Elisedd ap Cyngen facts for kids
Elisedd ap Cyngen
Elisedd ap Cyngen was a Welsh prince from the Kingdom of Powys. He was the son of Cyngen ap Cadell, who was the last king of Powys from the Gwertherion family line. This family claimed to be descendants of a famous leader named Vortigern.
Contents
A Royal Family in Powys
The End of a Dynasty
Elisedd's father, Cyngen, was the last king of Powys from his family. Cyngen traveled to Rome and died there in the year 855. He had left Powys because of conflicts with the powerful Kingdom of Gwynedd.
A New Ruler for Wales
Cyngen had a sister named Nest ferch Cadell. She married Merfyn Frych, who was a ruler from Gwynedd. Nest and Merfyn had a son named Rhodri Mawr. Rhodri Mawr later became a very important ruler. He managed to unite much of Wales under his control.
Who Was Elisedd's Father?
Historians have wondered about Elisedd's family tree. Some believe that Cyngen ap Cadell, the last king, did not have any sons. They suggest that Elisedd and his brothers, Aeddan and Gryffydd, were actually the sons of a different Cyngen. This other Cyngen was a great-uncle to the king. This idea helps explain how a male line of princes continued in Powys even after the main royal line ended with King Cyngen. It also makes it clearer how the rule of Powys passed to the Gwynedd family through Nest.
Challenges and Claims
A Brother's Conflict
Old records from Wales, called the Annales Cambriae, mention a sad event. In 814, it is written that "Gruffydd son of Cyngen is killed by treachery by his brother Elisedd after an interval of two months." This might mean that Gruffydd was the oldest son. If so, Elisedd might have taken his lands and titles after this event. However, this is just a guess based on the old records.
Tracing Family Lines
Many years later, between 1586 and 1613, a special visitor named Lewys Dwnn traveled through Wales. He was a herald, which means he recorded the family histories and titles of important families. Many leading families in Powys claimed to be related to the old princes through Cyngen's children.
Lewys Dwnn wrote down these family trees. Most of them were similar, showing that different families agreed on their history. However, historians today believe these family trees might not be perfectly accurate. There seem to be too few generations listed between the 9th and 15th centuries for them to be correct.
Lands and Titles
The family line connected to Elisedd was often called "Lord of Guilsfield, Broniarth and Deytheur." This title was first used by Cyngen, according to Welsh historical writings. It is thought that Elisedd's family might have inherited control of these lands from Cyngen. They kept these lands as the last local inheritance from the princes of Powys. However, they lost control of them after a big rebellion led by Owain Glyndŵr failed.
Today, the title for the Broniarth area is held by Lord Harlech. The title for the Guilsfield area is held by the Earl of Powis.
See also
- Kings of Wales family trees
