Triffyn ap Rhain facts for kids
Triffyn son of Rhain (also known as Triffyn ap Rhain) was a king of Dyfed. He lived in the late 700s and early 800s, dying around the year 814. Dyfed was an ancient kingdom located in what is now Wales.
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Triffyn's Life and Reign
Triffyn was the son of Rhain ap Maredudd. When his father died, Triffyn did not become king right away. Instead, his uncle, Owain, took the throne. After Owain's rule, Triffyn became the king of Dyfed.
Dyfed After Triffyn
Not much is known about Dyfed immediately after Triffyn's time. We know more about the kingdom later, when a ruler named Hyfaidd asked Alfred the Great, the King of Wessex, for help. This happened in the 880s. Hyfaidd needed help because he was facing challenges from Cadell, who was a son of the powerful Welsh king Rhodri the Great.
It is thought that the kingdom of Dyfed faced tough times around 818. It might have been weakened by Coenwulf of Mercia, a powerful English king. Some historians also believe that the kingdom may have come under the control of Vikings during this period.
Triffyn's Family Line
Many old family records show that important people in later Welsh history were related to Triffyn.
Cadifor and the Norman Conquest
One of Triffyn's descendants was a man named Cadifor ap Collwyn. He was known as a Lord of Dyfed and was part of the kingdom of Deheubarth, which was ruled by Rhys ap Tewdwr.
When Cadifor died, his sons rebelled against Rhys. This caused problems for Rhys's kingdom and made it weaker. This weakening of the kingdom helped set the stage for the Norman Conquest of South Wales, when Norman invaders took control of parts of Wales.
Einion ap Collwyn
Stories from the 1500s, like those told by John Leland, say that Cadifor had a brother named Einion ap Collwyn. Einion is believed to have played a key role in the Norman Conquest of Glamorgan, another area in Wales.
