Cynfyn ap Gwerystan (abt. 990 - abt. 1039)

Born about 0990 in Wales

Ancestors

Husband of Angharad ferch Maredudd — married 1023 in Wales

Descendants

Died about 1039 at about age 49 in Wales

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jack Day [send private message] and Wales Project WikiTree [send private message]

Cynfyn ap Gwerystan is managed by the Wales Project. Join: Wales Project Discuss: wales_project

Biography

Name

• Cynfyn ap Gwerystan ^[1]
• Cynfyn's name is sometimes spelled Kynvyn, Kynwyn, Cynvyn, or Kynfyn. ^[1]

Birth

Cynfyn ap Gwerystan was born about 990. ^[2]

Boyer estimates the birth year of Cynfyn ap Gwerystan ap Gwaithford of Powys, as, say, 1000. ^[3]

1023, the year of Cynfyn's marriage to Angharad, appears to be a solid date. Angharad's marriage to Cynfyn was preceded by a marriage to Llywelyn. Estimation of her birth year, taking into account her father's dates, places Angharad's birth at 982 and her first marriage to Llywelyn at 1010. This would make Angharad aged 41 at her marriage to Cynfyn in 1023.

A marriage date of 1023 would give an estimated birth date of 1024 to the first child of this marriage. By these calculations, the parents would be 45 and 42, which is possible, although they were likely younger. If their second child was born two years later, the parents would then be 47 and 44, suggesting even more strongly that they were younger in actuality.

These dates also suggest that Cynfyn surely had a prior marriage and children. While Boyer and Cawley do not report such a marriage. Wolcott suggests that there was one, which produced three children.

Parentage

Stewart Baldwin confirms that Cynfyn ap Gwerystan [ByT, pp. 55, 87, 101; MG.3; JC.27] (also #74) was the son of Gwerystan. ^[4] However, Baldwin adds that "Since his name appears in ByT, p. 101 as a patronymic for Cynfyn, I am inclined to view the name as correct, but the earlier generations of his pedigree show wide variation, and are probably a late invention. ^[4]

In Stewart Baldwin's view, Gwerystan's wife is unknown. He comments that "Late sources make her Nest, daughter of Cadell ap Brochwel, king of Powys, which is chronologically impossible." ^[4]

Cynfyn ap Gwerstan's parentage is confirmed by the Chronicle of the Princes of Wales which names "Cynvyn son of Gwerystan" as father of "Bleddyn". King of Powys. ^[5]

Cynfyn's father was Gwerystan ap Gwaithfoed and his mother Nest ferch Cadell. ^[6][7]

Cynfyn's father Gwerystan ap Gwaithford was born say 970^[8] If a 979 birth year Cynfyn proves credible, a birth year for his father of 960 would be better.

Cawley states that the name of Gwerystan´s wife is not known. ^[5] However, Boyer states that he married Nest ferch Cadell ap Brochwel, who is not identified further in Bartrum's chart 47.^[8]

Pedigree

After analysis, Darrell Wolcott ^[9] has presented the following table of Lies Llyddog's descendants:

1. Lies Llyddog, born say 855
   1. Gwynnog Farfsych, born, say 885
      1. Gwaithfoed of Powys, born, say, 915
         1. Gwerystan, born, say, 950
            1. Cynfyn, born, say, 985
               1. Bleddyn, born, say, 1025
   2. Caradog, born say, 890
      1. Gwrydr Hir, born, say, 920
         1. Gwaithfoed of Tegeingl, born, say, 955
            1. Neiniad, born, say, 985
               1. Ednowain Bendew, born, say, 1020

Ancestry

The Gwentian Chronicle records the ancestry of "

• Cynvyn son of
• Gwerystan, lord of Cibwr in Gwent, son of
• Gwaithvoed, son of
• Gloddien, son of
• Gwrydr the Tall, son of
• Caradawc, son of
• Llew the Right-handed…etc" and nineteen further generations back to "Manogan king of the Isle of Britain" ^[5]

Siblings

Cynfyn's parents' children, listed by Bartrum (chart 47)

1. possible daughter, m. Cardog ap gwyn ap Collwyn ab Ednywain (for whom see the section on Trahaearn ap Caradog)^[8]
2. Nest m. Llywarch Gam aqp lludica ap Tudur Trefor^[8]
3. Cynfyn, m. Angharad ferch Maredudd^[8]
4. Elinor, m. cadell ab Einion ab Owain ap Hywel Dda^[8]
5. Ithel^[8]

1014 Speculated First Marriage

Wolcott states that Cynfyn is known to have had a wife prior to his 1023 marriage to Angharad ferch Maredudd ap Owain, the widow of Powys king Llewelyn ap Seisyll. Wolcott speculates that this wife was a daughter of Sitric Silkbeard of Dublin. Sitric (or Sigtrygg) was evicted from Dublin by Irish king Brian in 1000, and that in 1014 Sitric killed Brian and retook Dublin. ^[10]

Wolcott speculates that in 1014 a young Cynfyn ap Gwerystan brought a group of Powys men to assist Sitric, and took home a daughter of that Irish king as his wife.

It appears that Cynfyn and the Irish princess had three daughters, Efa, Nest and Iwerydd, and that she probably did not survive her final childbirth. ^[7]

1023 Marriage to Angharad of Gwynedd

Cawley states that Cynfyn married firstly (1023) as her second husband, ANGHARAD of Gwynedd, widow of LLYWELYN ap Seisyll King of Gwynedd, daughter of MAREDUDD King of Deheubarth and Gwynedd & his wife ---. ^[5]

Angharad's 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"[678]. ^[5]

[The Gwentian Chronicle records that "Yngharad the widow of Llywelyn son of Seisyllt married Cynvyn son of Gwerystan lord of Cibwyr" in 1023[679].] ^[5]

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"[680]. m secondly ---. ^[5]

The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Iweryd the mother of Owain and Uchtryd, the sons of Edwin king of Tegeingl, and Bleddyn son of Cynvyn were sister and brother by the same father but not the same mother, as Angharad daughter of Maredudd was the mother of Bleddyn"[681]. ^[5]

He married Angharad ferch Maredudd ab Owain ap Hywel Dda ap Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr. Angharfad was widow of Llywelyn ap Seisyll (who died in 1023). Angharfad's father Maredudd died in 999. Maredudd's mother was Angharad ferch llywelyn ap Merfyn ap Rhodri Mawr. ^[3]

Cynfyn married Angharad ferch Maredudd, daughter of Maredudd ab Owain, king of Dyfed. ^[11]

After the death of his first wife, possibly in childbirth, he married Angharad (daughter of Maredudd ab Owain), widow of Llywelyn ap Seisyll and had the following issue:

• Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn (died 1070), killed at the Battle of Mechain
• Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (died 1075), King of Gwynedd and Powys
• Gwerfyl ferch Cynfyn, married Gwrgan ap Ithel Ddu of Glamorgan, and was mother to Iestyn ap Gwrgan.

1023 Reign

Wolcott states that "When he was born c. 985, there was no expectation Cynfyn would ever become a king. His ancestors had been among the leading men of Powys for hundreds of years, but the kingdom had been ruled by another ancient family which was still in power. His father had married the daughter, and only child, of King Cadell ap Brochwel II. But Cadell had brothers and nephews eligible to rule after his death; seldom did a Welsh kingship descend through female lines, and never if there was an eligible qualified male heir. But such a circumstance appears to have occurred in 1023, when the existing king died (or was killed) fairly early in his life and at a time when both his son and other qualified males in the Royal Family were too young for kingship." However, an ancestor of Cynfyn was Cynwrig, son of Tegonwy, a descendant of Casnar Wledig whom in some cases is made son of Caderyn, while in more ancient documents he is son of Gloyw Gwlat Lydan and Great Grandson of Ludd ap Beli Mawr, making him a descendant of a direct patrilineal line from the house of Gwertherion or the Celtic Kings of Britain, which could explain why Gwerstan was chosen to marry Nest ferch Cadell. ^[7]

Wolcott further argues that Cynfyn was a caretaker monarch until 1033, when Iago ap Idwal of Gwynedd came of age and took the kingship. ^[7]

Wolcott suggests that when Powys King Llewelyn ap Seisyll died, or was killed, in 1023, Cynfyn was named "interim king" during the minority of the young heir, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn...who was then about 12 years old. It may have been a condition of that appointment that Cynfyn marry the widow of Llewelyn and become the step-father of the future king. He did marry Angharad, and together they had 3 known children, Rhiwallon, Bleddyn, and Gwerful.^[7]

According to the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (40), nothing is known of Cynfyn's career. ^[3]

