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Demetia
The British kingdom based on the Celtic tribal territory of the
Demetae, and its
subsequent
Roman civitatus designation, was apparently created in circa 382 by one of the many sons
of Magnus Maximus. It certainly bore the
Romanised form of its name throughout the fourth and fifth centuries. Its early centre was at Castell
Dwyan. Its first king, Antonius, was charged with protecting the southern half of
Wales in much the same way as Cunedda was given Gwynedd as
king of North Wales. Some of the territory he controlled was passed to younger sons, but
which territory is not clear. The core of his holdings, however, was Demetia.
Irish raiders were causing the British widespread problems throughout the fourth and
fifth centuries, and to combat this, The homeless Deisi tribe were settled in Demetia by
Magnus Maximus. Existing evidence confirms
this by suggesting the Roman authorities asked for the help of Aed Brosc in keeping Irish
pirates away from the western coast of Britain. When the last British king died without a
male heir, the Deisi were on hand to fill the breach. |
382 -
? |
Antonius Donatus Gregorius
/ Anwn Dynod |
'King of South
Wales'. Son of
High King
Magnus Maximus. |
382 |
Antonius Donatus Gregorius, son of
High King
Magnus Maximus, appears to be accepted by the Demetae after his father's
death. He retains control of the region, which means he is also successful
in driving off
Irish raiders. Mentioned as a
king by later traditional sources, he is more probably a decurion (also
mentioned by some scholars) or a magistrate. He and his successors have been
given Welsh names by later chroniclers, but it is much more likely that they
bear Latinised names and conduct themselves as
Romans. |
fl c.400 |
Demetius / Ednyfed
ap Anwn |
Son. |
c.410 - c.421 |
Clotrius / Clotri
ap Ednyfed |
Son. Last
British ruler of Demetia. |
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Maelgwn |
Heir, but predeceased his father. |
c.421 |
With Clotri's only male heir
dead, his daughter Gweldyr is the sole heiress to the kingdom, and, although about 35
years younger, she marries Triphun of the Deisi
Irish, who had been settled in Demetia to help
defend it from Irish raiders. The kingdom's name is retained but is altered
by the Irish pronunciation of it so that, within a century, the accepted
pronunciation is
Dyfed. |
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Dyfed (of the Deisi)
The Irish Deisi (or Déssi) tribe of the County Waterford region in Ireland, were
apparently settled by the existing
Roman authorities in the Demetian region by 382
(probably as an acknowledgement of a situation which already existed). Their leader, Aed Brosc, was one of his
people's key figures. His grandfather, Eochaid Allmuir, had been forced to leave his
homeland after a bid for independence failed, and was severely crushed by the Irish
High
King. The descendants of Aed's eldest son, Urb, founded the kingdom of
Brycheiniog between 420-450, while his younger son,
Triffyn Farfog, married the heiress of the Demetian kings.
Like most Irish royalty, Eochaid claimed descent from Beli Mawr,
the Celtic sun god, through his son, Miled.
The name Dyfed (also known as Dyfor) originates from one of the former Roman civitates within
the kingdom, and seemed to be more popular for the new Deisi rulers than Demetia. The
early Deisi settlers were very receptive to the benefits of the Roman way of life, and gave
their children Romano-British names. These were recorded by the early
Welsh in Welsh
format, and later rulers became completely Welsh in background as the Roman influence was
severed. The Deisi rulers of Dyfed initially used the Roman title of 'Protector'
(protictoris) instead of the British equivalent of king. This practice continued
at least as far as Vortipor, whose memorial stone was discovered at Castell Dwyran.
(Additional information from The Landscape of King Arthur,
Geoffrey Ashe.)
