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[[File:Map of the Cantrefs and Commotes of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren.svg|thumb|right|200px|Map of [[Rhwng Gwy a Hafren]]]]
[[File:Map of the Cantrefs and Commotes of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren.svg|thumb|right|200px|Map of [[Rhwng Gwy a Hafren]] ]]
'''Gwrtheyrnion''' or '''Gwerthrynion''' was a [[commote]] in medieval [[Wales]], located in [[Mid Wales]] on the north side of the [[River Wye]]. For most of the Middle Ages its rulers operated independently of other powers, but it is sometimes associated with the [[cantref]] of [[Maelienydd]] and the [[Kingdom of Powys]], and, in the [[Normans|Norman]] era, with the region known as [[Rhwng Gwy a Hafren]]. It is said to have taken its name from the legendary king [[Vortigern]] ({{lang-cy|Gwrtheyrn}}), and for a time was part of a regional kingdom.


==Name and extent==
'''Gwrtheyrnion''', or '''Gwerthrynion''', was a possible early medieval minor [[monarchy|kingdom]] and attested later medieval [[commote]] of mid-[[Wales]], supposedly named after its traditional founder, ''Gwrtheyrn'' (the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] form of [[Vortigern]]) who, according to tradition, was [[High King of Britain|High King]] of the [[Brython|British Celts]] c.425 - c.455.
According to the 9th-century ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'', Gwrtheyrnion, here [[Latinisation (literature)|Latinised]] ''Guorthegirnaim'', was named for [[Vortigern]] ({{lang-cy|Gwrtheyrn}}), a legendary 5th-century [[list of legendary kings of Britain|King of Britain]].<ref name=HB47>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_the_Britons#1:47 ''Historia Brittonum'', ch. 47.]</ref> [[John Edward Lloyd]] considers this derivation accurate.<ref>Lloyd, pp. 253–254.</ref> Around 800 Gwrtheyrnion formed part of a minor regional kingdom with the [[cantref]] of [[Buellt]], situated across the [[River Wye|Wye]].<ref name=Lloyd224>Lloyd, p. 224 and notes.</ref> Later medieval lists of commotes and cantrefs more generally associate it with territories on the north side of the Wye; some, but not all, tie it to the cantref of [[Maelienydd]].<ref name=Owen203>Owen, p. 203.</ref> Others tie it instead to the cantref of [[Arwystli]], though this is evidently the result of a scribal error.<ref name=Owen203/> The historical centre of Gwrtheyrnion was [[Rhayader]] from which it is thought the traditional county of [[Radnorshire]] was named.


==History==
The territory is small consisting of four [[Community (Wales)|parishes]][http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp;jsessionid=86581C64A1AEF3C83E358C2B425FA2AF?first=true&u_id=10146999&c_id=10001043] presently within the district of [[Radnorshire]] in the modern county of [[Powys]]. The historical centre of Gwrtheyrnion was [[Rhayader]] from which it is thought the traditional county of ''Radnor''shire was named. Gwrtheyrnion was often united with the neighbouring realm of [[Builth]] and came to be ruled by members of the [[Deheubarth]] princely house prior to annexation by Marcher Lordships in the early Middle Ages.
The ''[[Historia Brittonum]]'' provides the earliest mention of Gwrtheyrnion. According to the text, Vortigern fled to the Gwrtheyrnion after Saint [[Germanus of Auxerre]] had castigated him for his various sins. He eventually died, and his descendants founded the line of kings that ruled Gwrtheyrnion and Buellt.<ref>[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_the_Britons#1:47 ''Historia Brittonum'', ch. 47–49.]</ref> The ''Historia'' implies that the formation of Gwrtheyrnion and Buellt into a kingdom occurred under the ruler Ffernfael.<ref>Lloyd, p. 224, 254.</ref> One of the text's copyists, from whose copy most other surviving manuscripts derive, took particular interest in this kingdom, and introduced a genealogy tracing Ffernfael's descent back to Vortigern through his son [[Pascent]].<ref name=Lloyd224/> Ffernfael is also known from the [[genealogies from Jesus College MS 20]]. These indicate that his cousin Brawstudd married [[Arthfael Hen ap Rhys]], who ruled [[Kingdom of Morgannwg| Morgannwg]] in the early 9th century, implying a ''flourit'' for Ffernfael around that time.<ref name=Lloyd224/>


Gwrtheyrnion, along with the cantrefs of [[Elfael]] and [[Maelienydd]], were for some time considered part of the [[Kingdom of Powys]], though in the later Middle Ages Powys exerted no control over them.<ref name=Owen203/> The ''Historia'' genealogy is interesting in showing that the kings of Gwrtheyrnion themselves claimed no connection to the Powys dynasties, but instead traced their pedigree to the unrelated Vortigern.<ref name=Owen203/> By the time of [[Gerald of Wales]] the general area was known as [[Rhwng Gwy a Hafren]] ({{lang-en|Between Wye and Severn}}), and was almost entirely independent of Powys.<ref>Lloyd, p. 252.</ref> After the [[Norman invasion of England|Norman invasion]] Rhwng Gwy a Hafren was nominally in the hands of Norman [[Marcher Lords]], but their control was often tenuous and Welsh lords periodically re-established dominance.<ref>Davies, p. 216.</ref>
Gwrtheyrnion is first mentioned in the ''[[Historia Britonum]]'' the 9th Century work attributed to the monk [[Nennius]], viz;


