Morgannwg was a medieval Welsh kingdom formed via the merger of the kingdoms of the Kingdom of

Glywysing Glywysing was, from the sub-Roman period to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribe of the Silures, and frequently in union with Gwent, merging to form Morgannwg. Name and ...

and the

Kingdom of Gwent Gwent ( owl, Guent) was a medieval Welsh kingdom, lying between the Rivers Wye and Usk. It existed from the end of Roman rule in Britain in about the 5th century until the Norman invasion of Wales in the 11th century. Along with its neighbou ...

Formation of Morgannwg

First under King

Morgan the Generous __NOTOC__ Morgan ap Athrwys or Morgan Mwynfawr ('Morgan the Generous'; fl. ) was a king of Gwent and Glywysing (i.e., Morgannwg) in southeast Wales. He was the grandson of Meurig ap Tewdrig and the son of Athrwys ap Meurig. Reign Morgan was the ...

(fl. ) until the end of the reign of his descendant Ithel (d. c. 745), and later again under King

Morgan the Old Morgan Hen ab Owain or Morgan the Old (died 974), first known as Morgan ab Owain of Gwent and also known as Moragn Hen Fawr, was the king of Morgannwg. He ruled from AD 942 to 974. In 931, Morgan was one of the Welsh rulers who submitted to Athel ...

(r. 942-74), the kingdom merged with Gwent and changed its name to Morgannwg or Gwlad Morgan in honour of the Morgan Kings.Ashley, Mike (1998) ''The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens '' (Carol & Graf)Lloyd, John E. ''A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest'', Vol. 1
p. 274
Longmans, Green, & Co. (London), 1911. Accessed 22 Feb 2013. During such unions Glywysing and Gwent seem to have been together or occasional sub-kingdoms or principalities of the Kingdom of Morgannwg. After the death of Morgan the Old, Gwent and Glywysing were separated again from 974 to 1055, but Glywysing alone was often referred to as Morgannwg. Both areas were conquered by

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Gruffydd ap Llywelyn ( 5 August 1063) was King of Wales from 1055 to 1063. He had previously been King of Gwynedd and Powys in 1039. He was the son of King Llywelyn ap Seisyll and Angharad daughter of Maredudd ab Owain, and the great-gre ...

in about 1055, subsequently

King of Wales King of Wales was a rarely used title, because Wales, much like Ireland, rarely achieved a degree of political unity like that of England or Scotland during the Middle Ages. While many different leaders in Wales claimed the title of "King of Wale ...

, but on Gruffydd's death in 1063, Glywysing was regained by the native lineage under

Caradog ap Gruffudd Caradog ap Gruffydd (died 1081) was a Prince of Gwent in south-east Wales in the time of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn and the Norman conquest, who reunified his family's inheritance of Morgannwg and made repeated attempts to reunite southern Wales by c ...

. Morgannwg, the union between Gwent and Glywysing, was reconstituted. How this occurred is unclear; possibly the Kings of Glywysing were also Kings of Morgannwg and the Kings of Gwent were semi-independent under-Kings, or vice versa.

Norman conquest

With Gwent increasingly overrun by the

Norman conquest of Wales The Norman invasion of Wales began shortly after the Norman conquest of England under William the Conqueror, who believed England to be his birthright. Initially (1067–1081), the invasion of Wales was not undertaken with the fervour and purpose ...

, the last native King of Morgannwyg and Glywysing was

Iestyn ap Gwrgan Iestyn ap Gwrgant (or Jestyn ap Gwrgant) ( eng, Iestyn, son of Gwrgant) (1014 – 1093) was the last ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Morgannwg, which encompassed the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. Lineage Iestyn ap Gwrgant was the l ...

(1081–1090), who was subsequently deposed by

Robert Fitzhamon Robert Fitzhamon (died March 1107), or Robert FitzHamon (literally, 'Robert, son of Hamon'), Seigneur de Creully in the Calvados region and Torigny in the Manche region of Normandy, was the first Norman feudal baron of Gloucester and the Nor ...

. Iestyn's sons became Lords of Afan, while Owain ap Caradog ap Gruffudd contented himself with

Gwynllwg Gwynllŵg was a kingdom of mediaeval Wales and later a Norman lordship and then a cantref. Location It was named after Gwynllyw, its 5th century or 6th century ruler and consisted of the coastal plain stretching between the Rhymney and Usk ...

and founded the line of the Lords of

Caerleon Caerleon (; cy, Caerllion) is a town and community in Newport, Wales. Situated on the River Usk, it lies northeast of Newport city centre, and southeast of Cwmbran. Caerleon is of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman ...

