Merovingian Dynasty

Franks were members of a confederation of Germanic peoples that attacked the Roman Empire beginning in the A.D. 200's. The Franks were divided into two branches, the Salians and the Ripuarians. The Salians settled in the Low Countries on the lower Rhine, near the North Sea. The Ripuarians moved into the region around what are now the cities of Aachen, Trier and Cologne, Germany, in the region of the middle Rhine.

Frankish history is divided into two periods. These periods are the Merovingian, from about 481 to 751, and the Carolingian, 751 to 987. Charlemagne, who was king of the Franks from 768 to 814, created a vast empire. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned him emperor of the Romans.After the time of Charlemagne, the Frankish empire began to break up into what later became the kingdoms of France, Germany, and Italy.

Clovis I, the son of King Childeric,
a descendant of Merovech, "legendary" king of Franks, from whom Merovingian line takes its name, was converted to Catholism by
his wife Saint Clotilde.
Clotilda was the granddaughter of Gundioc, king of Burgundy, who was related to the Visigothic kings and shared their Arian Christian faith. At Gundioc's death his kingdom was divided between his four sons, Gundobad, Godegesil, Chilperic II, and Gundomar. Clotilda's father Chilperic was murdered by Gundobad. After his death, Caretena (died 506) his wife with her daughters Clotilda and Chrona (the eldest) made her home with Godegisil at Geneva where her daughter, Chrona (465 - 543), founded the church of Saint-Victor, having taken the religious habit. Clovis, hearing good reports of Clotilda, obtained Gundobad's permission for their marriage in 493. She bore him four sons, Ingomer and the future kings Clodomir, Childebert I, and Chlotar I.Clotilda was tireless in urging her husband to renounce his idols and acknowledge the true God; his final decision (c.498) was made to honour a vow taken during a battle against the Alemanni. After Clovis' death (511), she retired to Tours and became famous for her sanctity of life, generosity to the church, and charity work. She was buried beside Clovis in the church, now Sainte-Geneviève, that they had cofounded in Paris.St. Clotilda.

Clovis I (466 - 512) Married (492) Clotilde of Burgundy (475 - 03Jun 545), Queen of France, born in Lyon (Lugdunum, Gaul). Clotilde, the daughter of Chilperic II, King of Burgundy (455 - 492) and Caretena Aggripina (455 - 506) was venerated as a Saint by Roman Catholics as she was instrumental to her husband's famous conversion to Christianity. Their sons:

• Theuderic I, (484-534) Merovingian King of Metz (511-534) (unknown mother)
• Clodomir, (c.495-524) Merovingian King of Orléans (511-524) (killed in a war against the Burgundians)
• Childebert I, Merovingian King of the Paris (511-558)
• Clotaire (Chlothar) I 'the Old', (497-561) Merovingian King of the Franks, King in Soissons (511), King of Franks (558-561) (killed the two sons of Clodomir to inherit the kingdom of Clodomir along with Childebert)
• Clotilda, wife of Amalaric, the Visigothic king (Cruelly maltreated by her husband, she appealed for help to her brother Childebert. He went to her rescue and defeated Amalaric in a battle.)

Childebert (496 - 23Dec 558) who was a the King of Cologne (511-558). His children:

• Siegbert I
• Bertha (540-597) - Princess of the Franks was married to Aethelberht as the third king to hold imperium over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England. She brought with her St. Augustine who established the church in Canterbury.
• Charibert I King of Paris (561-567)
• Guntram King of Burgundy (561-592)
• Chilperic I King of Soissons (561-584)

Siegbert I the Lame (445 - 509) who was the King of Cologne. Murdered in 509 by his son: Cloderic

Cloderic the Parricide was regined briefly as the King of Cologne. Cloderic was murdered in 509 by Clovis I after he murdered his father. He had a child Murideric.

Murideric, Lord of Vitrey. Murideric was "very young" in 509 when his father was murdered by Clovis I. Murideric revolted against Theuderic I, a son of Clovis (I), who killed him. Munderic & Arthemia had a two sons: St. Gondulfus, Duke Bodegisil (I) (562-588)

St. Gondulfus (524-607) He was Bishop of Tongres(consecrated in 599), Governor of Marseilles in 581 and Mayor of the Palace to Theibert (I). (St. Gondulfus is almost certainly the father of Duke Bodegisil (II); see F.L. Weis, Ancestral Roots, Baltimore, 1999, 190-6. Other earlier works including George Andrews Moriarty: The Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III and Queen Philippa, Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1985, pages 5 and 241, show St. Gondulfus' brother Duke Bodegisil (I) as the father of Duke Bodegisil (II).)

Duke Bodegisil (II) was the Governor of Aquitane. Killed in 588. Duke Bodegisil (II) married Oda, a Suevian and they had a son: Arnoself

St. Arnoself of Metz (582-641) was the Bishop of Metz and is also known as Arnold, Arnulf and Arnuiph. He was a member of the court of the Frankish king Theodebert (II) of Austrasia. St. Arnoself married Clothilde (Doda) who became a nun at Trèves in 612. St. Arnoself and Clothilde had a son: Ansigise. Arnoself was named the bishop of Metz around 616. He also served as counsellor to Dagobert, King Clotaire's son. In 626, Arnulf retired to a hermitage at Remiremont, France. His feastday is July 18.

Duke Ansigise(c.602-685) was Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia in 632 and is also known as Anchises, Ansegisel and Ansegilius. He was murdered. Married:  St. Bégue or Begga, daughter of Pépin the Old of Landen who was Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia in 623 and a counsellor of Dagobert (I), King of Austrasia. St. Bégue's mother was St. Itta. On the death of her husband in the year 691, St. Bégue built a church and convent at Andenne on the Meuse River and died there. Her feast day is December 17th. Thier son was Pépin.

Pépin of Heristal (635-714) who was Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia. Pépin married first to Plectrud, a daughter of Hugobert and Irmina, and they had the following sons: Drogo, Duke of Champagne and Grimoald (II), Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia. Pépin was associated with Aupais (Aupaïs, Elphide or Chalpaida?) who is said to have been be a concubine. Historically, this referred to a secondary or inferior wife and may help explain why some sources claim that Pépin and Aupais were married. They had a son: Charles Martel

Charles "The Hammer" Martel (676-741) was the Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia, and as such, was the virtual ruler of France. Charles Martel married first to Rotrou or Chrotrud who was perhaps a daughter of St. Liévin, Bishop of Trèves.  Charles and Rotrou had the following children: Carloman who ruled Neustria, Burgundy and Provence as Mayor of the Palace from 741 until 747 when he retired from political life and became a monk at the Monastery of Monte Casino. He was succeeded by his younger brother Pepin the Short, Landrée who married Count Sigrand, Jerome, and Pépin the Short.

