Brân (Bran) was the king of
Bran was more of a king than a god in the Welsh myths. Bran seemed to rule from
Mallolwch (Matholwch), king of
It was the quarrelsome Evnissyen's acts towards Mallolwch, which led to mistreatment of Branwen by her husband and the disastrous war between
In the fighting, Bran received a wound from a poison-smeared spear. Before he was even wounded, he was called the "Pierced Thighs". His body was too large to be shipped back to Britain for burial, so Bran asked his brother Manawyddan to sever his head, and bury on White Hill in London. He also informed his brother that his head would keep him company in the hall of Gwales. His head would be able to talk.
However when Manawyddan returned to Wales, he found that his cousin Casswallawn had taken over power in Britain. Casswallawn had caused the death of Caradawg, the son of Bran. Manawyddan with six other survivors stayed in Gwales, possibly in Cornwall. He kept his brother's head for eighty years in Gwales that the court became known as the Assembly of Wondrous Head. They forgot all about the sorrow and losses in the disastrous war as long as they stayed in this hall.
Once the door of the hall was opened, their memories of their sorrow and losses would return. After this, they went to White Hill and buried Bran's head on the mound.