Vortimer Fendigaid (402 - 460)

Born 0402 in Britannia

Ancestors

Died 0460 at about age 58 in Britannia

Biography

Name

Alias: Gwerthefyr

King of Gwerthefyriwg (Gwent)

Birth

Vortimer Fendigaid was born in 0404. Vortimer Fendigaid was the child of Gwrtheyrn Ap Gwidol and Sereva Ferch Macsen Wledlg. Vortimer Fendigaid passed away in 0477. ^[1]

Siblings

Because of uncertainties regarding the number and identities of Vortigern's children, let alone their birth years, the following is presented temporarily on the profile of each child for whom there is a profile.

Jacob Lloyd stated that Vortigern, King Gwrtheym Gwrtheneu left issue by his first wife Seveira (the daughter of the Emperor Flavius Clemens Maximus, a Spaniard, who was Governor of Britain in 370, and having defeated and slain the Emperor Gratian, was proclaimed Emperor of Rome, by the army in Britain, in 383, and who was put to death by Theodosius at Aquileia in 388). These three were Gwartimer, Cynderyn, and Vortimer. ^[2]

Boyer cites Bartrum to list five children of Vortigern: Cateyrn, Gwerthefyr Fendigaid (or Vortimer), Pasgen, Brydw, and a daughter. ^[3]

Birth Year Estimation. If Vortigern was born in 375 and died in 459, his children could be born as early as 391 when he was 16. Severa was about the same age and the same could therefore be said of her. If she was born in 375, she would have been aged 40 in 415. In the absence of other bases for estimation, assume their first child was born in 391 and children followed thereafter at two year intervals, however, to account for unrecorded girls, assume that the boys were born at four year intervals.

1. Gwartimer, one of three sons listed by Lloyd that Vortigern had by his Queen Seveira, who afterwards became King of Britain. ^[2] New birth estimate 391.
2. daughter of Vortigern, had son Faustus by Vortigern, her father.^[3] New birth estimate 393.
3. Cynderyn, one of three sons listed by Lloyd that Vortigern had by his Queen Seveira. ^[2] New birth estimate 395. From this second son Cyndeym descended the Kings and Princes of Powys, and the Tribe of Tudor Trevor, but according to the monk Nennius, they descended from a totally different stock. ^[2] Cyndeyrn bravely fought against the Saxons, and was slain in 457. Cadeyrn King of Powys, (Gwrtheyrn) Vortigern, born 404, Powys, Wales^[4]When Vortigern, born 375, would have been 29. Cadeyrn Fendigaid, born 435.^[4] When Vortigern, born 375, would have been aged 60.
4. Fasccns, one of three sons listed by Lloyd Vortigern had by his Queen Seveira, who afterwards became King of Buallt. ^[2] New birth estimate 399.
5. Vortimer, the eldest, one of five children of Vortimer listed by Bartrum and Boyer. Vortimer fought four times against the Saxons, and put them to flight. ^[2] Gwerthefyr Fendigaid or Vortimer, had daughter S. Madrun who may have married Ynyr Gwent I ^[3] Vortimer Fendigaid was born 402^[4], when Vortigern, born 375, would have been aged 27. New birth estimate 403
6. Cateyrn, one of five children of Vortimer listed by Bartrum and Boyer. Cateyrn was slain in the same battle with Horsa. Cateyrn, had son Rhuddfedel Frych and possible son Cadell Ddrynllug, the latter the King of Powys. ^[3] Cateryn ap Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu (or Vortigern), who married Severa ferch Macsen Wledig, who was Maximus, Emperor of Rome, who died 388. ^[5] Severa's birth has been estimated as about 370. Estimate Cateryn's birth as 395. New birth estimate 407.
7. Pascent, who reigned in the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim, after the death of his father. These were granted him by Ambrosius, who was the great king among the kings of Britain. Pasgen, King of Buellt and Gwrtheyrnion, who had Mawgan and Brincat^[3] Pascent (Gwrtheyrn) ap Vortigen, born 380^[4], five years after his father's birth. New birth estimate 411.
8. Brydw Ap Vortigen, born 370 ^[4], five years before his father's birth. Brydw, flourished 433-462^[3] New birth estimate 415
9. The last was Faustus, born of an incestuous marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and educated by St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the banks of the river Renis, called after his name, and which remains to the present period.^[6] New birth estimate 419, when his mother, born 393, would have been 26.