. The name ''Morgannwg'' is still used in Wales for the former

Marcher Lordship A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in ...

and county of

Glamorgan , HQ = Cardiff , Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974) , Origin= , Code = GLA , CodeName = Chapman code , Replace = * West Glamorgan * Mid Glamorgan * South Glamorgan , Motto ...

(itself a corruption of the term ''Gwlad Morgan'') and its successor counties

List of rulers

The kingdom of Morgannwg was formed by the union of the kingdoms of Morgannwg and Gwent. Over time, in a few instances, the kingdoms were separate and independent.

Glywysing

* Eugenius, son of

Magnus Maximus Magnus Maximus (; cy, Macsen Wledig ; died 8 August 388) was Roman emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 383 to 388. He usurped the throne from emperor Gratian in 383 through negotiation with emperor Theodosius I. He was made emperor in B ...

* Marius, son of Eugenius * Solar, son of Marius *

Glywys Glywys is a legendary early 5th century Welsh king, an important character in early Welsh genealogies as the eponymous founder king of Glywysing, a southeast Welsh kingdom whose heartland lay between the Tawe and the Usk. In one genealogy Glywys ...

, son of Solar (c. 470–c. 480), who gave his name to the kingdom **

Gwynllyw Gwynllyw Filwr or Gwynllyw Farfog (), known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded ( la, Gundleus, Gundleius or Gwenleue; 450 – 500 AD) was a Welsh king and religious figure. He was King of Gwynllwg in South ...

, son of Glywys, ruler of

(c. 480–523), cantref of Glywysing ** Pawl, son of Glywys, ruler of

Penychen Penychen was a possible minor kingdom of early medieval Wales and later a cantref of the Kingdom of Morgannwg. Penychen was one of three cantrefi that made up the kingdom of Glywysing, lying between the rivers Taff and Thaw, the other two being G ...

(c. 480–540), cantref of Glywysing ** Mechwyn, son of Glywys, ruler of

Gorfynydd Glywysing was, from the sub-Roman period to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribe of the Silures, and frequently in union with Gwent, merging to form Morgannwg. Name a ...

(c. 480–c.500), cantref of Glywysing *

Cadoc Saint Cadoc or Cadog ( lat-med, Cadocus; also Modern Welsh: Cattwg; born or before) was a 5th–6th-century Abbot of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales, a monastery famous from the era of the British church as a centre of learni ...

, son of Gwynllyw, ruler of Gwynllwg (523–580) and Penychen (540–580), died without heirs ''Glywysing is ruled by the Kings of Gwent until Rhys ap Ithel'' * Rhys ap Ithel/

Rhys ab Idwal Rhys or Rhŷs is a popular Welsh given name (usually male) that is famous in Welsh history and is also used as a surname. It originates from Deheubarth, an old region of South West Wales, with famous kings such as Rhys ap Tewdwr. It is pronounc ...

, son of the Kings of Gwent (c. 755–785), with brothers,

Rhodri Rhodri is a male first name of Welsh origin. It is derived from the elements ''rhod'' "wheel" and ''rhi'' "king". It may refer to the following people: *Rhodri Molwynog ap Idwal (690–754), Welsh king of Gwynedd (720—754) * Rhodri Mawr ap ...

and Meurig *

Arthfael Hen ap Rhys Arthfael Hen ap Rhys, also called Arthfael the Old, was the king of the Kingdom of Glywysing (in modern-day Wales) between 785 and approximately 825 AD. History Arthfael was the second son of Gweirydd ap Brochfael and a descendant of Saint Tewd ...

(Arthfael the Old) (785–c. 825) with Brochfael ap Rhys * Rhys ap Arthfael, (c. 830–c. 840) * Hywel ap Rhys, (c. 840–886) * Owain ap Hywel (886–) **

Gruffydd ab Owain Gruffydd ab Owain (died ) was a joint king of Glywysing in Wales along with his brother Cadwgan. His other brother Morgan ruled in Gwent. His death was recorded in the ''Annals of Wales''.The Annals of Wales The (Latin for ''Annals of Wale ...

