Cyngen ap Cadell


Cyngen ap Cadell or also, was King of Powys from 808 until his death in 855 during a pilgrimage to Rome.

Biography

Cyngen was of the line of Brochwel Ysgithrog, and, after a long reign as king of Powys, he went on a pilgrimage to Rome and died there in 855. He is thought to be the first Welsh ruler to visit Rome after the healing of the breach between the Welsh branch of the Celtic Church and Rome over the date of Easter.
Cyngen raised a pillar, originally a round-shafted cross, in memory of his great-grandfather Elisedd ap Gwylog which stands near the later abbey of Valle Crucis. This memorial had a lengthy inscription and is known as the Pillar of Eliseg owing to a typographical mistake by the original carver.
Cyngen was the last of the original line of kings of Powys. He had three sons, but on his death Powys was annexed by Rhodri Mawr, ruler of Gwynedd. Certain later manuscript pedigrees claim that Rhodri was the son of Cyngen's sister, Nest ferch Cadell, although others claim he was the son of Essyllt ferch Cynan. In any case, traditional Welsh law does not seem to allow female inheritance, so Rhodri is presumed to have taken Powys by conquest.
Cyngen had the following children: