Ceretic Guletic of Alt Clut was a king of Alt Clut, associated with Dumbarton Castle in the 5th century. He has been identified with Coroticus, a Brittonic warrior addressed in a letter by Saint Patrick. Of Patrick's two surviving letters, one is addressed to the warband of this Coroticus. Bemoaning the capture and enslavement of newly Christianised Irish and their sale to non-Christians, Patrick includes the imprecation:[1]
Soldiers whom I no longer call my fellow citizens, or citizens of the Roman saints, but fellow citizens of the devils, in consequence of their evil deeds; who live in death, after the hostile rite of the barbarians; associates of the Scots and Apostate Picts; desirous of glutting themselves with the blood of innocent Christians, multitudes of whom I have begotten in God and confirmed in Christ.
In the letter Patrick announces that he has excommunicated Coroticus's men. The identification of Coroticus with Ceretic Guletic is based largely on an 8th-century gloss to Patrick's letter.[2] It has been suggested that it was the sending of this letter which provoked the trial which Patrick mentions in the Confession.[3] The "Apostate Picts" are the Southern Picts converted by Saint Ninian and ministered to by Palladius, and who had subsequently left Christianity. The Northern Picts of Fortriu were later converted by Saint Columba in the 6th century, and as they were not yet Christian, they could not be called "apostate".[4]
Ceretic's dates therefore depend on the conclusions of the vast scholarship devoted to discovering the floruit dates of St Patrick, but sometime in the 5th century is probably safe. Ceretic appears also in the Harleian genealogies of the rulers of Alt Clut, which list the names of his father (Cynloyp), grandfather (Cinhil) and great-grandfather (Cluim).[5] It is from the latter source that we get his nickname, Guletic ("Land-holder"). In the Book of Armagh, he is called "Coirthech rex Aloo", "Ceretic, King of the Height [of the Clyde]".[6]
Notes
^Todd, James Henthorn (1863), St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, Dublin: Hodges, Smith, & Co. (published 1864), p. 384, retrieved 4 August 2008
^Lanigan, John (1822), An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, vol. I, Dublin, p. 299 (footnote 103), retrieved 30 July 2008
^Harleian genealogy 5; see also, Williams, Smyth, and Kirby (eds.), A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain, (London, 1991), s.v. "Ceretic", pp. 78-8
^Alan MacQuarrie, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), p. 3.
References
Smyth, Alfred, Warlords and Holy Men, (Edinburgh, 1984)
MacQuarrie, Alan, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 1–19.
Williams, Anne, Smyth, Alfred P., and Kirby, D.P., (eds.), A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain, (London, 1991), s.v. "Ceretic", pp. 78–8.
Further reading
Iannello, Fausto, "Note storiche sull’Epistola ad Milites Corotici di San Patrizio". In Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, classe di Lettere, Filosofia e Belle Arti 84 (2008): pp. 275–285. [journal article in Italian]
ceretic, guletic, clut, king, clut, associated, with, dumbarton, castle, century, been, identified, with, coroticus, brittonic, warrior, addressed, letter, saint, patrick, patrick, surviving, letters, addressed, warband, this, coroticus, bemoaning, capture, en. Ceretic Guletic of Alt Clut was a king of Alt Clut associated with Dumbarton Castle in the 5th century He has been identified with Coroticus a Brittonic warrior addressed in a letter by Saint Patrick Of Patrick s two surviving letters one is addressed to the warband of this Coroticus Bemoaning the capture and enslavement of newly Christianised Irish and their sale to non Christians Patrick includes the imprecation 1 Soldiers whom I no longer call my fellow citizens or citizens of the Roman saints but fellow citizens of the devils in consequence of their evil deeds who live in death after the hostile rite of the barbarians associates of the Scots and Apostate Picts desirous of glutting themselves with the blood of innocent Christians multitudes of whom I have begotten in God and confirmed in Christ In the letter Patrick announces that he has excommunicated Coroticus s men The identification of Coroticus with Ceretic Guletic is based largely on an 8th century gloss to Patrick s letter 2 It has been suggested that it was the sending of this letter which provoked the trial which Patrick mentions in the Confession 3 The Apostate Picts are the Southern Picts converted by Saint Ninian and ministered to by Palladius and who had subsequently left Christianity The Northern Picts of Fortriu were later converted by Saint Columba in the 6th century and as they were not yet Christian they could not be called apostate 4 Ceretic s dates therefore depend on the conclusions of the vast scholarship devoted to discovering the floruit dates of St Patrick but sometime in the 5th century is probably safe Ceretic appears also in the Harleian genealogies of the rulers of Alt Clut which list the names of his father Cynloyp grandfather Cinhil and great grandfather Cluim 5 It is from the latter source that we get his nickname Guletic Land holder In the Book of Armagh he is called Coirthech rex Aloo Ceretic King of the Height of the Clyde 6 Notes Edit Todd James Henthorn 1863 St Patrick Apostle of Ireland Dublin Hodges Smith amp Co published 1864 p 384 retrieved 4 August 2008 De Paor pp 109 113 Charles Edwards pp 226 230 incomplete short citation Thomas pp 339 343 incomplete short citation Lanigan John 1822 An Ecclesiastical History of Ireland vol I Dublin p 299 footnote 103 retrieved 30 July 2008 Harleian genealogy 5 see also Williams Smyth and Kirby eds A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain London 1991 s v Ceretic pp 78 8 Alan MacQuarrie The Kings of Strathclyde in A Grant amp K Stringer eds Medieval Scotland Crown Lordship and Community Essays Presented to G W S Barrow Edinburgh 1993 p 3 References EditSmyth Alfred Warlords and Holy Men Edinburgh 1984 MacQuarrie Alan The Kings of Strathclyde in A Grant amp K Stringer eds Medieval Scotland Crown Lordship and Community Essays Presented to G W S Barrow Edinburgh 1993 pp 1 19 Williams Anne Smyth Alfred P and Kirby D P eds A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain London 1991 s v Ceretic pp 78 8 Further reading EditIannello Fausto Note storiche sull Epistola ad Milites Corotici di San Patrizio In Atti della Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti classe di Lettere Filosofia e Belle Arti 84 2008 pp 275 285 journal article in Italian External links EditHarleian genealogy 5 Regnal titlesPreceded byCynloyp King of Alt Clutmid 400s Succeeded byCinuit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ceretic Guletic amp oldid 1118821408, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
