Dyfnwal Hen facts for kids

Dyfnwal Hen, also known as Dumnagual Hen, was a ruler from a long, long time ago in a kingdom called Alt Clut. This kingdom was later known as Strathclyde. He probably lived in the early 500s. We don't know a lot about his life, but he was seen as a very important ancestor for many royal families in the "Old North" of Britain, a place called Hen Ogledd. Think of him like a founding father for several kingly lines! He's a bit like another mysterious figure, Coel Hen, who is also believed to have started many northern royal families.

Dyfnwal's Family Tree

Dyfnwal Hen was a key figure in the history of the ancient kingdom of Alt Clut. Learning about his family helps us understand how different royal lines in the north of Britain were connected.

His Parents and Grandparents

According to old records called the Harleian genealogies, Dyfnwal was the son of a king named Cinuit. Cinuit was the son of Ceretic Guletic. It's likely that Cinuit and Ceretic were kings of Alt Clut before Dyfnwal. These records help us trace his family back through history.

Dyfnwal's Children and Their Kingdoms

The Harleian genealogies also tell us about three of Dyfnwal's sons. Each of these sons started their own important royal family:

• Clinoch: He became king of Alt Clut after his father, Dyfnwal.
• Guipno: His son, Neithon, later became a king.
• Cynfelyn: He became a king in a place called Eidyn, which is now known as Edinburgh.

Another Look at His Family

Another old family record, called the Bonedd Gwŷr y Gogledd, gives a slightly different story about Dyfnwal's family. In this record, it says he was the son of Idnyued and the grandson of Maxen Wledig. Maxen Wledig is better known as the Roman usurper Magnus Maximus, a powerful Roman leader.

This second record agrees with the Harleian genealogies that Dyfnwal was the great-grandfather of Rhydderch Hael. Rhydderch Hael was another important king of Alt Clut who lived later. However, the Bonedd changes some of Dyfnwal's other descendants. For example, a person named Gwyddno is mentioned, but he is listed as Dyfnwal's great-grandson, not his son. This Gwyddno is specifically identified as Gwyddno Garanhir, a famous figure from the legends of Taliesin. There's also a confusing part that suggests Dyfnwal was an ancestor to the family of Áedán mac Gabráin. Áedán was a ruler in the 500s of a Gaelic kingdom called Dál Riata.