Hywel and his brother Clydog were probably rulers of Seisyllwg when they offered submission to Edward the Elder in 918. Clydog died soon after, and Hywel presumably became sole ruler at that time. Dyfed probably came into Hywel’s possession through his marriage to the daughter of Llywarch, the ruler of Dyfed and the last in his line. The union of Seisyllwg and Dyfed formed the kingdom of Deheubarth, in the southwest of Wales.
Hywel visited Rome in 928.
The Anglo-Saxon chronicle mentions that Hywel submitted to Athelstan, and Hywel’s name appears as a witness in many English charters from 928 to 949, implying his frequent attendance at the English court.
After the death of Idwal Foel in 942, Hywel seems to have made himself ruler of Gwynedd, and probably also Powys. He is styled “king of all Wales” in the law code that he is famous for, although Morgannwg and Gwent were still independent.
Hywel’s reign is best known for the law code he established, which aimed at reducing the various Welsh tribal customs to a unified system.
Hywel’s epithet, Dda, means “the Good”.
(Lloyd, 1:333-343)
Events
Date of Birth: about 870.
This estimate is given by Bartrum (EVWG [42]). Stephen Joseph Williams (“Hywel Dda”) states that he was born “towards the end of the 9th cent.”
Date of Death: 950.
Thornton (2001) gives reasons for preferring this date. This date is given by Bartrum (EVWG [42]) and Stephen Joseph Williams (“Hywel Dda”). Lloyd (1:342) gives “949 or 950”, noting that Harl. MS. 3859 has “Higuel rex brittonum obiit” under the year corresponding to 950. (This is given in Annales Cambriæ (Williams p. 18)). Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 22-23) records Howel’s death under the year 948.
Relationships
Father: Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr ap Merfyn Frych (about 840 - 910).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG [42]) and given by many other secondary sources. It is recorded in the genealogy given in Harleian MS. 3859 (Bartrum EWGT), in Brut y Tywysogion, and in the Annales Cambriæ.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Elen ferch Llywarch ap Hyfaidd (died 929).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG [42]). Maund (p. 47) notes that it is attested in contemporary records.
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.)
Owain (about 900 - 988).
Rhain.
Edwin (died 954).
Einion.
Angharad married Tudur Trefor.
Rhodri (died 953).
References
Bartrum, Peter C (ed.) Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968).
The sources Bartrum gives for Hywel are:
Harleian MS. 3859 -- dated to the reign of Owain ap Hywel Dda (“[O]uen map [H]iguel map Catell map Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch [fo. 193v] 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 (“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”);
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”)
7h (“Plant Kadell m. Rhodri: Howel dda a Meurig a Chlydawg”)
7i (“Plant Howel dda ap Kadell: Ewein a Rhein a Rhodri”)
10 (“Rrys ap Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr [ap Cadell] ap Eynon ap Ewein ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rhodri…”)
Annales Cambriæ (950)
Bartrum, Peter C.,“[42]” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The source Bartrum cites for Hywel is his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts]
Bartrum, Peter C. A Welsh Classical Dictionary (1993).
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).
Maund, Kari. The Welsh Kings (Tempus, 2000).
Thornton, David E. “Hywel Dda (d. 949/950)” in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Thornton, David E. "The death of Hywel Dda" in Welsh History Review Vol. 20, no. 4 (Dec. 2001), pp. 743-749.
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).
Williams, Stephen Joseph. “Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good)” in Welsh Biography Online.