Person Page - 1649

     Rhoeth map Rhun King of Rheged was King of Rheged, [Ashley, p. 108] RHOETH MAP RHUN Rheged, fl 620s. Rhoeth was almost certainly only a client-king of Rheged if he ruled at all in anything but name. He was probably a prince in exile in North Wales in his youth, following the death of his uncle OWAIN at the battle of Catraeth, but may have been restored to his kingdom sometime after 600 when his father, RHUN, entered the church. If such was so, then he would have ruled as a vassal to king ATHELFRITH of Northumbria. His lands would almost certainly have been confiscated again by EDWIN of Northumbria, although since Rhoeth's father had baptized Edwin, the Northumbrian may have shown rather more respect for the prince of Rheged than he did for the rulers of the other British kingdoms that he overran in the early part of his reign. It is recorded that Rhoeth's daughter, Rhiainmelt, which means 'Queen of the Lightning', married the later Northumbrian king OSWY. It is likely that during Oswy's reign, Rheged was annexed, perhaps to protect it against the expansionist regime of OWEN MAP BILI of Strathclyde. circa 620.¹

     Rhiainmelt map Rhun married Oswy (?) King of Northumbria
;
His 1st wife.^1,2
      ; [Ashley, p. 108] It is recorded that Rhoeth's daughter, Rhiainmelt, which means 'Queen of the Lightning', married the later Northumbrian king OSWY. It is likely that during Oswy's reign, Rheged was annexed, perhaps to protect it against the expansionist regime of OWEN MAP BILI of Strathclyde.¹

     Esyllt ferch Cynan Dindaethwy married Gwriad ab Elidir, son of Elidyr ap Sandde.^1,2

      ; Leo van de Pas cites: Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321.² GAV-33 EDV-33 GKJ-33.

     Cynan Dindawthwy ap Rhodri Molwynog King of Gwynedd died in 816.⁵
     GAV-34 EDV-34.

; Leo van de Pas cites: 1. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321
2. Annales Cambriae.² He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 148] CYNAN DINDAETHWY AP RHODRI Gwynedd, 798-816. It is not exactly clear who ruled Gwynedd in the last years of the eighth century. There were almost certainly a series of power struggles between collateral lines of descent from CUNEDDA and his successors, especially after the death of CADWALADR when Gwynedd entered a period under weaker rulers whose power was overshadowed by the might of the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. Evidently many young princes believed they were the ones who could restore Gwynedd to its old glory, and Cynan was one of these. Although it is not clear when he came to power, certainly by the year 813 it is recorded that he was waging a civil war with HYWEL, who was either his brother or a distant cousin. Hywel gained the upper hand in 814, but Cynan won back control in 816, only to die later that year. Cynan almost certainly sought help in his war from GWRIAD, the ruler of the Isle of Man, who had married Cynan's daughter Essyllt. Essyllt became the mother of MERFYN Frych who established a new dynasty in Gwynedd and began the re-establishment of Gwynedd's power. between 798 and 816.⁵

     Enhinti ferch Cinmarc married Tewdrig (?) King of Gwent.²

     Tewdrig (?) King of Gwent married Enhinti ferch Cinmarc, daughter of Cinmarc ap Meirchion.¹

Tewdrig (?) King of Gwent died circa 584.¹
     He was King of Gwent between 550 and 584.¹

     GAV-45 EDV-45. Einion Yrth ap Cunedda was living between 470 and 480; [Ashley, p. 142] EINION YRTH Venedos (Gwynedd), c470s-c480s. Little is recorded of Einion's period of authority. As one of the sons of CUNEDDA he must have been highly respected, and the fact that he inherited the core territory of North Wales, may suggest he was the senior of the sons who accompanied Cunedda to Wales. With the help of his brothers, especially CEREDIG, and his nephew MEIRION, Einion was able to build upon the conquests of his father and carve out the territories which became the later kingdoms of Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Meirionydd. He was the father of CADWALLON LA WHIR.¹

     Constance de Felton married Sir Thomas de Fauconberge Knt., 5th Lord Fauconberge, son of Sir Walter de Fauconberge Knt., 4th Lord Fauconberge and Maud de Pateshull, before 21 September 1354
; his 1st wife.^1,2,3,4
Constance de Felton died before 8 June 1402; per Burk's Peerage: "d May or June 1402."^1,2

