Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles

Ewyas

Founded as a kingdom of the Silures Britons, Ewyas (or sometimes Euas, perhaps the version in use by the ninth century) was situated on the eastern edge of mid-south Wales (now in the English county of Herefordshire and probably also including eastern portions of Gloucestershire), and seems to have been as well-established and as early to find its independent feet as Dumnonia to the south. Its capital was the Roman city of Caerwent (Caer Gwent), and (very typically) its rulers traced their lineage to some of the greatest figures of Celtic British history, the list of ancestors dating back to the landing of Julius Caesar in 55 BC. Much of this until the fourth century is semi-legendary, but may well have been based on fact.

c.AD 22

Alan ap Bran

Second son of High King Bran Fendigaid. King of the Silures.

c.24

Sadwr ap Bran

Third son (amongst 9 others from AD 26). Also king of the Silures.

c.65

Eurgain

Sister. Returned from Rome to spread Christianity.

c.60

Coellyn ap Caradog

Could he and his successors also be titular Silures kings?

c.100

Owain ap Beli

2nd century

In the early part of the century, the Silures are finally granted civitas status and a capital at Venta Silurum (the post-Roman Ewyas, and modern Caerwent).

The fourth century walls of Venta Silurum (Caerwent) once stood up to 5.2 metres (seventeen feet) high, and survived as part of the later medieval town

c.140

Meirchion Fawdfilr ap Owain

Son.

c.180

Cwrrig Fawr / Goruc Mawr (the Great)

c.215

Gwrddwfn ap Cwrrig

Son.

3rd century

The territory of the Silures, or at least eastern parts of it, is known as Ewyas by the third century, but when this name is first used is unknown. Ewyas later evolves into Gwent. The Roman fort at Leucarum is reoccupied late in the century and remains operational until the early fourth century, a span of perhaps forty or so years, before being permanently abandoned.

c.250

Einudd ap Gwrddwfn

Son.

c.283

Eudaf Hen (Octavius the Old)

King of Ewyas & High King of Britain.

c.283

St Elen Lwyddog (of the Host)

Dau. m Magnus Maximus, Western Roman Emperor d.388.

c.285

Gereint ap Einudd

Son of Einudd. Father of Conan Meriadog of Dumnonia.

c.300 - 306

Around the very start of the fourth century, changes take place at Caerwent. A great deal of refortification is undertaken, not only here but also at Glevum (in the former Dobunni tribal territory) and Caerleon (in the remainder of the former Silures territory), as preparations to face a possible threat from the River Severn. The threat is probably presented by a sudden increase in Irish raids, but whether the defences are ever put to the test or not is unknown. Perhaps linked to this threat, and others, in 305-306, Britain is sub-divided into four provinces within the Diocese of the Britains. Ewyas falls within Britannia Prima.

c.320

Arthfael ap Einudd

Brother. King of Ewyas?

c.340

Gwrgant ap Arthfael

Son. King of Ewyas?

c.380

Meirchion ap Gwrgant

Son. King of Ewyas?

383 - c.430

A territory which encompasses mid-south Wales is created by High King Magnus Maximus as part of his defensive restructuring of many of the country's regions to ensure its protection while he pursues his imperial ambitions overseas. He places his son, Eugenius, in command of the new territory with a capital in the territory or district of Cernyw. It is possible that it incorporates Ewyas, which would explain the lack of rulers for this period.

c.430

By this time, although Ewyas may still form part of the territory of mid-south Wales under Eugenius, it appears to fall under the control of High King Vortigern, now the most powerful man in Britain. He grants the territory to his eldest son, Vortimer, while the remainder of the mid-south Wales territory quickly evolves into Cernyw. Vortimer's new kingdom is renamed, eventually emerging as Gwent.

Gwent / Guenta

Gwent evolved as a combination of Ewyas and an extension to the west. It was bordered on that side by Cernyw from which it was divided by the River Usk. Gwent was later divided in two, the eastern half becoming Ercing. The western section continued to use the capital of the Silures tribe, Venta Silurum, as its capital, although language shifts altered Venta into Guenta and then Gwent so that it was known as Caer Gwent (the fort of Gwent, now known as Caerwent). In effect, the kingdom's name originated from the name of its capital, just as has been proposed for many of the much more obscure kingdoms in southern Britain. The small Roman town remained in use throughout the medieval period, and the modern village grew up around the original Roman buildings, preserving them very nicely for later generations of scholars and archaeologists.

