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4 unusual facts about Dinefwr


Davod Aur Edeyrn

The introduction states that Edeyrn "performed it by command and at the desire of these three lords paramount, namely, Llewelyn, son of Gruffydd, prince of Aberffraw, and king of all Wales; Rhys Fychan, lord of Dinefwr and Ystrad Towy; and Morgan Fychan, lord of the territory between Nedd and Afan and Cilfai, and lord paramount of Morganwg."

Dinefwr

It was named after Dinefwr Castle which was the court of the House of Dinefwr and one of the three principal royal courts of Wales with Aberffraw and Shrewsbury.

With the death of Rhodri Mawr, the Kingdom of Gwynedd passed to his eldest son Anarawd ap Rhodri.

Dynevor

Dynevor is an anglicised version of the Welsh placename Dinefwr.


Bleddyn ap Cynfyn

The south was restored to the Houses of Dinefwr and Morgan, but Powys and Gwynedd were given to Gruffydd's half-brothers Bleddyn and Rhiwallon.

Gruffydd ap Rhys

The Prince of Gwynedd owed an honour debt to the House of Dinefŵr, as Gruffydd's father, Rhys ap Tewdwr, had aided Gruffydd ap Cynan in his own bid to reclaim Gwynedd from rivals in 1081.

House of Dinefwr

Eventually, a cadet branch of Dinefwr would establish itself in Powys by the mid 11th century, designated Mathrafal after the castle there.

Rhodri's second son Cadell ap Rhodri, however, looked outside Gwynedd's traditional borders and took possession of the Dark Ages kingdom of Dyfed by the late 9th century, establishing his capital at the citadel of Dinefwr.


see also