{"id":47058,"title":"Bladud: The Legendary Flying King of Britain","description":"King Bladud, the legendary early king of Britain, is best known for founding the city of Bath and his ill-fated attempt at flight using artificial wings.","content":"

The tale of King Bladud is one of Britain\u2019s most fantastical legends<\/strong>, blending elements of classical learning, miraculous healing, and an extraordinary (but ultimately fatal) attempt at human flight.<\/p>

Though there is no historical evidence to support his existence, Bladud\u2019s story has captured the imagination for centuries, enriched by medieval chroniclers and later embellished to reinforce Bath\u2019s reputation as a spa town. While many aspects of his legend are compelling, it is his supposed attempt at flight that elevates Bladud to a unique position among Britain\u2019s mythical monarchs.<\/p>

\"PortraitsPortraits of King Bladud (16th C?)<\/em><\/p>

Bladud\u2019s Mythological Origins<\/h3>

Bladud\u2019s legend originates in Geoffrey of Monmouth\u2019s History of the Kings of Britain<\/em> (Historia Regum Britanniae<\/em> c. 1136), which was a supposedly historical (but mostly ficticious) account of Britain\u2019s ancient kings. According to Geoffrey, Bladud was the son of King Rud Hud Hudibras and the tenth monarch in line from Brutus, the legendary founder of Britain.<\/p>

The name Bladud, or its Welsh equivalent Blaiddyd, means \u201cWolf-lord\u201d (blaidd meaning wolf and iudd meaning lord), a title that suggests a connection to ancient warrior or druidic traditions. Later sources, such as John Hardyng\u2019s Chronicle (1457), further embellished his story, including details of his education in Athens, the founding of a university at Stamford, and his establishment of the city of Bath.<\/p>

The Flight of King Bladud<\/h3>

The most remarkable aspect of Bladud\u2019s legend is his supposed attempt to defy gravity and take to the skies! Various medieval sources claim that Bladud, through his studies of necromancy and divination, sought to achieve flight. These accounts suggest he was a scholar of the arcane arts, an early scientist of sorts, experimenting with forces that may have been beyond his understanding.<\/p>

According to legend, Bladud fashioned a pair of wings and, in an act reminiscent of the Greek myth of Icarus, leapt from the temple of Apollo in Trinovantum (or \u2018New Troy\u2019 - a legendary early name for London). Unfortunately, his flight was short-lived, and he either crashed into a wall, or plummeted to the ground. Either way, it seems he broke his neck in the attempt.<\/p>

This tragic demise did not diminish the legend\u2019s impact. If anything, it has positioned Bladud as an early pioneer of human flight\u2014an eccentric figure who sought to conquer the air centuries before Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s sketches of flying machines or the Wright brothers\u2019 successful attempts.<\/p>

\"TheBladud preparing for lift-off!<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>(from the Genealogy of James I by Thomas Lyte)<\/em><\/p>

The Symbolism of Bladud\u2019s Flight<\/h3>

Bladud\u2019s legendary flight can be interpreted in several ways. Some scholars see it as an allegory for hubris\u2014man\u2019s overreach into divine realms, punished by a fall from grace. Others interpret it as an early example of scientific curiosity, a precursor to later explorations into aerodynamics. The association with necromancy and divination suggests that his knowledge was seen as arcane, possibly dangerous, aligning him with the archetype of the \u201cmad scientist\u201d or the \u201ccursed scholar.\u201d<\/p>

In a broader sense, his attempt at flight could also be linked to shamanic traditions. Many ancient cultures have myths of individuals transforming into birds or transcending the earthly realm through spiritual means. Bladud\u2019s story may echo these themes, positioning him as a semi-mythical figure attempting to bridge the mortal and celestial worlds.<\/p>

Despite the obvious embellishments in his tale, Bladud\u2019s story continues to capture the imagination. His connection to Bath, where he is credited with discovering the curative properties of the hot springs, remains a cornerstone of the city\u2019s mythology. The statue of King Bladud overlooking the King\u2019s Bath is a testament to the enduring power of this legend, even if its historical accuracy is questionable.<\/p>

Bladud\u2019s attempted flight also places him in the lineage of legendary aviators\u2014figures who dared to challenge the constraints of human existence. While his story lacks the mechanical sophistication of later flight pioneers, it holds a unique place in British folklore as an early, albeit doomed, aspiration toward the skies.<\/p>

\u2018Bathe was by Bladud to perfection brought,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

By Necromanticke Artes, to flye he sought,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

As from a Towre he thought to scale the Sky<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

He brake his necke, because he soared too high\u2019<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

King Bladud\u2019s tale is a fascinating mixture of myth, magic, and ambition. His supposed ability to harness the powers of healing, necromancy, and flight renders him one of the most enigmatic figures in British legend. While historical records offer no evidence for his existence, the myth persists, and the image of a king who sought to soar above his kingdom remains a compelling and cautionary tale. Whether viewed as an early scientist, a tragic hero, or simply a cautionary symbol of human folly, Bladud\u2019s legendary flight continues to intrigue those who encounter his story.<\/p>

