Merfyn ap Rhodri

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Merfyn ap Rhodri (died c. 900) was a late 9th century prince of Gwynedd of the royal House of Aberffraw. He is sometimes credited with ruling the Kingdom of Powys after the death of his father Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri the Great) in 878. He was a paternal uncle of Hywel Dda and a grandson of Merfyn Frych (d. 844) and Nest ferch Cadell ap Brochwel.^[1]

Merfyn was a younger son of Rhodri Mawr, son of Merfyn Frych and Angharad ferch Meurig, daughter of Meurig ap Dyfnwallon of the Kingdom of Ceredigion, who was the King of Seisyllwg in south western Wales.^[1] His mother Angharad was a descendant of Cunedda, founder of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, through his son, Ceredig ap Cunedda of Ceredigion through her paternal line.^[2] Mervyn's father Rhodri held power over much of Wales. He had at least two full brothers, Anarawd ap Rhodri (d. 916) and Cadell ap Rhodri (854–909), although his father Rhodri is recorded in having six sons in some sources. Merfyn may have had a full sister called Nest.^[3]

On the death of their father, Anarawd became King of Gwynnedd.^[4] Cadell had been installed as King of Seisyllwg in south east Wales after the death by drowning of the brother's maternal uncle Gwgon ap Meurig, in either 871 or 872. Gwgon is recorded as dying whilst crossing the River Llychwr in Gower while fighting "black pagans" interpreted to mean Viking invaders. Cadell inherited the throne as Gwgon died without an heir.^[5]

Merfyn's inheritance is less clear in the historical record. In the accounts where he is credited as a king, Merfyn is reported to have lost his realm of Powys to an invasion by his brother Cadell, King of Ceredigion, whose expansionist policies built the foundations for the creation of the Kingdom of Dehubarth by his son Hywel Dda.^[5] Merfyn's death may be connected to the incursion into Anglesey by the Viking Ingimundr in the first decade of the 10th century.^[6]

The drowning of Merfyn's son Haearnddur, or "Haardur", was reported by both the Chronicle of the Princes^[6] and the Annals of Wales.^[7] The first places it in the year 953; Phillimore's reconstruction of the latter's dating would place it in 956.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Pierce, T. J., (1959). RHODRI MAWR ('the Great') (died 877), king of Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 28 Apr 2025, from https://biography.wales/article/s-RHOD-MAW-0877
^ "Rhodri Mawr (b. before 844, d. 878), king of Gwynedd". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/23456. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
^ Bartrum, P.C. "A Welsh Classical Dictionary (PDF). " (PDF). National Library of Wales. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
^ "Anarawd ap Rhodri (d. 916), king in Wales". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/458. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
^ ^a ^b "Cadell ap Rhodri (d. 910), king in Wales". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4296. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
^ ^a ^b Middle Welsh: Oed Crist 953, y boddes Haearnddur fab Merfyn. Cambrian Archaeological Association. Archaeologia Cambrensis: Chronicle of the Princes, p. 24, W. Pickering, 1864. Accessed 19 February 2013.
^ Medieval Latin: haardur .f(ilius). meuruc mersus est. Annals of Wales (B text), p. 10. (in Latin)
^ "Annales Cambriae A - Wikisource". la.wikisource.org (in Latin). Retrieved 28 April 2025.

