Post-Roman Celtic Kingdoms

Powys

Centered around Shropshire at Caer Meguaidd, and covering much of the modern Welsh border, Powys derived its name from the descriptive Latin pagenses, '(land of the) country dwellers' or 'people of the pagi', the Roman equivalent of district council areas.

Powys was almost certainly Vortigern's native land. It also seems probable that although in Vortigern's time Powys may have extended to the North Welsh coast, this access may have been lost as the king of Dogfeiling & Pengwern in the seventh century seems to have had easy access between his two kingdoms. According to tradition, Vortigern's second son was handed Powys when Vortigern became High King.

In circa 570, Powys was apparently divided in two. The name was retained for the western half, while the eastern half became Pengwern. In later years, as attacks by the Norman conquers of England compressed Wales' free borders, what was left of Powys came to be ruled by Gwynedd.

c.110 BC

Beli Mawr (the Great)

(High) King of Britain. m Don ferch Mathonwy.

c.80 BC

Lludd Llaw Ereint (the Silver-Handed)

(High) King of Britain.

c.45 BC

Afallach ap Lludd

c.10 BC

Euddolen ap Afallach

Brother of Owain ap Afallach, ancestor of Gwynedd's kings.

Eudos ap Euddolen

Eifydd ap Eudos

Eudeyrn ap Eifydd

Euddigan ap Eudeyrn

Rhodri ap Euddigan

Gloui (Gloyw) Gwallthir (Long-Hair)

Sons were Bonus, Paul, Mauron & Guitolion.

c.310

Guitolion (Gwidolin) ap Gloyw

He & his brothers founded Caer Gloui.

c.340

Guitaul (Gwidol) ap Gwidolin

c.375

Guortheneu ap Gwidol

c.418 - c.455

Wortigernos (Vortigern) ap Guortheneu

High King of Post-Roman Britain in 425.

c.425

Vortigern's kingdom is divided between his sons into Powys, Builth & Gwerthrynion.

Vortimer (Gwerthefyr) Fendigaid

First son. King of Gwerthefyriwg (Gwent).

c.435 - 447

Cadeyrn Fendigaid (the Blessed)

2nd son. King of Powys. Killed at Battle of Aylesford.

Pascent (Pasgen) ap Gwrtheyrn

Third son. Became King of Builth & Gwerthrynion.

441

Cadell Ddyrnllwg (Gleaming Hilt)

Son of Cadeyrn. Ruled kingdom during Cadeyrn's battles.

c.441

During a time of largescale unrest in Britain, the Saxon foederati based around Britain rebel and pillage the country in the face of light British opposition. During this time, Irish raids on the west become heavier, and one Irish band captures Powys. Cadell is forced to go into hiding.

441? - 447

Banadl

Usurper Irish king. Killed when capital city burnt down.

447 - c.460

Cadell Ddyrnllwg

Restored by St Germanus.

c.490

St Cyngen Glodrydd (the Renowned)

Son. Sometimes identified with Aurelius Caninus (Caer Gloui).

c.520

Pasgen ap Cyngen

c.530

Brochfael Ysgythrog (of the Tusks)

c.540

Morgan ap Pasgen

c.570

It seems likely that Powys loses its eastern territory by this time. There is later a commander at Caer Legion in 613 called Brochfeal, who has not been linked to a kingdom, and may have been either Mawn or Iago ap Brochfael, the brothers of Cynan Garwyn. Passing the main kingdom of Powys to his son, Cynan, it would be standard practice for Brochfael to divide the territory and give the eastern half, Pengwern, to a second son. Although there is no available evidence to support this theory, Pengwern does first become a separate kingdom in its own right around this time, and seems to retain the original Powysian capital of Caer Guricon (Wroxter).

The River Dee probably formed the border between northern Powys and south-western Rheged during the sixth century

c.570 - c.610

Cynan Garwyn ap Brochfael

(White Shanks) Mentioned in 580.

c.610 - 613

Selyf Sarffgadau (Battle Serpent)

Son. (Selim/Soloman.) Killed at Caer Legion by Æthelfrith.

