Owain (ap Hywel) ap Hywel Dda (abt. 910 - 988)

Born about 0910 in North Wales

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 0988 at about age 78 in North Wales

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Biography

Birth and Parents

Owain ap Hywel Dda was king of South Wales. ^[1]

Stewart Baldwin identifies Owain's parents as Hywel Dda ap Cadell, king of South Wales, d. 950 [AC]. [HG.1: "[H]iguel map Catell"] and Elen ferch Llywarch, d. 929 [AC.b: "Helena obiit"]. Owain appears as "[O]uen map [H]iguel" in [AC] (which gives his ancestry through his father), and "[O]uein map Elen" in [HG.1,2] (which gives his ancestry through his mother). ^[1]

Owain ap Hywel was the son of Hywel Dda ("the Black"), king of Gwynedd and his wife Elen of Dyfed. ^[2]

Owain ap Hywel Dda ap Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr was the great-grandson of Rhodri Mawr. ^[3]

Marriage: Wife Unknown

Stewart Baldwin states that Owain's wife is Unknown. ^[1] Cawley agrees that the name of Owain´s wife is not known. ^[2]

Boyer asserts that Owain had a first marriage to an unnamed woman but then married, secondly Angharad ferch Llywelyn ap Merfyn ap Rhodri Mawr. ^[3] While many later sources give Angharad as the wife of Owain, Baldwin asserts that "The claim that she was Angharad ferch Llywelyn ap Merfyn ap Rhodri (see #1024) appears only in late manuscripts, and should be regarded as dubious. See EWGT, p. 141.] ^[1]

Angharad has therefore been marked as "uncertain."

950 Reign and Battle

Owain was King of Deheubarth from 950. He ruled Cardigan until he was driven out after 953 by Jevaf and Iago, sons of Edwal Foel. ^[3]

The "Brut" records early battles in this period:

• 948. And Howel the Good, son of king Cadell, chief and glory of all the Britons, died. And Cadwgan, son of Owain, was killed by the Saxons. And then the action of Carno took place between the sons of Owain, son of Howel, and the sons of Idwal.^[4]
• 950 Nine hundred and fifty was the year of Christ, when Iago and Ieuav, sons of Idwal, ravaged Dyved twice; and Dunwallon was slain by their men.^[4]
• 951. And then Dyvnwal and Rhodri, sons of Howel, died.^[4]
• 952. And then, a year after that, a great slaughter took place been the sons of Idwal and the sons of Howel, in the action of Conwy at Llanrwst. And Hirmawr and Anarawd were killed by the Pagans; they were sons of Gwriad. And after that Ceredigion was devastated by the sons of Idwal. And Edwin, son of Howel the Good, died.^[4]

The Gwentian Chronicle records that "his son Owain took the rule of Ceredigion" after the death of "Hywel the Good, son of Cadell king of all Wales" in 948[339].] ^[2]

He was king of Gwynedd, jointly with his brothers. ^[2]

Gerald of Wales´s Descriptio Kambriæ records the descent of the rulers of South Wales in reverse chronological order as follows: “...Theodorus filius Cadelh, Cadelh filius Eneæ, Eneas filius Oenei, Oeneus filius Hoeli da, id est Hoeli boni, Hoelus filius Cadelh, Cadelh filius Roderici magni”[340]. The Annales Cambriæ record that "Owinus filius Hoeli" died, undated but apparently in 988 from the context[341]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Owain son of Howel" in 987[342]. ^[2]

958 Invasion of Glamorgan

In 958 he invaded the territory of Morgan Mawr, prince of Glamorgan, but when the dispute went to King Edgar of England for mediation the ruling was in favor of Morgan. ^[3]

Compilation of Genealogies

Apparently the genealogies and the Annales Cambriae were compiled at Owain's request. ^[5].