Pépin the Short (c.715-768), was Mayor of the Palace in Austrasia and had himself declared King of the Franks in 751. Pépin the Short married in 740 to Bertha or Bertrada II of Laon also known as "Bertha Broadfoot". She was the daughter of Caribert (or Herbert), Count of Laon and granddaughter of Bertha, a Merovingian Princess who was in turn a daughter of Thierry (III), King of Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy. Bertrada or Bertha was known as "Queen Goose-Foot" or "Goose-Footed Bertha", and is the original "Mother Goose". Pépin the Short and Bertha of Laon had the following children:

• Charlemagne (Charles Magne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 742-814)
• Carloman of the Franks, King of Franks (751-771),
• Gisela, Abbess of Chelles, who had a son Rowland, who had a daughter Juliana who married her first cousin once removed, Charles the younger, Duke of Ingelheim who was a son of Charlemagne, and
• Pippin who died young.

Merovingian turns into the Carolingian Dynasty

Charlemagne Emperor of the West (742-814) ruled jointly with his younger brother Carloman from 768 until 771, at which time Carloman died. Charlemagne greatly extended his empire, and was crowned emperor by Pope Leo III on December 25, 800. Charlemagne was predeceased by two of his sons, and was succeeded by his sole surviving son, Louis I, the Pious and through him the Carolingian Dynasty continued until 987, followed by the Carpetian Dynasty to the House of Bourbon (1589-1792) which included Louis XV (1 Sep 1715- 10 May 1774), the great grandson of Louis XIV, the Great, the Sun King.
Charlemagne had two more mistresses: Adalind, by whom he had a son Theodric (807-818) a cleric and an unknown mistress, by whom he had a son Richbod (800-844) abbott of St-Riquier.

Charlemagne married circa 768 to Himiltude, and they had a son: Pépin the Hunchback, Monk at Prüm, born circa 769

Charlemagne married in 770 to Desideria and had an annulment in 771.

Charlemagne married in 771 at Aachen to Hildegarde of Vintschgau (758-783), and they had the following children:

• Pépin (I), King of Italy Charles the younger, Duke of Ingelheim, (772-811)
• Louis (I) the Pious of Aquitaine, King of France, whose 7X great granddaughter Mathilda of Flanders married in 1053 to William the Conqueror.
• Bertha, born 779
• Rotrud, born circa 755
• Adelaide, born 773
• Lothar, born 778
• Gisela
• Hildegard

Charlemagne married in 783 to Fastrada, and they had the following daughters: Theodrada, Abbess of Argenteuil and Hiltrude.

Pépin (I) (773-810,), King of Italy was crowned King of Italy by his father Charlemagne in 781 but died before his father Charlemagne. Pépin married in 795 to Bertha of Toulouse and they had the following children: Bernhard (born c.797 and Five Daughters)

Bernhard (797-818), King of Italy revolted in July 817 when his uncle, Louis (I) the Pious who had succeeded Charlemagne as Emperor, proceeded to divide the empire among his sons, Bernhard's cousins. Bernhard doubtless felt that his father Pépin had been crowned King of Italy by Charlemagne and that he should follow his father as the full fledged King of Italy. Louis the Pious, however, had a different view of the situation. Seeing as Pépin had died before Charlemagne, Louis the Pious felt that as Charlemagne's heir, he was overall king or emperor; and that Bernhard was perhaps sort of a sub-king. Bernhard's revolt didn't work, and he was forced to submit to Louis in December 817. Eventually, by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the territory that had been Bernhard's Kingdom of Italy was awarded to Louis the Pious' son Lothaire who became Holy Roman Emperor. Berhard married in 813 to Kunigunda Cunegonde and they had a son: Seigneur Pépin (II), Count of Peronne.

Seigneur Pépin(II) (817-840), Count of Peronne had the following sons:

• Count Pépin, born in 845
• Count Bernard, born in 845
• Hubert (I), Count of Senlis
• a daughter who married Gui, Count of Senlis;

Gui, Count of Senlis His children included: Bernard, Count of Senlis was a friend & counsellor of Hugh Capet "the Great" of Neustria and
Poppa who married in 886 to Rolf, 1st Duke of Normandy. This connects here with the Dukes of Normandy below or bypass it and continue the Merovingian line further on.

Dukes of Normandy

The Dukes of Normandy claimed an ancient origin based on Norse and Icelandic sagas, but this genealogy is with information from Moriarty's "Plantagenet Ancestry" which is considered much more reliable.

Halfdan the Old had a son: Ivar Oplaendinge

Ivar Oplaendinge, Earl of the Uplands. Flourished circa 800. Ivar had a son: Eystein "the Noisy" Glumra.

Eystein "the Noisy" Glumra, Earl of the Uplands. Born in 788. Eystein married to Ascrida Ragnvaldsdottir. Eystein and Ascrida had the following children:

• Ragnvald I "the Wise" Eysteinsson
• Sigurd I Riki "the Powerful" Eysteinsson, Earl of Orkney, died in 982
• Swanhilda Eysteinsdottir who married King Harald I Haarfayer (circa 848/852 - 936) Harald was King of Norway in 883 and he was deposed or abdicated in 932.

Ragnvald I "the Wise" Eysteinsson , Earl of More. Died about 894. Ragnvald married first to Groa and they had the following children:

• Hallad Ragnvaldsson, Earl of Orkney in 983
• Turf-Einar Ragnvaldsson, Earl of Orkney
• Hrollaug Ragnvaldsson

• Ivar Ragnvaldsson
• Rolf Ragnvaldsson
• Thori "the Silent" Ragnvaldsson, Earl of More

Rolf Ragnvaldsson (c846-932), known as Rolf the Ganger, Rolf Wend-a-Foot, Rolf the Viking and Rollo of Norway. He was baptized as "Robert" and became the 1st Duke of Normandy. Rolf married first in 886 to Poppa de Valois, a granddaughter of Seigneur Pépin (II), Count of Peronne who was a great grandson of Charlemagne.

Merovingian Line (continued)

Poppa of Normandy married to Rolf Ragnvaldsson. They had the following children:

• William (I) Longsword of Normandy
• Robert, Count of Corbeil
• Crespina
• Gerletta
• Kathlin
• Adele of Normandy, born about 917

William (I) Longsword, 2nd Duke of Normany Died (murdered) on December 17, 942 William married first to Sprota (Adela) of Senlis, a daughter of Hubert (I), Count of Senlis and Vermandois who was a great great grandson of Charlemagne. William and Sprota had the following children: Richard (I) "the Fearless" of Normandy and Raoul D'Ivry. William married second in 935 to Luitgarda of Vermandois, a niece of his first wife Sprota.