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fl c.110 BC |
Beli Mawr
(the Great) |
High King. m Don ferch Mathonwy. |
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Miled |
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Eremon |
m Tea. |
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Irial Faidh |
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Eithrial |
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Follain |
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Tigernmas |
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Eanbrotha |
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Smiomghall |
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Fiacha Lamhraein |
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Aongus Olmucach |
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Maoin |
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Rotheachta |
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Dein |
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Siorna Saoghalach |
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Olioll Olchaoin |
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Gialcadh |
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Nuadhas Fionnfail |
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Aedan Glas |
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Simon Breac |
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Muireadach Bolgach |
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Fiacha Tolgrach |
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Duach Ladhrach |
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Eochaidh Buidh |
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Ugaine Mor |
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Cobthach Caolbhreagh |
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Melg Molbhthach |
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Iaran Gleofathach |
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Conla Caomh |
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Olioll Casfiachlach |
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Eochaidh Altleathan |
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Aongus Tuirmeach Teamrach |
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Enna Aigneach |
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Asaman Eamhna |
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Roighean Ruadh |
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Fionnlogh |
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Fionn |
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Eochaidh Feidlioch |
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Fineamhas (Breas-Nar-Lothar) |
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Lughaidh Sriabhn Dearg |
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Crimthann Niadh Nar |
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Feredach Fionn Feachtnach |
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Fiacha Fionn Ola |
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Tuathal Teachtmar |
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Felim Rachtmar |
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Fiacha Suidhe |
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Cairbre Rigronn |
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Art Corp mac Mes Cuirb |
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Eochaid Allmuir
(Over-Sea) |
mac Artchorp. Sometimes named first Deisi leader in Demetia. |
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Corath mac Eochaid |
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1 |
fl 382 |
Aed Brosc |
Leader of the Deisi as they
settled in Dyfed. |
2 |
c.405 |
Urb mac Aed |
Moved into the
Brycheiniog region. |
3 |
c.421-c.445 |
Triphun (Valerian) (mac Aed) |
Triffyn Farfog
(the Bearded). m
Gweldyr, heiress of Demetia. |
c.432 - 436 |
Aurelius Ambrosius of
Caer Gloui is apparently a leader of a
British
council, which presumably answers to Vortigern. It is his decision to confirm
the Irish Deisi as commanders of the Demetia area of the west coast to
counter the threat of Irish
raiders. Vortigern acquiesces and assigns Ambrosius 'Dinas
Emrys and all the western lands', suggesting that Ambrosius becomes the architect for
the defence of these western areas. This is motivated by the council's reluctance to
depend entirely on
Saxon mercenaries, with their constant demands for
increased provisions, especially in an area were they would be lightly
supervised. The Deisi have already been settled for some time and would be
self-supporting. |
c.440s/450s |
There is a probably Irish presence at Dunster
Castle (Dindraithov or Dindraethou to the
Welsh) in the early
post-Roman
period. This is a fort which overlooks the approaches to Exmoor, four
and-a-half kilometres (three miles) south-east of Minehead in Somerset
(roughly on the edges of Dumnonian
territory). The modern castle may not be the same site as the post-Roman
fort, which could be located a little way inland. Irish
settlers are frequenting Somerset at this time, which suggests that they are
people who have already been accepted into
Britain, such as
the Deisi of Dyfed. They are not large in number but they do remain for a
long time. Nearby Glastonbury is spoken of as 'Glastonbury of the Gaels'
thanks to its shrines of St Patrick and St Brigit. The fort features in the
list of twenty-eight cities of Britain in Nennius' Historia
Brittonum, appearing as Caer Draithou, and is
mentioned in the Life of St Carannog (of
Ceredigion). |
4 |
c.467 |
Aircol / Agricola |
Aricol Lawhir (Long-Hand) mac
Triffyn. |
late
400s |
The
minor vassal state of Caer Gawch emerges within the territory of Dyfed,
under Cynyr Ceinfarfog. |
5 |
c.495 - 540 |
Vortipor / Vortiporious |
Son.