988 Death

Baldwin gives Owain's death year as 988. ^[1] Cawley gives it as 987-988.^[2]

Issue

His sons Maredudd and Einion were half-brothers. ^[3]

Listed by Bartrum

1. Maredudd ab Owain, born 967, Dynevor Castle, Carmarthenshire. ^[6] died 999; had issue. ^[3] Maredudd (Dinefwr) ab Owain born 938, Dynevor Castle, Llandillo, Carmarthenshire ^[6] Maredudd. Lloyd reports that Maredudd succeeded his father. ^[7]
2. Cadwallon of (Dyfed) Owain, no date, no place. ^[6] died 966. (Bridgeman states he died 961) ^[3] Cadwallawn, died 961^[8] Cadwallon was child of first consort. ^[6]
3. Llywarch, living 987; his eyes were put out by Godfrey, son of Harold, in 986. ^[3] Llywarch. Lloyd reports that Llywarch was taken prisoner and had his eyes pulled out by Godfrey, son of Harold, in 986. ^[7]
4. Einion (Owain) ab Owain born 933, Dynevor Castle, Dinefwr, Llandyfeisant, Carmarthenshire ^[6] Einion, died 984. ^[3] Child of first consort. Einion, died 973, in battle at Pen Coed Colwyn, in Gwent. ^[6]
5. Iestyn (Owain) ab Owain, born 942, Deheubarth, Monmouthshire ^[6] Iestyn, had son Rhydderch, who is treated in his own section. ^[3]

'Not mentioned by Bartrum but mentioned by DNB

1. Cadell, omitted by later authorities

Cawley

Cawley shows Owain and his wife with five children:^[2]

1. CADWALLON (-[961/66]). The Annales Cambriæ record that "Catwallaun filius Oweni" died, undated but apparently in 966 from the context[343]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Cadwallon, son of Owain, son of Howel the Good" died in 964[344]. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Cadwallon son of Owain son of Hywel son of Cadell" died in 961[345].] ^[2]

2. EINION (-killed in battle Pencoed Colwynn, Gorwennydd [983/84]). [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Einion son of Owain son of Hywel the Good" fought the Irish in 966[346].] Gerald of Wales´s Descriptio Kambriæ records the descent of the rulers of South Wales in reverse chronological order as follows: “...Theodorus filius Cadelh, Cadelh filius Eneæ, Eneas filius Oenei, Oeneus filius Hoeli da, id est Hoeli boni, Hoelus filius Cadelh, Cadelh filius Roderici magni”[347]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Brecheinog and all the territory of Einon, son of Owain, were devastated by the Saxons, Alvryd being their leader, and Howel son of Ieuav and Einon killed many of the host" in 982[348]. The Annales Cambriæ record that "Eynan filius Owini" was killed, undated but apparently in 984 from the context[349]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Einon son of Owain was killed through treachery by the nobles of Gwent" in 983[350]. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Einion son of Owain was slain" in 982 in "Gorwennydd where the action of Pencoed Colwynn took place"[351].] m ---. The name of Einon´s wife is not known. Einon & his wife had [three] childen:^[2]

a) TEWDWR (-killed in battle Llangwm 993). The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "a battle took place between the sons of Meurug and Maredudd near Llangwm, and the sons of Meurug conquered, and there Tewdwr son of Einon was slain" in 993[352]. ^[2]

b) EDWIN (-after 991). [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Edwin son of Einion…accompanied by Adelf a Saxon prince…and they ravaged all the lands of Meredydd, that is Ceredigion, Dyved, Menevia, Lower Gower and Cydweli" in 991[353].] ^[2]

- PRINCES of SOUTH WALES.

c) [GRONW . The primary source which confirms the existence of Gronw has not been identified.] ^[2]

- KINGS of DEHEUBARTH.

