Anaraud Rodry Ruler of the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd Country: Great Britain

1. Anarawd ap Rhodri: King of Gwynedd
2. Early Life and Succession
3. Battle of Conwy and Alliance with York
4. Military Victories
5. Death and Legacy

Anarawd ap Rhodri: King of Gwynedd

Anarawd ap Rhodri (died 916) was a Welsh king of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. He is referred to as "King of the Britons" in the Annales Cambriae.

Early Life and Succession

Anarawd's father, Rhodri the Great, ruled over much of Wales, but after his death in 878, his kingdom was divided among his sons, with the throne of Gwynedd falling to Anarawd. Along with his brothers Cadell and Merfyn, Anarawd fought against rival Welsh rulers.

Battle of Conwy and Alliance with York

In 881, Ethelræd, Earl of Mercia, invaded Gwynedd, but Anarawd defeated him at the Battle of the mouth of the Conwy. The annals refer to this as "the Lord's vengeance for Rhodri," who had been killed in battle with the Anglo-Saxons.

Anarawd later formed an alliance with the Scandinavian ruler of York, hoping to secure his flank from Mercian attacks. However, when this alliance proved unstable, Anarawd traveled to the court of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, and acknowledged his overlordship in exchange for Gwynedd's safety. This marked the first known instance of a Gwynedd ruler recognizing the suzerainty of an English king, a precedent later used by English monarchs to claim dominance over the Welsh.

Military Victories

In 894, Anarawd successfully repelled a Norse raid on North Wales. The following year, he invaded Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi in southwest Wales, reportedly with English forces in his army. In 902, he successfully fought off a Viking attack on Anglesey led by Ingimund of Dublin.

Death and Legacy

Anarawd died in 916. He was succeeded by his son, Idwal Foel. Anarawd is considered the founder of the Aberffraw dynasty, named after the Gwynedd rulers' capital on Anglesey. His descendants ruled Gwynedd until the conquest of Wales by Edward I in the late 13th century.