Ewyas, Gwerthefyriwg, Gwent, Ergyng, Cernyw, Glywyssing and Morganwg
The history of this area is particularly challenging to understand. This is because over this period there were not only name changes, but border changes, unifying of kingdoms and conquering of Kingdoms, both internally amoung the Welsh Kingdoms and also, because this was what turned out to be on the border between Wales and England, there was the constant threat from the expanding Anglo Saxon Kingdoms.
In the diagram below, I have attempted to summarise the most significant events in relation to this area.
Ewyas / Gwerthefyriwg
Founded from the kingdom of the Silures , Ewyas (now in Herefordshire) was situated on the eastern edge of Wales.
383 - c.430 Around the start of the fourth century there is a threat from Irish raids coming up the River Severn, so Magnus Maximus creates the Kingdom of mid-south Wales which incorporated Ewyas and Cernyw
c.430 Ewyas seems to have come under the control of Vortigern, whose family had lived in Glevum (Gloucester) before the depature of the Romans, and imposed himself as the local leader before taking control of the whole country . He is known to the Welsh as Gwrtheyrn Gwertheneu (Vortigern the Thin). As a man with no Imperial connections, he was viewed as a usurper by Roman legitimists, though he tried to consolidate his position by marrying a daughter of Magnus Maximus. Ewyas was renamed in honour of his son Vortimer (using the Welsh version of his Romanised name, Gwerthefyriwg).
c.474 Gwerthefyriwg divided into Gwent and Ergyng
Gwent
The Kingdom of Gwent was traditionally the area between the rivers Usk, Wye and Severn. Its capital was the Roman city of Caerwent (Caer Gwent) after which the kingdom is named
c.490 Caradog Freichfras (Strongarm) ap Ynyr secures the kingdom, It seems that Caradog Freichfras is named in honour of Caratacus, the heroic resister of Roman occupation of the Silures four hundred years earlier. Caer Gwent is Caradog Freichfras's original base, but later stories have him handing his headquarters (the Roman basilica in the heart of the town) over to St Tathyw so that he can found a monastery. Caradog moves his court to Portskewett, which may be the hill fort of Sudbrook Fort, Following his accession he also sails across the Channel to found the kingdom of Bro Erch in Brittany.
577 Caer Gloui (Gloucester) falls to the West Saxon, seperating Gwent from Dumnonia (Devon, Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset) and opened up the Welsh border to attack
c.595 Erb ap Erbic becomes King of Gwent, Glywissing and Ergyng, being dubbed the 'King of South-East Wales'.
c.600 Ynys Manau (Isle of Man) is invaded by the Dal Riadan (Scotti from Ulster), their leader Dingad ap Nudd and his family flee and take refuge in Gwent, where they settle in the role of minor chieftains.
c.610 Upon Erb's death the unified kingdom of Gwent and Ergyng is divided between his sons, Nynnio gains Gwent and Glywissing, while Pebiaw gains Ergyng.
c.630 Gwent is subjected to a largescale Saxon raid and its Christian King Tewdrig was mortally wounded.
656 Pengwern is overrun by Oswiu of Northumbria the kingdom terminated, further exposing the border of Gwent .
c.735 Ithel ap Morgan becomes King of Gwent, Glywyssing and Ergyng and is dubbed King of South-East Wales. Also around this time Gwent may also have extended east of the River Wye into areas known as Cantref Coch, which later became the Forest of Dean.
745 It is probable that Ithel divides the joint kingdom between sons, Brochwal ap Ithel rules Gwent and Rhys ap Ithel rules in Glywyssing, with Ithael remaing overlord of both. The name of Ergyng is no longer used, parts of the territory probably having been lost to the Hwicce while the rest having been absorbed by Gwent for more than a century. It seems that, by the ninth century, the greater portion of it has been absorbed by Mercia.
848 King Ithael of Gwent is killed in battle against King Elisedd ap Tewdr of Brycheiniog
c.942 Morgan Hen Fawr (Morgan the Old) , becomes king of Glywyssing and Gwent under the new name of Morgannwg (modern Glamorgan), he was one of the Welsh rulers who paid tribute to Athelstan's overlordship, and attended him at court in Hereford. However, Gwent remained a distinct Welsh kingdom and its eastern boundary became established as the Wye,
974 Gwent and Glywysing were were broken up again after the death of his death of Morgan Hen Fawr
1055 Morgannwg reformed when Gruffudd ap Llywelyn conquers both kingdoms
Ergyng
Originally a Welsh kingdom that lay mostly in what is now western Herefordshire, its heartland was between the Rivers Monnow and Wye, but it also spread east of the Wye into modern Monmouthshire, its capital was Ariconium (Welsh: Din Aricon) at Weston under Penyard and was originally part of the Kingdom of Gwent, but seems to have become independent for a period under Gwrfoddw Hen in the late 5th century, and again under King Peibio Clafrog in the mid-6th century. Peibio was the grandfather of Saint Dubricius the first Bishop of Ergyng and an important figure in the establishment of Christianity in South Wales. Dubricius' cousin, Gwgran Fawr (the Great) was one of its most important monarchs and may have obtained sway over Glamorgan as far as the River Neath.
c.595 Erb ap Erbic becomes King of Gwent, Glywissing and Ergyng, being dubbed the 'King of South-East Wales'.
c.610 Upon Erb's death the unified kingdom of Gwent and Ergyng is divided between his sons, Nynnio gains Gwent and Glywissing, while Pebiaw gains Ergyng.
c.630 Gwent is subjected to a largescale Saxon raid and its Christian King Tewdrig was mortally wounded.
c.735 Ithel ap Morgan King of South-East Wales (Gwent, Glywissing and Ergyng).
