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Merfyn ap Gwriad of Wales


Preferred Parents:
Mother: Ethil " Queen" Of Gwynedd,   

Family 1: Nest verch Cadell,    b. 789 in Wales   
  1. Rhodri ap Merfyn of Wales and the Britons, b. 820 in Wales     d. 878 in Anglesey, Wales
Sources:
  1. Title: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: MERFYN ap Gwriad "Frych/the Freckled" (-844)
    Publication: Name: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/WALES.htm#_ftnref60;
    Note: c) ETHYLL (-after [814/16]). While the surviving sources are consistent regarding the parentage of Ethyll, they are contradictory regarding the identity of her husband. The mid-10th century Harleian Manuscript genealogy names the ancestors of Rhodri "Mawr/the Great": "…Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan…". The name of her husband, recorded in the 13th century History of Gruffydd ap Cynan which names "Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych son of Gwryat…," is consistent with this version. [The Gwentian Chronicle provides a different version of events when it records that "[the] daughter [of Cynan Tindaethwy king of all Wales] who was his heir married a chieftain of the name of Mervyn the Freckled," a later passage adding that "Mervyn the Freckled and Essyllt his wife began to reign over Gwynedd and Powys" in 818.] It is impossible to judge which version is preferable. Indeed, it is possible that Ethyll was not a historical figure at all but was invented to legitimise the dynastic change in the eyes of successor generations of kings of Gwynedd and their supporters. m either: GWRIAD a Manx chieftain, son of ---, or: MERFYN ap Gwriad "Frych/the Freckled" King of Gwynedd, son of GWRIAD & his wife --- (-844). B. KINGS of GWYNEDD, descendants of GWRIAD GWRIAD, son of --- . The 13th century History of Gruffydd ap Cynan names "Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych son of Gwryat…", and traces Gwriad´s alleged ancestry back to Llywarch Hen, a supposed 6th century British prince, and further back through biblical times to Adam. The point at which legend becomes fact in this descent is not known. A Manx chieftain. m [ETHYLL of Gwynedd, daughter and heiress of CYNAN [King of Gwynedd] & his wife ---. The mid-10th century Harleian Manuscript genealogy names the ancestors of Rhodri "Mawr/the Great": "…Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan…". [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "[the] daughter [of Cynan Tindaethwy king of all Wales] who was his heir married a chieftain of the name of Mervyn the Freckled", a later passage adding that "Mervyn the Freckled and Essyllt his wife began to reign over Gwynedd and Powys" in 818.] As noted above, the Gwentian Chronicle records that Ethyll married Gwriad´s son Merfyn "Frych/the Freckled." It is impossible to judge which version is preferable. Indeed, it is possible that Ethyll was not a historical figure at all but was invented to legitimise the dynastic change in the eyes of successor generations of kings and their supporters.] Gwriad & his wife had one child: 1. MERFYN ap Gwriad "Frych/the Freckled" (-844). The 13th century History of Gruffydd ap Cynan names "Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych son of Gwryat…". King of Gwynedd. The Annales Cambriæ record the death in 844 of "Mermin." The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records the death in 844 of "Mervyn the Freckled." m [either: ETHYLL of Gwynedd, daughter and heiress of CYNAN [King of Gwynedd] & his wife ---, or: NEST of Powys, daughter of CADELL ap Brochwell King of Powys & his wife ---. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that the mother of "Mervyn the Freckled" was "Nest daughter of Cadell of Derrnllwg, son of Brochwel Ysgithrog," after recording that "[the] daughter [of Cynan Tindaethwy king of all Wales] who was his heir married a chieftain of the name of Mervyn the Freckled."] The alternative marriage to Nest of Powys is now recorded in manuscripts dated no earlier than the later 14th century, although possibly copied from earlier texts. It is impossible to judge which version is preferable. Indeed, it is possible that both Ethyll and Nest were not historical figures at all but were invented to legitimise claims to Gwynedd and Powys, respectively, in the eyes of successor generations of kings and their supporters.] Merfyn & his wife had [two] children: a) RHODRI ap Merfyn "Mawr/the Great" (-killed Anglesey 878). [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Rhodri the Great, son of Mervyn the Freckled began to reign over the Welsh" in 843[69].] King of Gwynedd. He succeeded his maternal uncle Cyngen ap Cadell as King of Powys in 855. - see below. b) [GWRIAD (-killed Anglesey 878). The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Rhodri and his brother Gwriad were killed by the Saxons" in 878. [The Gwentian Chronicle records "the action…in Mona in which Rhodri and his brother Gwriad, and Gweirydd son of Owain of Glamorgan were killed by the Saxons" in 873.] The Annales Cambriæ record that "Rotri et filius eius Guriat…jugulatur" in 877 by the Saxons. With these contradictory sources, it is uncertain whether Gwriad was the brother or son of Rhodri, although the later passage quoted below which names Gwriad´s son suggests that he was Rhodri´s son.]