     Gwgon ap Meurig died in 871; [Ashley, p. 132] GWGON Ceredigion, ? -871. The last king of Ceredigion in male descent from CEREDIG. His sister, Angharad, married RHODRI MAWR, who began to interfere in the affairs of the kingdom. Either through Rhodri's connivance or by other means, Gwgon drowned in 871, and Rhodri annexed the kingdom to Gwynedd and Powys. Only after Rhodri's death, in 878, was the kingdom reformed as Rhodri's inheritance was partitioned, and it was passed to CADELL AP RHODRI.¹

     Cadwallon La Whir "Longhand" ap Cunedda died circa 534.¹
     GAV-44 EDV-44. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 142] CADWALLON LA WHIR [LONGHAND] Gwynedd, c500-c534. A grandson of CUNEDDA and father of the notorious MAELGWYN, Cadwallon succeeded his father EINION as ruler of the Venedotian territory in north Wales. We can derive some understanding of Cadwallon from his name and nickname. Cadwallon became a common Welsh name, especially amongst rulers, because it translates as "battle leader", though this is its first appearance amongst the post-Roman rulers. Lawhir means longhand, and almost certainly refers to a physical attribute rather than meaning his power extended over a large area. As his son, Maelgwyn, was also known as the Tall, we can imagine that Cadwallon was a tall and powerful leader who held his territory by the regular deployment of troops around North Wales. It was during Cadwallon's reign that ARTHUR gained his victory over the Saxons at Badon. Although we do not know that Cadwallon was present at that battle, we can presume that he was involved in earlier skirmishes against the Saxons, most likely in the territory around Chester and down through the Welsh marches. Although he would have benefited from the peace that followed Badon, Cadwallon had to remain on the alert to defend his western borders from continued threats from the Irish. One noted episode remembered by the Welsh bards is that Cadwallon led his army into Anglesey to defeat the Irish and claim the island, which later became his base. It is possible that Cadwallon was succeeded by a brother, whose name we do not know, who was subsequently murdered by Maelgwyn. between 500 and 534.¹

     Maelgwyn Hir "the Tall" ap Cunedda died circa 549.¹
     GAV-43 EDV-43. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, pp. 142-143] MAELGWYN HIR (the TALL) Gwynedd, [520s?] c534-c549. Maelgwyn was one of the most powerful rulers of early sixth century Britain, so much so that he has been regarded by some as the original of king ARTHUR, especially as Gildas, who rebuked Maelgwyn severely in his Ruin of Britain, called him the "dragon of the island", a reference to the title of Pendragon or high king. Others have tried to associate Maelgwyn with Lancelot, although the links are purely circumstantial. Nevertheless, with Maelgwyn, we have a king whose reign coincides with the height of Arthur's fame and who was certainly the senior king amongst the British after Arthur's death. Maelgwyn's nickname, Hir, means Tall, and his name, gwyn, means fair, so we can picture him as a tall, powerful, blond man, probably quite handsome (since he won over women later in his life). Geoffrey of Monmouth (who calls him Malgo) specifically refers to his handsome features, but also states that he was homosexual. Gildas's name for him, Maglocunus, means Great Hound which is probably descriptive not only of his strength and power but of his tenacity and single-mindedness.
Maelgwyn's life was turbulent. Called by Gildas "first in evil", he was regarded as a vicious tyrant, but he also had a period of repentance during which he turned to the church, before he once again took up a life of tyranny. Gildas records that in his youth he killed his uncle. This may have been Owain or Eugene, the father of CYNLAS, who became a rival with Maelgwyn over the territories within Gwynedd. It is possible that Maelgwyn had been too young when his father died to inherit directly but that a year or two later, perhaps still only in his late teens, he took control by force. Having established himself in Gwynedd he then seems to have been smitten by his conscience, for he is alleged to have become a monk. It was quite common amongst the Celtic nobility for older brothers to become secular rulers and the younger brothers to enter the church. Maelgwyn may have been a younger brother who rebelled against the church in his youth but later saw the error of his ways. This suggests, however, that Maelgwyn stepped down as ruler and there is no evidence that this happened. What evidence there is suggests that rather than enter the church, Maelgwyn paid for his past deeds by bounty to it. He is reputed to have founded the bishopric of Bangor and to have built or strengthened other churches. However, this period of grace lasted only a limited time before Maelgwyn returned to his evil ways. He married, but soon his passions turned to his nephew's wife. Maelgwyn murdered his wife and nephew and took his nephew's wife as his own. There is also reason to believe that he married a Pictish princess. He established a rich and powerful court at Deganwy, to which he attracted many bards whom he ensured wrote copiously of his triumphs and achievements. He was recognized as both a great patron of the arts and as a lawgiver, though some of this was probably his own propaganda! Those who despised Maelgwyn may have felt he eventually received just retribution, as he died of a plague (probably cholera) which was then sweeping Europe.
Somehow the traditional span ascribed to Maelgwyn's reign does not seem long enough for all of this to happen, and certainly not for Maelgwyn to have had a son old enough to succeed him after his death if Maelgwyn only married after becoming king. The implication is that Maelgwyn may have usurped only part of Gwynedd in his youth when the territory was divided between EINION'S sons. This may have happened as early as 515, when Maelgwyn was perhaps about eighteen. He may then indeed have retired to a monastery during the early 520s before returning to secular life in the late 520s, at which time he would have married. Upon his father's death in 534 Maelgwyn would have made a claim for total rulership, killing the nearest claimant, his nephew, and marrying his wife, who it seems had encouraged Maelgwyn in his plans. His son and successor, RHUN, was almost certainly a child of the first marriage. Maelgwyn was also the father of BRUDE, who was chosen by the Picts to be their leader. By the time of his death Maelgwyn was firmly established as the primary ruler of the British, and a natural successor to ARTHUR. between 534 and 549.¹