Preceded by

Rhodri Mawr

King of Powys
878–900

Succeeded by

Llywelyn ap Merfyn

Rulers of medieval Wales

Territories/dates^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]	Powys		Dogfeiling	Gwynedd	Dunoding	Ceredigion	Ystrad Tywi	Dyfed	Brycheiniog	Glywysing	Gwent	Ergyng
400–600	Sub-Roman Britain
	Kingdom of Powys Gwrtheyrn Catigern Cadell Ddyrnllwg Rhuddfedel Frych Cyngen Glodrydd Brochwel Ysgithrog Cynan Garwyn Selyf ap Cynan Manwgan ap Selyf		Kingdom of Gwynedd				Kingdom of Dyfed Triffyn Farfog Aergol Lawhir Vortiporius		Brycheiniog Anlach mac Cormac Brychan	Glywysing Mor Solor Glywys Gwynllŵg Gwynllyw Cadoc	Kingdom of Gwent Ynyr Gwent Caradoc Vreichvras	Ergyng Peibio Clafrog Cynfyn Gwrfoddw Gwrgan Fawr
			Dogfeiling Dogfael ap Cunedda Wledig Elno ap Dogfael Glas ap Elno Elgud ap Glas ap Elno Elaeth ab Elgud Meurig ap Elaeth	House of Gwynedd Cunedda Wledig Einion Yrth ap Cunedda Cadwallon Lawhir Maelgwn Gwynedd Rhun Hir ap Maelgwn Beli ap Rhun Iago ap Beli Cadfan ap Iago Cadwallon ap Cadfan (Canu Cadwallon) Cadafael Cadwaladr	Dunoding Dunod ap Cunedda Eifion ap Dunod Dingad ab Eifion Meurig ad Dingad Eifion ap Meurig Issac ap Eifion ap Meurig Pobien Hen ap Isaac Pobddelw ap Pobien Hen Eifion ap Pobddelw Brochwel ap Eifion Eigion ap Brochwel ab Eifion Ieuanawl ab Eigion Caradog ap Ieuanawl Bleiddud ap Caradog Cuhelyn ap Bleiddud	Kingdom of Ceredigion Ceredig ap Cunedda Usai ap Ceredig Serwyl ab Usai Boddw ap Serwyl Arthfoddw ap Boddw Athrwys ab Arthfoddw Clydog ab Athrwys			Brycheiniog Anlach mac Cormac Brychan		Kingdom of Gwent Ynyr Gwent Caradoc Vreichvras
600–613							Cloten Cathen ap Gwlyddein Cadwgan ap Caten Rhain ap Cadwgan			Tewdrig Meurig ap Tewdrig
613–642	Eluadd ap Glast (Eiludd Powys)
642–645	Manwgan ap Selyf Beli ab Eiludd Gwylog ap Beli Elisedd ap Gwylog Brochfael ab Elisedd Cadell ap Brochfael Cyngen ap Cadell
645–682										Athrwys ap Meurig Morgan ab Athrwys Ithel ap Morgan Meurig ab Ithel
682–740			Idwal Iwrch Rhodri Molwynog Caradog ap Meirion Cynan Dindaethwy Hywel ap Caradog
730–745						Seisyllwg Seisyll ap Clydog Arthen ap Seisyll Dyfnwallon ab Arthen Meurig ap Dyfnwallon Gwgon ap Meurig		Dyfed Tewdos (Tewdwr) Maredudd ap Tewdws Rhain ap Maredudd Owain ap Maredudd Triffyn ap Rhain Bleddri (Bledrig) Hyfaidd ap Bleddri Llywarch ap Hyfaidd Rhodri ap Hyfaidd Hywel Dda	Brycheiniog
745–825										Glywysing Rhys ab Ithel Rhodri ab Ithel Meurig ab Ithel Rhys ap Arthfael Hywel ap Rhys Owain ap Hywel	Gwent Brochfael ap Meurig Ffernfael ap Meurig Brochwel ap Meurig Arthfael ap Hywel Ithel ab Athrwys ap Ffernfael	Mercia
825–854			House of Aberffraw Merfyn Frych Rhodri Mawr
854–872	Rhodri Mawr
871–878	Rhodri Mawr					Rhodri Mawr
878–909	Powys Merfyn ap Rhodri Llywelyn ap Merfyn		Gwynedd Anarawd ap Rhodri			House of Dinefwr Cadell ap Rhodri
909–913						Deheubarth Hywel Dda
913–925												Kingdom of England Archenfield
916–930	Idwal Foel									Owain ap Hywel
930–942	Idwal Foel									Glywysing Gruffydd ab Owain Cadwgan ab Owain	Gwent Morgan Hen ab Owain
942–950	Hywel Dda									Glywysing Gruffydd ab Owain Cadwgan ab Owain	Gwent Morgan Hen ab Owain
950–986	Powys Owain ap Hywel Dda		Gwynedd Ieuaf Iago ab Idwal Hywel ap Ieuaf Cadwallon ab Ieuaf			Deheubarth Owain ap Hywel Dda				Morgannwg Morgan Hen ab Owain Hywel ab Owain ap Morgan Hen Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
988–999	Maredudd ab Owain
999–1022	Powys Llywelyn ap Seisyll		Gwynedd Cynan ap Hywel Aeddan ap Blegywryd			Deheubarth Rhain the Irishman Cadell ab Einion
1018–1023	Llywelyn ap Seisyll
1023–1033	Powys Rhydderch ab Iestyn		Gwynedd Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig			Deheubarth Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1033–1039	Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig Gruffudd ap Llywelyn					Deheubarth Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1045–1055	Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig Gruffudd ap Llywelyn					Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1055–1063	Gruffudd ap Llywelyn
1063–1075	House of Mathrafal Bleddyn ap Cynfyn					Deheubarth Maredudd ab Owain ab Edwin Rhys ab Owain Rhys ap Tewdwr				Glywysing Caradog ap Gruffudd	Gwent Cadwgan ap Meurig
1075–1081	Powys Iorwerth ap Bleddyn Cadwgan ap Bleddyn Owain ap Cadwgan Maredudd ap Bleddyn Madog ap Maredudd		Gwynedd Trahaearn ap Caradog							Morgannwg Caradog ap Gruffudd Iestyn ap Gwrgant
1081–1093			Gruffudd ap Cynan Owain Gwynedd Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
1088–1116						Norman occupation
1095–1160						Deheubarth Gruffydd ap Rhys Anarawd ap Gruffydd Cadell ap Gruffydd Maredudd ap Gruffydd Rhys ap Gruffydd Gruffydd ap Rhys II Maelgwn ap Rhys Rhys Gryg			Lordship of Brecknock	Lordship of Glamorgan
1160–1216	Powys Fadog Gruffydd Maelor I Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor Gruffydd II ap Madog Madog II ap Gruffydd Gruffudd Fychan I	Powys Wenwynwyn Owain Cyfeiliog Gwenwynwyn
1216–1241		Principality of Wales Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
1241–1283		Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn	Dafydd ap Llywelyn Owain Goch ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Dafydd ap Gruffudd
1283–1287	(English conquest of Wales)
1535–1542	Laws in Wales Acts
^ Rulers with names in italics are considered fictional ^ Bartrum, Peter Clement (1993). A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend Up to about A.D. 1000. National Library of Wales. ISBN 0907158730. ^ biography.wales (Dictionary of Welsh Biography) ^ Davies, John (1994). A History of Wales. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140145816. ^ Encyclopaedia of Wales. University of Wales Press. 2008. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6. ^ Lloyd, John Edward (1912). A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest. Longmans, Green, and Co. ^ Turvey, Roger (2010). Twenty-One Welsh Princes. Conwy: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 9781845272692.

Merfyn ap Rhodri

See also

References

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