Arthfael ap Rhys
Arthfael ap Rhys was a prince of Glywsing (modern Glamorgan) and Gwent in the late eighth century. He is dated by the genealogist Peter Bartrum to c.760.[1]
Family
His father was called Rhys and his mother was probably Ceingar ferch Maredudd ap Tewdws of Dyfed. His wife was Brawstudd ferch Gloud ap Pasgen Buellt. According to Bartrum, Arthfael had two sons, "Meurig of the line of Gwent" and "Rhys of the line of Glywsing".[1] Two late ninth century brothers had a father called Arthfael. Rhys ap Arthfael was the father of Hywel ap Rhys (died 886), king of Glywsing, and Meurig ap Arthfael was the father of Arthfael ap Meufig and Ffernfael ap Meurig, joint kings of Gwent (fl. 880s).[2] The names and locations suggest that the kings of Glywsing and Gwent were descended from Arthfael ap Rhys, but according to the historian Wendy Davies Meurig ap Arthfael ruled until 874,[3] and Arthfael ap Rhys appears to have lived too early to be his father. The explanation for the discrepancy is unclear.
References
- ^ a b Bartrum 1993, p. 25.
- ^ Bartrum 1993, pp. 25–26; Charles-Edwards 2011, pp. 76–77; Keynes & Lapidge 1983, p. 96.
- ^ Davies 1979, p. 77.
Sources
- Bartrum, Peter (1993). A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend up to about A. D 1000. Aberystwyth, UK: The National Library of Wales. ISBN 978-0-907158-73-8.
- Charles-Edwards, Thomas (2011). "Dynastic Succession in Early Medieval Wales". In Griffiths, R. A.; Schofield, P. R. (eds.). Wales and the Welsh in the Middle Ages. Cardiff, UK: University of Wales Press. pp. 70–88. ISBN 978-0-7083-2446-2.
- Davies, Wendy (1979). The Llandaff Charters. Aberystwyth, UK: National Library of Wales. ISBN 978-0-901833-88-4.
- Keynes, Simon; Lapidge, Michael, eds. (1983). Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred & Other Contemporary Sources. London, UK: Penguin Classics. ISBN 978-0-14-044409-4.