Who is the Welsh king of the Otherworld?

Who is the Welsh king of the Otherworld? Arawn is. In Welsh mythology, Arawn is the king of Annwn, the Otherworld realm that features prominently in the first branch of the Mabinogi.

Arawn’s best-known story begins when Pwyll, prince of Dyfed, accidentally encounters him while hunting. Arawn exchanges appearances and identities with Pwyll for a year and a day, asking him to defeat Arawn’s enemy Hafgan. Pwyll keeps Arawn’s identity secret and wins the required battle, establishing a bond between the two rulers.

Annwn is depicted as a realm of abundance, delight, and supernatural power rather than simply a Christian-style hell. Its name is often translated as the Otherworld, and Welsh stories place it beyond ordinary human geography or beneath the earth. Arawn is connected with hunting, hounds, and the passage between worlds.

A common complication is that later Welsh and Arthurian tradition often assigns the kingship of Annwn to Gwyn ap Nudd. For the Mabinogi and the standard question’s wording, however, Arawn is the canonical answer.