King Bladud T-Shirts<\/strong><\/h3>

\"Bladud<\/u>King Bladud T-Shirt (Mens)<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

King Bladud T-Shirt (Womens)<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

King Bladud Long Sleeve T-Shirt (Mens)<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

King Bladud Heavyweight Long Sleeve Tee (Womens)<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

\"Bladud<\/u><\/a>Our 100% organic, ethically sourced, and sustainably printed clothing range now includes these lovely King Bladud prints.<\/p>

The design is based on on an original woodcut from John Taylor's A Memorial of all the English Monarchs being in number 151, from Brute to King Charles<\/em> (London, 1630).<\/p>

Of Bladud he writes \u2018This Bladud had beene a student in Athens, from whence hee brought many learned men: hee built Stamford, a Colledge I thinke, the first in England: striving to play the fowle or the foole, he brake his necke on the Temple of Apollo in Troynouant.\u2019<\/em><\/p>

Bladud was succeeded by his son Leir - better known as King Lear, whose story is most famously told in Shakespeare's tragedy.<\/p>

Sources:<\/strong><\/p>

The British king who tried to fly; extracts from old chronicles and histories relating to Bladud, the ninth king of Britain, together with several portraits. <\/em>Howard Coppuck Levis, Chiswick Press 1919<\/p>","urlTitle":"bladud-the-legendary-flying-king-of-britain","url":"\/blog\/bladud-the-legendary-flying-king-of-britain\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/bladud-the-legendary-flying-king-of-britain\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/eldonthreads.com\/blog\/bladud-the-legendary-flying-king-of-britain\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1741548547,"updatedAt":1774448274,"publishedAt":1774448273,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":353639,"name":"Eldon Threads"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cpayk11trdz5dudg6whexh73ixsojql4k70m3jnmbv0chhlr.jpeg?z=1.1&fx=0.51435032072842&fy=0.50694590872481","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cpayk11trdz5dudg6whexh73ixsojql4k70m3jnmbv0chhlr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.1&fx=0.51435032072842&fy=0.50694590872481","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cpayk11trdz5dudg6whexh73ixsojql4k70m3jnmbv0chhlr.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.1&fx=0.51435032072842&fy=0.50694590872481"},"metaTitle":"Bladud: The Legendary Flying King of Britain","metaDescription":"King Bladud, the legendary early king of Britain, is best known for founding the city of Bath and his ill-fated attempt at flight using artificial wings.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":55221,"title":"The Oakwood Stone: Cup and Ring Carving in a Parish Church","url":"\/blog\/the-oakwood-stone-cup-and-ring-carving-in-a-parish-church\/","urlTitle":"the-oakwood-stone-cup-and-ring-carving-in-a-parish-church","division":353639,"description":"Inside St John Lee Parish Church near Acomb, just outside Hexham in Northumberland, sits a sandstone slab carved several thousand years before the building around it existed. Known as the Oakwood Stone, it belongs to the wider tradition of British prehistoric cup and ring marked rock art. The motifs are typical of that tradition: circular cup marks surrounded by concentric rings, some incomplete, linked by shallow groovesThe Oakwood Stone is a prehistoric cup and ring carved slab, now kept inside St John Lee Parish Church near Hexham in Northumberland. Discovered in nearby farmland and dating to the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, its linked circles and grooves form part of a widespread rock-art tradition whose original meaning has been lost over time.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ekioqxy5xsin4piai6xi51daipharfkzxjyqdxsb1f0mnl9e.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.1&fx=0.51026265709571&fy=0.49484365486325","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ekioqxy5xsin4piai6xi51daipharfkzxjyqdxsb1f0mnl9e.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.1&fx=0.51026265709571&fy=0.49484365486325"},"hidden":0},{"id":53852,"title":"Long Meg and Her Daughters: Britain\u2019s Giant Stone Circle with a Story to Tell","url":"\/blog\/long-meg-and-her-daughters-prehistoric-stone-circle-cumbria\/","urlTitle":"long-meg-and-her-daughters-prehistoric-stone-circle-cumbria","division":353639,"description":"It is one of Britain\u2019s largest prehistoric stone circles, located in Cumbria, featuring over fifty stones, a tall sandstone monolith, and said to be a coven of witches turned to stone.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mpijoahpcg2ecll4vru0brzzbtixolhfxn1hbjy6i1o7l26m.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mpijoahpcg2ecll4vru0brzzbtixolhfxn1hbjy6i1o7l26m.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":52654,"title":"The Rollright Stones: Rock Legends!","url":"\/blog\/the-rollright-stones\/","urlTitle":"the-rollright-stones","division":353639,"description":"The Rollright Stones of Oxfordshire - an ancient stone circle, standing stone, and dolmen linked to the legend of a King, his Knights, and a witch's curse.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/aagbm3iuvvwwxwf4sjmnxapmhfvmdm1px6fgrbmser9zgc17.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/aagbm3iuvvwwxwf4sjmnxapmhfvmdm1px6fgrbmser9zgc17.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}