• General Notes

  Cadwallon became king upon his father's death around the year 625. It was probably not long afterward that Edwin of Northumbria launched an offensive against Gwynedd and invaded Anglesey. Cadwallon was defeated and forced to flee to Priestholm (a small island off eastern Anglesey), where he was besieged by Edwin, and then to Ireland, and finally to Brittany. Cadwallon subsequently led an army into Dumnonia around the year 630. There he encountered the Mercians, who were besieging Exeter, and entered into an alliance with their king, Penda. He subsequently regained Gwynedd with a victory at Long Mountain and, with Penda (whose sister Cadwallon married), marched on into Northumbria. The war that followed culminated in a battle at Hatfield Chase on October 12, 633, which ended in the defeat and death of Edwin. After this, the Kingdom of Northumbria fell into disarray, divided between its sub-kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia, and Cadwallon exploited the situation by continuing to raid and ravage the country, although without the participation of Penda. He captured York and, when it was besieged by the king of Deira, Osric, his forces broke out of the siege; Osric was killed. The king of Bernicia, Eanfrith, was also killed by Cadwallon after attempting to negotiate peace. However, Cadwallon's army was exhausted and poorly prepared when it was confronted by an army under Eanfrith's successor in Bernicia, Oswald, at Heavenfield. Cadwallon's army fled after a battle and he was killed. Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd Cadwallon became king upon his father's death around the year 625. It was probably not long afterward that Edwin of Northumbria launched an offensive against Gwynedd and invaded Anglesey. Cadwallon was defeated and forced to flee to Priestholm (a small island off eastern Anglesey), where he was besieged by Edwin, and then to Ireland, and finally to Brittany. Cadwallon subsequently led an army into Dumnonia around the year 630. There he encountered the Mercians, who were besieging Exeter, and entered into an alliance with their king, Penda. He subsequently regained Gwynedd with a victory at Long Mountain and, with Penda (whose sister Cadwallon married), marched on into Northumbria. The war that followed culminated in a battle at Hatfield Chase on October 12, 633, which ended in the defeat and death of Edwin. After this, the Kingdom of Northumbria fell into disarray, divided between its sub-kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia, and Cadwallon exploited the situation by continuing to raid and ravage the country, although without the participation of Penda. He captured York and, when it was besieged by the king of Deira, Osric, his forces broke out of the siege; Osric was killed. The king of Bernicia, Eanfrith, was also killed by Cadwallon after attempting to negotiate peace. However, Cadwallon's army was exhausted and poorly prepared when it was confronted by an army under Eanfrith's successor in Bernicia, Oswald, at Heavenfield. Cadwallon's army fled after a battle and he was killed.
  (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
  

Details of Cadwallon's family with Alcfrith of Mercia