Cynan fled into exile in Ireland, probably after the murder of his father in 1039. He may have revenged his father’s death by killing Gruffudd ap Llywelyn in 1063. (Pryce, ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”)
Events
Date of Birth: about 1025.
This estimated date is given by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]).
Date of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig (about 990 - 1039).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]) and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”).
(supposed) Mother: Afandreg ferch Gwair.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]) and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”). The earliest source seems to be Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru, probably based on a 15th century manuscript. Baldwin (LaI) considers this relationship doubtful. But Guy does include it in his reconstruction of the genealogies of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.
Spouse: Radnaillt, daughter of Amlaíb mac Sitriuc, royal heir of Dublin.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]) and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”). The ultimate source of the information is HGaC § 1. This source is often unreliable, but probably right about this relationship. (See Jones, p. 46; Baldwin, LaI).
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.)
Gruffudd married Angharad ferch Owain about 1095; married a daughter of Llychwy of Llanbeulan, Llifon; married Perwyr ferch Brân.
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 Cynan include:
Hanes Gruffudd ap Cynan -- the biography is probably from the 1170s, but Bartrum believes the pedigrees may be later (1200s).
1. “Mab oed Gruffud y Gynan vrenhin m. Yago m. Idwal...”
Mostyn MS. 117. -- a MS from the late 1200s.
1. “...Gruffyd m. Kynan m. Iago m [Idwal m. Meuric m.] Idwal voel m. Anarawt m. Rodri m. Meruyn vrych, gwr priawt Esyllt verch Kynan Tindaethwy…”
Jesus College MS. 20 -- (dated to the first part of the 14th century):
26. “Gruffud m. Kynan m. Iago m. Idwal m. Meuric m. Itwal voel m. Anarawt mab Rodri mawr.”
Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru (probably based on 15th century MSS):
1. “...Owain Gwynedd m. Gruffudd m. Kynan m. Iago m. Idwal m. Meirig m. Idwal voel m. Anarawd m. Rodri mawr…”
6.i. “Mam Kynan ap Iago: Afandreg ferch Wair ap Pyll ap Kenwrik ap Kynddelw gam…”
7.g. “Idwal m. Meurig, oddyna Iago mab Idwal, oddyna Kynan mab Iago tad Gruffudd mab Kynan.”
8. d. “...Gwraic Lywarch oedd Rruel verch Gruffydd ap Kynan ap Iago.”
10. Gwehelyth Deheubarth: “Rrys ap Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr [ap Cadell] ap Eynon ap Ewein ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rhodri. I vam oedd Wenllian verch Gruffudd ap Kynan ap Iago...”;
11. “I vam oedd Rranvllt verch Gruffudd ap Kynan ap Iago.”
Bartrum, Peter C., “Early Series [41] “, and “Gruffudd ap Cynan 1 ” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
The source Bartrum cites for Cynan 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 Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ap Ywein ap Gruffyd ap Kynan ap Iago ap Idwal ap Meurig ap Idwall Foel ap Anarawt ap Rodri Mawr ap Essyllt ferch Kynan Dyndaethwy …[back to Adam]
17 Mam Kynan ap Iago: Afandreg ferch Wair ap Pyll ap Kenwrik ap Kyndelw Gam ap Elgudy ap Grusnat ap Dwywg Lyth ap Tegawg ap Dwyfnerth ap Madog ap Mechyd ap Sandef Bryt Egyl ap Llywarch Hen ap Elidir Llydanwynn ap Meirchiawn Gul ap Gwrst Letlwm ap Keneu ap Koel.
Jones, Arthur (ed.) The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan. (Manchester U.P., 1910).
Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).
Oman, Sandra. “Cynan ab Iago” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry. [This resource, which mainly gathers references from secondary sources, appears to be currently offline (July 2016).]
Parry, Sir Thomas. “Gruffydd ap Cynan” in Welsh Biography Online.
Pryce, Huw. “Gruffudd ap Cynan” in The 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).