Richard (I) "the Fearless" (933-996), 3rd Duke of Normandy. Acceded: 942. Richard married first in 960 to Emma of Paris (died 962), a daughter of Hugh "the Great" Capet. Richard married second to Gunnor of Crêpon. Richard and Gunnor had the following children:

• Richard II "the Good" of Normandy
• Mauger, Earl of Corbeil
• Robert, Count of Évreux and Archbishop of Rouen
• William
• Matilda
• Emma of Normandy, (c986-1052) married first on April 5, 1002 to King Æthelred II "the Unrede" of England, and they had a son: St. Edward the Confessor, King of England 1042-1066. Emma married second on July 2, 1012 to Canute II, King of England and Denmark, and they had a son: Hardicanute, King of England 1040 - 1042
• Hedwig (Hawise) who married Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany.
• Beatrix of Normandy
• Godfrey of Brionne.
• William of Hiesmes, Count of Eu

Richard (II) "the Good", 4th Duke of Normany Acceded: 996. Died 1026. Richard married first c1000 to Judith of Brittany, daughter of Conan the Crooked, Duke of Brittany Richard and Judith had the following children:

• Richard (III), 5th Duke of Normandy who is said to have been poisoned in 1028. Richard married in in 1027 to Princess Adela (Alix) Capet, daughter of King Robert II "the Pious" Capet, King of France. After Richard's death in 1028, Princess Adela re-married in 1028 to Baldwin V "the Pious", Count of Flanders. Their daughter Mathilda married William the Conqueror. Richard and Adela had a son: Nicholas who following his father's death was relegated to a monastery and Robert "the Devil" took over as 5th Duke of Normandy.
• Robert (I) "the Devil" Normandy

Robert (I) "the Devil" (c.1008-1035), also known as Robert "the Magnificent", 6th Duke of Normandy.Acceded 1027. Died at Nicaea in Bithynia while returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Robert had a girlfriend named Herleva. Both were under twenty when Herleva became pregnant with their first child who was to become William the Conqueror. Herleva's father was Fulbert, a tanner. Robert and Herleva had the following children:

• William the Conqueror
• Adeliza (Adelaide) of Normandy, (1029 - 1080/85)
• Judith of Normandy
• Matilda (Maud) of Huntington, born circa 1072-1074 who married first in 1090 to Simon de Saint Liz, Earl of Huntingdon and Northampton (died in 1111) and second in 1113 to King David (I) the Saint of Scotland. Robert married in 1031 to Estrith, daughter of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark. They had a divorce in 1032.

William the Conqueror (1028-1087), Duke of Normandy 1035-1087 and King of England 1066-1087. William married in 1053 to Matilda of Flanders descended from the Kings of France and Charlemagne. William and Mathilda had the following children:

• Robert (II) Curthose, Duke of Normandy (1054-1134)
• Richard, Duke of Bernay (1055 - 1075, died without issue)
• Cecilia, Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen (1056-1127)
• Adeliza, who became a nun (born 1055)
• William (II) Rufus, King of England from 1087 to 1100, born 1056/60
• Constance, (1066 - 1090) who married Alan IV, Count of Brittany
• Adela, (1067 - 1137) who married Stephen, Count of Blois, their son: Stephen, King of England 1135-1154
• Agatha (born about 1064)
• Matilda
• Henry (I) Beauclerc

Henry I Beauclerc (1068-1135), King of England In 1106 he captured his brother Robert and took over as Duke of Normandy from 1106 to 1135. Henry was nicknamed "Beauclerc" (fine scholar) for his above average education. King Henry (I) Beauclerc had the following son circa 1090, said to be his eldest son, Robert de Caen, Earl of Gloucester. Henry married first on 1100 to Matilda (Edith) of Scotland, a sister of King David "the Saint" of Scotland. Henry and Matilda had the following children:

• Euphamia, born July 1101, died young.
• Matilda (or Maud) of England, (1103/04-1167) who married first Henry V of Franconia, Emperor of the West then married in 1127 Geoffrey "the Fair" Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Maine. Matilda and Geoffrey had a son: Henry (II) Curtmantle, King of England born 1133. The first of the Plantagenet or Angevin Kings of England He married Eleanor of Aquitane and became one of the most powerful mediæval English kings and European monarchs. Their sons were:
  • King Richard (I) "the Lion-Hearted"
  • King John
  • William the Aetheling, born before August 5, 1103 and drowned
  Henry married second on 1122, to Adeliza of Louvain with no children. They don't appear to have had children.

Robert de Caen, Earl of Gloucester (1090-1147), called "the Consul", married to Mabel (Maud) Fitz Hamon, daughter and heiress of Robert Fitz Hamon, Lord of Glamorgan and his wife Sibyl who was a daughter of Roger de Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury. Robert de Caen and Mabel Fitz Hamon had the following children:

• William Fitz Robert de Caen of Gloucester
• Roger, Bishop of Worcester
• Hamon
• Philip
• Richard, Lord of Creully
• Maud who married Ranulph de Meschines, Earl of Chester.
• Mabel
• Richard
• Robert

Maud Fitz Robert of Gloucester (1120 Bristol - 29Jul 1189 Chester) Married in 1141 Ranulph Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester, son of Ranulph le Meschin, 1st Earl of Chester (1100-1153). He fought in the Battle of Lincoln on 2 February 1141, against King Stephen and on 29 August 1146 he was seized at court by King Stephen. Died possibly poison by his wife. Their son was Hugh.

Hugh Kevelick de Meschines (1147-1181) Married Bertrada de Montfort, daughter of Simon de Montfort, Comte d'Evreux. He fought in the Battle of Alnwick on 13 July 1174, where he was taken prisoner by King Henry II, deprived of his Earldom, but was then restored in January 1177. Buried at St. Werburg's, Chester, Cheshire, England. Children were:

• Howsie (Hawise) of Chester, Countess of Lincoln
• Matilda of Chester (1171-1233)
• Mabel of Chester (born 1171)
• Sir Ranulf de Blundeville, 4th Earl of Chester (c1172-1232)
• Alice of Chester (c1174-1247)

Howsie Kevelick (c1181-c1242) Married in 1221 Robert de Quincey, son of Saher de Quency, 1st Earl of Winchester. Daughter was Margaret Quincy.

Margaret Quincy (1208-1266) Married John de Lacie (Lacy) (1192-22 Jul 1240), Earl of Lincoln, Seventh Baron of Halton Castle, Constable of Chester (son of Roger de Lacie (Lacy) and Maud de Clare. Their daughter was Maude de Lacie. John was one of the earliest Barons to take up arms at the time of Magna Charta. Upon the accession of King Henry III, he joined a party of noblemen and made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, rendering valuable service at the Siege of Damietta. He was buried in Cistercian Abbey of Stanlaw, Cheshire, England. Then married Walter Marshall, 5th Earl of Pembroke.