High King. Vortepor mac Aricol, King or
'Protector' of Dyfed. |
c.540 |
Towards the end of his life, Vortipor is named by Gildas as the 'tyrant of
the Demetae'. |
6 |
c.550 |
Cyngar ap
Gwrthefyr |
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7 |
c.570 |
Petr (Pedr)
ap Cyngar |
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c.590 |
The
Bernician
Angles successfully
destroy the kingdom of The
Peak around this time, during a general expansion that
also sees the fall of Dunoting
around the same time. King Sawyl Penuchel is forced to flee to
Wales. There is a story in the
Life of St Cadoc that places him at Allt Cunedda near Kidwelly,
within Dyfed's territory. However, the name of the location
links it to Cunedda of Gwynedd, suggesting
that his campaigns to clear Wales of Irish
raiders had extended much farther south than is otherwise known. The story about Sawyl
in Wales has him and his warband stealing food from Llancarfan Abbey (hard times, clearly,
for this dispossessed king). St Cadoc follows them and finds them sleeping under a tree.
He cuts off their hair and flees to a bog. When Sawyl and his men follow the bog claims
them. It is unclear if this is the same Sawyl, but the approximate dates for the saint
coincide with his approximate dates.
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8 |
c.595-c.615 |
Arthur map Petr |
Named after
Arthur Pendragon (High King). Born c.570-85. |
9 |
c.625 |
Nowy Hen (the Old) |
King of Dyfed
& Brycheiniog. |
c.650 - c.720 |
Ceindrych
ferch Rhiwallon, Princess of Brycheiniog, marries her distant cousin, Cloten, King of
Dyfed, and for the space of three generations the two kingdoms are united. |
10 |
c.650 |
Cloten ap Nowy |
King of Dyfed
& Brycheiniog. Also known as Gwlyddien. |
11 |
c.670 |
Caten ap Cloten |
King of Dyfed
& Brycheiniog. |
12 |
c.690 |
Cadwgan Tredylig (ap Caten) |
King of Dyfed
& Brycheiniog. |
13 |
c.710 |
Regin (Rhain) ap Cadwgan |
King of Dyfed
& Brycheiniog. Brycheiniog passed to brother. |
700 - 720 |
Rhain
passes the sub-kingdom of Brycheiniog to a younger
brother, Aust. During Rhain's rule, Dyfed is invaded by Seisyll, king of
Ceredigion. Ceredigion conquers Ystrad Towy, and
Rhain's dual kingdom is split in two. Both areas appear to have been known for a time as Rheinwg after their king. |
14 |
c.730 |
Teuder (Tewdos) ap Regin |
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15 |
? - 798 |
Meredydd ap Teuder |
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798 - 808 |
Rhein ap Maredydd |
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808 - c.810 |
Triffyn ap Rhein |
No heir |
c.810 - 811 |
Owain ap Meredydd |
Owain was the last
male descendent of Aed Brosc. |
811 |
Although some sources suggest Hyfaidd ap Bledrig as the
next ruler of Dyred, a reign of about eighty-two years is clearly
implausible. |
? - 893 |
Hyfaidd ap Bledrig |
Son of Tangwystyl
ferch Owain and low-born Bledrig. |
893 - 904 |
Llywarch ap Hyfaidd |
No heir. His
dau, Elen (893-943), m Hywel Dda. |
904 |
Rhodri ap Hyfaidd |
Beheaded. |
904 |
Cadell ap Rhodri of Seisyllwg
and his son, Hywel Dda, conquer Dyfed. Hywel is granted control of the
kingdom, a position which is entirely legitimate thanks to his marriage to
Elen ferch Llywarch ap Hyfaidd. |
904 - 950 |
Hywel Dda (the Good) ap Cadell |
King of
Deheubarth (Gwynedd,
Powys,
& Seisyllwg). |
916 |
Hywel
Dda is the son of Cadell of Seisyllwg.
When he accedes to the throne of Deheubarth in 916 he is able to claim to
rule a greater South Wales.
In 942 he gains Gwynedd and rules a united Wales. Once Gwynedd becomes
detached from the remainder of the territory, former Dyfed provides the heartland along
with Ceredigion of the kingdom
of Deheubarth. |
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