Grandchildren identified by a source

1. Cyndeyrn was the father of
   1. Rhuddfedyl Frych, the father of Rhydwf, the father of Pasgen, whose name is mentioned in the inscription on the column of Eliseg. ^[2]

1. Categirn was the father of
   1. Cadell Deyrnllwg ab Pasgen, King of Teyrnllwg, who had issue, three sons, according to the Harl. MS. 4181 .
      1. Cyngen, King of Powys or Teyrnllwg ;
      2. Gwynfyn Frych, Prince of Drewen or Whittington and Maelor ; and
      3. Iddig, the ancestor of Cywryd ab Cadvan, who bore argent three boars' heads couped sahle armed or and langued gules.

1. Cateryn ap Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu (or Vortigern)
   1. Cadell Ddyrnllug, possible son of Cateryn ap Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu (or Vortigern), who married Severa ferch Macsen Wledig, who was Maximus, Emperor of Rome, who died 388.^[5] Estimate Cadell's birth as 420

Kenuius states that during the reign of Yortigern a certain St. Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul, came over to Britain, having been sent there by Pope St. Celestine II to restore Christianity. Amongst others, Germanus went to visit Benlli Gawr, a king whose territories comprised the province Teymllwg. His castle was situate on a hill between Rhuddin and Y Wyddgrilg (Mold), still called after him Moel Fenlli. Thither Germanua went, but the King declining to have anything to do with him, and having ordered him away, a young man named Cadell, one of the King's servants, gave him shelter, which having obtained, the monk Nennius declares that the anger of God fell on the King, and that " ignis de cjelo cecidit et combussit arcem, et omnes qui cum tyranno erant, nee ultra apparuerunt nee arx resedificatc est, usque in hodiernem diem" ; and that Germanus made Cadell King of Teyrnlhvg, and that he became the ancestor of the Kings of Powys. ^[2] After the death of Benlli Gawr, King of Teymllwg, St. Germanus anointed Cadell, the young man who had entertained him so hospitably, and made him King of Teymllwg, from which circumstance he received the name of Cadell Deymllwg, and from him Nennius states the Kings of Powys descend. This must have occurred either in 447, or in 448, for in that latter year, Germanus left Britain with the Roman Legions and went to Ravenna, where he died July 25, 448. ^[2] Cadell had nine sons when he became King of Teymllwg. ^[2]

Fighter against Saxons

Vortigern had three sons: the eldest was Vortimer, who, as we have seen, fought four times against the Saxons, and put them to flight; the second Categirn, who was slain in the same battle with Horsa; the third was Pascent, who reigned in the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim, after the death of his father. These were granted him by Ambrosius, who was the great king among the kings of Britain. The fourth was Faustus, born of an incestuous marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and educated by St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the banks of the river Renis, called after his name, and which remains to the present period.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ First-hand information as remembered by Al Adams, Friday, January 17, 2014. Replace this citation if there is another source.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} Jacob Youde William Lloyd (1816-1887). The history of the princes, the lords marcher, and the ancient nobility of Powys Fadog, and the ancient lords of Arwystli, Cedewen and Meirionydd. London: T. Richards, 1881. Book digitized by Google from the library of the University of Michigan and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb. https://archive.org/stream/historyprincesl04lloygoog/historyprincesl04lloygoog_djvu.txt. See also: The History of Powys Fadog (T. Richards, London, 1881) [https://archive.org/stream/historyprincesl04lloygoog#page/n23 Vol. 1, Page 1. Retrieved Jan 30, 2017 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5} Carl Boyer, 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Santa Clarita, California: By the Author: 2004. Macsen Wledig: Of the legendary lines, that of Macsen Wledig is one of the most interesting...David Peate developed his hypothesis in part from the works of Bede and Geoffrey of Monmouth as well as Eliseg's Pillar near llangollen, which was transcribed by Edward Llwyd in 1696, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles Severa ferch Macsen Wledig, wife of Gwrtheyrn Gwrtheneu, also known as Vortigern, is #2 on page 242
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Wikitree Data Field, not otherwise sourced.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Carl Boyer 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Santa Clarita, California: By the author, 2004. Pabo post Brydyn ap Ceneu ap Coel Hen, father in law of Brochwel Ysgithrog, is #3 on page 63.
6. ↑ Historia Brittonum, chapter 48. retrieved 2014-04-28, amb
7. ↑ Historia Brittonum, chapter 48. retrieved 2014-04-28, amb

See also:

• Celts of Cymru, Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles.

• Starr, Brian Daniel, The Saints of the Five Generations of Galilee