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Hywel ap Cadel/Hywel Dda (?-950 AD)
Hywel ap Cadel, perhaps more commonly known as Hywel Dda (Hywel “the Good”), was originally the Welsh King of Deheubarth before coming to rule over most of Cymru, including Gwynedd, in his lifetime. Hywel Dda was a skilled politician who succeeded in usurping the Kingdom of Gwynedd from Idwal Foel and his children, Iago and Ieuaf, who were each subsequently sent into exile by the Hywel.
The Gwynedd Claim
Hywel did have something of a claim on Gwynedd, with his grandfather having been Rhodri the Great – the Isle of Man born king and warlord who had dominated his opposition throughout his life and had quite comfortably become the king of Gwynedd between his succeeding his father, Merfyn, in 844 AD and his death in 878 AD.
Though synonymous with Cymru through the laws which bare his name, Hywel was actually very loyal to the Anglo-Saxons and the Anglo-Saxon King of Wessex, Æthelstan, and the motive behind his loyalty remains unknown. Was he hoping to bide his time to acquire new lands? Or was he simply honest with his loyal intentions? No one is fully certain. However, it is believed that he admired both Wessex and its King, so allied with him wherever possible – even against Scotland, during Æthelstan’s invasion of Scotland in 934. Hywel clearly didn’t subscribe to the Welsh and Scottish brotherhood which persists today!
The Laws of Hywel Dda
You may be familiar with the name of Hywel Dda through his name association with the medieval laws of Cymru, the “Laws of Hywel Dda”. However, these laws do not date to the time of Hywel – they merely possess his name. The laws would continue within Cymru until the time of a possible descendant of Hywel Dda, Henry VIII, who removed them with the Laws in Wales Acts between 1535 and 1542.
Following his death in 950 AD, the Kingdom of Gwynedd would return to the sons of Idwal Foel, Iago and Ieuaf.
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Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.