Urien (490-597) was King of Rheged from 570 to 590, succeeding Cynfarch Oer and preceding Owain.
Biography[]
Urien was born in 490, the son of King Cynfarch Oer of Rheged and the brother of King Lot. As a young man, he married Morgan le Fay, the half-sister of King Arthur, and fathered Owain with her. Urien initially opposed Arthur's accession to the throne in 482, but the rebellious nobles were defeated and forced to become allies and vassals of Arthur. Morgan's marry to Urien was unhappy, and Owain and Nimue successfully thwarted an attempt by Morgan to use Excalibur to kill Urien and Arthur. Urien succeeded his father as King of Rheged in 570, and he allied with King Rhydderch Hael of Alcluyd, Gwallog mab Llaenog of Elmet, and Morcant Bulc of Gododdin against King Ida of Bernicia during his invasion of northern England. The alliance defeated the Angles and besieged them on Lindisfarne, but Morgant grew jealous of Urien's power and had him assassinated, allowing for Ida to rapidly reconquer Bernicia.