General Notes

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In Wales, Rhodri's grandson through Cadell, Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) was able to once again unite
Wales in the same manner as his grandsire. By 918, Hywel had gained possession of Dyfed all of Seisyllwg, forming the kingdom of Deheubarth. It is also significnt that by this time , Hywel had already submitted to Edward the Elder, recognizing the Wessex king as his overlord.

At this time, Hywel probably gained his nomen 'Dda' by journeying to Rome in 926--something unique in Welsh history, as only rulers who had been exiled or were near death had ever travelled to Rome.

Edward the Elder died in 924, succeeded by another powerful king, Athelstan. Athelstan continued his predecessor's efforts against the Danes, defeating the Scandinavians in battle. At about this time,
Athelstan called the rulers of Wales together and gained their submission. Hywel Dda may have attended this gathering (but it looks like he was still on his way back from Rome--it's a very hazy time-period). Be that as it may, from 928-949, Hywel's name appears on every charter which has Welsh
signatories. This is a clear indication that Hywel not only was in good stead with Athelstan, but appeared at his court on a number of occassions

Idwal Foeb ap Anarawd, another grandson of Rhodri was ruling Gwynedd at the time, and it appears that between the two of them, they were ruling all of Wales under the overlordship of Athelstan. Athelstan died in 933, and was succeeded by his son, Edmund. Iwal apparently had had enough of the English overlordship, and in 942, attempted to break with the English king. Idwal and his brother, Elisedd met the English in battle and both were slain.

Hywel took advantage of this stiuation by driving out the sons of Idwal, who should have inherited Gwynedd, and made himself the new ruler of all of Wales except for Morgannwg and Gwent. This act was confirmed by the English, with whom Hywel had maintained good relations.

To finish with Hywel, there are two points which need to be brought out. First, he was credited with having codified the laws of the Welsh. Whether or not he actually did this will probably be a mystery for some time to come, but all of the sources confirm his accredidation.  Second, Hywel was one of the rist rulers of Wales who came to terms with the English and attempted to turn this to his own advantage. Hywel had learned the lesson that the lands of Mercia are very rich in resources and are close to the power base of the English kings. Though Wales offers many mountainous fastnesses where resistance can be carried out, it is perhaps a better course of action for a ruler in Wales to come to some form of terms with the English and make the best of the situation, for in the remaining years of Welsh independence, only Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and maybe Owain Gwynedd would be able to confidently meet the English in open battle.

Hywel Dda died in 949. He was unable to hand over the kingdom he had forged to his descendants, and once more Wales broke into North and South realms. What followed was a series of internicine battle between the sons of Idwal and the sons of Hywel. Not until 986 was peace restored when Meredudd ab Owain of Deheubarth (Hywel's grandson) invaded and defeated the rulers of Gwynedd, once more reuniting the two kingdoms.

http://home.worldonline.dk/kmariboe/fgspwelsh.html[mdraper.ged]

Hwyel's territories were known as Deheubarth, which united with Gwynedd and Powys to cover most of Wales with the exception of Glamorgan, in the southeast. His reign lasted from 904 to 950. It may have been marked by absolute ruthlessness, but it is for his brilliant codification of Welsh law, however, not for his military prowess that Hywel is best remembered. Professor John Davies calls the resulting set of laws ". . .among the most splendid creations of the culture of the Welsh" for it contained proof, not only of their identity, but also of their unity, and this is a point not to be overlooked by those who see the whole history of late medieval Wales as one of self-defeating internecine squabbles among minor princes and their offspring.

_FA1: Acceded: 942. Only ruler of ancient Wales called "The Good". 4 5 2 3
_FA2: Under his & his grandfather Rhodri the Great's leadership, a Welsh state emerged 2 3
_FA3: Reign was remarkable for its peacefulness. 4 2 3
_FA4: Prince of Wales. 4 2 3
_FA5: On a visit to Rome in 928, became a student of jurisprudence. 4 2 3
_FA6: Developed a code of laws that was the basis for all Welsh law for centuries. 6 7 8 4 2 3
_FA7: Three parts of his code are still found in English Common Law. 4 2 3
_FA8: Called "the head and glory of all the Britons" for his wisdom & justice. 4 2 3
Note:
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REF: MFHOWELLJR@@aol.com (HOWELL-L@@rootsweb.com, Howell readers group): Present Welsh, English and American Howells derive from the old Welsh family of Abernent in Carmarthenshire, the linage and name deriving from Hywel Dda the King of Wales from 943 to 950. He was grandson of Rhodri Mawr, the Great, who united almost all of ancient Wales under his supremacy. He (Hywel Dda I presume) was married to Ellen, daughter of the last of the Kings of Dyfed. The reign of Howel Dda was remarkable for its peacefulness, and is the only ruler of ancient Wales designated "The Good". He was also the only King ever to issue his own coinage. On a visit to Rome in 928, became a student of jurisprudence, and the code of laws he composed is his lasting claim to fame. Three parts of his code are still found in English Common Law. He was such a wise and just man that he was called "the head and glory of all the Britons." There is a place today in Wales called Crickhowell, which is considered to be either his home and/or pob.

REFN: HWS5341
Ancestral File Number:<AFN> FJGW-6Q