monarchy was constitutional in that kings were expected to act in accordance with the law of the land. They could be litigated against by their subjects and judged against by the brehons. They could also be declared incompetent and deposed by the nobility. This might even be due to physical defects or injuries, as kings were expected to be without blemish. The Irish king Congal Cáech, for example, was supposedly rendered unfit for the kingship after being stung by bees. Governance also involved consultative bodies akin to the parliaments of medieval Europe. In Ireland and Scotland this was the Dal, an assembly of nobles who advised the king and elected the tanist. At a local level, lesser chieftains shared authority with assemblies known as cuirmtig. All that being said, it shouldn’t be thought that the monarchies of pre-Roman Europe were like the modern ones we see in countries like England and Spain, where kings have been reduced to mere ceremonial figureheads. They were fundamentally different from that model as well, for the monarch still exercised a great deal of power and their role was primarily military. Celtic Europe - channel link: https://t.me/CelticEurope

Pride of Belonging to One’s Nation In a world full of change and uncertainty, the beauty of belonging to one’s people, one’s country, and one’s traditions remains a timeless value. Belonging to a nation means more than geographical boundaries. It is a deep emotional experience that connects us to our roots, history, and identity. Our culture, language, customs, and traditions have shaped us as individuals and as a community, making us unique. Having our own country gives us a sense of security and stability. It is a place where we can freely express our opinions, where our voices are heard, and where we can actively participate in shaping our destiny. Within these borders, every citizen is part of something greater, a rich history that teaches us about the struggles and victories of our ancestors. By learning about these stories, we gain respect for those who fought for our freedom and become proud of the heritage we carry. The customs and traditions we have inherited from our ancestors represent a bridge between the past and the future. They are the bond that keeps us together and remind us of the values that are essential to our people. Proudly practicing our traditions through folk songs, dances, traditional dishes, or holidays strengthens our identity and creates a sense of unity. It is important to nurture this pride because it comes not only from history but also from our ability to shape the future. When we are proud of our country and culture, we inspire others to value their own heritage. In this way, a community is formed that respects the past and is ready to strive for a better future. Let us be proud of who we are. Belonging to our nation is a treasure we carry in our hearts. Let us celebrate our culture, preserve our traditions, and build a brighter future together, because pride in our people is what makes us stronger and united.

Our ancestors are our roots. A tree without roots is destined to fall. They give us destiny and identity. A person, that is not interested in his own ancestors, is not interested in himself. Our ancestors and gods are inseparable from our culture, people, tribe and family.

Blessed Beltane to all who follow the Gaelic tradition, the keepers of ancient customs, myths, and sacred fires. May this holy day bring you joy, passion, renewal, and strong life energy 🌞

Blessings of Imbolc to Celtic Pagans, May the fire of the season light your path, bring warmth to your spirits, and awaken new beginnings. Walk with the power of nature and the old way 💛

Dunmail Raise, in Cumbria, England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The cairn of Dunmail Raise stands atop a pass in the mountains of the English Lake District. Local folklore holds that it marks the spot where “Dunmail” —the “last king of Cumbria”— was killed in battle by the English and subsequently buried under a heap of stones. “Dunmail” is clearly a memory of king Dyfnwal ab Owain of Strathclyde (died AD 975), and the folk tradition recalls the invasion of king Edmund I of England (AD 939-946), which wrested Cumbria away from Strathclyde and ended with Dyfnwal’s sons tragically captured and brutally blinded by the English. The tradition doesn’t exactly match history, which informs us that Dyfnwal was not killed in battle, but died of old age 30 years after Edmund’s invasion. Still, it seems to preserve to sentiments of the local Britons in the aftermath of the battle. The lore tells of some warriors who escaped the affray with Dunmail’s crown, climbing the mountains to hurl it into the depths of the Grisedale Tarn. There, it awaits the day of judgment, when Dunmail will come again to lead them. Every year their ghosts return, retrieve the crown and take it to Dunmail Raise, where they strike the cairn with their spears to see if it’s time. A voice from within the stones is then said to speak: “Not yet, not yet; wait a while, my warriors!” Celtic Europe - channel link: https://t.me/CelticEurope

I was recently asked for information about Brehon Laws in a local context (local to Mayo/Connacht) for a 60k word thesis. Instantly I thought of the MacEgan clan, hereditary Brehons to the chieftains of Connacht, including the famous O'Connor clan who held the high-kingship of Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasions in 1169. That was my first lead... Next, I conducted some more research and came across this: The Mullaghmore Brehon Deed of 1584. It is written in Gaelic and administered by the MacEgan clan with a view to settling a land dispute between two powerful and influential branches of the O'Mannion clan on the Galway-Mayo border. You can read more about this intriguing document here: https://moylough.galwaycommunityheritage.org/content/places/the-mullaghmore-brehon-law-deed-1584

