Kingdom of Gwynedd

:This article is about the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd. For the modern administrative county of Wales, see Gwynedd.

Related Topics:
Administrative county - Wales - Gwynedd

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Gwynedd was one of the kingdoms or principalities of medieval Wales. Covering an area in the north-west of the country around Snowdonia and including the island of Anglesey, its rulers—such as Owain Gwynedd, Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn the Last—usually held ascendancy over their rivals. The region's geography made it difficult for English kings to impose their will on the local rulers.

Related Topics:
Snowdonia - Anglesey - Owain Gwynedd - Llywelyn the Great - Llywelyn the Last - English

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Gwynedd covered the territory of the Ordovices, but tradition traced the kingdom's foundation to Cunedda, who migrated with his sons and followers from what is now southern Scotland. The territory was originally known as Venedotia, a name which mutated to Gwynedd over the next two centuries. The heart of Gwynedd was originally at Deganwy, but later moved to Aberffraw on Anglesey. The ruler of Gwynedd was often described as "Prince of Aberffraw" or "Lord of Aberffraw".

Related Topics:
Ordovices - Cunedda - Scotland - Deganwy - Aberffraw - Anglesey

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During the period of the Norman conquest of Wales, between the years 1066 and 1282, Gwynedd was a centre of national resistance, the last stronghold of the native Welsh princes against the kings of England. The extent of the kingdom varied with the strength of the current ruler. Gwynedd was traditionally divided into "Gwynedd Uwch Conwy" and "Gwynedd Is Conwy", with rhe River Conwy forming the dividing line between the two parts.

Related Topics:
Norman - 1066 - 1282 - England - River Conwy

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"Gwynedd" is pronounced like the modern personal name "Gwyneth" except that the Welsh "dd" is pronounced like the voiced English "th" in "this" (not as in "thin").

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