(–934) King of Gower ** Cadwgan ab Owain (–950) King of West Glywysing * Morgan the Old ( Morgan Hen or Morgan ab Owain or Moragn Hen Fawr) (930–974) ''united the former kingdoms of Gwent and

in 942 under the name of Morgannwg, but they were broken up again immediately after his death, remaining separate until about 1055'' * Morgan the Old's son, Owain ap Morgan (974–c. 983) * brothers of Owain ap Morgan (Idwallon, Hywel and Cadell) (dates unknown) * his son, Rhys ab Owain (c. 990–c. 1000) ''who ruled Glywysing jointly with his brothers'' * Ithel the Black, son Idwallon (990) **

Hywel ab Owain Hywel ab Owain was a Welsh king of a part of Glywysing Glywysing was, from the sub-Roman period to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribe of the Silures, and frequently in ...

(c. 990–c. 1043) ''and'' ** Iestyn ab Owain (c. 990–c. 1015) * his son,

Rhydderch ap Iestyn Rhydderch ap Iestyn (died 1033) was king of Gwent and Morgannwg in south Wales and later took over the kingdom of Deheubarth and controlled Powys. Comparatively little has been recorded about Rhydderch ab Iestyn in the annals. He appears to have o ...

(c. 1015–1033) * his son,

Gruffydd ap Rhydderch Gruffydd ap Rhydderch (d. AD 1055) was a king of Gwent and part of the kingdom of Morgannwg in south Wales and later king of Deheubarth. Gruffydd was the son of Rhydderch ab Iestyn who had been able to take over the kingdom of Deheubarth from 1 ...

(1033–1055) * Gwrgant ab Ithel the Black (1033 - 1070) *

, invader and prince of Gwynedd (1055–1063) * Gruffydd ap Rhydderch's son,

Caradog ap Gruffydd Caradog ap Gruffydd (died 1081) was a Prince of Gwent in south-east Wales in the time of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn and the Norman conquest, who reunified his family's inheritance of Morgannwg and made repeated attempts to reunite southern Wales ...

(1063–1081) ''who was a subject of the King of Gwent and King of Morgannwg

Cadwgan ap Meurig Cadwgan ap Meurig (fl. 1045 – 1074) was a medieval Welsh ruler who reigned over the petty kingdoms of Gwent and Morgannwg in the tumultuous years of dynastic struggle leading up to the Norman invasion of Wales. The chronicler Orderic Vital ...

before he deposed him and took the kingdom for himself'' * Iestyn ap Gwrgan(t) (1081–1091) ''Iestyn was the last ruler of an independent Morgannwg, which was thereafter in the possession of the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...

and became the lordship of

Gwent

* Anwn Ddu (the same person as ruled Dyfed at this time). Welsh legend claims he was appointed by

, who later became Roman Emperor (and hence referred to in Welsh as ''Macsen Wledig'' - ''Maximus the Emperor''). Some genealogies claim him to be Magnus' son. His realm was divided upon his death between his sons Edynfed and Tudwal. ; in Caer-Went * Edynfed ap Anwn - also ruler of Dyfed * ap Ednyfed, and his wife - St

Madrun Saint Materiana is a Welsh saint, patron of two churches in Cornwall and one in Wales. Alternative spellings are Madrun and Madryn. The name was corrupted to "Marcelliana" in medieval times. Another spelling of her name sometimes used is "Mertheri ...

ferch Gwerthefyr (Welsh rendering of ''Honorius'') * Iddon ap Ynyr (480 - 490) * Caradog (Strongarm) * Meurig ap Caradog and his wife - Dyfwn ferch

* Erbic ap Meurig ? ; in Caer-Leon * Tudwal ap Anwn * Teithrin ap Tudwal * Teithfallt ap Teithrin (Welsh rendering of ''Theudebald'') *

Tewdrig Tewdrig ap Teithfallt (; la, Theodoricus), known simply as Tewdrig, was a king of the post-Roman Kingdom of Glywysing. He abdicated in favour of his son Meurig (Maurice) and retired to live a hermitical life, but was recalled to lead his son ...

, son of Teithfallt (490 – 493/517) (Welsh rendering of ''Theodoric''). Traditionally, Tewdrig had a daughter - Marchell verch Tewdrig - for whom he carved out

Brycheiniog Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans be ...

as a dowry. *

Meurig ap Tewdrig Meurig ap Tewdrig (Latin: ''Mauricius''; English: ''Maurice'') was the son of Tewdrig (St. Tewdric), and a King of the early Welsh Kingdoms of Gwent and Glywysing. He is thought to have lived between 400AD and 600AD, but some sources give more spec ...

King of Gwent (493/517 – 530–540) *

Athrwys ap Meurig Athrwys ap Meurig (c. 605–655) was a prince, and possibly king, of Gwent and Glywysing in Wales. He was the son of King Meurig ap Tewdrig and the father of the later king Morgan ab Athrwys. It is possible he died before his father Meurig and d ...