Maude de Lacie (4 Aug 1223-1288) Married on 1236 Richard de Clare (4 AUG 1222 -5 JUL 1262). Their childre were:

• Gilbert de CLARE. He married about 30 APR, in 1290 Joanna of Acre. Died in 1295.
• Isabel De Clare
• Thomas De Clare, Lord
• Bogo De Clare
• Margaret De Clare
• Rohese De Clare
• Benedict De Clare
• Eglentiria De Clare

Thomas de Claire Lord of Thomond married Juliana FitzMaurice Their children were:

• Richard de Clare, 1st Lord Clare (died 7 Jun 1318)
• Maud de Clare (c 1276-1326)
• Gilbert de Clare (1280-1307)
• Margaret de Clare

Margaret Claire (c1287-1333) Married (1303) Gilbert de Umfreville. Then married (1308) Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Lord Badlesmere. As Lady Badlesmere on 26 October 1309. In 1321 she refused the Queen admission to the Royal Castle of Leeds, leading to the siege and capture of the Castle. Between 11 November 1321 and 3 November 1322 at Tower of London, The City, London, England, she was imprisoned. Her children were:

• Margery de Badlesmere (born c1306)
• Maud de Badlesmere (c1310-1366)
• Elizabeth de Badlesmere
• Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Lord Badlesmere (1314-1338)
• Margaret de Badlesmere (born 1315)

Elizabeth Badlesmere (c1313- 8 Jun 1356) Castle Badlesmere. She married in 1332 Sir Edmund de Mortimer (son of Roger de Mortimer, 1st Earl of March e 1332). Their son Roger de Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March (c1330-1360) Then she married William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Lady Elizabeth Plantagenet. Their children: Humphrey de Bohun (1341-1373) and Elizabeth de Bohun.

Elizabeth de Bohun (c1350-1385) Married in 1369 Sir Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel (son of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and Lady Eleanor Plantagenet), in September 1359. Children were:

• Elizabeth Fitzalan
• Joan FitzAlan (1375-1435)
• Margaret FitzAlan (born 1375)
• Sir Thomas Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel (1381-1415)
• Alice FitzAlan (1382-1415)

Elizabeth Fitzlan, Arundel (1374-1425) Elizabeth's first marriage was to Sir William de Montagu Then she married Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk. Their children were:

• Lady Margaret Mowbray (died 1437)
• Thomas Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (died 1405)
• John de Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (1392-1432)
• Lady Isabel Mowbray (1400-1452)

Joan Goushill married Sir Thomas Stanley, 1st Lord Stanley, son of John de Stanley and Isabel Harington. Their children were :

• Sir Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby (c1435-1504) (Thomas and William turned against Richard III at Bosworth Field helping Henry Tudor to win the crown)
• Sir William Stanley (1437-1495) invested as Knight of the Garter in 1487. He was beheaded for and alleged share in the Perkin Warbeck conspiracy in 1495.
• Sir John Stanley
• Elizabeth Stanley, who married Thomas le Stange, and Sir Richard Molyneux.
• Margaret Stanley
• Katherine Stanley married Sir John Savage of Clifton, England. Sir John Savage was the commander of the left wing of Henry Tudor's army at Bosworth.

Margaret Stanley married Sir William Troutbeck (c1432-1459).
Sir William Troutbeck
was killed in the Battle of Blore Heath (23 Sep 1459) Children were: Adam Troutbeck and Joan Troutbeck. When Joan Troutbeck married Gwilym Griffith, her Merovingian Line joined with the Urban Line and the Tudor/Griffiths line. You can go to the Princes of Gwynedd line here, which is descended from the Cunnedda Dynasty (a more traditional connection to the Princes of Gwynedd) here or go to King Arthur's line here which connects to the Cunnedda Dynasty at Gwriad and Esyllt or continue below with the the Contantine the Great line with joins with the Arthur line here or bypass both and go to the Merovingian Line further on here .

Noah to Brutus to the father of Beli

The Decent from Noah to Brutus, a Trojan, who founded Britain. His great grandfather was Aeneas, the founder of Rome. Then through the British kings to the father of Beli. (The Line from Noah to Brutus with the exception of Silvius, is taken directly from chapter 18 of Nennius' Historia Brittonum; other names are from Geoffery of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae.)

Noah

Japheth

Javan

Elishah

Dardanus

Trous

Anchises

Aeneas married Lavinia daughter of Latinus. Was the founder of Rome.

Ascanius

Silvius- married Lavina's niece

Brutus was the first to colonize the British mainland after the Flood, and was Britain's first king. The land of Britain and its people, the Britons, derived their name from him. His wife, Ignoge, the daughter of a "Greek" king named Pandrasus, was married to Brutus against her will. His ons were:

• Locrinus
• Kamber. His inheritance on the death of Brutus was the kingdom that bears his name, Cambaria, present-day Wales. It is interesting to note that his name is perpetuated whenever we speak of Cambrian and Precambrian rocks.
• Albanactus. He was apportioned present-day Scotland which then bore his name, Albany. Nennius tells us in chapter 18 of his own Historia Brittonium that the early Albans were directly related to the early Britons.

Locrinus On the death of Brutus the island was divided up between Locrinus and his brother. Locrinus' kingdom consisted of what is now England, with the exception of Cornwall, which retained its independence. His kingdom was long known by his name, i.e. Loegria, and even today the Welsh know England as Loegr. He married Gwendolen daughter of Corineus who had joined forces with Brutus in his migration to the British mainland and shared the same ancestry as Brutus. Corineus was apportioned that part of Britain that still bears his name - Cornwall. For some time, Cornwall was a separate and independent kingdom. Loctrinus had married her in accordance with an earlier pledge and had a daughter Madden, but on the death of her father, Loctrinius deserted her in favour of Estrildis. In vengeance, Gwendolen roused up her father's kingdom of Cornwall against Locrinus and killed him in the ensuing battle. As now undisputed ruler of Loegria, Gwendolen gave the order to execute by drowning Estrildis in the river Severn (orginally the Habren river tranposed by Rome as Sabrina), and her daughter Habren, born of Locrinus' adultery. (Habren's son Malin's ambition for the crown on his father's death resulted in his murder at his own brother's hands. The assassination occurred at a conference called between the two brothers.) Gwendolen ruled Loegria for a further 15 years, retiring eventually to her native Cornwall, where she died.

Madden was to rule in her place for forty years. His mother, Gwendolen, abdicated the throne in Madden's favour after ruling for fifteen years.

Mempricius was a noted tyrant, he murdered his brother Malin, deserted his lawful wife in favour of unnatural practices, and generally misruled the kingdom. In the twentieth year of his reign he was separated from his companions in a hunting party, surrounded by wolves, and eaten.

Ebraucus took the crown on his father's death, and subsequently ruled the kingdom for 39 years. In an eventful and fondly remembered reign, he sacked Gaul, and founded the city of Kaerbrauc which bore his name. The Romans later preserved his name as Eboracum, modern York.

Brutus (Greenshield) Ebraucus' eldest son, he took the crown on his father's death.

Leil succeeding the throne on his father's death, founded the city that still bears his name, Kaerfeil - known today as Carlisle. Leil's reign of 25 years ended in civil war due to his ineffectiveness and lack of resolve as a leader.

Hudibras ending the civil war of his father's making, Hudibras ruled for 39 years. This great builder founded the cities of Kaerreint (Canterbury,) Kaerguenit (Winchester) and the fortified township of Paladur, present-day Shaftsbury.