Artistic reconstructions of the bronze age Battle of Tollense; unknown artists. 🇩🇪 Tollense is Europe’s oldest known battle, and it was apparently a resounding victory by Germanic peoples over a Celto-Slavic alliance (the majority of the deceased seem to have been from the areas of Poland and Bohemia, with a minority from southern Germany, Austria and other regions, which is suggestive of a composite proxy army, much like the Spanish force that conquered Mexico, of which the majority were native Tlaxcaltecs and Totonacs). The proto-Celtic Tumulus Culture which had dominated central Europe at the time then rapidly phased out and was replaced by the Urnfield Culture. The fact that this cultural revolution unfolded right around the same time that the Tollense battle happened seems to suggest that the battle led to an intense psychological and political crisis, with the defeated peoples becoming receptive to new ideologies while struggling amongst themselves to fill a power vacuum. As one tribe’s power was broken, another stepped in to fill the void. Perhaps the Urnfield Culture invasions in other parts of Europe were set in motion by this struggle, with defeated groups moving elsewhere to try and establish new power bases. The apparent Celto-Slavic alliance seems to have also collapsed, with conflict between the two groups being evident in Bohemia: Between 1,100 and 1,050 B.C; the Urnfield-derived Knovíz Culture expanded from western Bohemia to the Elbe river, at the expense of the Slavic Lusatian Culture. Fortifications in the new border area between the two cultures seem to evidence some kind of tension between them in the aftermath. The battle of Tollense thus seems to have radically altered Europe, with a new Celtic paradigm emerging like a phoenix from the ashes of defeat. Whatever doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger, and what kills me makes me incredibly strong. -Ernst Jünger (1895-1998). Celtic Europe - channel link (please share!): https://t.me/CelticEurope

The Urnfield Culture (blue) 🇩🇪⚜️🇫🇷🇪🇸🇸🇰🇸🇮🇮🇹🇭🇺🇧🇪🇦🇹🇵🇱🇱🇺🇨🇭🇹🇩🇨🇿 Map by P.L. Kessler & Edward Dawson. The Urnfield Culture appeared in southern Germany between 1300 and 1200 B.C; its original bearers were almost undoubtedly Celtic or “proto-Celtic” speakers. It grew from the preceding Tumulus Culture, due in large part to cultural influences from (probably proto-Dacian) groups in the Pannonian Basin, who introduced a new warrior ideology centered around the immortality of the soul, with cremation or consumption by birds of prey (in the case of fallen warriors) guaranteeing a quick reincarnation, rather than the deceased languishing in the underworld for ages as was thought to be the case with inhumation. The Urnfield culture quickly expanded to surrounding parts of Europe, in many cases evidencing migrations and conquests by Celtic groups, such as in eastern and southern France, northwestern Italy, Spain, and the western Czech Republic. In other areas, such as Moravia, Slovakia, Poland, northwest Germany, Slovenia, central Italy, Hungary, and Romania, its expansion was more likely the result of cultural adoption by native groups such as Slavs, Germanics, Italics and Dacians. Judging from the explosive expansion and the wealth found in settlements and graves, it seems that this era was characterized by Celtic dominance across Europe; the invasions seemed unstoppable and neighboring groups apparently admired them so much that they aped their culture. The previous Tumulus Culture (proto-Celtic? Italo-Celtic?) had in like manner dominated central Europe, though its hegemony seems to have come to an end dramatically with the destruction of a large army at the Tollense River, during a botched attempt to invade Germanic lands to the north. Genetic and other forensic evidence indicates that the defeated force consisted largely of men from central Europe, mainly Poland, the Czech Republic, and southern Germany (ancestors mainly of Slavs and Gauls?). The crisis and power vacuum engendered by this event seems to have been the catalyst for the emergence of the Urnfield Culture, with new groups harnessing new warrior ideologies to reach new levels of strength and fill a power-vacuum. A new era of Celtic dominance emerged, which would last until the beginning to middle of the 2nd century B.C; about a millennium. The Urnfield Culture itself became phased out over time, with Gallic peoples reverting to inhumation as the primary form of burial during the Hallstatt (~800 B.C.) and La Tène (~450 B.C.) periods, while cremation persisted as the practice among other peoples, particularly Slavs, for quite some time. Only in Iberia did Celtic peoples continue with the old paradigm of immolation of the deceased and burial in urn-fields, up until the time of Roman conquest. In a certain sense, the culture and world-view of the Celtiberians and other Hispano-Celtic peoples reflected an older pan-European paradigm that had long ceased to exist in the Celtic world by the time the La Tène culture had emerged. Celtic Europe - channel link (please share!): https://t.me/CelticEurope

Stone with Ogham inscription from St. Martin’s church in Lewannick, Cornwall; 5th or 6th century. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇪 The stone has a Latin inscription reading “Ingenui Memoria” (possibly meaning “In memory of daughter”; ingen = Old Irish for daughter), with the same rendered in Ogham, although the latter spells the name or noun as “Igenavi”. Celtic Europe - channel link: https://t.me/CelticEurope

Caledonian Bell Beaker's incredible shrine, or altar 🙏🔥

Lugh by Forest Rogers

From Solmba on X: a coin of the Leuci, a Celtic tribe from northeastern France, depicting the myth of Lugh flying away in the form of a bird after being struck with a spear. Similarly, in the Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, Heiðrekr attempts to strike Odin with his sword after their riddle contest, but Odin shifts into a falcon, with Heiðrekr only cutting its tail feathers short. Having lost Odin’s favour, Heiðrekr dies shortly afterwards. ᚨ