In the 16th century Gwrtheyrnion and the rest of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren were reorganised into the county of [[Radnorshire]] by the [[Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542|Laws in Wales Acts]]. It is currently part of the modern county of [[Powys]].
<blockquote>''[[Saint Germanus]] admonished Vortigern to turn to the true God, and abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; but the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the province '''Guorthegirnaim''', so called from his own name, where he concealed himself with his wives: but St. Germanus followed him with all the British clergy, and upon a rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty nights.''{{Fact|date=May 2008}}</blockquote>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |title=The Age of Conquest: Wales, 1063-1415|last= Davies |first= R. R. |authorlink= Rees Davies|coauthors= |year= 2000|publisher= Oxford University Press|location= |isbn= 0198208782|page= |pages= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=klauMOoHXK0C&pg=PA344&dq=arwystli&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a#v=snippet&q=arwystli&f=false|accessdate=November 9, 2009}}
*{{cite book |title=A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest|last= Lloyd|first= John Edward|authorlink= John Edward Lloyd|coauthors= |year= 1912|publisher= Longmans, Green, and Co.|location= |isbn= |page= |pages= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=NYwNAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Lloyd+history+of+Wales#v=onepage&q=&f=false|accessdate=November 6, 2009}}
*{{cite book |title= The Description of Penbrokshire|last= Owen|first= George|authorlink= George Owen of Henllys|coauthors= Henry Owen (Ed.)|year= 1892|publisher= C. K. Clark|location= |isbn= |page= |pages= |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=C4zSAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&client=firefox-a&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false|accessdate=November 4, 2009}}


{{Welsh kingdoms}}
{{Welsh kingdoms}}

Revision as of 21:09, 9 November 2009

Map of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren

Gwrtheyrnion or Gwerthrynion was a commote in medieval Wales, located in Mid Wales on the north side of the River Wye. For most of the Middle Ages its rulers operated independently of other powers, but it is sometimes associated with the cantref of Maelienydd and the Kingdom of Powys, and, in the Norman era, with the region known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren. It is said to have taken its name from the legendary king Vortigern (Welsh: Gwrtheyrn), and for a time was part of a regional kingdom.

Name and extent

According to the 9th-century Historia Brittonum, Gwrtheyrnion, here Latinised Guorthegirnaim, was named for Vortigern (Welsh: Gwrtheyrn), a legendary 5th-century King of Britain.[1] John Edward Lloyd considers this derivation accurate.[2] Around 800 Gwrtheyrnion formed part of a minor regional kingdom with the cantref of Buellt, situated across the Wye.[3] Later medieval lists of commotes and cantrefs more generally associate it with territories on the north side of the Wye; some, but not all, tie it to the cantref of Maelienydd.[4] Others tie it instead to the cantref of Arwystli, though this is evidently the result of a scribal error.[4] The historical centre of Gwrtheyrnion was Rhayader from which it is thought the traditional county of Radnorshire was named.

History

The Historia Brittonum provides the earliest mention of Gwrtheyrnion. According to the text, Vortigern fled to the Gwrtheyrnion after Saint Germanus of Auxerre had castigated him for his various sins. He eventually died, and his descendants founded the line of kings that ruled Gwrtheyrnion and Buellt.[5] The Historia implies that the formation of Gwrtheyrnion and Buellt into a kingdom occurred under the ruler Ffernfael.[6] One of the text's copyists, from whose copy most other surviving manuscripts derive, took particular interest in this kingdom, and introduced a genealogy tracing Ffernfael's descent back to Vortigern through his son Pascent.[3] Ffernfael is also known from the genealogies from Jesus College MS 20. These indicate that his cousin Brawstudd married Arthfael Hen ap Rhys, who ruled Morgannwg in the early 9th century, implying a flourit for Ffernfael around that time.[3]

Gwrtheyrnion, along with the cantrefs of Elfael and Maelienydd, were for some time considered part of the Kingdom of Powys, though in the later Middle Ages Powys exerted no control over them.[4] The Historia genealogy is interesting in showing that the kings of Gwrtheyrnion themselves claimed no connection to the Powys dynasties, but instead traced their pedigree to the unrelated Vortigern.[4] By the time of Gerald of Wales the general area was known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren (English: Between Wye and Severn), and was almost entirely independent of Powys.[7] After the Norman invasion Rhwng Gwy a Hafren was nominally in the hands of Norman Marcher Lords, but their control was often tenuous and Welsh lords periodically re-established dominance.[8]

In the 16th century Gwrtheyrnion and the rest of Rhwng Gwy a Hafren were reorganised into the county of Radnorshire by the Laws in Wales Acts. It is currently part of the modern county of Powys.

Notes

  1. ^ Historia Brittonum, ch. 47.
  2. ^ Lloyd, pp. 253–254.
  3. ^ a b c Lloyd, p. 224 and notes.
  4. ^ a b c d Owen, p. 203.
  5. ^ Historia Brittonum, ch. 47–49.
  6. ^ Lloyd, p. 224, 254.
  7. ^ Lloyd, p. 252.
  8. ^ Davies, p. 216.

References

  • Davies, R. R. (2000). The Age of Conquest: Wales, 1063-1415. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198208782. Retrieved November 9, 2009. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Lloyd, John Edward (1912). A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest. Longmans, Green, and Co. Retrieved November 6, 2009. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Owen, George (1892). The Description of Penbrokshire. C. K. Clark. Retrieved November 4, 2009. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)


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