Rhodri the Great
Encyclopedia
Rhodri the Great (c. 820 – 878) was King of Gwynedd from 844 until his death. He was the first Welsh
ruler to be called 'Great', and the first to rule most of present-day Wales. He is referred to as "King of the Britons
" by the Annals of Ulster
. In some later histories, he is referred to as "King of Wales
" but he did not rule all of Wales nor was this term used contemporaneously to describe him.
, and Nest ferch Cadell
of the Royal line of Powys, he inherited the Kingdom of Gwynedd
on his father's death in 844.
When his maternal uncle Cyngen ap Cadell
ruler of Powys
died on a pilgrimage
to Rome
in 855 Rhodri inherited Powys. In 872 Gwgon, ruler of Seisyllwg in southern Wales, was accidentally drowned, and Rhodri added his Kingdom to his domains by virtue
of his marriage to Angharad of Seisyllwg, Gwgon's sister and heiress. These peaceful inheritances made him the ruler of the larger part of Wales.
and increasingly from the Danes, who were recorded as ravaging Anglesey
in 854. In 856 Rhodri won a notable victory over the Danes, killing their leader Gorm
(sometimes given as Horm).
In 876 Rhodri fought another battle against the Norse invaders on Anglesey, after which he had to flee to Ireland
.
, though the precise manner of his death is unknown. When his son, Anarawd ap Rhodri
won a victory over the Mercians a few years later, it was hailed in the annals as "God's vengeance for Rhodri".
His heir, Anarawd ap Rhodri
, who became the king of Gwynedd
;
His son Cadell ap Rhodri
, who conquered Dyfed
, which was later joined with Seisyllwg by Rhodri's grandson Hywel Dda
to become Deheubarth. Like his grandfather, Hywel would come to rule most of Wales; and
His son Merfyn ap Rhodri
, who became the king of Powys.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
ruler to be called 'Great', and the first to rule most of present-day Wales. He is referred to as "King of the Britons
King of the Britons
The Britons or Brythons were the Celtic-speaking people of what is now England, Wales and southern Scotland, whose ethnic identity is today maintained by the Welsh, Cornish and Bretons...
" by the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
. In some later histories, he is referred to as "King of Wales
King of Wales
King of Wales was a very rarely used title, because Wales never achieved the degree of political unity that England or Scotland did. However, in the mid-11th century, one of the Welsh kings, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, gained supreme power: "in 1055 he absorbed Deheubarth as well, thus becoming in...
" but he did not rule all of Wales nor was this term used contemporaneously to describe him.
Lineage and inheritance
The son of Merfyn Frych, King of GwyneddKingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
, and Nest ferch Cadell
Nest ferch Cadell
Nest ferch Cadell was the daughter of Cadell ap Brochfael a late 8th century King of Powys, wife of Merfyn Frych King of Gwynedd and mother to Rhodri the Great, King of both Powys and Gwynedd....
of the Royal line of Powys, he inherited the Kingdom of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
on his father's death in 844.
When his maternal uncle Cyngen ap Cadell
Cyngen ap Cadell
Cyngen ap Cadell was a king of Powys in eastern Wales.-Biography:Cyngen was of the line of Brochwel Ysgithrog and after a long reign as king of Powys went on a pilgrimage to Rome and died there in 855...
ruler of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
died on a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 855 Rhodri inherited Powys. In 872 Gwgon, ruler of Seisyllwg in southern Wales, was accidentally drowned, and Rhodri added his Kingdom to his domains by virtue
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
of his marriage to Angharad of Seisyllwg, Gwgon's sister and heiress. These peaceful inheritances made him the ruler of the larger part of Wales.
Resistance against Danes
Rhodri faced pressure both from the EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and increasingly from the Danes, who were recorded as ravaging Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
in 854. In 856 Rhodri won a notable victory over the Danes, killing their leader Gorm
Gorm
Gorm may refer to:* Gorm the Old, a Danish king* Gorm , a rapid application development tool* Gorm, Grails object-relational mapping* Gorm, a character from Galidor...
(sometimes given as Horm).
In 876 Rhodri fought another battle against the Norse invaders on Anglesey, after which he had to flee to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Defeat and death
On his return the following year, he and his son Gwriad were said to have been killed by the English under Alfred the GreatAlfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, though the precise manner of his death is unknown. When his son, Anarawd ap Rhodri
Anarawd ap Rhodri
Anarawd ap Rhodri was a King of Gwynedd, also referred to as "King of the Britons" by the Annales Cambriae.Anarawd's father Rhodri the Great had eventually become ruler of most of Wales, but on his death in 878 his kingdom was shared out between his sons, with Anarawd inheriting the throne of...
won a victory over the Mercians a few years later, it was hailed in the annals as "God's vengeance for Rhodri".
Succession
Rhodri died leaving three sons:His heir, Anarawd ap Rhodri
Anarawd ap Rhodri
Anarawd ap Rhodri was a King of Gwynedd, also referred to as "King of the Britons" by the Annales Cambriae.Anarawd's father Rhodri the Great had eventually become ruler of most of Wales, but on his death in 878 his kingdom was shared out between his sons, with Anarawd inheriting the throne of...
, who became the king of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
;
His son Cadell ap Rhodri
Cadell ap Rhodri
Cadell ap Rhodri was the son of Rhodri Mawr . He inherited the kingdom of Seisyllwg from his mother Angharad of Seisyllwg in 878, and passed it to his son, Hywel Dda , on his death in 909. Cadell and Hywel had previously conquered Dyfed in 904/905, establishing Hywel as the king in that region...
, who conquered Dyfed
Dyfed
Dyfed is a preserved county of Wales. It was created on 1 April 1974 under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972, and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality of Deheubarth, although excluding the Gower Peninsula and the area west of the River Tawe...
, which was later joined with Seisyllwg by Rhodri's grandson Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda , was the well-thought-of king of Deheubarth in south-west Wales, who eventually came to rule Wales from Prestatyn to Pembroke. As a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, through his father Cadell, Hywel was a member of the Dinefwr branch of the dynasty and is also named Hywel ap Cadell...
to become Deheubarth. Like his grandfather, Hywel would come to rule most of Wales; and
His son Merfyn ap Rhodri
Merfyn ap Rhodri
Merfyn ap Rhodri was a late 9th century King of Powys.Upon the death of his father, Rhodri the Great in 878, Merfyn inherited the Kingdom of Powys. Merfyn's 2 brothers Anarawd ap Rhodri, and Cadell ap Rhodri received the Kingdoms of Gwynedd and Seisyllwg.- References :...
, who became the king of Powys.