Caradog ap Meirion facts for kids
Caradog ap Meirion was a king who ruled Gwynedd, a kingdom in northwest Wales, during the 8th century. He likely died around the year 798.
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Who Was Caradog ap Meirion?
Caradog ap Meirion was a ruler of Gwynedd, an important kingdom in ancient Wales. We don't have a lot of information about his time as king. This period in Welsh history is not very well-documented. Because of this, many history books don't mention him much. Some only include his name in footnotes.
When Did Caradog Become King?
It is thought that Caradog became king after King Rhodri Molwynog ap Idwal died. This happened around the year 754. However, we don't have many records from this time. So, it's possible there were other kings between Rhodri and Caradog.
What Do We Know About Caradog?
Most of what we know about Caradog comes from old family trees, called genealogies. His name also appears in a very old record called the Annales Cambriae. This record says that Caradog died in 798. It also mentions that he was killed by the Saxons. These were probably people from Mercia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
Important Events During His Rule
During Caradog's time as king, an important change happened for the Welsh church. In 768, the Welsh church started using the same method as the Catholic Church to figure out the date of Easter. This was a big deal because it solved a long-standing disagreement. Bishop Elfodd helped make this change happen.
The Battle of Rhuddlan Marsh
In 796, a battle took place at a place called Rhuddlan Marsh. We don't know who fought in this battle. We also don't know who won. There was an old Welsh text called Brut Aberpergwm. It claimed that Caradog was killed in this battle. However, historians later found out that this text was not truly ancient. It was a fake created by a writer named Iolo Morganwg.
Caradog's Family
Old family records give us different ideas about Caradog's children. One record says that a later king named Hywel ap Rhodri Molwynog was Caradog's son. Hywel ruled from 816 to 825. But other historical writings say that Hywel was the son of the king before Caradog. They also say Hywel was the brother of Caradog's successor, King Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri. Cynan ruled from 798 to 816.