  2. Title: Geni: Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad
    Publication: Name: http://www.geni.com/people/Merfyn-Frych-ap-Gwriad/6000000002195014829?through=5357588559490061786;
    Note: Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad MP Gender: Male Birth: circa 790 Powys, Wales Death: 844 (50-58) Battle Of Cyfeil, Ketell, Wales (Battle Cyfeiliog) Immediate Family: Son of Gwriad ap Elidir and Esyllt verch Cynan Husband of Nest ferch Cynan and Nest verch Cadell, {Fictitious} Father of Anarawd ap Merfyn; Rhodri the Great, king of the Britons and Gwriad ap Merfyn Brother of Cadrod ap Gwriad Added by: Bjørn P. Brox on May 2, 2007 Managed by: James Fred Patin, Jr. and 166 others Curated by: Terry Jackson (Switzer) See Peter Bartrum, http://cadair.aber.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/handle/2160/6516/TABLES%20-%20EARLY%20SERIES_12.png?sequence=34&isAllowed=y (May 8, 2018; Anne Brannen, curator) Merfyn Frych's connection to Nest verch Cadell, {Fictitious}, which is discussed in the history below, is now considered speculative, having been invented later as part of a larger project to aggrandize Rhodri Mawr, Merfyn's son. Please click through on Nest's profile for links to various aspects of the discussion. *************** Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not a member of the traditional dynasty of Gwynedd, the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[1] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in battle, but the circumstances are not recorded. His descendants came to rule not only Gwynedd but also Powys and Deheubarth and played a major role in Welsh politics until the end of Welsh independence in 1283. Powys was united with Gwynedd when king Merfyn Frych of Gwynedd married princess Nest, the sister of king Cyngen of Powys, the last representative of the Gwertherion dynasty. With the death of Cyngen in 855 Rhodri became king of Powys, having inherited Gwynedd the year before. This formed the basis of Gwynedd's continued claims of overlordship over Powys for the next 443 years. Battle of Cyfeiliog https://books.google.com/books?id=Az4LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=Battle+of+Cyfeiliog&source=bl&ots=-DHmg2e2dD&sig=Rb7u6DfgOjtYaLoDurDxYhG2EKM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirtqS7vt3LAhUI1GMKHfPuAy4Q6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Battle%20of%20Cyfeiliog&f=false The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog, and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen, and Meirionydd, Volume 1, by Jacob Youde William LLoyd. London, 1881. p. 64 "In 838 the Battle of Cyfeiliog was fought between Merfyn Ferch and Berthrwyd, King of Mercia; and in this battle Merfyn was slain. In Merfyn's time, the Britons residing in England were obliged to turn Saxons, or quit the country and their homes in three months." Merfyn Frych From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad (or Merfyn the Freckled) (died 844) was a King of Gwynedd and possibly also of Powys. He is referred to as King of the Britons in two documents composed at his court: the Historia Brittonum and the Bamberg Cryptogram[1]. Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not , the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[2] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in battle, but the circumstances are not recorded. His descendants came to rule not only Gwynedd but also Powys and Deheubarth and played a major role in Welsh politics until the end of Welsh independence in 1283. References Bibliography * John Davies (1994). A history of Wales. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140145818. * Lloyd, John Edward (1911), A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, I (2nd ed.), London: Longmans, Green, and Co (published 1912), http://books.google.com/books?id=NYwNAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover Citations 1. C. A. Snyder (2003). The Britons. Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22260-X. 2. Kermode, Philip Moore Callow (1897), A Welsh Inscription in the Isle of Man, in Meyer, Kuno; Stern, L. Chr., , Zeitschrift für celtishe Philologie (Halle: Max Niemeyer) I: 46–51, http://books.google.com/books?id=_Z4MAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA46#PPA46-IA2,M1 External links * Rhys, John (1897), Note on Guriat, in Meyer, Kuno; Stern, L. Chr., , Zeitschrift für celtishe Philologie (Halle: Max Niemeyer) I: 52–53 ID: I102145 Name: Merfyn The Freckled Ap Gwriad Prefix: Mawr Gwynedd Sex: M Birth: Bet 765 and 784 CE in , , Wales Death: 844 CE in Cyfeiliog/Cyfeil, Ketell, Wales 1 Event: King Of Gwynedd Coronation 825 CE Change Date: 13 Jan 2009 at 01:51 Note: Alias: Merfyn Freigh of North Wales /Frych/ Some sources list his mother as Nest ferch Cadell. Father: GWRIAD AP ELIDYR af Man b: Between 738 and 750 CE Mother: Essylt ferch Cynan b: Bet 750 and 770 CE in Caer Seiont, Carnarvonshire, Wales Marriage 1 Nesta Ferch Cadell b: Abt 742 CE in Powys, Montgomery, Wales Married: Change Date: 13 Jan 2009 Children Rhodri The Great Ap Merfyn b: Bet 789 and 809 CE in Caer Seiont, Carnarvonshire, Wales Gwriad Ap Merfyn b: Bef 825 CE Anarawd Ap Merfyn b: Bef 825 CE Sources: Abbrev: Sutton Folk Family Tree 3175463.ged Title: Sutton Folk Family Tree Sutton Folk Family Tree 3175463.ged Author: Folk, Linda Sutton Publication: www.worldconnect.rootsweb.com Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad (or Merfyn the Freckled) (died 844) was a King of Gwynedd and possibly also of Powys. Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not a member of the traditional dynasty of Gwynedd, the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[1] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in batt...
  3. Title: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 37: Merfyn Frych
    Publication: Name: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Merfyn_Frych_(DNB00);
    Note: Merfyn Frych by John Edward Lloyd MERFYN Frych, i.e. Freckled (d. 844), Welsh prince, succeeded to the lordship of Anglesey (with, possibly, other adjacent districts), on the failure of the male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd with the death of Hywel, in 825. He was the son of Gwriad ab Elidyr, a descendant of Llywarch Hên [q. v.] According to the twelfth-century poem entitled ‘Cyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer,’ he came ‘from the land of Manaw’ (Myvyrian Archaiology, 2nd edit. p. 110), which Skene conjectures to be Manaw Gododin, on the banks of the Forth (Four Ancient Books of Wales, i. 94). According to the modern authorities (Gwentian Brut; Powel; Warrington; Cambrian Biography; Carnhuanawc) he became prince in right of his wife, Esyllt, daughter of Cynan Tindaethwy. But older and better accounts speak of him as the son of Cynan's daughter, who is termed Ethil or Ethellt (Harl. MS. 3859, as given in Cymmrodor, ix. 169; Jesus Coll. MS. 20, as given in Cymmrodor, viii. 87). This is more consistent with the Welsh law of inheritance, which in certain cases recognised a claim through a mother, but never one derived from a wife (see the sections treating of ‘mamwys’ (maternity) in the Record edition of the ‘Welsh Laws’). The same authorities which speak of Esyllt as Merfyn's wife call him the son of Nest, daughter of Cadell, the last but one of the princes of Powys of the older line. Jesus Coll. MS. 20 is probably right in making Nest Merfyn's wife and the mother of Rhodri the Great. Many modern writers style Merfyn king of Man, but this is merely an ill-grounded inference from the passage in the ‘Cyfoesi’ quoted above, which speaks, it should be noted, not of ‘ynys,’ but of ‘tir Manaw.’ Of Merfyn's reign nothing is known. The traditional name ‘Camwri’ (‘Injustice’) given him in one manuscript of the Welsh Laws (Ancient Laws of Wales, edit. 1841, i. 342) shows that his rule was not accepted without demur; nevertheless, he founded a family which supplied both North and South Wales with princes until the conquest of Edward I. [Annales Cambriæ, Rolls ed.; pedigrees in Harl. MS. 3859 and Jesus Coll. MS. 20.]
