A Chronological of Celtic Wales
(Some dates may be incorrect or a few years out)
AD500
That of Cadell Derynllwg in Powys which sent out a branch into Glywyssing, Cadell became prince of Powys with his seat at Wroxeter or Shrewsbury in the 5th Century in consequence of a revolt of the Romano-British and Christian subjects of Benlli against their prince who favoured paganism. Cadell was grandfather of Brochwel Ysgythrog. The family produced several saints notably St. Tyssilio of Meifod and its branch in Glywyssing afforded the still more illustrious St. Pedrog and St. Catwg.
Around this period the most Romanized area of Wales, the kingdoms developed from, a combination of the Roman settlements and the old traditions of the Silures, Caer-went, which had come to an end as an urban settlement, gave its name to Gwent, as Ariconium gave its name to Erging (Archenfield). The pedigrees state that Caradog Freichfras was the founder of the royal house of Gwent and it has been claimed that his name is evidence of a desire to commemorate a man was had been a hero among the Silures. It is probable that Caradog Freichfras arose from among the “decuriones” of Caer-went; he may therefore have been a descendant of the aristocracy which had existed among the Silures four hundred years earlier.
AD500
The battle of Mount Badon also around this time Taliesin a famous Welsh poet was around at this time.
AD500
To 540 the book “De Excido Britanniae” The Ruin of Britain is written by St. Gildas
AD500
Cadwallon whose grandfather was Cunedda defeated the Irish near Trefdraeth.
AD510
St Pabo died around this time his daughter married King Cyngen’s son, Pabo and his wife settled in Anglesey where they founded Llanbabo church which is above Lake Alaw. Pabo’s son Dunward became a monk and founded a great monastery Bangor-is-y-Coed (Bangor below the Woods).
AD522
St Dyvrig died around this time on Bardsey Island, he was called the Golden-headed, and his piety and zeal did much for the faith, it is also said that he crowned King Arthur at Caerleon and said that to have archbishop there.
AD540
Maglocunus was the Maelgwn Fawr or Marlgen Gwynedd of Welsh tradition. The pedigrees state that he was a descendant of Cunedda who, according to Nennius came to Gwynedd from among the Men of the North- the inhabitants of southern Scotland. Cunedda is not mentioned by Gildas and the first surviving reference to him is four hundred years later than is alleged lifetime. The story of Cunedda may be a myth invented in about 800 when Merfyn ap Gwriad, also of the lineage of the Men of the North, became king of Gwynedd. Nevertheless the Welsh treasured traditions relating to the northern kingdom of the Votadini (Gododdin) on the banks of the river Forth. Aneirin, the poet of the Votadini, claimed that men from Gwynedd joined the army of the king of the Votadini in its attack upon Catterick around 595, and a broach in the same style as the broaches of the Forth valley has been discovered at Pant-y-saer in Anglesey. These are considerations which make it difficult not to give some credence to Nennius’s account. He states that Cunedda, the atavus of Maelgwn Gwynedd, came with eight sons and one grandson from Manaw Godiddin and drove the Irish out of Gwynedd, an event which occurred 146 years before the reign of Maelgwn.
AD542
Theon bishop of Gloucester was made Archbishop of London, and St David died around this time.
AD546
St Deiniol (Daniel) son of Dunward was given land overlooking the Menai Strait and Deiniol built a monastery, again naming it Bangor, after the wattle fence enclosing it. His church became a cathedral, and its territory grew into an early medieval diocese.
AD547
Maelgwn Gwynedd of Degannwy at his stronghold here died this year; his chief court was in Aberffraw on Anglesey. His great grandfather was Cunedda.
AD550
St Dubricius died around this time. (His mother came from a Welsh Chieftain whose small territory of Erging in Herefordshire.
AD557
St Samson was Bishop of Dole; his grandfather was Meurig ap Tewdrig.
Around this time also there was a great plague in Great Britain.
AD560
Brude whose father was Maelgwyn and who his mother was a Pict, conquered the Pictish kingdoms and attacked Argyll, where Conall’s father who was King of Argyll and driven the Gaels towards the sea, King Brude’s stronghold near Inverness.
AD565
St Samson died, Morgan ab Arthwys was Samson’s first cousin.
AD566
St Teilo died around this time.
AD570
St Gildas died around this time.
AD572
St Deiniol died around this time who was Abbot at Bangor by his son Deiniol Fab “the younger”.
AD573
Gwenddolau ap Ceidiaw at the battle of Arfderydd. In this year Rhydderch Hael ( Roderick the Generous) fought a savage battle of British war-loads north of Carlisle he gained a foot hold on the Scottish west coast north of Solway Firth at Hoddam, and made Dumbarton Rock his fortress capital.
AD575
Meurig ap Tewdrig, died around this time.
????
Morgan ab Arthwys
AD577
The battle Deorham (Derham in Gloucestershire) this is where the Welsh suffered a heavy defeat by the then became the masters of the Severn Valley.
AD584
King Brude died he was killed by southern Pictish rebels and his buried by St Columba on Iona.