Bladud The fact not mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth, is that Bladud was a leper. He ruled Leogria for 20 years, founding the city of Kaerbadum, present-day Bath. He outlawed the practise of necromancy throughout his kingdom, and was killed in one of the earliest recorded attempts to fly.

Leir succeeded his father to enjoy a reign of 60 years. He founded the city of Kaefeir, known today as Leicester, and "immortalised" in Shakespeare's play, King Lear, which recalls the events of his reign. His children were:

• Goneril. King Leir's eldest daughter, she married Maglaurus, Duke of Albany. (By now Albany, Cambria and Cornwall were duchies subservient to the kingdom of Loegria.) Their son Marganus. I ruled (unlawfully) the territory north of the Humber. After attacking Cunedagius, the son of Regan, he was pursued into Wales where he met his death at Cunedagius's hands. The place where he died was long known as Margon (Morganwc - present day Margam.)
• Regan.
• Queen. Cordelia After marrying Aganippus, King of the Franks, Cordelia became Queen of all Britain on her father's death. Five years later, she was deposed by her sisters, and committed suicide in prison.

Regan Leir's second eldest daughter, she married Henwinus, the Duke of Cornwall. With her sister Goneril, she was to depose Cordelia, the lawful Queen.

Cunedagius who originally ruled the territory south of the Huber, became King of all Britain in the death of Marganus I.

Rivallo was a notable young king who ruled wisely and "frugally," and is remembered for a "rain of blood" which fell from the skies, (freak weather conditions that produced red showers of rain,) a great swarm of flies, and a plague that took a heavy toll of the population.

Gurgustius

Sisillius I

Jago

Kimarcus

Gorboduc married Judon who was caused much grief over her quarrelling sons. On learning that Porrex had killed Ferrex her favourite, she became insane, and later murdered Porrex in his sleep by hacking him to pieces.

An unspecified period of strife and civil war, as five rival kings fought for supremacy. Unfortunately, the lineal royal descent for this period is untraceable.

Pinner emerged from the civil war period as King of Loegria. He was later killed in battle by his successor but one.

Cloten King of Cornwall, Cloten may have been one of the previously unnamed kings. The provinces of Britain had reverted to separate kingdoms during the civil war period.

Dunvallo (Molmutius) Erstwhile successor to his father Cloten's kingdom of Cornwall, Dunvallo's military prowess gained him the title King of Britain. He codified the Molmutine Laws, a law-code that Geoffrey of Monmouth tells us was still famed and revered in his day. Dunvallo reigned for some 40 years, during which crimes of violence were virtually unheard of in his kingdom, such was the severity of punishment meted out to such criminals during his reign. He married Tonuuenna. His eldest son was Belinus and his daughter

Belinus ruled Leogria, Cambria and Cornwall. His brother Brennius held Northumbria and Albany. Belinus eventually defeated Brennius, and thus came to rule all of Britain. Geoffery of Monmouth tells us that Belinus was a great road-builder, and that Billingsgate in London was built by and named after him. In an eventful reign, Belinus subdued the then King of Denmark, exacting from him a great tribute.

Gurguit (Barbtruc) was renowned as a "lover of peace and justice." During Gurguit's reign, the King of Denmark withdrew the tribute Belinus had exacted from him, and Gurguit promptly invaded Denmark to assert his authority there. It was during his return from Denmark that Gurguit intercepted the ships of Partholan and his fellow-exiles. Gurguit assigned Partholan the otherwise uninhabited land of Ireland. His death was a peaceful one, and he lies buried in the city of Caerleon-on-Usk.

Guithelin was a noted and benevolent ruler. He married Marcia, a learned woman, who codified the Marcian Laws, the Lew Martiana. King Alfred the Great later translated the code as the Mercian Laws, believing them to have been named after the much later Saxon kingdom of Mercia. Queen Marcia ruled Britain for many years after Guithelin's death, and during their son's minority.

Sisillius II had two sons: Kinarius and Danius

Danius married Tanguesteala. Their son Morvidus

Morvidus was an otherwise heroic ruler, noted and feared for his ferocious and uncontrollable temper. He was also possessed of a merciless cruelty towards those whom he defeated in battle. After one particular attempted invasion of his kingdom, Morvidus personally put to death his prisoners of war, one by one. "When he became so exhausted that he had to give up for a time, he ordered the remainder to be skinned alive, and in this state he had them burnt." During his reign, he received reports a monstrous animal was causing havoc in the west. With typical, if hasty, bravado Morvidus fought the beast single-handedly. The dinosaur killed him and devoured his corpse. His children were

• Gorbonianus. He was much renowned for his goodness as a ruler.
• Archgallo. He was the very opposite of his elder brother. Such was his tyranny he was eventually deposed by the nobility, and his younger brother elected king in his place.
• Elidurus. Surnamed the Dutiful because of the compassion he showed towards his elder brother. Elidrus exercised this compassion to the point of temporarily abdicating in favour of a now reformed Archgallo, whose behaviour as king was now a complete reversal of his former conduct. His sons were later kings: Marganus II (A wise and good king whose reign was noted for its tranquillity) and Ennianus (his tyrannical behaviour brought about his deposition after only a six-year reign). Archgallo died after ten years, at which point Elidrus resumed the crown. Elidrus' reign, however, was to be interrupted once again...
• Ingenius a younger brothers of Elidurus, organized with Peredus to seize Elidurus and incarcerate him in a tower. Ingenius then ruled the southern half of Britain, and Peredrus ruled the north, including Albany. Ingenius died seven years later, and Peredurus gained the whole kingdom. Peredurus now became a wise and benevolent king, but died after only a short reign. Elidurus thus regained the crown for a third time.
• Peredurus. (see above)

Elidurus King three times as his brothers vied for the throne.

Gerennus

Catellus

Millus

Porrex II

Cherin had three children:

• Fulgenius
• Edadus
• Andraglus

Andraglus

Urianus

Ellud

Cledaucus

Clotenus

Gurgintlus

Merianus

Bledudo

Cap

Oenus

Sissillius III had two sons:

• Beldgabred. This "king surpassed all the musicians of ancient times, both in harmony and in playing every kind of musical instrument, so that he was called the god of the minstrels."
• Archmail

Archmail

Eldol

Redon

Redechius

Samull

Penessil

Pir

Capoir

Digueillus A notably just and fair king. His son was Beli (Continued below)

Beli through Constantine the Great
to Uther "Pendragon"

From Beli the father of Lud who fortified London and whose son held back Julius Ceasar's invasion in 54 BC then to St. Helena's marriage to Constantius "Chlorus" with their child being Constantine the Great and then marrage of Elen "Luyddog", to Macsen "Wledic" (Magnus Maximus) who was also Roman Emperor of the West and then to Uther Pendragon and Ygerne and the conception of Arthur.

Beli Mawr (Ruled c. 113 - 73 BC) was said to be a King Of Britain who ruled in ‘Middle Britain’, but was also said to be the God of the Sun, so much so that bonfires were lit on May 1st. to herald the coming of the the ‘sun season’ or summer. Beli’s wife was Anu. He had three sons: Llud, Caswallawn, Nennius.

