Cynfyn ap Gwerystan
Events
Date of Birth: about 980.
This estimated date is given by Bartrum (“Early Series [47]”).
Date of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: Gwerystan.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Early Series [47]”) and given by Baldwin (LaI). Baldwin notes that the earlier generations of his pedigree show wide variation. The relationship is given in Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 140-141). Davies (p. 9) notes that the ancestry of Cynfyn is open to question. Maund (p. 72) considers the pedigrees given for Gwerystan to be unreliable. The name Gwerystan may indicate an English origin (Werestan).
Mother: unknown.
Baldwin (LaI) notes that late sources give Nest ferch Cadell ap Brochwell, but this is chronologically impossible.
Spouse: Angharad ferch Maredudd ab Owain. Married after 1023.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Early Series [47]”) and given by Davies (p. 10). Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 140-141) states that she was the mother of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, but not of Iwerydd.
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. Angharad is recorded as the mother of Bleddyn and Rhiwallon, but the mother of the other children is not clear.)
A daughter (born about 1010) married Gwrgan ab Ithel.
Iwerydd (born about 1020) married Edwin of Tegeingl.
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (died 1075) married Haer ferch Cillin, a daughter of Brochwel, and two unknown spouses.
Rhiwallon (died 1069).
Nest (born about 1030) married Ithel o’r Bryn. [Nest's existence is doubted by recent scholarship.]
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 Cynfyn include:
Mostyn MS. 117 -- a manuscript dated to the late 13th century.
3. “...Bledyn m. Kynuyn m. Gwerstan m. Gwyn m. Gweithuoet…”
Jesus College MS. 20 -- a manuscript probably from the late 14th century.
27. “...Meredud m. Bledynt [m.] Kynwyn m. Gwedylstan. (m. Kynvin).”
Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru (probably based on 15th century MSS):
1. (b) “...Meredydd ap Bleddin ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gwaithfuoed ap Gwyrhydr…”
2.Plant Ywein Gwynedd
(e) “Mam Ywain ap Edwin: Iwerydd verch Gynvyn ap Gweristan.”
8.
(g) “...Meredudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gweithfoet ap Gwny…”
(i) “...Kadwgon ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan.
12. “...Maradudd ap Bleddyn ap Kynvyn ap Gwerystan ap Gweithfoet ap Gwledden…”
Hen Lwythau Gwynedd A’r Mars
2. (c.) “Mam Ednywain ap Ithael: Nest ferch Gynfyn ap Gwerystan.”
Brut y Tywysogion (55, 101)
Bartrum, Peter C., “Early Series [47]” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
The sources Bartrum cites for Cynfyn are Brut y Tywysogion and 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 ...
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, K.L. Ireland, Wales, and England in the Eleventh Century (The Boydell Press, 1991).
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).