     Rhun Hir ap Maelgwyn died circa 580.¹
     GAV-42 EDV-42. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, pp. 143-144] RHUN HIR Gwynedd, c549-?580s. Rhun was the son and successor of MAELGWYN. He was probably in his late twenties when his father died of the plague. The early part of Rhun's reign shows that he could claim to be the most powerful king of his day in Britain, and that he could even have established himself at the head of a pan-British kingdom. Sometime after his father's death, presumably around 560, ELIDYR, the ruler of Rheged, who had married Rhun's sister, believed he had claim to Gwynedd, and more especially the island of Anglesey. At this time Elidyr almost certainly ruled the Isle of Man as well and the islands of Man and Anglesey have a long historic association. Elidyr's attempt at conquest, however, failed, for he was killed by Rhun. Elidyr's cousins from the north, particularly RHYDDERCH Hen and CLYDNO Eiten who ruled Strathclyde and Lothian, were wary of Rhun's power. Rhun's half-brother, BRUDE, had recently been elected ruler of the Picts, which meant that Rhydderch and Clydno were trapped between a growing dynastic power to north and south. Rhydderch and Clydno along with Elidyr's brother CINMARC, sailed down to Anglesey and sacked the town of Arfon (now Caernarvon) on the mainland. Instead of building upon their advantage they now retreated, clearly feeling they had taught Rhun a lesson. But the opposite happened. Rhun gave them a demonstration of his power. Mustering forces from all over north Wales, Rhun led an army, probably the greatest force that had been seen since the days of ARTHUR, and marched from Wales up through Rheged (Lancashire) and across the Pennines to York. In all that march, which lasted several months, Rhun was unopposed. In effect he exercised authority over all of north Wales and northern Britain and, in alliance with Brude, extending into the lands of the Picts. Rhun could have sought to establish a major kingdom. But he did not have a sufficient power base back in Wales to sustain such rule, and though his authority was recognized, he did not take control of the territory. Instead he made peace with PEREDUR of York, apparently marrying his cousin Perwyr, and then returned to Gwynedd. The expedition, which probably took place in the early 560s, lasted about a year, and passed into Welsh legend. It is therefore surprising that nothing more is heard of Rhun although he ruled for perhaps another twenty years. One can conjecture that during that period he established Gwynedd as a prosperous and strong kingdom not threatened by any outside powers. Rhun was succeeded by BELI AP RHUN, who was either his son or nephew. between 549 and 580.¹