613

Manwgan ap Selyfan

Infant king. Usurped by Eiludd.

613 - 642?

Eiludd (Elfan) Powys

King of Dogfeiling.

642? - ?

Manwgan ap Selyfan

Restored.

c.655

Beli ap Eiludd

Probably not related to Eiludd, who was from a rival House.

? - c.660

Cynddylan

c.680

Gwylog ap Beli

Gwallawg ap Lleenawg?

c.710 - 773

Elisedd ap Gwylog

c.730

By now Mercia has fully absorbed the Magonset, although their territory remains a highly disputed borderland area between Mercia and Powys until the period of Norman power in England.

c.740 - 773

Brochfael ap Elisedd

773 - 808

Cadell Powys

(ap Brochfael).

808 - 854

Cyngen (Concenn) ap Cadell

(Annales Cambriae 852). Last of Vortigern's direct descendants.

814

Gryfudd ap Cyngen

Killed by his brother, Elisweg (Annales Cambriae 814).

822 - 823

Powys is mainly overrun in a largescale Saxon (Mercian) invasion. Cyngen ap Cadell fights successfully to regain Powysian independence.

854

Elisweg (Elisedd) ap Cyngen

Never gained the throne, as it passed through Cyngen's sister.

854 - 878

Powys passes to Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd, who is the son of Concenn's sister and Merfyn Vrach, to form part of a united Wales.

878 - 900

Merfyn ap Rhodri

Ruled Powys as a sub-kingdom of Gwynedd.

900 - 1075

Powys and Seisyllwg merge back into Gwynedd under Anarawd ap Rhodri, and form part of a united Wales under his successor, Hywel Dda. By 1063, Blethyn rules a mostly united Wales, and Powys is detached from Gwynedd & Deheubarth for, or by, his son.

1063 - 1075

Blethyn ap ?Cynfyn

King of Powys, Gwynedd & Deheubarth.

1075 - 1132

Maredudd ap Blethyn

King of Powys.

1132 - 1160

Madog ap Maredudd

King of Powys & Prince of Wales.

1160

Powys breaks up into North and South kingdoms.

North Powys (Powys Fadog)

North Powys became known as Powys Fadog during the reign of Madog, at about the same time as South Powys was being renamed.

1160? - c.1163

Llywelyn ap Madog

(Hope of Powys.) 'Prince' Owain Glyndwr's direct ancestor.

c.1163 - 1191

Gruffydd Maelor ap Madog

1160 - 1187

Owain Fychan

Lord of Mechain.

1160 - 11xx?

Owain Brogyntyn

Lord of Penllyn & Edeirnon (former Gwynedd sub-kingdom).

1191 - 1236

Madog ap Gruffydd

1236

In the same year as Deheubarth falls, North Powys also loses its independence to the Norman English.

? - before 1370

Gruffydd Fychan II

Hereditary prince of Powys Fadog & Lord of Glyndyfrdwy.

c.1370 - 1416

Owain Glyndwr

Son. Prince of Wales (1400-1416).

Meredudd ab Owain Glyndwr

Son. Accepted English royal pardon in 1421.

South Powys (Powys Wenwynwyn)

The appellation Powys Wenwynwyn was used to describe South Powys only from the reign of Gwenwynwyn.

1160

Gruffydd ap Maredudd

Brother of Madog.

1160 - 1197

Owain Cyfeiliog ap Gruffydd

m Gwenllian, dau. of Owain Gwynedd.

1197 - 1208

Gwenwynwyn ap Owain

m Margaret, dau of Robert Corbet (d.Feb 1216).

1208

Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn

m Hawise, dau of John Lestrange. Ruled? (d.1286).

1208

South Powys is annexed by Llywelyn Fawr, Prince of Wales & Gwynedd.