BattlefieldsBattle of Catraeth — Yorkshire Context c.600 AD
Early Medieval

Battle of Catraeth — Yorkshire Context c.600 AD

600
North Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Y Gododdin battle at Catterick · Gododdin raid on Deira
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
North Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Gododdin of Din Eidyn
Forces
c. 1,500–2,500 Northumbrians; major Catterick engagement.
VS
Victor
Northumbrians (Deirans)
Forces
c. 1,000–1,500 Gododdin
Outcome
British raiding force from Edinburgh (Din Eidyn) annihilated at Catterick; only three survivors according to the poem
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Catraeth, commemorated in the Welsh poem Y Gododdin, was fought at Catterick (Cataractonium) around 600 AD. A force of some 300 British warriors from the kingdom of Gododdin (around Edinburgh) rode south to challenge the Anglian kingdom of Deira at Catterick. They were annihilated. The poem is one of the oldest pieces of Welsh literature and one of the only contemporary accounts of a battle in Yorkshire from this period. It paints a picture of a society in which a warrior's conduct in battle was the supreme test of manhood.

Casualties & Losses

According to Y Gododdin: c.300 British warriors killed; only three escaped

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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