The kingdom seems to have been part of the ancestral lands of Vortigern of the Pagenses, and while one of his other lands, Gwerthrynion, bore a variation of his name in its Welsh form, Gwent was for a time known as Gwerthefyriwg in honour of his son (using the Welsh version of his Romanised name). This may only have been a temporary name, though, as its true name, Venta, or Guenta, quickly re-emerged. Perhaps Vortigern's subsequent disgrace in the eyes of his countrymen helped in this. The Roman city of Caerleon ('fortress of the legion', or Caerllion in Welsh) also formed a major administrative centre for the kingdom.

(Additional information by Hywel George, and from The Landscape of King Arthur, Geoffrey Ashe.)

c.430 - c.457

Vortimer (Gwerthefyr) Fendigaid (Blessed)

Son of High King Vortigern. Kingdom renamed Gwerthefyriwg.

c.457 - c.480

Honorius (Ynyr Gwent)

m St Madrun ferch Gwerthefyr.

c.474

At this time, Gwerthefyriwg (former Ewyas) becomes divided into Gwent and Ercing.

A reconstruction of the Roman amphitheatre at Caerleon

c.480

Iddon

Son.

c.490

It appears at first sight that the original ruling family dies out with Iddon. The powerful Caradog Freichfras secures the kingdom, and later pedigrees claim him as the founder of Gwent's royal house. However, some archaeologists have linked Caradog Freichfras with Caradoc ap Ynyr of Gwent around this time, and it may well be that the two figures are one and the same man. If this is the case then Caradog is not a usurper or the founder of a new royal house at all, he is the son of Honorius Ynyr Gwent and is based at Caer Gwent as the rightful successor.

It is possible that Caradog Freichfras is named in honour of High King Caratacus, a heroic resister of Roman occupation for the Silures tribe in this region four hundred years earlier. His family may come from the 'decuriones' of Venta, making him a descendant of the aristocracy which had existed among the Silures. Caradog himself is remembered as Carados Briefbras, one of the Arthurian Knights of the Round Table.

c.490 - c.540

Caradog Freichfras (Strongarm) ap Ynyr

King of Gwent & Bro Erech. Bro-in-law was Cado of Dumnonia.

c.490

Caer Gwent is Caradog's original base, but later stories have him handing his headquarters (suggested as the Roman basilica in the heart of the town) over to St Tathyw so that he can found a monastery. Caradog moves his court to Portskewett, which may be the hill fort of Sudbrook Fort, which had also housed a Roman outpost, making it easy to repair and fortify. Following his accession he also sails across the Channel to found the kingdom of Bro Erech, which forms the heartland of Vannetais and serves as its largest kingdom.

Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain mentions a magnificent Whitsun ceremony at Caerleon-upon-Usk in south-east Wales (within the territory of Gwent). Nothing at the site of this former Roman legionary fortress of Isca Silurum suggests post-Roman occupation, so Geoffrey doubtless picks the place because it is close to his home town and at one time had plainly been a centre of population grand enough to suit Arthur. The guests include Cadwallo, 'King of North Wales', Cado, the early sixth century king of Dumnonia, King Lot of Goutodin, and the British Church archbishops of London, York, and Caerleon (Dubricius being the last of these three).

c.540

Gereint

Sub-king of Orcheus in Gwent. m gnd-dau of Budig II of Brittany.

c.540 - c.590

Meurig ap Caradog

Married to Dyfwn, dau of Claudius of Cernyw.

577

The sub-divided state of Caer Gloui and its daughter kingdoms, Caer Baddan and Caer Ceri, all fall to the West Seaxe. The defeat is a disaster for all Britons of the west of the country, dividing as it does those of Gwent and Pengwern from those in Dumnonia. It also leaves Caer Celemion totally isolated, surrounded on all sides by Saxons.

580

Mentioned at this time during his reign, Meurig is passed the combined kingdom of Gwynllg & Penychen by his nephew by marriage, Catocus. He may well also gain the other minor kingdom which, together with those two, had formed the kingdom of Cernyw, the third region being Gorfynedd (as Meurig is claimed as the ruler of Gower which is in the western arm of Cernyw), and his marriage to the daughter of the king of Ercing (presumably a second marriage after that with Dyfwn of Cernyw) means that his son inherits that kingdom. His grandson, holding onto these territories, is dubbed the 'King of South-East Wales'.

c.590

Erbic ap Meurig

King of Gwent. Glywyssing & Ercing.

c.595

Erb ap Erbic

King of Gwent, Glywyssing & Ercing. 'King of South-East Wales'.

c.600 - 610?

