List of rulers of Wales

List of rulers of Wales

Before the Norman Conquest of Wales was completed in 1282, Wales consisted of a number of independent principalities, the most important being Gwynedd, Powys, Deheubarth (originally Seisyllwg and Dyfed), Gwent and Morgannwg. Boundary changes and the equal division of patrimony meant that few princes ever came close to ruling the whole of Wales.

The names of those known to have ruled over one or more of the principalities are listed below (those in heavy type ruled over a large portion of Wales)

Table of contents

1 Deheubarth
2 Gwynedd
3 Morgannwg

3.1 Glywysing
3.2 Gwent

4 Powys

Deheubarth

Howell the Good (920-950)
his son, Owain ap Hywel (950-986) the principality being divided for a period between him and his brothers,
Rhodri ap Hywel (950-953) and
Edwin ap Hywel (950-954)
Owain ap Hywel's son, Maredudd ab Owain (986-999)
Cynan ap Hywel, prince of Gwynedd (999-1005)
Maredudd ab Owain's son, Edwin ab Einion (1005-1018) who co-ruled with his brother,
Cadell ab Einion (1005-1018)
Llywelyn ap Seisyll, prince of Gwynedd (1018-1023)
Rhydderch ap Iestyn, prince of Gwent (1023-1033)
Edwin ab Einion's son, Hywel ab Edwin (1033-1044)
Rhydderch ap Iestyn's son, Gruffydd ap Rhydderch (1047-1055)
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, prince of Gwynedd (1055-1063)
Edwin ab Einion's grandson, Maredudd ab Owain ab Edwin (1063-1072)
his brother, Rhys ab Owain ab Edwin (1072-1078)
his second cousin, Rhys ap Tewdwr (1078-1093)

Deheubarth was in the possession of the Normans from 1093 to 1155

Gruffydd ap Rhys (1116-1137) ruled a portion of Deheubarth with Norman permission
his son, Anarawd ap Gruffydd (1136-1143)
his brother, Cadell ap Gruffydd (1143-1151)
his brother, Maredudd ap Gruffydd (1151-1155)
his brother, The Lord Rhys (Rhys ap Gruffydd) (1155-1197)
his son, Gruffydd ap Rhys (1197-1201) who for a time ruled jointly with his brother,
Maelgwyn ap Rhys (1199-1230) who disputed the territory with his brother,
Rhys the Hoarse (Rhys Gryg) (1216-1234)

From 1234 to 1283, Deheubarth was subject to the princes of Gwynedd

Rhys the Hoarse's son, Rhys Mechyll (1234-1244) ruled a portion of Deheubarth
his brother, Maredudd ap Rhys (1244-1271) ruled a portion of Deheubarth
his son, Rhys ap Maredudd (1271-1283) ruled a portion of Deheubarth

Gwynedd

Rhodri the Great (844-878)
his son, Anarawd ap Rhodri (878-916)
his son, Idwal the Bald (916-942)
Rhodri the Great's grandson, Howell the Good (942-950)
Idwal the Bald's son, Iago ap Idwal (950-979) who for a time ruled jointly with his brother,
Ieuaf ab Idwal (950-965)
Idwal the Great's grandson, Hywel the Bad (974-985)
his brother, Cadwallon ap Ieuaf (985-986)
Hywel the Good's grandson, Maredudd ap Owain (986-999)
Hywel the Bad's son, Cynan ap Hywel (999-1005)
Maredudd ap Owain's son-in-law, Llywellyn ap Seisyll (1005-1023)
Idwal the Bald's great-grandson, Iago ap Idwal (1023-1039)
Llywellyn ap Seisyll's son, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (1039-1063)
his half-brother, Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (1063-1075)
Trahaearn ap Caradog, prince of Powys (1075-1081)
Iago ap Idwal's grandson, Gruffydd ap Cynan (1081-1137)
his son, Owain Gwynedd (1137-1170)
his son, Dafydd ap Owain (1170-1194) who for a time ruled jointly with his brothers,
Maelgwyn ab Owain (1170-1173) and
Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd (1170-1190)
Owain Gwynedd's grandson, Llywelyn the Great (1194-1240)
his son, David ap Llywelyn (1240-1246)
Llywelyn the Great's grandson, Llywelyn the Last (1246-1282)
Llywelyn the Last's brother, David ap Gruffydd was declared prince on the death of his brother, but remained an outlaw until captured and executed

Morgannwg

Morgan the Old (Morgan Hen or Morgan ab Owain) (930-974) united the former kingdoms of Gwent and Glywysing in 942 under the name of Morgannwg, but they were broken up again immediately after his death, remaining separate until about 1055

Glywysing

Morgan the Old's son, Owain ap Morgan (974-about 983)
brothers of Owain ap Morgan (dates unknown)
his son, Rhys ab Owain (about 990-about 1000) who ruled Glywysing jointly with his brothers,
Hywel ab Owain (about 990-about 1043) and
Iestyn ab Owain (about 990-about 1015)
his brother, Rhydderch ap Iestyn (about 1015-1033)
his son, Gruffydd ap Rhydderch (1033-1055)

Gwent

Nowy ap Gwriad ruled Gwent (about 950-about 970) while Glywysing was ruled jointly by brothers of Owain ap Morgan (dates unknown)
his son, Arthfael ap Nowy (about 970-983)
his cousin, Rhodri ap Elisedd (983-about 1015) who ruled jointly with his brother,
Gruffydd ap Elisedd (983-about 1015)
his ?cousin, Edwyn ap Gwriad (1015-1045)
Hywel ab Owain's son, Meurig ap Hywel (1045-1055) who ruled jointly with
his son, Cadwgan ap Meurig (1045-1074) who for a time ruled jointly with
Gruffydd ap Rhydderch's son, Caradog ap Gruffydd (1063-1081)
Iestyn ap Gwrgan(t) (1081-1091)

Iestyn was the last ruler of an independent Morgannwg, which was thereafter in the possession of the Normans and was re-named Glamorgan

Powys

Rhodri the Great took Powys within the principality of Gwynedd, where it remained until 1075

Bleddyn ap Cynfyn's son, Madog ap Bleddyn (1075-1088)
his brother, Iorwerth ap Bleddyn (1088-1103) who ruled jointly with
his brother, Cadwgan ap Bleddyn (1088-1111)
his son, Owain ap Cadwgan (1111-1116)
his uncle, Maredudd ap Bleddyn (1116-1132)
his son, Madog ap Maredudd (1132-1160)
his son, Gruffydd Maelor (1160-1191) who ruled Northern Powys only
his son, Owain ap Gruffydd Maelor (1191-1197) who ruled Northern Powys jointly with
his brother, Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor (1191-1236)
his son, Gruffydd Maelor ap Madog (1236-1269)

Southern Powys was ruled by

Madog ap Maredudd's nephew, Owain Cyfeiliog (1160-1195)
his son, Gwenwynwyn (1195-1216)
Llywelyn the Great, prince of Gwynedd (1216-1240)
his son, Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (1240-1286)