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Cadwallon CadfanKing of Gwynedd since 625.
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Cadwallon ap Cadfan: King of Gwynedd and Anglo-Saxon Conqueror
- Rise to Power and Conflict with Northumbria
- Exile and Alliance Formation
- Conquest of Northumbria and Reign of Terror
- Death and Legacy
Cadwallon ap Cadfan: King of Gwynedd and Anglo-Saxon Conqueror
Cadwallon ap Cadfan, known as Catuvellaunus in Latin and Catwald in English, ruled as King of Gwynedd from 625 CE. He stands out as the only Welsh ruler to successfully conquer significant Anglo-Saxon territories for a brief period through a series of military victories.
Rise to Power and Conflict with Northumbria
Cadwallon ascended to the throne after the demise of his father, Cadfan ap Iago. His reign was largely characterized by military confrontations with the Northumbrian kingdoms. This conflict arose due to King Edwin of Deira and Bernicia's westward expansion. Edwin's ambitions for Anglo-Saxon dominance and support from Redwald of East Anglia allowed him to annex the British kingdom of Elmet and the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Lindsey. As recorded by Bede, "he even reduced the Mevanian islands," likely referring to the Isle of Man and Anglesey, which had been under Gwynedd's control.
Exile and Alliance Formation
Cadwallon's first historical mention coincides with the culmination of Edwin's Welsh invasion. The Annals of Wales note that in 629, "King Cadwallon was besieged on the island of Glanney." Defeated on this small island west of Anglesey, the Gwynedd ruler was forced to flee.
Accounts of Cadwallon's activities during his exile are found only in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain" and its Welsh counterpart, the "Chronicle of the Early Britons." They narrate that Cadwallon initially sought refuge in Ireland and then crossed to Brittany via Guernsey to the court of King Solomon of Armorica. With military support from the Armorican Britons, Cadwallon returned to Britain and, after lifting the Mercian siege of Exeter, formed an alliance with King Penda of Mercia. The alliance was further strengthened by Cadwallon's marriage to Penda's sister, Ealhflæd.
Conquest of Northumbria and Reign of Terror
Regardless of the reliability of the "History of the Kings of Britain," a formidable alliance between Penda and Cadwallon did emerge. Their combined forces vanquished Edwin's troops at the Battle of Meicen (Hatfield Chase in English tradition) on October 14, 633, killing the Northumbrian king and his son Osfrith. Edwin's second son, Eadfrith, was taken hostage by Penda.
Following Edwin's defeat, Cadwallon and Penda occupied much of Northumbria. Bede, a Northumbrian himself and thus somewhat biased, describes the events as follows:
"Then began a great slaughter of the church and people of Northumbria, one of the persecutors being a pagan and the other a still more savage barbarian. For Penda and all the people of the Mercians were pagans and knew not the name of Christ, while Cadwalla, though a Christian in name and profession, was a barbarian in nature, sparing neither women nor innocent children, but putting them to death with savage cruelty and tearing them limb from limb, and long harrying their country, desiring to wipe out the whole nation of the Angles from Britain."
Death and Legacy
Northumbria reverted to its constituent kingdoms: Deira, Edwin's former domain, passed to his cousin Osric, while Bernicia was ruled by Ethelfrith's son, Eanfrith. Osric attempted to regain his lands and besieged Cadwallon in York in early 634. However, the Gwynedd king led a surprise sortie, defeating Osric's army and killing the king himself.
For a year, Cadwallon ruled Osric's kingdom as "not a victorious king but a cruel tyrant, tearing his victims to pieces with horrible savagery," according to Bede. Eanfrith, the king of Bernicia, was also slain by Cadwallon when he came for peace negotiations with a small retinue.
Cadwallon's throne in Bernicia was challenged by Eanfrith's brother, Oswald, who had returned from exile in Dal Riata with a small force. Oswald defeated the Welsh king in 634 at the Battle of Cantscaul (Heavenfield in Anglo-Saxon tradition). Cadwallon perished in the battle at "Denis's Brook."
From his marriage to Ealhflæd of Mercia, Cadwallon left behind a single son, Cadwaladr Fendigaid ap Cadwallon, who was an infant at the time of his father's death. Despite Cadwaladr's claim, the throne of Gwynedd passed to Cadfael Cadomedd ap Cynfeddw.