  4. Title: Early Welsh Society (tree)
    Publication: Name: https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Cennetig-1;
    Note: Wales and the Britons, 350-1064, Volume 1 of History of Wales. p. 334. Cennetig-1.jpg Comments On 15 Jul 2014 Michelle Brooks wrote: Wales and the Britons, 350-1064, Volume 1 of History of Wales. p. 334. Author T. M. Charles-Edwards. Edition illustrated. Publisher Oxford University Press, 2013
  5. Title: "Colonial Families of the US, p. 157 has BD of 817
    Note: Town added per a dupe. 21 dupes cleaned up in the system by certified family history consultant. Marriage date and death place more specific now because of other dupes. I would think some of you 78 should have realized his entries were so messed up. Please - no more changes - just additions if poss.
  6. Title: The Peerage: Merfyn
  7. Title: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: MERFYN ap Gwriad "Frych/the Freckled" (-844)
    Publication: Name: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/WALES.htm#_ftnref60;
    Note: GWRIAD, son of --- . The 13th century History of Gruffydd ap Cynan names "Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych son of Gwryat…," and traces Gwriad´s alleged ancestry back to Llywarch Hen, a supposed 6th century British prince, and further back through biblical times to Adam. The point at which legend becomes fact in this descent is not known. A Manx chieftain. m [ETHYLL of Gwynedd, daughter and heiress of CYNAN [King of Gwynedd] & his wife ---. The mid-10th century Harleian Manuscript genealogy names the ancestors of Rhodri "Mawr/the Great": "…Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan…." [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "[the] daughter [of Cynan Tindaethwy king of all Wales] who was his heir married a chieftain of the name of Mervyn the Freckled," a later passage adding that "Mervyn the Freckled and Essyllt his wife began to reign over Gwynedd and Powys" in 818.] As noted above, the Gwentian Chronicle records that Ethyll married Gwriad´s son Merfyn "Frych/the Freckled." It is impossible to judge which version is preferable. Indeed, it is possible that Ethyll was not a historical figure at all but was invented to legitimise the dynastic change in the eyes of successor generations of kings and their supporters.] Gwriad & his wife had one child: 1. MERFYN ap Gwriad "Frych/the Freckled" (-844). The 13th century History of Gruffydd ap Cynan names "Rodri Mawr son of Mervyn Vrych son of Gwryat…." King of Gwynedd. The Annales Cambriæ record the death in 844 of "Mermin." The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records the death in 844 of "Mervyn the Freckled." m [either: ETHYLL of Gwynedd, daughter and heiress of CYNAN [King of Gwynedd] & his wife ---, or: NEST of Powys, daughter of CADELL ap Brochwell King of Powys & his wife ---. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that the mother of "Mervyn the Freckled" was "Nest daughter of Cadell of Derrnllwg, son of Brochwel Ysgithrog." after recording that "[the] daughter [of Cynan Tindaethwy king of all Wales] who was his heir married a chieftain of the name of Mervyn the Freckled."] The alternative marriage to Nest of Powys is now recorded in manuscripts dated no earlier than the later 14th century, although possibly copied from earlier texts. It is impossible to judge which version is preferable. Indeed, it is possible that both Ethyll and Nest were not historical figures at all but were invented to legitimise claims to Gwynedd and Powys, respectively, in the eyes of successor generations of kings and their supporters.] Merfyn & his wife had [two] children: a) RHODRI ap Merfyn "Mawr/the Great" (-killed Anglesey 878). [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Rhodri the Great, son of Mervyn the Freckled began to reign over the Welsh" in 843.] King of Gwynedd. He succeeded his maternal uncle Cyngen ap Cadell as King of Powys in 855. - see below. b) [GWRIAD (-killed Anglesey 878). The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Rhodri and his brother Gwriad were killed by the Saxons" in 878. [The Gwentian Chronicle records "the action…in Mona in which Rhodri and his brother Gwriad, and Gweirydd son of Owain of Glamorgan were killed by the Saxons" in 873.] The Annales Cambriæ record that "Rotri et filius eius Guriat…jugulatur" in 877 by the Saxons. With these contradictory sources, it is uncertain whether Gwriad was the brother or son of Rhodri, although the later passage quoted below which names Gwriad´s son suggests that he was Rhodri´s son.]