Llud (Ruled c. 73 - 58 BC) ordered the rebuilding of London's walls and towers. The city, hitherto known as Trinovantum, thus became the city of Lud, i.e. Kaerlud. This was later corrupted to Kaerfundein, from whence came its present name. Lud was eventually buried in London, close to Ludgate that still bears his name. Lud's sons Androgneus and Tenvantius were not considered fit to succeed him, so the crown passed to his younger brother, Caswallawn (Cassivelaunus)(58 - 38 BC) ) the British High-King, Brehin, who fought Julius Caesar 54 BC, later deposed. The older brother Androgneus received the duchy of Kent from his uncle Cassivelaunus, but betrayed the British forces by allowing Julius Caesar free passage across Kent obviously in hopes of the crown. The fact that he had to leave the country with Caesar is proof that Ceasar did not succeed in conquering Britain.

Tenvantius (Ruled c. 38 - 18 BC) During his minority, he received the duchy of Cornwall. His son was Cymbeline.

Cymbeline (Ruled c. 18 BC - 12 AD), "Rex Britanniae", received a Roman upbringing in the Imperial household. Like Leir before him, Cymbeline has been "immortalised" by Shakespeare, whose play, Cymbeline, recalls his reign. His sons were Gulderius (Ruled c. 12 - 43AD) and Arviragus. Guiderius on his succession to the crown, promptly refused to pay tribute to Rome. When the Emperor Claudius invaded at Porchester, Guiderius' forces attacked him and during the attack, Guiderius was betrayed and killed.

Arviragus, (Ruled c. 43 - 57) a king command of the British forces on the death of his brother Guiderius, Arvirgus emerged victor from a major skirmish with Claudius' troops. He eventually ruled the British as Rome's puppet-king, being interred in the city of Gloucester. British warriors at that time were famed for their ability to fight whilst standing on the pole of the chariot, and Arviragus was particularly adept at this as a certain Roman author testified: "Either you will catch a certain king, or else Arviragus will tumble from the British chariot-pole." (Juvenal, I, 1v, 126-127. See Thorpe, p. 123.) He married Genuissa who is believed to have been the daughter of King Caradoc (Caractacus) (died 50 AD) of Britain, then King of Gwent who was betrayed by queen of the Brigantes and sent to Rome with his wife and daughter. The daughter, Genuissa, probably adopted by Claudius changing her name to Claudia. Son Marius.

Marius (Ruled c. 57 - 97) Inheriting the crown from his father Marius enjoyed friendly relations with Rome. During his reign, he defeated and killed Soderic, the king of the Picts, in a great battle. The present country of Westmorland was so named in his honour because of the battle and Marius accordingly had a stone inscribed commemorating his victory set up in the county. Son Colius.

Coilus I, (Ruled c. 97 - 137) Founded the city of Colchester that still bears his name. married Lucille. Son Lucius.

Lucius "The Saint", (Ruled c. 137 - 186) posthumous son became a Christain in 176. Married Gwladys. Taking up the crown on his father Coilus' death. According to Bede, Lucius was to become Britain's first Christian king. He died in the year 156. Their daughter was Gwladys. After his death, Geta, son of the Roman Severus, was elected king of the Britons by the Roman Senate. He was eventually killed by his half-brother Bassianus. The Britons elected Bassianus king after he had killed his half-brother. Like Geta, he was a son of Severus, but by a British noblewoman. He was killed in battle by Carausius who raised a fleet of ships (with the blessing of the Roman Senate) and invaded Britain, complelling the Britons to proclaim him king. He was eventually murdered by Allectus, a tyrannical Roman legate. Asclepiodotus who held the duchy of Cornwall was elected king by the Britons in their attempt to break the tyranny of the Roman legate Allectus. Allectus was defeated by Asclepiodotus in the battle of London. It was during his reign that the Diocletian Persecution began, (303-312.)

Gwladys (179-235), heiress married Cadfan, Lord of Cumbria (related to the rulers of Strathclyde and Galloway), who represented a branch of the Old British Royal House.

Strada eventual-heiress married Coilus II, King of Britain (Ruled c. 306 - 309), formerly Duke Coel of Colchester (Coel Godhebog) descendant of King Cole (Coel Hen) became king by rebelling against and killing Ascliepiodotus.

St. Helena heiress, then, queen (Ruled c. 312-328) married Constantius "Chlorus", (Ruled c. 309 - 312) who was originally a Roman Senator, he was sent to Britain as Legate, and reduced Coel to submission. Helena gave birth to the future emperor Constantine I on the 27th of February of an uncertain year soon after 270[16] (probably around 272). Constantius divorced Helena at some time before 289, when he married Theodora, Maximian's daughter to appease Maximian. According to legend, Helena entered the temple with Bishop Macarius, ordered the temple torn down and chose a site to begin excavating, which led to the recovery of three different crosses. Refused to be swayed by anything but solid proof, a woman from Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought; when the woman touched the first and second crosses, her condition did not change, but when she touched the third and final cross she suddenly recovered and Helena declared the cross with which the woman had been touched to be the True Cross. On the site of discovery, she built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, while she continued building churches on every Holy site. She also found the nails of the crucifixion. To use their miraculous power to aid her son, Helena allegedly had one placed in Constantine's helmet, and another in the bridle of his horse. Helena left Jerusalem and the eastern provinces in 327 to return to Rome, bringing with her large parts of the True Cross and other relics, which were then stored in her palace's private chapel, where they can be still seen today. Her palace was later converted into the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
At least twenty-five holy wells currently exist in the United Kingdom that are dedicated to Saint Helen or Elen. She is also the patron saint of Colchester and Abingdon. According to British legend Helena traveled to Nevern in Wales where she hid the True Cross. It is claimed to be hidden near the local Norman church of St Brynach, where a cross is carved into a rock formation. Named the Pilgrim's Cross, religious pilgrims once came here to pray for visions. Names of local places there are abundant with cross imagery, including "River of the Empress," "Mountain of the Cross," "Pass of the Cross" and others. The True Cross, however, has not been found in this region and a roadway called "Sarn Helen" a Roman road in Wales, 160 miles in length, running from Aberconwy in the north to Carmarthen in the south beleieved to be the road that she took the cross on.

Constantine I "The Great", King of Britain (306-312); Roman Emperor (312-337) married Gwladys of Cumbria, a British princess (his 1st wife; or she was his mistress or concubine). He ruled Britain on his father's death. He went on to become the famous Emperor of Rome who legalized the Christian religion. He married Minerva and had a son Flavius Julius Crispus and then Fausta with sons Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans. Constantine's sons Flavius Julius Crispus, the father of Magnus Maximus, and Constantine II (Ruled c. 402 - 420), and Licinius' son Licinianus were made caesars. Later Licinianus was defeated by Constantine when he reneged on the Edict of Milan and started persecuting the Christians.