For the first 10 years of his reign, Powys is not mentioned in Brut entries, the conclusion being that there was neither internal unrest nor conflicts with neighboring kingdoms. It is likely that Cynfyn was a caretaker monarch who refrained from making waves. The picture is less clear after 1033. Iago ap Idwal of Gwynedd came of full age and now held its kingship. Did Cynfyn agree to step aside for Iago or was it necessary for the Gwynedd heir to take his birthright by force? That question is not answered directly by the Brut chronicler, but there is reason to suggest Powys and Gwynedd were on friendly terms in 1033. Not only was Iago elected king of Gwynedd, but he was given a Powys lady for his wife.^[7]

The estimated ages of Iago and Afandreg also point to the year 1033 as the date they were married. The Powys heir, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn, was about age 21 and still waiting to attain "full" age when he'd be eligible for kingship. His time arrived in 1039, and we think Cynfyn stepped down so Gruffudd could take his rightful place as king of Powys. It isn't known if Gruffudd had developed a personal dislike for Iago, or if he simply believed Gwynedd belonged to him since his father had ruled it. But Gruffudd's first recorded act as king was to kill Iago and seize Gwynedd. Others have speculated that Iago may have been complicit in the death of Llewelyn ap Seisyll, and Gruffudd was simply taking his revenge. We think Iago was only a teenager when Llewelyn died and doubt that he, or anyone from Gwynedd, killed him. ^[7]

1039 Death and Burial

We are not told when Cynfyn died nor in what manner, so no one really knows whether Iago's killing broke an extended period of peace between Powys and Gwynedd or if Iago had earlier warred against Powys. If Wolcott's theories are correct, Cynfyn died after 1039.^[7]

Issue

1. Efa, born c. 1018 to Cynfyn and his unknown first wife ^[7],married Llewelyn ap Coel, the man later chosen as penteulu for King Gruffudd ap Llewelyn and thereafter known as Llewelyn Aurdorchog.^[7]
2. Nest ferch Cynfyn, born c. 1020 to Cynfyn and his unknown first wife ^[7], who married Ithel ap Coel, brother of Llewelyn, and who probably served Gruffudd ap Llewelyn as trainer and handler of the Royal hunting hounds. ^[7] Nest, m. Ithel o'r Bryn ^[3]
3. Iwerydd or Iweryd ferch Cynfyn, Iwerydd, born c. 1022 to Cynfyn and his unknown first wife ^[7]. This was likely not her birthname, but a nickname to denote her Irish mother, who may have died during this birth. She was given in marriage to Edwin of Tegeingl about 1050, but probably had a first unknown husband.^[7] Iwerydd, m. Edwin ap Gronwy of tegeingl ^[3] The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Iweryd the mother of Owain and Uchtryd, the sons of Edwin king of Tegeingl, and Bleddyn son of Cynvyn were sister and brother by the same father but not the same mother, as Angharad daughter of Maredudd was the mother of Bleddyn"[687]. m Edwin ap Gronw, son of Gronw ap Einon & his wife ---. ^[5]
4. Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn ap Gwerystan, son of Angharad and Cynfyn. ^[12] born c. 1024, was elevated to king of Powys after the death of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn^[7] Rhiwallon was killed in the Battle of Mechain, about 1068. ^[5] This is the most concrete date associated with Rhiwallon. Warriors were generally young men, though the princes for whom they fought were often older and also expected to fight. Estimate that Rhiwallon was aged 45 at Mechain, and his birth year would be, say, 1025, or if the first born of his mother's second marriage, 1024. Florence of Worcester records that he was appointed King of Powys by King Edward "the Confessor" after the defeat of Gruffydd. ^[5] 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". ^[13] Florence of Worcester records that he was appointed King of Powys by King Edward "the Confessor" after the defeat of Gruffydd. The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "the action of Mechain took place between Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, sons of Cynvyn, Maredudd and Ithel, sons of Gruffudd" in 1068, adding that "Ithel was killed in the battle and Maredudd died of cold in his flight, and Rhiwallon son of Cynvyn was slain"^[5]The name of Rhiwallon´s wife is not known. Rhiwallon & his wife had four children: ^[5]
   1. CYNWRIG . Ruled over Gwynnedd jointly with Trahaearn ap Caradog [1080].
   2. MEILYS (-1081).
   3. GWLADUS . The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records in 1106 that "Cadwgan son of Bleddyn and Gwladus daughter of Rhiwallon, the mother of Nest were cousins, as Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, sons of Cynvyn, were brothers"[686]. m RHYS ap Tewdwr King of Deheubarth, son of TEWDWR Mawr & his wife --- (-killed in battle near Brecknock Castle [Mar/Apr] 1093).
   4. SIONED . m TUDOR "Walensis" Lord of Whittington. ^[5]
5. Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, born c. 1025, who was made king of Gwynedd after Gruffudd's death in 1063, and additionally king of Powys when Rhiwallon was killed in 1069^[7] Bleddyn ap Cynfyn of Deheubarth was born in 1025 and died in 1075. ^[5]Bleddyn ap Cynfyn born about 1025 Montgomeryshire, Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was the son of Princess Angharad ferch Maredudd (of the Dinefwr dynasty of Deheubarth) and her second husband Cynfyn ap Gwerstan. 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". ^[13] He succeeded his uterine half-brother in 1063 as King of Gwynedd and Powys. ^[5] He married secondly m. Haer ferch Gillin, and thirdly a daughter of Brochwel ^[3]
6. Gwerfyl, born c. 1026, who married Gwrgan ap Ithel Ddu of Glamorgan, and was mother to Iestyn ap Gwrgan. ^[7] Without naming her, Boyer, following Bartrum, notes a daughter of Cynfyn who married Gwrgan ab Ithel ab Idwallon ap Morgan Mawr (who was King of Morgannwg). ^[3]

