King of Gwynedd (c615-625)
Born c570 Died 625

Cadfan was the son of Iago ap Beli and succeeded to the throne on his father's death around the year 615.

Cadfan is notable if only because his tombstone survives at Llangadwaladr on the island of Môn or Anglesey in north Wales. Or to be more exact his tombstone was recycled and used as building material for the church at Llangadwaladr from whence it was rescued. The inscription on the memorial stone (technically known as ECMW.13) reads;

Catamanus rex sapientisimus opinatisimus omnium regum

or in English

Cadfan, wisest and most renowned of all kings

The location of the memorial on Anglesey leads many to speculate that it was during the reign of Cadfan that the kings of Gwynedd established their royal capital at Aberffraw. His predecessors seemed to have preferred to base themselves on the mainland at locations such as Degannwy, but Aberffraw became the traditional royal seat of power that persisted right down to the thirteenth century.

The genealogies record that Cadfan married Tandreg Ddu 1 ferch Cynan, that is the daughter of Cynan ap Brochwel, a presumed early ruler of Powys. They produced one son, Cadwallon ap Cadfan who is one of the best documented of the early rulers of Gwynedd; mainly due to his habit of killing whatever English kings he came across.


NOTES

1 Tandreg Ddu, or 'black' Tandreg; presumably a reference to the colour of her hair

2 Sourced from the Wales in the Early Middle Ages by Wendt Davies and The Welsh Kings by Kari Maund (Tempus 2000)

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