Idwal succeeded on the death of his father in 915. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (s.a. 922) records that Idwal submitted to Edward in 922: “...7 Þa cyningas on NorÞ Wealum, Howel, 7 Cledauc, 7 IeoÞwel; 7 eall NorÞ Weall cyn hine sohton him to hlaforde…”
Events
Date of Birth: about 890.
This estimated date is given by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]).
Date of Death: 942.
This date is given by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]) and Thornton (ODNB). From Brut y Tywysogion (s.a. 941): “...and Idwal, son of Rhodri, and his brother Elised, were killed by the Saxons.” From Annales Cambriæ (s.a. 943): “...et Iudgual [filius Rodri] et filius ejus Elized a Saxonibus occiduntur.
Relationships
Father: Anarawd ap Rhodri Mawr ap Merfyn (about 895 - 916).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]) and given by Thornton (ODNB).
Mother: unknown.
(supposed) Spouse: Mereddon ferch Cadwr.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG Early Series [41]), citing Lewys Dwynn ii 100. Baldwin (LaI) states that Dwnn is too late an authority to be trusted for a marriage this early.
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.)
Iago (about 920 - 979).
Rhodri (died 968).
Idwal Fychan (died 980).
Ieuaf (about 930 - 988).
Cynan.
Meurig (about 930 - 986?).
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 Idwal Foel include:
Hanes Gruffudd ap Cynan -- the biography is probably from the 1170s, but Bartrum believes the pedigrees may be later (1200s).
1. “...Yago m. Idwal (m. Elissed) m. Meuryc mab Idwal foel m. Anaraut m. Rodri….”
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 a 15th century MSS):
1. “...Owain Gwynedd m. Gruffudd m. Kynan m. Iago m. Idwal m. Meirig m. Idwal voel m. Anarawd m. Rodri mawr…”
7. b. “Meibion Anarawt ap Rhodri: Idwal voel ag Elisse.”
7.c. “Meibion Idwal foel m. Anarawt: Ieuaf a Iago a Meurig a Chynan ag Idwal vychan.”
Annales Cambriæ (943)
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 Idwal Foel 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]
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).
Plummer, Charles. Two of the Saxon Chronicles Parallel (787-1001 A.D.). (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889).
Thornton, David E. “Idwal Foel (d. 942)” 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).