Cyngen ap Cadell
| Cyngen | |
|---|---|
| King of Powys | |
| Reign | 808–854 |
| Predecessor | Cadell |
| Successor | Rhodri Mawr |
| Born | c. 790 AD |
| Died | 854 Rome,Italy |
| Issue | Gruffydd Elisedd Ieuaf Aeddan |
| House | Gwertherion |
| Father | Cadell |
Cyngen ap Cadell(English:Cyngen son of Cadell) or also (Concenn[1]), was King ofPowysfrom 808 until his death in 854 during a pilgrimage toRome.
Biography
[edit]Cyngen was of the line ofBrochwel Ysgithrog,and, after a long reign as king ofPowys,he went on a pilgrimage toRomeand died there in 854. He is thought to be the first Welsh ruler to visit Rome after the healing of the breach between the Welsh branch of theCeltic Churchand Rome over the date ofEaster.
Cyngen raised a pillar, originally a round-shafted cross,[1]in memory of his great-grandfatherElisedd ap Gwylogwhich stands near the later abbey ofValle Crucis.This memorial had a lengthy inscription[1]and is known as thePillar of Elisegowing to a typographical mistake by the original carver.
Cyngen was the last of the original line of kings ofPowysof theGwertherion dynasty.[2]He had three sons, but on his death Powys was annexed byRhodri Mawr,ruler ofGwynedd.Rhodri was his nephew, as Rhodri's fatherMerfyn Frychhad married his sister,Nest ferch Cadell.[3][4]
Although, certain later manuscript pedigrees (like Jesus College 20) claim that Rhodri was the son of Cyngen's sister,Nest ferch Cadell,others (like Mostyn 117) claim he was the son of Essyllt ferch Cynan (thought to be the daughter ofCynan Dindaethwy,of Gwynedd). In any case, traditional Welsh law does not seem to allow female inheritance, so Rhodri is presumed to have taken Powys by conquest.
Cyngen had the following children:
- Elisedd ap Cyngen;
- Ieuaf ap Cyngen;
- Aeddan ap Cyngen;
- Gruffydd ap Cyngen.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcEdwards, Nancy (2009). "Rethinking the pillar of Eliseg".The Antiquaries Journal.89:143.doi:10.1017/S0003581509000018.
- ^Lloyd, John Edward (1911);A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest,vol. I (2nd ed.), London: Longmans, Green, and Co. (published 1912), pp. 323-324
- ^Davies, John (1990); A History of Wales (First ed.), London: Penguin Group (published 1993), ISBN 0-7139-9098-8
- ^Lloyd, John Edward (1911);A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest,vol. I (2nd ed.), London: Longmans, Green, and Co. (published 1912), p. 324-325
Sources
[edit]- John Edward Lloyd(1911).A history of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest.Longmans, Green & Co.