Cynddylan facts for kids

Cynddylan (pronounced like kun-THUH-lan) was a prince from the 600s. He was a leader in a place called Powys, which is now part of Wales. Cynddylan is mostly known from old poems and stories, not from official historical records like many other kings from that time. He was the son of King Cyndrwyn.

A Look at History

To understand Cynddylan's time, we can look at old writings like Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum by Bede. After the big Roman Empire fell apart, new groups like the Anglo-Saxons started moving into Britain. The people who lived in the area of the Cornovii (which is now parts of Herefordshire and Shropshire) tried to hold onto their land.

By the early 600s, King Cystennin was a powerful ruler in the north. Meanwhile, King Cyndrwyn, Cynddylan's father, ruled Powys. King Cyndrwyn died before the year 642. After his death, Cynddylan and his brothers joined forces with Penda, the King of Mercia. Together, they defeated King Oswald of Northumbria at the Battle of Maserfield. This battle might have happened near a town called Oswestry.

It seems Cynddylan often worked with the kings of Mercia. For example, another Welsh leader, Cadwallon ap Cadfan, was allied with Mercia in 633. The poem Marwnad Cynddylan even says that Cynddylan helped King Penda.

We don't know exactly when Cynddylan helped Penda or when Cynddylan himself died. Some people think he might have died at the Battle of the Winwaed in 654 or 655. In this battle, King Oswiu defeated and killed Penda. However, the poem Marwnad Cynddylan also talks about a big fight near Lichfield, which was in Mercian land. This battle is not known from other sources. Later stories suggest Cynddylan died defending Powys from English attackers near the River Tern in Shropshire.

Old Poems About Cynddylan

We learn about Cynddylan mostly from old poems. These poems are like stories or songs from a long time ago.

The Poem Marwnad Cynddylan

The most important poem about Cynddylan is called Marwnad Cynddylan, which means Elegy for Cynddylan. An elegy is a sad poem written to honor someone who has died. This poem is quite long, with about 70 lines. Most experts believe it was written around the time Cynddylan died.

Interestingly, this poem is not directly about the King of Powys (Cynddylan's home). Instead, it seems to be connected to a ruler from Dogfeiling, a smaller kingdom near Ruthin in Denbighshire. This shows that the politics of the time were quite complicated!

The oldest copy of this poem is found in a book called National Library of Wales 4973. This book was put together by Dr John Davies in the early 1600s. The way it's written can be a bit tricky to understand today because it mixes old and new spellings.

You can read a version of this poem online:

• Wikisource edition

The Poem Canu Heledd

Another set of poems is called Canu Heledd, or Song of Heledd. These poems are told from the point of view of Cynddylan's sister, Heledd. She is the only one left from her royal family in Powys.

In these poems, Princess Heledd is sad about her home being destroyed and her family dying. This includes her brothers, like Cynddylan, and her sister Ffreuer. The poems say that the English caused this destruction. Most scholars think Canu Heledd was written in the 800s. Even though it talks about events from the 600s, it's more like a story that uses historical people and places to tell a tale. It might not be a completely accurate historical record.