Gradlon

This picturesque legend tells us that in the early days of the Christian epoch the city of Ys, or Ker-is, was ruled by a prince called Gradlon, surnamed Meur, which in Celtic means ‘the Great.’

In the early days of the Christian era, the city of Ys was ruled by a prince called Gradlon.

Gradlon was a saintly and pious man.

Gradlon was a saintly and pious man, and acted as patron to Gwénnolé, founder and first abbé of the first monastery built in Armorica.

Gradlon was a prudent prince, and defended his capital of Ys from the invasions of the sea by constructing an immense basin to receive the overflow of the water at high tide.

Gradlon, as is so often the case with pious men, had a wayward child, the princess Dahut.

Gradlon, as is so often the case with pious men, had a wayward child, the princess Dahut, who on one occasion while her father was sleeping gave a secret banquet to her lover, in which the pair, excited with wine, committed folly after folly, until at last it occurred to the frivolous girl to open the sluice-gate.

Gradlon constantly bore round his neck a silver key which opened at the same time the vast sluices and the city gates.

Gradlon lived in great state in a palace of marble, cedar, and gold.

King Gradlon was awakened by St Gwénnolé, who commanded him to flee, as the torrent was reaching the palace.