Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr ap Merfyn Frych

King in South Wales

On the death of his father, Cadell was probably given control over a large part of South Wales.

Events

Date of Birth: about 840.

This estimated date is given by Bartrum (EVWG [42]).

Date of Death: 909 or 910.

Lloyd (1:332) gives 909 or 910. Bartrum (EVWG [42]) and Thornton (ODNB) give 910. Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 18-19) records Cadell’s death under the year 907. In Annales Cambriæ (Williams p. 16), it is under 909.

Relationships

Father: Rhodri Mawr ap Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad (about 815 - 878).

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG [41], [42]) and given by Thornton (ODNB).

Mother: uncertain.

Bartrum (EVWG [41]) shows Cadell’s mother as Angharad ferch Meurig. Sims-Williams (WHR 17:1:1-40) argues that Angharad is probably a late invention. Baldwin (LaL) finds Sims-Williams’s arguments convincing. Thornton (ODNB) states that Rhodri probably acquired Ceredigion through his wife, Angharad.

Spouse: unknown.

Children:

(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.)

Hywel Dda (about 870 - 950) married Elen ferch Llywarch.

Meurig (living 910).

Clydog (about 870 - 920).

References

Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 18 May 2014).

Bartrum, Peter C (ed.) Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968).

The sources Bartrum gives for Cadell are:

Harleian MS. 3859 -- compiled about the 970s:

1.“[O]uen map [H]iguel map Catell map Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch [fo. 193^v] Cinnan map Rotri map Iutguaul map Catgualart map Catgollaun map Catman map Iacob map Beli map Run map Mailcun map Catgolaun Iauhir map Eniaun girt map Cuneda map Ætern map Patern pesrut map Tacit map Cein map Guorcein map Doli map Guordoli map Dumn map Gurdumn map Amguoloyt map Anguerit map Oumun map Dubun map Brithguein map Eugein map Aballac map Amalech, qui fuit Beli magni filius, et Anna, mater eius, quam dicunt esse consobrina Mariae uirginis, matris Domini nostri Iesu Christi”;

Mostyn MS. 117 -- dated to the last quarter of the 13th century: “Rys m. Gruffudd m. Rys m. Tewdwr m. Kadell m. Eynon m. Owein m. Hywel da m. Kadell m. Rodri mawr m. Meruyn vrych”;

Jesus College MS. 20 -- dated to the last part of the 14th century, probably based on an early-13th-century source:

20. “Llyma enweu meibon Rodri mawr: Cadell, Meruyn, Anarawt, Aidan, Meuruc, Morgant; Nest oed y vam ef. Ac Anghara[d] (verch) oed vam y rei ereill. A deu dyn oed o wreic arall, Tutwawl ac Elisse.”

24: “Rees gryc m. Rees mwynuawr m. Gruffudd m. Rees m. Tewdwr m. Cadell m. Einyawn m. Ewein m. Howel da m. Kadell m. Rodri mawr.”

42. “Howel da m. (space) Kadell m. Rodri mawr m. Meruyn vrych. Aghara oed mam [veibyan] Rodri mawr, merch Veuruc m. Dyfnwal m. Arden m. Seissyll m. Cledawc m. Aruodeu m. Argloes m. Podew m. Seruul m. Vsai m. Karedic m. Kuneda wledic.”

Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru:

1e. “Mam Vleddlyn ap Kynvyn, Yngharad verch Veredydd ap Owain ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rodri mawr ap Mervyn vrych ap Gwriad ap Elidir ap Sanddef ap Alkwn ap Tegid ap Gwair ap Dwg ap Llywarch hen ap Elidir lydanwyn.”

2f. “Mam Iwerydd: Yngharad verch Veredydd ap Owain ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rodri mawr.”

7a. “Meibion Rhodri mawr: Anarawt a Chadell a Meurig a Merfyn a Thudawal a Gwriat a Gwydelig.”

7h. “Plant Kadell m. Rhodri: Howel dda a Meurig a Chlydawg.”

10. “Rrys ap Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr [ap Cadell] ap Eynon ap Ewein ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rhodri…”

Annales Cambriæ (909)

Bartrum, Peter C.,”[41]”, “[42]” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The source Bartrum cites for Cadell is his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts]

Guy, Ben. Medieval Welsh Genealogy. (The Boydell Press, 2020).

From Guy’s attempted recreation of the St David’s recension of the Gwynedd collection of genealogies as it might have existed in the tenth century, based on the Harleian genealogies:

1. [O]uen map [H]iguel map Catell map Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan map Rotri map Iutguaul map Catguala[tr] map Catgollaun map Catman map Iacob map Beli map Run map Mailcun map Catgolaun [L]auhir map Eniaun Girt map Cuneda map Ӕtern map Patern Pesrut map Tacit map Cein map Guorcein map Doli map Guordoli map Dumn map Guordumn map Amguoloyt map Amguerit map <Oumiud> map Dubun map Brithguein map Eugein map Aballac map Amalech, qui fuit Beli Magni filius et Anna mater eius, quam dicunt esse <consobrinam> Mariae uirginis matris Domini nostri Iesu Christi.

Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).

Sims-Williams, Patrick. “Historical need and literary narrative” in Welsh history review, Vol. 17, no. 1 (June 1994), p. 1-40.

Thornton, David E. “Cadell ap Rhodri (d. 910)” in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).

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).