3. IDWALLON (-975). The Annales Cambriæ record the death in 975 of "Idwalan filius Owein"[354]. ^[2]

4. MAREDUDD (-[994/1000]). The Annales Cambriæ record that "Maredut filius Owein" laid waste to "Hewed", undated but apparently in 991 from the context[355]. He succeeded in 986 as MAREDUDD King of Gwynedd. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "the government devolved on "Meredydd son of Owain son of Hywel the Good" after "Einion son of Owain" was killed in 982[356].] He succeeded in 988 as King of Deheubarth. The Annales Cambriæ record that "Maredut filius Owini" died, undated but apparently in 999 from the context[357]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Maredudd son of Owain killed Cadwallon son of Ieuav victoriously and subjugated his territory, to wit the Isle of Mona and Meirionydd, and all the districts of Gwynedd he subdued by extreme craft and cunning" in 985[358]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Maredudd son of Owain paid to the black Pagans a tribute of one penny for each person" in 988[359]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Edwin son of Einon with Eclis the Great a Saxon prince from the seas of the south devastated all the kingdom of Maredudd, to wit Dyved and Ceredigion and Gower and Cydweli…and Maredudd hired the Pagans willing to join him and devastated Glamorgan" in 991[360]. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Maredudd son of Owain the most celebrated king of the Britons died" in 998[361]. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Meredydd son of Owain died, which was the occasion of better times for peace and government in Wales" in 994[362].] The Annales Menevensis record that "Mareduc filius Owein" died in 1000[363]. m ---. The name of Maredudd´s wife is not known. Maredudd & his wife had [three] children: ^[2]

a) CADWALLON (-killed in battle Cors Einion, Gower 991). The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Maredudd…his son Cadwallon died" in 991[364]. [The Gwentian Chronicle records "the action of Cors Einion in Gower where Cadwallon son of Meredydd" was killed in 991[365].] ^[2]

b) ANGHARAD . [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Llywelyn son of Seisyllt lord of Maes Essyllt…although but a youth not more than fourteen years of age" married "Yngharad, daughter of Meredydd on of Owain" in 994[366].] Her first marriage is confirmed by the Chronicle of the Princes of Wales which records that "Bleddyn son of Cynvyn [and] Gruffudd son of Llywelyn…were brothers by the same mother…Angharad daughter of Meredudd king of the Britons"[367]. [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Yngharad the widow of Llywelyn son of Seisyllt married Cynvyn son of Gwerystan lord of Cibwyr" in 1023[368].] The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records in 1106 that "Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, sons of Cynvyn, were brothers, from Angharad daughter of king Maredudd"[369]. m firstly (994) LLYWELYN ap Seisyll King of Gwynedd, son of SEISYLL & his wife Praust of Gwynedd ([after 980]-[1021/23]). m secondly (1023) CYNFYN ap Gwerstan King of Powys, son of GWERSTAN & his wife ---. ^[2]

c) [REIN (-after 1020). The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "a certain Scot falsely pretended to be the son of king Maredudd and caused himself to be named king…Rein" in 1020 and "Llywelyn son of Seisyll, supreme king of Gwynedd and the chief and most renowned king of all the Britons made war against him"[370].] ^[2]

5. LLYWARCH (-after 986). [The Gwentian Chronicle records that "the Welsh and Danes set upon Llywarch son of Owain, brother to the prince Meredydd" and blinded him in 985[371].] The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Llywarch son of Owain was deprived of his eyes" in 986[372]. ^[2]

Shown in WikiTree but without credible sourcing

1. Idwallon ou (Dyfed) Owain no date, no place. ^[6]
2. Meirchion ab Owain, no date, born Trevon, Llanilid, Glamorganshire^[6]
3. Owain Ap Lestyn born 942, Deheubarth, Monmouthshire ^[6]
4. [[Owain-89|Grono (Owain) ab Owain, born 965, Dynevor, Llandyfeisant, Carmarthenshire ^[6]

Descendant

Descendant
Kathrin vh Iorwerth ap Rhirid m Iorwerth Vychan ap Iorwerth Voel ap Madoc fychan ap Madoc ap Urien ap Einion (Eginir) ap Lles (Llewelyn) ap Idnerth of Maen Gwyneth ap Uchdryd ap Edwyn (Edwin) ap Grono ap Owain ap Hywel Dda^[9]

Research Notes

Pedigree from Owain to Anna Arimathea

It was fashionable to create pedigrees that traced real ancestors back to legendary figures such as Anna Arimathea, relative of the Virgin Mary.

