Selyf ap Cynan or Selyf Sarffgadau (died 616) appears in

Old Welsh Old Welsh () is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic around 550, ha ...

genealogies as an early 7th-century King of Powys, the son of

Cynan Garwyn Cynan Garwyn was king of Powys in the north-east and east of Wales, who flourished in the second half of the 6th century. Little reliable information exists which can be used to reconstruct the background and career of the historical figure. Availa ...

. His name is a Welsh form of

Solomon Solomon (), also called Jedidiah, was the fourth monarch of the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), Kingdom of Israel and Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible. The successor of his father David, he is described as having been the penultimate ...

, appearing in the oldest genealogies as Selim. He reputedly bore the nickname Sarffgadau, meaning battle-serpent. According to the ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin� ...

'' and the ''Annals of Wales'', in 616 he died at the Battle of Chester, fighting against

Æthelfrith of Northumbria Æthelfrith (died ) was King of Bernicia from c. 593 until his death around 616 AD at the Battle of the River Idle. He became the first Bernician king to also rule the neighboring land of Deira, giving him an important place in the developme ...

. The

entitle him

King of the Britons The title King of the Britons (, ) was used (often retrospectively) to refer to a ruler, especially one who might be regarded as the most powerful, among the Celtic Britons, both before and after the period of Roman Britain up until the Norman ...

, perhaps because he led a combined force from more than one Brythonic kingdom at that battle against the

Northumbrians Northumbria () was an early medieval Heptarchy, kingdom in what is now Northern England and Scottish Lowlands, South Scotland. The name derives from the Old English meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", as opposed to the Sout ...

. In Jesus College MS 18, Selyf is identified as father of Beli and subsequently ancestor of the later kings of Powys; in other genealogies, he is father of an Eiludd ap Selyf, and in another, he is identified as grandfather of a Beli ap Mael Myngan ap Selyf. Breneu Powys, or the Privileges of Powys, by Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr, the court poet of the major Kingdoms of Wales at the time, refers to Selyf's descendants as serpents of battle, most likely in reference to the Mathrafal dynasty, which ruled Powys at the time. This suggests that Eiludd, who is most commonly identified as progenitor of the continuation of the House of Gwerthrynion, was likely to have been a son of Selyf.

References

* Kari Maund (2000) ''The Welsh Kings: The Medieval Rulers of Wales'' (Tempus) *Jesus College Ms.18

External links

* 6th-century births 616 deaths Monarchs of Powys House of Gwertherion 7th-century Welsh monarchs {{Wales-bio-stub