Coel Hen

Coel (Old Welsh: Coil), also known as Coel Hen or "Coel the Old," is a notable figure in Welsh legend and medieval literature. He is traditionally remembered as a leader from around the 4th century during the late Roman or Sub-Roman period in Britain. Coel Hen is considered the ancestor of several royal dynasties in Yr Hen Ogledd (the Old North), the Brittonic-speaking territories that now form parts of northern England and southern Scotland.

In later medieval tales, Coel was reimagined as the father of Saint Helena, making him the grandfather of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. This version of the story blends historical speculation with legend.

There are other figures with similar names who are sometimes mistaken for or merged with Coel Hen. The popular character "King Coel" has occasionally been linked to the nursery rhyme "Old King Cole," though there is little evidence to support this connection and scholars generally consider it unlikely.