745 It is probable that Ithel divides the joint kingdom between sons, Rhys ap Ithel ruling Glywissing with Ithael remaing overlord of both. The name of Ergyng is no longer used, parts of the territory probably having been lost to the Hwicce while the rest has been part of Gwent for more than a century. It seems that, by the ninth century, the greater portion of it has been absorbed by Mercia.
by the 9th century the Mercians had gained control over the area and nearby Hereford, although its Welsh-speaking inhabitants retained special rights. Ergyng then became known to the English as Archenfield.
Cernyw / Glywyssing / Morgannwg
The small Celtic kingdom of Cernyw was a western chunk of the former Silures territory
c.420 The country is subjected to raids along its coastline. Irish raiders sail up the Severn and seize a large amount of booty in the form of corn and cattle and also take children as slaves. They are also credited with kidnapping the young St Patrick from the College of Theodosius ( Llantwit Major ), which would place the raid within the territory of Cernyw
437 Cernyw and Ewyas combined (known by later chroniclers as the 'Kingdom of Mid-South Wales') by Eugenius ( in Welsh Owain Finddu or Black Lips), son of Magnus Maximus, but continued to operate as seperate Kingdoms.
c.440 The mythology of his death tells us that he and his brother, King Constantine of North Wales, were escorting their mother, St. Elen Luyddog (of the Host), through the Mountains of Snowdonia when Owain's rear-guard were attacked by an evil giant, named Cidwm, near Nantmor. The two took part in a fierce battle in which they pelted each other with either arrows or huge steel balls. Eventually Owain killed the giant, but was so badly wounded himself that he shot an arrow into the air and asked to be buried where it fell. He died immediately afterward and was buried at what became Bedd Owain. In reality Eugenius is thought to have been killed in battle against Irish raiders.
c470 When Glwys came to power, Cernyw was renamed Glywyssing in his honour .
c.480 - c 580 Glywyssing comprised three main regions, probably created with the same borders as their preceding Roman cantrefs which were often ruled as separate kingdoms, with one of the three rulers filling the role of nominal overlord
Gwynllg formed the far eastern part of Glywyssing, divided from Gwent by the River Usk, with a capital at Allt Wynllyw on Stow Hill (in Newport)
Penychen divided from Gwynllg by the River Elerch, otherwise known as the Greater Rumney, which was ruled from Nant Pawl
Gorfynedd the westernmost section, which included the Gower Peninsula and which was ruled from Llaniltud Fawr (Llantwit Major).
A fourth region, Edeligion was located in the very east of Glywyssing. It appears to have been short-lived and was probably quickly absorbed into Gwynllg.
c 580 Meurig, king of Gwent through inheritance and marriage gains control of Glywyssing and the kingdom remains part of Gwent until 745.
c.595 Erb ap Erbic becomes King of Gwent, Glywissing and Ergyng, being dubbed the 'King of South-East Wales'
c.610 Upon Erb's death the unified kingdom of Gwent and Ergyng is divided between his sons, Nynnio gains Gwent and Glywissing, while Pebiaw gains Ergyng.
c.735 Ithel ap Morgan becomes King of Gwent, Glywyssing and Ergyng and is dubbed King of South-East Wales.
745 It is probable that Ithel divides the joint kingdom between sons, Brochwal ap Ithel rules Gwent and Rhys ap Ithel rules in Glywyssing, with Ithael remaing overlord of both. Glywissing re-emerges as a seperate kingdom and seems to have remained relatively stable throughout the remainder of the eighth century and into the ninth..
c.785 King Meyryg ap Rhys builds a castle at Caerleon upon Usk and another at a place called Meigen cil Ceincoed, near the River Elerch or Romney, however according to tradition he was a man of great cruelty and was launched to his death from a high cliff by nobles for daring to molest a noble's daughter.
c.825 - c.830 Glywyssing is taken back into Gwent, however, this is only for a brief period and Rhys ap Arthfael soon regains control
856 - 886 During this period, King Hywel ap Rhys comes into conflict with the king of Brycheiniog, Elisedd ap Tewdr, over the district of Ystrad Yw (Crickhowell), he is forced to relinquish his right to that district and set the boundary of his kingdom there. It is here the town and castle of Cerrig Hywel ( 'the stones of Hywel') was constructed.
c.942 Morgan Hen Fawr (Morgan the Old) , becomes king of Glywyssing and Gwent under the new name of Morgannwg (modern Glamorgan), he was one of the Welsh rulers who paid tribute to Athelstan's overlordship, and attended him at court in Hereford.
974 The kingdom breaks after the death of Morgan Hen Fawr.
1055 Morgannwg reformed when Gruffudd ap Llywelyn conquers both kingdoms