  8. Title: Geni: Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad
    Author: Bibliography * John Davies (1994). A history of Wales. Penguin Books. ISBN 0140145818. * Lloyd, John Edward (1911), A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, I (2nd ed.), London: Longmans, Green, and Co (published 1912), http://books.google.com/books?id=NYwNAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover Citations 1. C. A. Snyder (2003). The Britons. Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-22260-X. 2. Kermode, Philip Moore Callow (1897), A Welsh Inscription in the Isle of Man, in Meyer, Kuno; Stern, L. Chr., , Zeitschrift für celtishe Philologie (Halle: Max Niemeyer) I: 46–51, http://books.google.com/books?id=_Z4MAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA46#PPA46-IA2,M1 External links REFERENCES * Rhys, John (1897), Note on Guriat, in Meyer, Kuno; Stern, L. Chr., , Zeitschrift für celtishe Philologie (Halle: Max Niemeyer) I: 52–53 ID: I102145 Name: Merfyn The Freckled Ap Gwriad Prefix: Mawr Gwynedd Sex: M Birth: Bet 765 and 784 CE in , , Wales Death: 844 CE in Cyfeiliog/Cyfeil, Ketell, Wales 1 Event: King Of Gwynedd C
    Publication: Name: http://www.geni.com/people/Merfyn-Frych-ap-Gwriad/6000000002195014829?through=5357588559490061786;
    Note: Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad Gender: Male Birth: circa 790 Powys, Wales Death: 844 (50-58) Battle Of Cyfeil, Ketell, Wales (Battle Cyfeiliog) Immediate Family: Son of Gwriad ap Elidir and Esyllt verch Cynan Husband of Nest ferch Cynan and Nest verch Cadell, {Fictitious} Father of Anarawd ap Merfyn; Rhodri the Great, king of the Britons and Gwriad ap Merfyn Brother of Cadrod ap Gwriad Added by: Bjørn P. Brox on May 2, 2007 Managed by: James Fred Patin, Jr. and 166 others Curated by: Terry Jackson (Switzer) See Peter Bartrum, http://cadair.aber.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/handle/2160/6516/TABLES%20-%20EARLY%20SERIES_12.png?sequence=34&isAllowed=y (May 8, 2018; Anne Brannen, curator) Merfyn Frych's connection to Nest verch Cadell, {Fictitious}, which is discussed in the history below, is now considered speculative, having been invented later as part of a larger project to aggrandize Rhodri Mawr, Merfyn's son. Please click through on Nest's profile for links to various aspects of the discussion. *************** Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not a member of the traditional dynasty of Gwynedd, the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[1] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in battle, but the circumstances are not recorded. His descendants came to rule not only Gwynedd but also Powys and Deheubarth and played a major role in Welsh politics until the end of Welsh independence in 1283. Powys was united with Gwynedd when king Merfyn Frych of Gwynedd married princess Nest, the sister of king Cyngen of Powys, the last representative of the Gwertherion dynasty. With the death of Cyngen in 855 Rhodri became king of Powys, having inherited Gwynedd the year before. This formed the basis of Gwynedd's continued claims of overlordship over Powys for the next 443 years. Battle of Cyfeiliog https://books.google.com/books?id=Az4LAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=Battle+of+Cyfeiliog&source=bl&ots=-DHmg2e2dD&sig=Rb7u6DfgOjtYaLoDurDxYhG2EKM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirtqS7vt3LAhUI1GMKHfPuAy4Q6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=Battle%20of%20Cyfeiliog&f=false The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog, and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen, and Meirionydd, Volume 1, by Jacob Youde William LLoyd. London, 1881. p. 64 "In 838 the Battle of Cyfeiliog was fought between Merfyn Ferch and Berthrwyd, King of Mercia; and in this battle Merfyn was slain. In Merfyn's time, the Britons residing in England were obliged to turn Saxons, or quit the country and their homes in three months." Merfyn Frych From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad (or Merfyn the Freckled) (died 844) was a King of Gwynedd and possibly also of Powys. He is referred to as King of the Britons in two documents composed at his court: the Historia Brittonum and the Bamberg Cryptogram[1]. Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not , the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[2] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in battle, but the circumstances are not recorded. His descendants came to rule not only Gwynedd but also Powys and Deheubarth and played a major role in Welsh politics until the end of Welsh independence in 1283. Father: GWRIAD AP ELIDYR af Man b: Between 738 and 750 CE Mother: Essylt ferch Cynan b: Bet 750 and 770 CE in Caer Seiont, Carnarvonshire, Wales Marriage 1 Nesta Ferch Cadell b: Abt 742 CE in Powys, Montgomery, Wales Married: Change Date: 13 Jan 2009 Children Rhodri The Great Ap Merfyn b: Bet 789 and 809 CE in Caer Seiont, Carnarvonshire, Wales Gwriad Ap Merfyn b: Bef 825 CE Anarawd Ap Merfyn b: Bef 825 CE Sources: Abbrev: Sutton Folk Family Tree 3175463.ged Title: Sutton Folk Family Tree Sutton Folk Family Tree 3175463.ged Author: Folk, Linda Sutton Publication: www.worldconnect.rootsweb.com Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad (or Merfyn the Freckled) (died 844) was a King of Gwynedd and possibly also of Powys. Merfyn Frych seized control of Gwynedd in 825 on the death of Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog, though he may have held power in Anglesey since 818. Merfyn was not a member of the traditional dynasty of Gwynedd, the direct male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd, and his succession marked the start of a new dynasty. His claim was apparently based on the fact that his mother, Esyllt, was the daughter of Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri and the niece of Hywel ap Rhodri. According to bardic tradition, Merfyn came "from the land of Manaw", but it is uncertain whether this refers to the Isle of Man ("Ynys Manaw" in Welsh) or to Manaw Gododdin, the area around the Firth of Forth. It would seem likely that it was the latter on account of the probability he would be a blood relative of Cunedda, the founder of the Gwynedd dynasty, who was a prince of Manaw Gododdin. On the other hand there is an inscription "Crux Guriat" on a cross in the Isle of Man.[1] This cross has been dated to the eighth or ninth century and might possibly refer to Merfyn's father. Merfyn allied himself to the royal house of Powys by marrying Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel and sister of Cyngen king of Powys. He had a reputation as a patron of scholars; for example the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius is thought to have been written in Gwynedd during his reign, possibly by request of Merfyn himself. A manuscript found at Bamberg gives a further insight into Merfyn's scholarly interests. Irish visitors to his court were given a cryptogram which could only be solved by transposing the letters from Latin into Greek. Despite Danish raids, Merfyn was able to maintain his position and on his death in 844 to hand the kingdom over intact to his son Rhodri the Great. He is said to have died in battle, but the circumstances are not recorded. His descendants came to rule not only Gwynedd but also Powys and Deheubarth and played a major role in Welsh politics until the end of Welsh independence in 1283.
