Bleddyn ap Cynfyn ap Gwerystan, king of Gwynedd and Powys
Events
Date of Birth: about 1025-1030.
This estimated date is given by Davies (p. 12). In Bartrum's generational dating scheme (EVWG “Early Series [47]”), he is given a birth date of about 1000.
Date of Death: 1075.
This date is given by Pryce (ODNB). The death is recorded in Brut y Tywysogion s.a. 1073 and in Annales Cambriæ s.a. 1073.
Relationships
Father: Cynfyn ap Gwerystan.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [47]”) and given by Pryce (ODNB). It is recorded in Brut y Tywysogion and Annales Cambriæ.
Mother: Angharad ferch Maredudd ab Owain.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [47]”) and given by Pryce (ODNB). Thornton (pp. 569-570) states that this genealogical connection is not beyond suspicion, but probably historical.
Spouse: unknown (1).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 1”).
Spouse: Haer ferch Cillin y Blaidd Rudd.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 1”).
Spouse: a daughter of Brochwel.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 1”).
Spouse: unknown (2).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 1”).
Children (by unknown 1):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Most information below comes from Bartrum.)
Madog (died 1088).
Rhirid (died 1088) married Afandrech ferch Gollwyn ap Tangno.
Children (by Haer):
Maredudd (died 1132) married (1) Hunydd ferch Einudd; married (2) Cristin ferch Bledrus.
Children (by a daughter of Brochwel):
Iorwerth (died 1111).
Children (by unknown 2):
Cadwgon (died 1111) married (1) Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan; married (2) Euron ferch Hoedlyw; married (3) Ellyw ferch Cydifor Fawr; married (4) a daughter of Picot de Sai; married (5) Sanan ferch Dyfnwal.
Llywarch married Rhael ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan.
Children (mother unknown):
Hunydd married Rhydderch ap Tewdwr.
Gwenllian married Caradog ap Gruffudd. Davies (p. 12) thinks Gwenllian may have been Bleddyn's oldest child.
Denis married Iestyn ap Gwrgan.
Efa married Llywelyn Eurdorchog.
References
Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 23 May 2014).
Bartrum, Peter C (ed.) Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968).
The sources Bartrum gives for Maredudd are:
Mostyn MS. 117. -- a MS from the late 1200s.
3. “Madawc mab Maredud m. Bledyn m. Kynuyn m. Gwerstan m. Gwyn m. Gweithuoet m. Gwinnan …”
Jesus College MS. 20 -- (dated to the first part of the 14th century):
27. “Rees gryc mab merch Madawc m. Meredud m. Bledynt [m.] Kynwyn m. Gwedystan…”
Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru (probably based on 15th century MSS):
1. (b): “Mam Llywelyn ap Iorwerth: Marvred verch Madawg ap Meredydd ap Bleddin ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gwaithuoed ap Gwrhydr…”
(e): “Mam Vleddyn ap Kynvyn, Yngharad verch Veredydd ap Owain ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rodri Mawr…”
7. (k): “Plant Maredudd ap Ewein: Katwallawn ag Angharat mam Ruffudd ap Llewelyn ap Seisill, a mam Vleddyn ap Kynfyn, a mam Rriwallon ap Kynvyn ac Ewerydd.”
8. (b): “Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn. I vam oedd Haer verch Gillyn (ap) y Blaidd Rrudd or Gest yn Evionydd”;
(c.): “Iorwerth ap Bleddyn ap Kynnvyn. I vam oedd verch Brochwel ap Moelyn o Dwrkelyn yMon.”
(f): “Madoc ap Mredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn, a Gruffydd a Howel i ddav broder. Hvnvdd verch Einvdd ap Gwenllian verch Rys ap Marchan yw mam”;
(g): “Gwenwynwyn ap Ywain Kyveilioc ap Gruffudd ap Meredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gweithfoet ap Gwny …”
(h): “Iorwerth goch ap Meredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn. I vam oedd gristin verch Bletrus ap Ednywain benndew ap Miniad ap Gwaithvoed ap Gwrydr.”
and other sections of (8).
12. “ Gruffudd Maelor ac Ywain vychan ac Elisse plant Madoc ap Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gweithfoet ap Gwledden ap Gwrydyr ap Karadawg...Beli mawr. I mam oedd Susan verch Gruffudd ap Kynan.”
Brut y Tywysogion (27 f)
Bartrum, Peter C.,“Early Series [47]” and “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 1” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
The source Bartrum cites for Bleddyn is his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts.
Guy, Ben. Medieval Welsh Genealogy. (The Boydell Press, 2020).
From Guy’s critical edition of the Llywelyn ab Iorwerth genealogies, which were based on an archetype created no later than the first half of the fourteenth century from an original compilation dating to the early thirteenth century, partly based on earlier written sources (Note that Guy is striving for textual rather than genealogical accuracy):
11.1.1 Mam Llewelyn: Mararet ferch Madawg m. Maredudd m. Bledyn m. Kynfyn m. Gwerystan ...
11.1.3. Mam Faredyd ap Bledyn oed <Hyar> ferch Vleid Rud
11.1.4 Mam Vledyn ap Kynfyn: Angharat ferch Maredyd ap Ywein ap Hywel Da ap Kadell ap Rodri Mawr ap Merfyn Vrych a[p] Gwryat ...
A 3 Plant Bledyn ap Kynfyn:
A 3.1 Madawg a Ryrit, un fam un dat oedynt, ag yngweith Penllechren yn Deheubarth y lladawd gwyr Rys ap Tewdwr wynt eill dau.
A 3.2 Maredud ap Bledyn, a Hyar ferch Kellin <y Blaidd Rhudd> y fam.
A 3.3 Iorwerth ap Bledyn: merch <Brochwel> ap Moelyn o Dwrkelyn y fam.
A 3.4 Llywarch ap Bledyn a Cadwgon ap Bledyn, tad Ewein ap Kadwgon a that Madawg ap Kadwgon.
Davies, Sean. The First Prince of Wales? Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, 1063-75. (University of Wales Press, 2016).
Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).
Maund, Kari. The Welsh Kings (Tempus, 2000).
Pryce, Huw. “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (d. 1075)” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Thornton, David E. "Maredudd ab Owain (d. 999): The Most Famous King of the Welsh" in Welsh History Review Vol. 18, no. 4 (Dec. 1997), pp. 567-597.
Williams ab Ithel, John (ed.). Annales Cambriæ (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts; 1860).
Williams ab Ithel, John (ed.). Brut y Tywysogion; or, The Chronicle of the Princes (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts; 1860).