(O)uen map (H)iguel map Catell map Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan map Rotri map Iutguaul map Catgualart map Catgollaun map Catman map Iacob map Beli map Run map Mailcun map Catgolaun Iauhir map Eniaun girt map Cuneda map Ætern map Patern Pesrut map Tacit map Cein map Guorcein map Doli map Guordoli map Dumn map Gurdumn map Amguoloyt map Anguerit map Oumun map Dubun map Brithguein map Eugein map Aballac map Amalach, qui fuit beli magni filius et Anna mater eius quam dicunt esse consobrina mariæ uirginis matris d’ni n’ri ih’u xp’i.^[10]

Darrell Wolcott: Line of Descent

Wolcott notes that numerous Dwnn citations say Elystan married Gwenllian ferch Einion ap Owain ap Hywel Dda ^[11] Wolcott dates Gwenllian's ancestry as follows:

1. Hywel Dda, born, say, 880
2. Owain, born, say, 910
3. Einion, born, say, 940
4. Gwenllian, born, say, 970, married Elystan, born, say, 955. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Stewart Baldwin. Ancestry of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. Owain is in Generation 8, #196. Accessed 1/16/2019 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17} Charles Cawley. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Medieval Lands Database. Wales. Owain ap Hywel Accessed August 9, 2018 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9} Carl Boyer 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestry of Certain Americans. Generally follows Barftrum. By the author: Santa Clarita, California, 2004. Owain ap Hywel is #11 on page 285.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Brut y Tywysogion, retrieved 2014-06-09, amb
5. ↑ John Davies, 95, cited by Boyer, 285
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10} WikiTree Data Field and/or original Gedcom import, not otherwise sourced
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Lloyd, p. 66
8. ↑ Jacob Youde William Lloyd, The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, p. 65, Volume 1, retrieved 2014-06-21, amb
9. ↑ Miscellanea Genealogica Et Heraldica, p. 368. (The genealogy of Iorwerth ap Rhidrid is from 365-368) retrieved by amb 10 June 2014
10. ↑ Harleian genealogies 1: Gwynedd part 1, amb
11. ↑ Darrell Wolcott. The Enigmatic Elystan Glodrydd Accessed 9/8/2019 jhd
12. ↑ Wolcott notes that the marriage to Gwenllian ferch Einion is cited in Dwnn i, 139, 271, 288, 313 and 332, and Dwnn ii, 152.

See also:

• Cambrian Archaeological Association. Archaeologia Cambrensis: Chronicle of the Princes, p. 29. W. Pickering, 1864. Accessed 19 April 2014.
• Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales: Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions : Illustrated by Maps of the Different Counties ; and a Map of Wales, Shewing the Principal Towns, Roads, Railways, Navigable Rivers, and Canals ; and Embellished with Engravings of the Arms of the Cities, Bishopricks, Corporate Towns, and Boroughs ; and of the Seals of the Several Municipal Corporations ; with an Appendix Describing the Electoral Boundaries of the Several Boroughs, as Defined by the Late Act, Volume 2 (Google eBook). Lewis and Company, 1833 - 400 pages
• William Owen Pughe, Cambrian Register, Volume 2.
• Wolcott, Darrell, The Battle of Mynydd Carn
• Lineage of the Royal Princes of England: Author: Ken Stelmaszek: Publication: Nov 2000
• Royal Line, The: Author: Albert F Schmuhl: Publication: Orig. March, 1929 NYC, NY - Rev. March 1980