Constance, designated-heiress married Eudaf I "Hen", identified with Octavius I "The Old", King of Britain, died 382, who represented a branch of the Old British Royal House. He revolted while Constantine was in Rome, and assumed the British crown. Trahern, the brother of Coel, and was ordered by Constantine to put down the revolt of Octavius and eventually defeated Octavius in battle, but was later murdered by one of Octavius' men.

[H]Elen "Luyddog", heiress, then, queen married Macsen "Wledic", identified with Magnus Maximus, Roman Governor of Britain (375-383), King of Britain (382), Roman Emperor (383-388), representing the Roman Consol. He was the grandson of Constantine the Great and Minervia, their son, his father, was Flavius Julius Crispus married to Fausta, daughter of Maximus Galerius Daia -- In 313, it was during the conference of Milan when Constantine met the rival emperor, Licinius, in Milan to secure their alliance by the marriage of Licinius and Constantine's half-sister Constantia and to issue the so-called Edict of Milan which officially granted full tolerance to all religions in the Empire that the conference was cut short, however, when news reached Licinius that his rival Maximinus Daia had crossed the Bosporus and invaded Licinian territory. Licinius departed and eventually defeated Maximinus, gaining control over the entire eastern half of the Roman Empire.) Maximus was a distinguished general who served under Theodosius the Elder. He certainly served with him in Africa in 373 and on the Danube in 376. It is likely he also may have been a junior officer in Britain during the quelling of the Great Conspiracy in 368. Assigned to Britain in 380, he defeated an incursion of the Picts and Scots in 381. Maximus was proclaimed emperor by his troops in 383. He went to Gaul to pursue his imperial ambitions taking a large number of British troops with him.
Following his conquest of Gaul, Maximus went out to meet his main opponent, Gratian, whom he defeated near Paris. Gratian, after fleeing, was killed at Lyon on August 25, 383. Continuing his campaign into Italy Maximus was stopped from overthrowing Valentinian II, who was aged only twelve, when Theodosius I, the Eastern Roman Emperor, sent Flavius Bauto with a powerful force to stop him. Negotiations followed in 384 including the intervention of Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, leading to an accord with Valentinian II and Theodosius I in which Maximus was recognized as an Augustus in the west.
Maximus made his capital at Augusta Treverorum (Treves, Trier) in Gaul and ruled Britain, Gaul, Spain, and Africa. He issued coinage and a number of edicts reorganizing Gaul's system of provinces. Some scholars believe Maximus may have founded the office of the Comes Britanniarum as well. He became a popular emperor, Quintus Aurelius Symmachus delivered a panegyric on Maximus' virtues. He used barbarian forces such as the Alamanni to great effect. He was also a stern persecutor of heretics. It was on his orders that Priscillian and 6 companions became the first people in the history of Christianity to be executed for heresy, in this case of Priscillianism, by other Christians (though the civil charges were for the practice of magic), and their property was confiscated. These executions went ahead despite the wishes of prominent men such as St. Martin of Tours. Maximus' edict of 387 or 388 which censured Christians at Rome for burning down a Jewish synagogue, was condemned by Bishop Ambrose who said people exclaimed: ‘the emperor has become a Jew’
In 387 Maximus managed to force Valentinian II out of Rome after which he fled to Theodosius I. Theodosius I and Valentinian II then invaded from the east and campaigned against Magnus Maximus in July-August 388, their troops being led by Richomeres and other generals. Maximus was defeated in the Battle of the Save, and retreated to Aquileia. Meanwhile the Franks under Marcomer had taken the opportunity and invaded at the same time further weakening Maximus' position.
Andragathius, his son, magister equitum of Maximus and killer of Gratian, was defeated near Siscia and again at Poetovio. Maximus surrendered in Aquileia and although pleaded for mercy was executed. The Senate passed a decree of Damnatio memoriae against him. However, his wife and two daughters were spared. Maximus' son, by his second wife, Flavius Victor whom Maximus had designated as Augustus of Gaul at age sixteen was defeated and executed by Valentinian's magister peditum Arbogast in the fall of the same year. What happened to his family is not related, although it is clear that they survived and that his descendants continued to occupy influential posts. We encounter a possible daughter of Magnus Maximus, Sevira, on the Pillar of Eliseg, an early medieval inscribed stone in Wales which claims her marriage to Vortigern, king of the Britons. Another daughter was possibly married to Ennodius, proconsul Africae (395). Their grandson was Petronius Maximus, who was another ill-fated emperor, ruling in Rome for but 77 days before he was stoned to death while fleeing from the Vandals on May 24, 455. Other descendants included Anicius Olybrius, emperor in 472, but also several consuls and bishops such as St. Magnus Felix Ennodius (Bishop of Pavia c. 514-21).

Constantine II, King of Britain (Ruled c. 402 - 420) (Roman Emperor as Constantine III 407-411) married Severa, an imperial princess; regent during her husband's absences. Their sons were:

• Constans "The Monk", (Ruled c. 420 - 437) married Marcia, sister-in-law to the Roman Emperor Honorius. Constans tried to avoid the perils of the crown, becoming a monk at Winchester. He was forcibly crowned by Vortigern (Ruled c. 437 - 455) deposed by his son Vortimer then (Ruled c. 460 - 480), in order to use him to gain the kingship and later had him murdered. Votigern who married Renwein daughter of Hengist, the Saxon, is blamed for having given away most of the kingdom to the Saxons.
• Ambrosius (Aurelius) (Emrys Wledig), (Ruled c. 480 - 501) being too young to take up the crown, he was smuggled to Brittany on Constans' murder and was raised in the household of King Budicius. Eventually declared king, Aurelius planned Vortigern's death. During his reign, Ambrosius forced the Saxons to retreat to Albany (Scotland,) and captured and executed Hengist at Kaerconan, present-day Conisborough. He was eventually poisoned by Eopa the Saxon.
• Uther "Pendragon" (Ruled c. 501 - 521) was named Uther at birth he assumed the surname pen-Dragon after the appearance of a dragon in the sky. Like his brother Aurelius, he was smuggled abroad on the murder of Constans.

[E]Uther[Ius] "Pendragon", "Comes Britanniae" (434/437-441) & (457-473); King of Britain (473-479); brother of Ambrosius, Roman Governor of Britain (434/437-441); King of Britain (457-473); Roman Emperor (472-473) (3 months) with Ygerne, a British princess & heiress. Their son Arthur. Their daughter Anna who married Budicius II, King of Brittany.
(Proceed through the Cunnedda Dynasty (a more traditional connection to the Princes of Gwynedd) below or go to King Arthur's line here which connects to the Cunnedda Dynasty at Gwriad and Esyllt.)