It appears that at the start of the seventh century, Ynys Manau is invaded by Dal Riadan Scotti. Dingad ap Nudd and his family are reputed to flee their kingdom (although Manau is not specifically named) and take refuge in Gwent, where they settle in the role of minor chieftains.

c.610

Upon Erb's death the unified kingdom of Gwent and Ercing is divided between his sons, nullifying the achievement of unification. Nynnio gains Gwent, while Pebiaw gains Ercing.

c.610

Nynnio ap Erb

King of Gwent & Glywyssing.

c.620

Llywarch ap Nynnio

King of Gwent & Glywyssing.

? - c.625

St Tewdrig ap Llywarch / Theoderic

King of Gwent & Glywyssing. Abdicated in favour of his son.

c.625 - c.665

Meurig ap Tewdrig

King of Gwent, Glywyssing, & Ercing.

c.630

Gwent is subjected to a largescale Saxon raid. The fall of kingdoms such as Caer Gloui has opened up the Welsh border to the direct attention of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, as by now the invaders control most of what is becoming England. Also, by marrying the daughter of the king of Ercing, Meurig effects a final reunion of the two kingdoms.

656

Overrun by Oswiu of Northumbria, the royal family of Pengwern is destroyed and the kingdom terminated. This further exposes the border of Gwent and fully exposes Powys for perhaps the first time. Saxons migrate into the territory from the south to form the minor kingdoms of the Wrocenset and Magonset. These in turn are absorbed by Mercia by the eighth century.

c.680 - c.685

Athrwys ap Meurig

King of Gwent, Glywyssing & Ergyng.

c.715

Morgan ap Athrwys

Over-King of Gwent, Glywyssing & Ergyng.

c.735

Ithel ap Morgan

King of South-East Wales (Gwent, Glywyssing & Ergyng).

745?

It is probable that Ithel divides the joint kingdom between sons. Rhys ap Ithel becomes king of Glywyssing. The name of Ergyng is no longer used, parts of the territory probably having been lost to the Hwicce while the rest has been part of Gwent for more than a century. It seems that, by the ninth century, the greater portion of it has been absorbed by Mercia.

c.755

Brochwal (ap Ithel?)

King of Gwent.

? - 775

Ffernfael ap Ithel

King (Annales Cambriae)?

775 - ?

Athrwys

? - 848

Ithael

Killed in battle against Elisedd ap Tewdr of Brycheiniog.

848

Ithael is killed in battle against King Elisedd ap Tewdr of Brycheiniog, perhaps sparking a feud that soon draws in Glywyssing's king, Hywel ap Rhys, who himself is a cousin of Ithael.

c.830s

Meurig

c.880s

Ffernfael

c.880s

Brochwel

c.920s

Arthfael

c.920s - c.930

Rule of the kingdom of Gwent appears to pass to Owain ap Hywel of Glywyssing shortly before his death. Then in 927 it becomes tributary to Æthelstan of the West Saxon united English kingdom along with Glywyssing itself. By about 930 it seems to be ruled by Morgan Hen Fawr, which makes him over-king of all of Glywyssing and Gwent under the new name of Morgannwg (modern Glamorgan).

c.930 - c.955

Morgan Hen Fawr retains control of Glywyssing and Gwent until his death at a grand old age. Subsequently, Gwent appears to regain its independence, either around 955 with the accession of Noe or about 970 when Arthfael becomes king.

c.955

Noe

c.970 - c.983

Arthfael

c.983 - c.1015

Rhodhri

Griffith

1015 - 1045

Edwin

1045 - 1055

Meurig

1055 - 1063

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Gwynedd invades and conquers the kingdom, along with neighbouring Morgannwg, subjugating them both and drawing them directly under his control along with Deheubarth as part of a united Wales. Following his death, united Wales breaks up, and independent control of Morgannwg and Gwent is re-established.

1063 - 1074

Cadwgan ap Meurig / Caducan

Son. King of Greater Morgannwg (Glywyssing & Gwent), until 1074.

1074 - 1090

Caradog ap Gruffydd of Glywyssing manages to overthrow Cadwgan and seize control of Morgannwg (Glywyssing and Gwent combined), which he rules for the remainder of his life. Control of Gwent is passed to his successor, Iestyn ap Gwrgan, and remains in his hands until the Normans overrun south-east Wales in 1090 and the kingdom falls.

The last of the Princes of Wales are killed in 1282, ending Welsh independence. Gwent eventually becomes the county of Monmouthshire.