AD595
Battle of Catterick the Welsh treasured traditions relating to the northern kingdom of the Votadini (Gododdin) on the banks of the river Forth. Aneirin, the poet of the Votadini, claimed that men from Gwynedd joined the army of the king of the Votadini in its attack upon Catterick Kings Mynyddog Mwynfawr & Prince Cynan of Din-Eidyn ride south to fight King Aethelfrith's
AD600
Around this period Welsh diet contained grain which meant that there was arable farming being farmed as discovered in digging at Pant y Saer in Anglesey.
AD600
Cynan ap Brochwel was king of Powys who lived in Shrewsbury.
AD600
Possible date of the battle of Catraeth.
AD601
St David died this year on March 1st. Rhydderch Hael died in this year
AD612
St Dubricius died on Ynys Enlli “Bardsey Island”.
AD615/6
Battle of Chester when Selyf(serpent in battle), King of Powys was defeated by Aethelfrith the Cruel who seized the Crown of Northumbria. On a hill overlooking the battle where 1200 monks praying who came from the colleges of Bangor Iscoed who were dressed in white robes. Aethelfrith asked who these kneeling men were all clad in white; he was told that they were priests who were praying to the Christian God. Aethelfrith who was a Pagan turned to his men”If they are praying against us they are fighting against us,” and sent a part army against then, Brochwael who was guarding the monks, fled and they massacred the monks, but other Cymric princes gave battle. The slaughter on both sides was great. After the battle Aethelfrith marched on Bangor-is-y-Coed and destroyed the colleges and churches there.
St Bede supposed the victory of Edilfred fulfilled the predictions of Augustine. Selyf was killed in this battle.
AD625
King Cadfan from Gwynedd showed that is epitaph used new fashion of lettering for that period, and the format of the inscription provides evidence and links with France, northern Africa and the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. The fort at Degannwy of Maelgwn Fawr, has yielded fragments of glass and pottery from the Black Sea, Athens and Bordeaux, as Dinas Emrys a site associated with Vortigern. King Cadfan is buried at Llangadwaldr Church Anglesey.
AD625
To 655 Penda was King of Mercia in this time he defeated the West Saxons Cynegilst at Cwithtielm at Cirencester.
AD625
Cadfan ab Iago king of Gwynedd died.
AD630
Catguollaun was Cadwallon of the line of Maelgwn Fawr and a man who himself not without claims to status of (Bretwalda) first English king “Edwin”. Cadwallon father was certainly worthy of this title, to judge from his epitaph in Llangadwaladr, Anglesey: Catamanus Rex sapientissimus ommium regum “King Cadfan, the wisest and the most renowned of all kings”.
AD632
Cadwallon king of Gwynedd slays King Edwin of Northhumbria in the battle of Meigen (Hatfield near Doncaster). Before the battle Cadwallon took refuge there from King Edwin, while this was happening Edwin captured Anglesey.
AD633
Cadwallon killed Edwin’s successors, Osric of Diera and Eanfrith of Bernicia. Cadwaladr son of Cadwallon Fendigiad “the blessed” was born. When he grew up he became one of the legendary kings of Britons, his standard supposedly was the red dragon which was later adopted by Henry V11.
AD634 Cadwallon died at the battle of Heavenfield and was killed by Oswald’s brother of Eanfrith.
Cadwaladr the Blessed. For long enough the Cymry used to sing of the expected return of him who would lead them into victory. He was the last chief, or king who could hope to keep the wider realm of the “Welsh Caesars,” who had tried to copy Roman methods in leading their people. But long afterwards the Welsh were haunted by ideas of restoring the British line he ends.
Truly he will come,
With his host and his ships,
His scaring shields,
And changing lances,
And after a valiant shout,
His will shall be done!
AD642
Cynyddylan lived around this time he was King of Powys. Around this period St Beuno died.
AD642
King Oswald died fighting against King Penda of Mercia, the battle took place at Maserfield which was probably near Oswestry on the Welsh Border.
AD653
Cedd began to preach the gospel in Mercia, he moved to Essex where the king of the East Saxons who had recently became a Christian. Cedd founded monasteries at Tilbury in the Thames estuary and at Bradwell –on-Sea on the north shore of the River Blackwater ten miles south of Colchester.
AD655
The withdrawl of Cadfael who was king of Gwynedd on the eve of battle of Cai (Winwaed), Penda was killed by Oswy the brother of Oswald in the battle. Mercia midland England was the last of the kingdoms of the English to come into existence. From 640 – 800 Mercia was the most important of those kingdoms and it was the Mercia Kings who laid the foundations of the unity of England.
AD658
Battle at Peonna (Penselwood) Somerset where Cadwaladr fought against Saxon King Cenwalh of Wessex which Cadwaladr lost.
AD664
A plague spread through Kent and Essex, in the epidemic Cedd and his brother died.
AD670
Bishop Chad (Cedd brother) became the first Bishop of Mercia which included the areas from Wales to the East Coast. He made is base at Lichfield which was an ancient holy site.
AD673
St Bede was born around this time, he record the story of Alban’s life and death.
AD676
Morgan Mwynfawr died.
AD682
Cadwaladr died of a disease in Rome after being confirmed by Sergius on the 22nd of May.