Glywysing
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| Kingdom of Morgannwg Teyrnas Morgannwg |
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| Capital | Caerllion | |||
| Language(s) | Welsh | |||
| Government | Monarchy | |||
| King | ||||
| - 942 - 974 | Morgan Hen ab Owain | |||
| - d. 980 | Owain ap Morgan | |||
| - 1063 - 1074 | Cadwgan ap Meurig | |||
| - 1081 - d. 1093 | Iestyn ap Gwrgan | |||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | |||
| - Union with Gwent | 942 | |||
| - Conquered (by the Norman lord, Robert Fitzhamon) |
1091 | |||
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Glywysing was, from the sub-Roman period through to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribe of the Silures.
[edit] Location and etymology
Glywysing is said to be named after Glywys, a real or legendary early monarch, whose name may continue that of the Romano-British *Glevenses, the territory and citizens of Glevum, or Gloucester.[1] According to twelfth century sources, after the death of Glywys the kingdom was divided into seven cantrefi named for his sons[2] including Cydweli, Gwyr, Margam, Penychen, Gwynllwg and Gorfynydd, though the kingdom of Glwysing still existed. The borders changed over time, but it is generally thought that its lands originally lay between the Afon Llwyd and the River Towy. At times they expanded eastwards to encompass both Gwent and Ergyng, but some time before the early 8th century, Cydweli and Gwyr (Gower) were lost to Dyfed. Today the area of Glywysing is known as Glamorgan.
[edit] Part of the Kingdom of Morgannwg
In the mid 10th century, the kingdom merged with Gwent and changed its name to Morgannwg or Gwlad Morgan in honour of its king, Morgan Hen (942-74). Glywysing seems to have been a sub-kingdom or principality of the Kingdom of Morgannwg, along with Gwent. After the death of Morgan Hen, Gwent and Glywysing were separated again from 974 to 1055, but Glywysing alone was often referred to as Morgannwg. Both areas were conququered by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in about 1055, but on his death in 1063, Morgannwg, the union between Gwent and Glywysing, was reconstituted. How this occurred is unclear; possibly the Kings of Glywysing were also Kings of Morgannwg and the Kings of Gwent were semi-independent under-Kings. The last native ruler of these areas was Iestyn ap Gwrgan, King of Morgannwg (1081-1090), who was deposed by Robert Fitzhamon.
[edit] References
- ^ Koch, John T. Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia ABC-CLIO Ltd (15 Mar 2006) ISBN 978-1851094400 p.1312
- ^ Carver, Martin The cross goes north: processes of conversion in northern Europe, AD 300-1300 Boydell Press; New edition edition (26 Jan 2006) ISBN 978-1843831259 p.125
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