Meurig ap Tewdrig (Latin: ''Mauricius''; English: ''Maurice'') was the son of

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 ...

(St. Tewdric), and a

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

of the early Welsh Kingdoms of Gwent and

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 ...

. He is thought to have lived between 400AD and 600AD, but some sources give more specific dates of c.596 - c.665. Meurig took over the Gwent throne upon his father's abdication in the early 7th century. According to tradition, Tewdric became a hermit at

Tintern Tintern ( cy, Tyndyrn) is a village in the community of Wye Valley, on the west bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, close to the border with England, about north of Chepstow. It is popular with tourists, in particular for the scenery ...

, but later came to the assistance of Meurig, and they repelled the invading

Saxons The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

in a battle at Pont y Saeson (Bridge of the Saxons). Meurig reunited his kingdom with Ergyng (Archenfield) by marrying Onbrawst, the daughter of King Gwrgan Fawr (the Great) of that kingdom. He is said to have been a great patron of

Llandaff Cathedral Llandaff Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf) is an Anglican cathedral and parish church in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales. It is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, head of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff. It is dedicated to Saint Peter ...

where he was eventually buried. He was the father of Athrwys ap Meurig who, it has been postulated, was the real

King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as ...

who drove out the invading

. Some researchers claim that Meurig used the title "Uther Pendragon", which translates as "fearsome chief warrior". Athrwys is believed to have pre-deceased Meurig, who was succeeded by his grandson, Morgan Mwynfawr.

References

{{Reflist Monarchs of Gwent