csawlogo.jpg
Home
Guest-written Papers
Reference Abbreviations
Guidance Articles for Researchers
Single Family Analysis
Families of Mixed Origin
Family Pedigrees
Mis-identified Same-Named People in Wales
Battles and Historical Events
Ancient Welsh Territories
Welshmen in Llydaw, Brittany
The Men of the North
Legendary History Prior to 1st Century BC
Beli Mawr and Llyr Llediath in Welsh Pedigrees
Papers Related to Maxen Wledig
Bartrum's "Pedigrees of the Welsh Tribal Patriarchs"
Britain's Royal Roman Family
The Royal Family of Powys
2nd Powys Royal Dynasty
The Royal Family of Gwynedd
Men Descended from Tudwal Gloff
Royal Family of Gwent/ Glamorgan
Royal Family of Brycheiniog
15 Noble Tribes of Gwynedd
The 5 Plebian Tribes of Wales
Glast and the Glastening
Papers about Rhiryd Flaidd and Penllyn
The Men of Collwyn ap Tangno of Lleyn
Edwin of Tegeingl and his Family
Ednowain Bendew in Welsh pedigrees
Ithel of Bryn in Powys
Idnerth Benfras of Maesbrook
Tudor Trefor and his Family
Trahaearn ap Caradog of Arwystli
The Family of Trahaearn ap Caradog
Cadafael Ynfyd of Cydewain
Maredudd ap Owain, King of Deheubarth
Sandde Hardd of Mortyn
The Floruit of Einion ap Seisyllt
The 5 Dafydd Llwyds of Llanwrin Parish
Cowryd ap Cadfan of Dyffryn Clwyd
Osbwrn Wyddel of Cors Gedol
Bradwen of Llys Bradwen in Meirionydd
Who Was Sir Robert Pounderling?
Sir Aaron ap Rhys
Eidio Wyllt - What Was His Birthname?
Ifor Bach, Lord of Senghenydd
Ancestors and Children of the Lord Rhys

NOTE:  If you have accessed this page via web search, it is an incomplete draft of research still in progress and is subject to much revision.  It cannot be accessed from our website, but web search engines are unable to distinguish between "published" pages and those "off-site" notes stored by the site author for possible future use.
                                   THE BATTLE OF MECHAIN
                                        By Darrell Wolcott
 
        Six years after King Gruffudd ap Llewelyn was assassinated, we learn that his two sons were killed as the result of a battle with the sons of Cynfyn, Bleddyn and Rhiwallon.  The accounts of this battle at Mechain found in Annales Cambriae and Brut y Tywysogion agree in all respects except one:  the account in the annals call the sons of Gruffudd "Idwal and Maredudd" while the Brut says "Ithel and Maredudd". 
 
        There is general agreement that this event marks the end of Powys rule by the dynasty descended from Cadell Ddrynllwg, it being replaced by Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and his heirs.  While the transfer of power actually occurred following the 1063 death of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn when the English confirmed Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn as their approved ruler in Powys and Bleddyn in Gwynedd, this may have been only because the sons of Gruffudd were too young to assume a Celtic kingship.  The fact that those sons made no claim to their father's crowns in 1063 but did do so in 1069 is, we believe, strong evidence of their ages.  The eldest of them, whether Ithel or Maredudd, was likely born within a year or two after their father assumed rule in Powys in 1039 and was yet in his early 20's in 1063.  When he attained his "full age", he asserted his birthright and claimed the kingship of Powys then held by an interim king, Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn.
 
        The ancient accounts say that both Rhiwallon and Ithel fell in battle at Mechain, and that Maredudd died of "the cold" which most assume meant he fled into the mountains and met his death from the elements.  The account continues to say that afterwards, Bleddyn held the kingships of both Gwynedd and Powys.  While we agree that Bleddyn emerged victorius following the event, we doubt he was even present when his brother fell.
 
         We have conjectured elsewhere that the sons of Gruffudd had met with Gruffudd ap Cynan nephew of Iago, the heir to the Gwynedd kingship held by Bleddyn.  In that meeting shortly before Mechain, we think an alliance was struck to remove the sons of Cynfyn from both Powys and Gwynedd, assert their own rights to those kingdoms and thus restore both to their dynastic families. Then a refugee living in Ireland, this Gruffudd ap Cynan had no army to assist the sons of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn but believed he would be provided with a host of Irishmen to attack Bleddyn in Gwynedd if Ithel and Maredudd successfully deposed Rhiwallon in Powys.
 
         We suggest that Ithel and Maredudd then sent word to Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn in Mathrafel that the eldest of them had attained legal kingship age and expected Rhiwallon to relinquish his interim rule.  That their army awaited his decision just across the Fyrnwy River in the cantref of Mechain.  Having no intention to step aside for his nephews, Rhiwallon's warband sallied forth to oppose their claim.  We suspect Bleddyn was himself over 100 miles away at his own palace in Anglesey.  When the two warbands met, we suggest it was the forces of Ithel and Maredudd which dominated the battle.  Rhiwallon had sent messingers to seek the assistance of his brother and his army sought to hold off the superior force until Bleddyn's army had time to arrive on the scene.  They held out until darkness, but at first sunlight the battle resumed with still no sign of Bleddyn's men.  The losses mounted for Rhiwallon's men until finally he was surrounded and fell fatally wounded.  His penteulu exhorted his men to fight on as help was due any moment.  When Bleddyn's men arrived on the scene, the tide swiftly turned against the sons of Gruffudd.  Ithel was slain and his men scattered; Maredudd took shelter in the mountains.  Although his position was immune to attack, the exits were easy to block and he died of the combination of hunger, thirst and cold nights.