  9. Title: Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 37: Merfyn Frych
    Publication: Name: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Merfyn_Frych_(DNB00);
    Note: MERFYN Frych, i.e. Freckled (d. 844), Welsh prince, succeeded to the lordship of Anglesey (with, possibly, other adjacent districts), on the failure of the male line of Maelgwn Gwynedd with the death of Hywel, in 825. He was the son of Gwriad ab Elidyr, a descendant of Llywarch Hên. According to the twelfth-century poem entitled ‘Cyfoesi Myrddin a Gwenddydd ei Chwaer,’ he came ‘from the land of Manaw’ (Myvyrian Archaiology, 2nd edit. p. 110), which Skene conjectures to be Manaw Gododin, on the banks of the Forth (Four Ancient Books of Wales, i. 94). According to the modern authorities (Gwentian Brut; Powel; Warrington; Cambrian Biography; Carnhuanawc) he became prince in right of his wife, Esyllt, daughter of Cynan Tindaethwy. But older and better accounts speak of him as the son of Cynan's daughter, who is termed Ethil or Ethellt (Harl. MS. 3859, as given in Cymmrodor, ix. 169; Jesus Coll. MS. 20, as given in Cymmrodor, viii. 87). This is more consistent with the Welsh law of inheritance, which in certain cases recognised a claim through a mother, but never one derived from a wife (see the sections treating of ‘mamwys’ (maternity) in the Record edition of the ‘Welsh Laws’). The same authorities which speak of Esyllt as Merfyn's wife call him the son of Nest, daughter of Cadell, the last but one of the princes of Powys of the older line. Jesus Coll. MS. 20 is probably right in making Nest Merfyn's wife and the mother of Rhodri the Great. Many modern writers style Merfyn king of Man, but this is merely an ill-grounded inference from the passage in the ‘Cyfoesi’ quoted above, which speaks, it should be noted, not of ‘ynys,’ but of ‘tir Manaw.’ Of Merfyn's reign nothing is known. The traditional name ‘Camwri’ (‘Injustice’) given him in one manuscript of the Welsh Laws (Ancient Laws of Wales, edit. 1841, i. 342) shows that his rule was not accepted without demur; nevertheless, he founded a family which supplied both North and South Wales with princes until the conquest of Edward I. [Annales Cambriæ, Rolls ed.; pedigrees in Harl. MS. 3859 and Jesus Coll. MS. 20.]
  10. Title: Peerage, The
    Author: Darryl Lundy, The Peerage, a genealogical survey of teh Peerage of Britian as well as the royal families of Europe(http://thepeerage.com : accessed 26 Aug 2019), Merffyn ap Gwriad;
    Note: Merfyn \'Frych\' ap Gwriad, King of Gwynedd was the son of Gwriad (?) and Ethyllt (?).1 He married Nest ferch Cadell.1 He died in 844.1 Merfyn \'Frych\' ap Gwriad, King of Gwynedd also went by the nick-name of Mervyn \'the Freckled\'.1 He gained the title of King of Gwynedd in 825.1Child of Merfyn \'Frych\' ap Gwriad, King of Gwynedd and Nest ferch Cadell Rhodri \'Mawr\' ap Merfyn, King of Gwynedd+1 d. 878Citations [S130] Wikipedia, online http;//www.wikipedia.org. Hereinafter cited as Wikipedia.
  11. Title: "Brut y tywysogion: or, The chronicle of the princes," by Caradoc, of Llancarvan, edited by John Williams
    Author: Publication date: 1860 Topics: Welsh literature, English literature Publisher: London : Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts Collection: pimslibrary; toronto Digitizing sponsor: University of Toronto Contributor: PIMS - University of Toronto Language: Welsh
    Publication: Name: https://archive.org/details/brutytywysogiono00cara/page/n9;
    Note: Good source, but there is not mention of any Idwallan son of Einon - need page # The second edition Ordnance Survey map (1899) shows ‘Pant Câd-Einion Site of Battle (A.D.982)’ at SS 9494 8059. This is absent from the first edition map of 1877. The battle was likely added on the basis of material found in the unreliable Gwentian Brutforged by Iolo Morgannwg in the 1790s. 982 Einion, son of Owain, went to Gorwennydd, where the action of Pencoed Colwynn took place (Owen, 35). How Pencoed Colwynn became Pant Câd-Einion is uncertain. (same source)
  12. Title: "The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog: And the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen, and Meirionydd, Volume 1," by Jacob Youde William Lloyd
    Author: T. Richards, 1881
    Publication: Name: https://books.google.com/books?id=0VgBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=Battle+Cyfeiliog&source=bl&ots=wW0IhDq0FT&sig=hrYHZR07IED-WrxBxDuvCQL-b2Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjg-6Hy_MjfAhWurFkKHVH3BG4Q6AEwBHoECAYQAQ#v=snippet&q=Merfyn%20Frych&f=false;
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