In my research for “Betrothed to the Red Dragon,” I encountered a fascinating fourth century character, Elen of Caernarfon.
According to the “The Dream of Macsen Wledig” in The Mabinogion, the strong-willed Elen was married to the titular character, also known as Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. She ruled with him and had roads built throughout Britain by men loyal to her. While I believe Elen existed, the poem is fiction, and the reality is more complex and more tragic.
Visit English Historical Fiction Authors for my post about who the real Elen might have been.
14th century manuscript (public domain via Wikimedia Commons)
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