King of Gwent (530–540 - 573) * Frioc ap Meurig, with Idnerth ap Meurig ? * Ithel ap Athrwys * Morgan the Great ? * Morgan the Courteous and Benefactor ? (-654) * Anthres ap Morcant ? (654-663) *

(-730) *

Ithel ap Morgan Ithel or Idwal ap Morgan was a king of Gwent and Glywysing (i.e., Morgannwg) in southeastern Wales. His father was Morgan the Generous, the probable namesake of the later realm of Morgannwg (whence modern Glamorgan).Lloyd, John E. ''A History ...

(710/715 - 735/740/745/755) *

Ffernfael ab Idwal Ffernfael ab Idwal or Ithel (died ) was a late 8th-century king of Gwent in southeast Wales. His name seems to mean "strong ankles".Todd, James H. & al. (trans.) ''Leabhar breathnach annso sis'': the Irish version of the ''Historia Britonum'' ...

(-774/777) * Athrwys ap Ffernfael (774-810) * Idwallon ap Gwrgant (810-842) *

Ithel ap Hywel Ithel or Idwal ap Hywel (died ) was a king of Gwent in southeastern medieval Wales. He was called king of Gwent and Morgannwg (i.e., Glywysing) by the Chronicle of the Princes.''Archæologia Cambrensis'', Vol. X, 3rd Series. "Chronicle of the Pr ...

or ap Athrwys ?(842-848) * Meurig ap Hywel or ap Ithel ? (848-849) *

Meurig ap Arthfael Hen Meurig is a Welsh name of Brittonic origin and may refer to: *Meurig ap Tewdrig (, the son of Tewdrig (St. Tewdrig), and a king of the early Welsh kingdoms of Gwent and Glywysing *Meurig ap Idnerth, king of Buellt, a Welsh kingdom from c. 510 to 54 ...

(849-874) *

Ffernfael ap Meurig Ffernfael ap Meurig ( owl, Fernmail map Meuric; Modern cy, Ffernfael ap Meurig; fl. c. 880) was a 9th-century king of Gwent in southeast Wales. He ruled jointly with his brother Brochfael. Asser Asser (; ; died 909) was a Welsh monk fr ...

(874-880) * Brochfael ap Meurig (880-920) * Arthfael ap Hywel (-916/927) * Owain ap Hywel (920-930) * Cadell ap Arthfael (930-940/943) *

, Morgan Hen or Morgan ab Owain or Morgan Hen Fawr (940/943–955) ''united the former kingdoms of Gwent and

in 942 under the name of Morgannwg but they were broken up again immediately after his death and remained separate until about 1055'' ** Nowy ap Gwriad ap Brochfael ap Rhodri ap Arthfael Hen ''ruled Gwent'' (c. 950–c. 970) ''while Glywysing was ruled jointly by brothers of Owain ap Morgan (dates unknown), probably under Morgan the Old'' * his son, Arthfael ap Nowy (about 970–983) * his cousin, Rhodri ap Elisedd (983–c. 1015) ''who ruled jointly with his brother,'' *

Gruffydd ap Elisedd Gruffudd or Gruffydd ( or , in either case) is a Welsh name, originating in Old Welsh as a given name and today used as both a given and surname. It is the origin of the Anglicised name '' Griffith[s]'', and was historically sometimes tre ...

(983–c. 1015) * his cousin (?)

Edwyn ap Gwriad Edwyn ap Gwriad was a Welsh king of Gwent from 1015 to 1045. He was imprisoned and blinded by his successor, Meurig ap Hywel, the son of Hywel ab Owain. The Anglo-Saxon name "Edwyn" along with Gwent's proximity to the English marches In med ...

(1015–1045) * Hywel ab Owain's son, Meurig ap Hywel (1045–1055) ''who ruled jointly with'' * his son,

(1045–1055) *

, invader and prince of Gwynedd (1055–1063) *

(1063–1074) ''who was also King of Morgannwg, ruling Glywysing through'' * Gruffydd ap Rhydderch's son,

(1075–1081) ''who seized Gwent and the Kingdom of Morgannwg'' * Iestyn ap Gwrgan(t) (1081–1091) ''Iestyn was the last ruler of an independent Morgannwg, which was thereafter in the possession of the

and became the lordship of

'' * Owain ap Caradog (1081-1113/1116)

References

{{Welsh kingdoms History of Glamorgan History of Monmouthshire