     Beli ap Rhun died circa 599.¹
     GAV-41 EDV-41. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 144] BELI AP RHUN Gwynedd, 580s-c599. Little is known about the reign of Beli, the son or nephew of RHUN, even though he inherited a powerful and stable kingdom. It may be pertinent that although his forebears, Rhun, MAELGWYN and CADWALLON were all noted for their height and strength, no such name attached itself to Beli, possibly an undistinguished ruler who reigned during a period of relative peace and thus failed to pass into legend. He was succeeded by his son IAGO. between 580 and 599.¹

     Iago ap Beli died circa 613; Leo van de Pas says d. ca 616.^1,2
      ; Leo van de Pas cites: 1. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321
2. Annales Cambriae.²

; He was the reputed benefactor of Bangor Cathedral. Although there are about three generations known before him, the proper order is suspect.² GAV-40 EDV-40 GKJ-40. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, pp. 144-145] IAGO AP BELI Gwynedd, c599-c613 (or 615?). The name Iago is the Welsh equivalent of Jacob or James. Although little is recorded about Iago ap Beli, it was during his reign that the power of the Angles in Mercia grew under PYBBA and his son PENDA. Later evidence suggests that the Welsh and the Mercians became allies, and it may be that Iago entered into some form of agreement with Pybba that the latter would not attack him in return for support for Mercia when needed. This was especially important because of the growing power of ATHELFRITH of Northumbria. In 604, Athelfrith had driven EDWIN out of Northumbria and the young king sought refuge at the courts of Iago and SELYF of Powys. Athelfrith, determined to be rid of Edwin turned his wrath against the Welsh; it seems that the Mercians provided little assistance. Athelfrith slaughtered the monks of a monastery at Bangor and then his forces defeated and killed Selyf at the Battle of Chester. It is not recorded that Iago took part in this battle; in fact it is suggested that Iago may already have abdicated as king and died that same year in a monastery. He was succeeded by his son CADFAN. between 599 and 613.¹

     Cadfan (Catamanus) ab Iago King of Gwynedd died circa 625.²
      ; His tombstone survives at Llangadwaladr. (Stewart Baldwin.)²

; Leo van de Pas cites: Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321.² GAV-39 EDV-39. He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 145] CADFAN AP IAGO Gwynedd, c615-c620. Cadfan is remembered as a wise king, which suggests that not only did he administer the laws justly to his subjects, but that he also succeeded in maintaining peace at a time of growing hostility between the Welsh and the Angles, especially the Northumbrian king ATHELFRITH. Despite Athelfrith's victory at the Battle of Chester, Cadfan continued to shelter EDWIN, the Northumbrian prince whom Athelfrith was intent on killing. When Athelfrith was himself killed in battle four years later, Edwin was restored to his throne. He did not show any particular favouritism to his saviours, however; he became intent on conquering other Celtic lands, including Elmet, Rheged and Man, and was eventually killed by Cadfan's son CADWALLON. between 615 and 620.¹

     Cadwallon ap Cadfan King of Gwynedd died in 634 at near Hexham, Wales; killed in battle.^1,2
     GAV-38 EDV-38.