Children previously linked on WikiTree

Gwenwyn verch Cynfyn and Caradoc Ap Cynfyn were previously linked as children of Cynfyn ap Gwerystan and Angharad ferch Maredudd. No reliable sources have named these persons as children of Cynfn and Angharad and they have been de-linked. If reliable sourcing is found to indicate one or both of these were in fact children of Cynfyn and/or Angharad, they can easily be re-linked.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wikipedia: Cynfyn_ap_Gwersytan Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
2. ↑ Hen Lwythau Gwynedd a'r Mars, a medieval manuscript containing pedigrees of the chief non-royal families of north Wales, edited by P.C. Bartrum in the National Library of Wales Journal, vol xii, part 3. Cited by Wikipedia: Cynfyn_ap_Gwersytan Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Carl Boyer, 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Follows Bartrum. Santa Clarita, California: By the Author. 2004. Cynfyn ap Gwerystan is #19, page 9.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Stewart Baldwin. Ancestry of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~medieval/llywelyn.htm Cynfyn is in Generation 6, #48. Accessed 1/16/2019 jhd
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15} Charles Cawley, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, Medieval Lands Database. Wales. Kings of Powys, family of Cynfyn ap Gwerstan. Accessed January 19, 2016 jhd
6. ↑ Morris - Shropshire Genealogies volume 1 page 86, cited by Wikipedia: Cynfyn_ap_Gwersytan Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
7. ↑ ^{7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16} Darrell Wolcott, Ancient Wales Studies. Cynfyn ap Gwerystan, The Interim King Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6} Carl Boyer, 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Follows Bartrum. Santa Clarita, California: By the Author. 2004. Gwerystan ap Gwaithford is #17, page 9.
9. ↑ Darrell Wolcott. Ancient Wales Studies Sorting out the Gwaithfoeds Accessed 24 July 2022. jhd
10. ↑ R.F. Foster "The Oxford History of Ireland", paperback edition, 1992, p 38 and Gwyn Jones "A History of the Vikings", 1968, p 397, cited by Darrell Wolcott, Ancient Wales Studies. Cynfyn ap Gwerystan, The Interim King Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
11. ↑ Genea Journey cited by Wikipedia: Cynfyn_ap_Gwersytan Accessed August 29, 2018. jhd
12. ↑ Carl Boyer 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Generally follows Bartrum. "Section on Bleddyn ap Cynfyn." By the author: Santa Clarita, California, 2004. Rhiwallon is #23 on p. 11
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Reference 366

See also:

• http://www.maximiliangenealogy.co.uk/burke1/Royal%20Descents/hughesofgwerclas_1.htm
• http://www.maximiliangenealogy.co.uk/burke1/Royal%20Descents/hughesofgwerclas_2.htm
• http://www.maximiliangenealogy.co.uk/burke1/Royal%20Descents/hughesofgwerclas_3.htm
• http://www.maximiliangenealogy.co.uk/burke1/Royal%20Descents/hughesofgwerclas_4.htm