Madoc

Part of speech: proper noun

Definitions

1. A legendary Welsh prince reputed to have voyaged to and possibly settled in the Americas before Columbus; a personal name of Welsh origin derived from a word meaning fortunate or beneficent; a historical and mythical figure associated with ancient exploration tales
2. An ancient Welsh nobleman believed to have led early transatlantic expeditions; a male proper name rooted in Welsh tradition implying luck or goodness; a subject of folklore involving pre-Columbian discoveries and cultural legends
3. A mythic character from Welsh lore credited with early discovery of overseas lands; a given name common in Wales indicating blessings or happiness; a figure appearing in stories blending history and myth about early exploration efforts

Etymology: Madoc is a proper noun, and the surprising part is how little of its fame rests on evidence. The legend of a Welsh prince who sailed west and settled in America took shape centuries after the supposed voyage, and it was given its modern form in the sixteenth century, when Elizabethan writers used it to argue for English claims in North America. The name itself is Welsh and is usually linked to "mad," meaning fortunate, good, or beneficent, so the bearer was named for good fortune. Several early Welsh chroniclers and poets mention Madoc, and the story found its most famous form in Welsh and English writing from the late 1500s, where it was told as a voyage that left colonists behind. Later writers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries repeated and embellished the tale, and some groups claimed descent from his followers. Historians have not found reliable evidence for any such voyage, and the stories are generally regarded as legend rather than record.