; Leo van de Pas cites: 1. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321
2. Annales Cambriae.² He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, pp. 145-146] CADWALLON AP CADFAN Gwynedd, c620-634. Cadwallon was the son of CADFAN, but whereas his father chose wise counsel whereby to govern, Cadwallon preferred the spear and sword. The story of Cadwallon and EDWIN of Mercia is one of those remarkable relationships in history.
Legend has it that both were of about the same age although in reality Edwin was older. When Edwin was driven out of Northumbria by ATHELFRITH he was given refuge in the courts of Gwynedd and Powys. This brought Athelfrith hammering on the door of Gwynedd and an enmity between the two kingdoms. One might think that when Edwin was restored to the throne of Northumbria in 617 all would be well between them, but not so. We may conjecture that as youths Edwin and Cadwallon had grown apart and become rivals, and that rivalry developed into a fury in later years. Once restored to the throne Edwin determined to conquer Britain. He soon captured the British kingdom of Elmet and deposed its king CEREDIG. With the death of Cadfan, Edwin invaded North Wales, driving the Welsh back toward the sea. Cadwallon, unprepared, fled to the islet of Priestholm, off Anglesey, and from there escaped to Ireland. His exile lasted about seven years, during which time Edwin's authority spread over all of northern England and Wales and the Isle of Man. Around 626 Edwin was converted to Christianity and ceased his conquests. Cadwallon returned from Wales and was restored to his kingdom, though as a vassal to Northumbria. But Cadwallon would have none of that. He entered into an alliance with PENDA, the new warlord of the Mercians who had his eyes firmly set on power, and the combined armies entered into a prolonged war with Edwin. It is unclear when this war began, but probably not until around the year 630 or 631. A Welsh poem recalls that Cadwallon fought fourteen battles and sixty skirmishes which, even allowing for exaggeration, is too much for one year. Edwin had a strong hold on the land and his power would not be overturned in a short period. The climactic battle came at Haethfeld, or Hatfield Chase, just north of Doncaster, in October 633 when the combined powers of Cadwallon and Penda were too much for the Northumbrian army. Edwin was killed, as were most of his family and many of his nobles. Cadwallon had regained the old kingdom of his forebears, for it was from Northumbria that CUNEDDA had come two centuries before.
However Cadwallon was no administrator and not especially used to kingship. Had he followed his father's ways he might have restored a strong British kingdom in the north and changed the fortunes of the Saxons. Instead Cadwallon chose to ravage and destroy Edwin's kingdom. For a whole year the land was laid waste. Cadwallon also killed Edwin's successors EANFRITH and OSRIC, but he was taken by surprise by OSWALD, the son of the former aggressor Athelfrith. Oswald attacked Cadwallon at dawn while the Welsh leader was encamped at Heavenfield, near Hexham, by Hadrian's Wall. So unprepared was Cadwallon's army that it fled, almost without fighting, for five miles. Cadwallon was killed in the affray.
Cadwallon could have been a great king. He was remembered as such by the Welsh because, for one brief period, he re-established the might of the British against the Saxons. Had he been a wise king he could have restored British might and glory. But he lost this chance, and the British never again regained such power. At his death he was only in his late thirties. His son, CADWALADR was too young to take power, and Gwynedd was lost to an adventurer called CADFAEL. between 620 and 634.¹

     Cadwaladr Fendigiad "the Blessed" ap Cadwallon King of Gwynedd died circa 682.¹
     GAV-37 EDV-37 GKJ-37.

; Leo van de Pas cites: 1. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321
2. Annales Cambriae.² He was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 146-147] CADWALADR FENDIGIAD (the BLESSED) Gwynedd, c655-c682. Cadwaladr was perhaps the last great British hero, remembered in Welsh texts almost like another ARTHUR. He was the son of CADWALLON, and was still a boy when his father was killed in battle. He was presumably raised in exile either in Ireland, or in one of the neighbouring Welsh kingdoms. The native Venedotians of Gwynedd did not like their usurper king CADFAEL; they hailed Cadwaladr as a promised saviour to deliver them from his yoke and to conquer the English again, echoing the achievements of Cadwallon. Unfortunately he did not live up to their expectations. In 658 he led an army against the West Saxons at Peonne in Somerset and was soundly defeated. Thereafter he seems to have spent his years establishing peace and prosperity in Gwynedd, rather than attempting to conquer the English. He established at least three religious foundations in Gwynedd and became highly regarded as a good and pious ruler. Indeed he was remembered as a saint in the Welsh church. He is the last British king recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his History of the Kings of Britain, and his death seems to mark the end of the last chapter of British resistance against the Saxons. This is probably more a choice of convenience than of events at the time, for many great Welsh kings were yet to follow, but it is true that Wales never again mustered a king able to challenge the Saxons who, by the time of Cadwaladr's death, were firmly entrenched in England. The date of Cadwaladr's death is uncertain. All histories agree that he died in a plague but whether it was the one of 663/4 or the one of 682 is not clear. The latter seems more likely, otherwise the reigns of his successors IDWAL and RHODRI would be improbably long. between 655 and 682.¹

