Merfyn probably captured Gwynedd after a seaborne invasion from the Isle of Man, and managed to defend it against invading Danes. His epithet, Frych, means “freckled”.
Events
Date of Birth: about 785.
This estimated date is given by Bartrum (EVWG [12]).
Date of Death: 844.
This date is given by Lloyd (1:324) and by Kirby (p. 97). The death is recorded in Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 12-13) and Annales Cambriæ (Williams p. 13) under the year 844.
Relationships
Father: Gwriad.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG [12]) and given by Thornton (ODNB). An 8th or 9th century cross discovered on the Isle of Man inscribed “Crux Guriat” possibly refers to him (Charles-Edwards p. 138 states that this is "by no means certain but is generally accepted as probable"). Bartrum (EVWG [12]) gives a string of male ancestors back to Llywarch Hen, but Baldwin (LaI) states that this is almost certainly a late fabrication, citing Sims-Williams (WHR 17:1:1-40) and Jones (THSC, 1990 pp. 29-44). Baldwin suggests that some of his ancestors were probably among those named in HG 4 (“[Ynys Manaw]. [I]udgual map Tutagual map Anarant map Mermin map Anthec map Tutagual map Run map Neithon map Senill map Dinacat map Tutagual map Eidinet map Anthun map Maxim guletic qui occidit Gratianum regem Romarorum,” given in Bartrum EWGT p. 10), but “the exact line of descent (if any) is uncertain.” Jones suggests that it is possible that the group represented by this line was driven from Rheged to the Isle of Man, and from there later invaded Gwynedd, but this is far from certain. Charles-Edwards (pp. 467-479) discusses scenarios whereby Merfyn may have taken control of Gwynedd, either from a base in the Isle of Man or having been driven out of there by Vikings.
Mother: Esyllt ferch Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri Molwynog.
This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI), who cites Sims-Williams (WHR 17:1:1-40). It is also given by Thornton (ODNB). Bartrum ([12]) gives Nest ferch Cadell.
Spouse: uncertain.
Bartrum (EVWG [12]) shows Esyllt ferch Cynan Dindaethwy, noting that some sources make her Merfyn’s mother and make Nest ferch Cadell Merfyn’s wife. Sims-Williams (WHR 17:1:1-40) argues that Esyllt is indeed Merfyn’s mother, but Nest is probably a late invention. Baldwin (LaL) finds Sims-Williams’s arguments convincing.
Children:
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 Merfyn include:
Harleian MS. 3859 -- compiled about the 970s (“...Rotri map Mermin map Etthil merch Cinnan...”);
Mostyn MS. 117 -- dated to the last quarter of the 13th century (“...Rodri mawr m. Meruyn vrych, gwr priawt Esyllt verch Kyuan Tindaethwy...”);
Jesus College MS. 20 -- dated to the last part of the 14th century, probably based on an early-13th-century source:
17. “Rodri mawr m. Meruyn vrych m. Gwrhyat…”
19. “Rodri mawr m. Meruyn m. Guriat …”
22. “Rodri m. Meruyn m. (space) Ethellt merch Cynan Tintaethwy …”
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.”
Bonedd yr Arwyr (“Y dryddedd oedd Esyllt verch Gynan Dindaethwy, gwraig Vervyn vrych mam Rodri mawr.”)
Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru:
1e. “...Kadell ap Rodri mawr ap Mervyn vrych ap Gwriad…”
6k. “Mam Merfyn vrych, tad Rrodri mawr: Nest ferch Gadell ap Brochwal…”
Annales Cambriæ (844)
Bartrum, Peter C., “[12]”, in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The source Bartrum cites for Rhodri Mawr is his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts]
Charles-Edwards, T.M. Wales and the Britons 350-1064. (Oxford U.P., 2013).
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.
Jones, Bedwr L. “Gwriad’s heritage” in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1990), pp. 29-44.
Kirby, D.P. “British Dynastic History in the Pre-Viking Period” in The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 28 (i) (University of Wales Press, 1976) pp. 81-114.
Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).
Mac Airt, Seán and Gearóid Mac Niocaill (eds and trs.). The Annals of Ulster (to AD 1131). DIAS, Dublin, 1983.
The Annals of Ulster electronic edition at CELT.
Sims-Williams, Patrick. “Historical need and literary narrative” in Welsh history review, Vol. 17, no. 1 (June 1994), p. 1-40.
Thornton, David E. “Merfyn Frych (d. 844)” 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).