      ; Leo van de Pas cites: Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321.² GAV-36 EDV-36. Idwal Iwrch "Roebuck" ap Cadwaladr Fendigaid King of Gwynedd was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, p. 147] IDWAL IWRCH (ROEBUCK) AP CADWALADR Gwynedd, c682-c720. After the death of CADWALADR the history of the Welsh ruling houses enters a dark period for over a century until the emergence of MERFYN FRYCH and RHODRI THE GREAT. Idwal's nickname, Iwrch or 'roebuck', suggests that he was probably small and elegant in stature, and almost certainly young when he came to the throne. Like his father, therefore, he was probably not warlike, but preferred to rule wisely and pay countenance to the church. Nevertheless it is evident that during Idwal's reign the Welsh sought to protect their lands from the encroaching power of Mercia to the east. Powys was more vulnerable, and their rulers were weaker, so in the early years of the eighth century (probably between 704 and 709), Idwal would have joined when the opportunity offered in a series of raids on Mercian territory during the comparatively weak reign of COENRED. The result was the construction by the Mercians, of Wat's Dyke, which ran from the southern end of the Dee estuary down towards Oswestry. This formed a line of demarcation between Mercian and Welsh territory and was not ostensibly intended as a defence. Idwal may not have lived to see the completion of the Dyke. He was succeeded by his son RHODRI MOLWYNOG. between 682 and 720.¹

      ; Leo van de Pas cites: 1. Burke's Guide to the Royal Family London, 1973 , Reference: 321
2. Annales Cambriae.² GAV-35 EDV-35. Rhodri Molwynog ab Idwal Iwrch King of Gwynedd was King of Gwynedd, [Ashley, pp. 147-148] RHODRI MOLWYNOG AP IDWAL Gwynedd, c720-c754. We know little of his reign, or even when he came to the throne. His reign, however, coincides with that of ATHELBALD of Mercia who, by 736, was styling himself King of Britain. Athelbald had seen the completion of Wat's Dyke between the borders of Mercia and Powys, but this had been more as a statement of frontier than of defence, and we can imagine that Athelbald continued to force and exercise his authority into Wales. Although it is far from clear, Rhodri may well have retreated to establish his stronghold on the island of Anglesey, which had always been the seat of power in Gwynedd and which was the site of power struggles between Rhodri's children or grandchildren. There were no other strong Welsh chieftains at this time and we can imagine Rhodri and his family clinging proudly to their heritage, which they could trace back to CUNEDDA and COEL. It is not clear who succeeded Rhodri as there is an uncomfortable timespan to fill before we encounter Rhodri's later successors, HYWEL and CYNAN, fighting for the throne. It has been suggested that he was succeeded by a distant cousin, CARADOG AP MEIRION. between 720 and 754.¹

     GAV-43 EDV-43. Pascent (?) was living circa 460; [Ashley, pp. 156-157] PASCENT Gwerthrynion, fl 460s. Pascent is listed as the third son of VORTIGERN, who inherited the heartland of his father's lands in mid-south Wales, around Builth. There was, by all accounts, fighting between Pascent and his brothers as well as rival kings, especially EINI0N AP CUNEDDA and CADELL, but in time Pascent established a kingdom which would survive for a further twelve generations until the last ruler, Ffernfael, in the mid eighth century. Nothing is known of these later kings who must all have been tenacious, clinging to their mountain fastness and surviving against all comers. One gets the impression more of a warrior band than of a formal kingdom. They may well have become vassal mercenaries to the Mercian kings who made incursions from the east during the seventh century. One of Pascent's descendants also bore the name and ruled in the late seventh century. Pascent does not figure as a good character in the traditional tales. He fled to Germany after his father's defeat by AMBROSIUS AURELIANUS, returned, fled again to Ireland where he was able to raise an army but was again defeated. He then resorted to subterfuge and bribed a Saxon woman to poison Ambrosius.¹

     GAV-42 EDV-42.

     GAV-41 EDV-41. Cyngen (?) was King of Powys: [Ashley, p. 152] CYNGEN Powys, fl 550s. With the first of this name the history of Powys emerges from the mists of time. The genealogies place Cyngen fourth in descent from CADELL through PASCENT. He lived in the mid sixth century before the rise of Mercia and it is likely that his kingdom extended beyond today's borders of Wales into what is now Shropshire and Herefordshire. His capital may well have been at Pengwern, the original site of Shrewsbury. The extent of his kingdom, though, is uncertain. His son was BROCHFAEL. circa 550.¹