The Cunnedda Dynasty

Cunnedda the Great began the first in the dynasty of Cunnedda which proceeded the Princes of Gwynedd. He was sent by Coel Hen of the North Country of Gododdin (Old King Cole) to rid Wales of the Irish raiders of the coast and gave him his daughter in marriage. Coel Hen (c.350-c.420) of the Urban line. (Coel Hen had two other children: St. Ceneu (c382) and Garbanion (c392)) Coel Hen was the son of Tehvant and the grandson of Urban. He was Old King Cole. The Urban line can be traced back, according to legend, to Anna who was a blood relative of the Virgin Mary, possibly the daughter of Jesus' brother Joseph's wife, the fourth Mary at the Cross, who married to Bran the Blessed (Bendigeidfran).

Cunnedda Weledig (Cunnedda the Great), King of the Welsh about A.D. 400. He was the son of Æternus and grandson of Paternus of the Red Rob who was son of Tacitus. He married Gwawl ferch Coel (c384), the daughter of Coel Hen,

Yrth Einion the Impetuous, King of Gwynedd about 423. He threw the last Irish out of Môn in 470. Following this it is plausible that he became involved in the legendary battles against the Anglo-Saxons. He had two sons Cadwallon Lawhir and Owain Ddantgwyn.
Owain Ddantgwyn is a possible candidate for Arthur Pendragon. since "Yrth" is close to 'Ythr' (Uthur), but it is more likely his son Cuneglas (also known in Latin as Cuneglasus and in modern Welsh as Cynlas) is Arthur. He is sometimes referred to as Cynlas Goch meaning Cynlas the Red. Cuneglasus is also called urse "bear." In a 13th century copy of the Historia Brittonum, Arthur is noted as meaning Ursus Horribilis--horrible bear. Curiously, the name of Arthur's father--Uther--is a Welsh word meaning "horrible." Also his grandfather's name is "Yrth" which is close to 'Ythr' (Uther) More importantly, the first element of Arthur's name--arth--means bear in Welsh from the Bear constellation derived from "Artorius." Both father and son were, according to one Old Welsh genealogical source, Kings of Rhos, later a Welsh cantref and afterwards a part of Denbighshire, in mid-North Wales. They lived in the early 6th century. Owain was probably the uncle whom Maelgwn Gwynedd murdered. Gildas' trirade "one who raises war against men, indeed against his own countrymen, as well as against God and one who has "thrown out of doors your wife" and lustfully desires "her detestable sister who had vowed unto God, the everlasting chastity of widowhood" mirrors the medieval romance, wherein the true Guenevere is replaced by her evil false sister; in the Welsh triads, there is a tradition of a fight between Gwenhwyfar and her sister Gwenhwyfach, causing the Battle of Camlann; in another triad, it is said that there are three Gwenhwyfars, the "Arthur's Three Great Queens, mistresses of Arthur."
It might be possible to set up a senario where Maelgwn Gwynedd whose grandfather is Yrth Einon (Yrth which is close to 'Ythr': Uther) is called Uther Pendaagon (Chieftain of Yrth Einion) and his uncle Owain is Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, but not as far south, just Rhos, and is married to Igraine. Maelgwn makes war on Owain and steals his wife Igraine and has him killed. She becomes a nun. Then Gwenhwyfach, similar to Morgan le Fay, could be a daughter of Owain (before he was killed) and Igraine, and therefore a sister in law of Guinevere and their quarrel would make sense and the reason for Camlan being Gwenhwyfach's son Mordred.

Cadwallon ap Einon (died 517), Caswallon the Longhanded, Prince of North Wales, appears to have consolidated the realm during the time of relative peace following the Battle of Mons Badonicus (c.491) where the Anglo-Saxons were soundly defeated.

Maelgwn Gwynedd the Tall King of Gwynedd, (died 547) of the yellow plague. He is attributed in some old stories as hosting the first Eisteddfod and he is one of five Celtic British kings castigated for their sins by the contemporary Christian writer Gildas (who referred to him as Maglocunus, meaning 'Prince-Hound' in Brittonic) in De Excidio Britanniae. Maelgwn was curiously described as "the dragon of the island" by Gildas which was possibly a reference to his power base on Anglesey, possibly a title of some sort (Pendragon?), but explicitly as the most powerful of the five named British kings.

Rhun ap Maelgwn (died 586), a great king, tall, with red-brown curly hair. His son in law, Elidyr Mwynfawr of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, claimed the throne and invaded Gwynedd to displace Maelgwn's son Rhun Hir. Elidyr was killed in the attempt but his death was then avenged by his relatives who ravaged the coast of Arfon. Rhun counter-attacked and exacted the same penalty on the lands of his foes in what is now central Scotland.

Beli ap Rhun (died 599), King of Gwynedd and Prince of North Wales .

Iago ap Beli (died in 603), King of Gwynedd, but soon abdicated in favor of his son, became a monk. Gwynedd and neighbouring Powys acted in concert to rebuff the Anglican advance but were defeated at the Battle of Chester in 613. Following this catastrophe the approximate borders of northern Wales were set with the city of Caerlleon (now called Chester) and the surrounding Cheshire Plain falling under the control of the Anglo-Saxons.

Cadfan ap Iago (died 617) reigned in peace. A tombstone marks his grave in Anglesey.

Caswallon ap Cadfan (Cadwallon) (died 634), King of Gwynedd and Prince of North Wales, a great defender of his people, had a stormy career and was killed in battle. Married daugher of Meria. He became engaged in an initially disastrous campaign against Northumbria where following a series of epic defeats he was confined first to Môn and then just to Ynys Glannauc before being forced into exile across the Irish Sea to Dublin - a place which would come to host many royal refugees from Gwynedd. All must have seemed lost but Cadwallon raised an enormous army and after a brief time in Guernsey he invaded Dumnonia, relieved the West Welsh who were suffering a Mercian invasion and forced Penda the pagan king of Mercia in to an alliance against Northumbria. With new vigor he returned to his Northumbrian foes, devastated their armies and slaughtered a series of their kings. In this furious campaign his armies devastated Northumbria, captured and sacked York in 633 and briefly controlled the kingdom.

Cadwalader Fendigaid (died 664), the third Blessed Sovereign, last king of the ancient Britons, gave protection within all his lands to the Christians who fled from the pagan Saxons. A great warrior, he became a monk, made a pilgrimage to Rome to receive the Habit of a religious Order from Pope Sergius, and died in the great plague of 664.

Idwal Iwrch (died 712), Prince of North Wales, ruled over Anglesey. He married Agatha, daughter of Alan, Count of Brittany, and had Roderic.

Rhodri Molwynog (died 754), Prince of North Wales, who ruled over Anglesey. He married Margaret of Ireland, daughter of Duptory, King of Ireland.

Cynan ap Rhodri (died 811), became King of Wales in 755, ruled over Triudaethwy. He married Matilda of Flint, daughter of the Earl of Flint, and they had a daughter, Eisyllt (Ethil), his heiress. The Arthur line begins below (It follows a secondary-line at Dwywg, the brother of Idwal, as set out in the genealogy collected by the King Rhodri Mawr who united the three kingdoms to show that he was descended from King Arthur. The Cunnedda Dynasty is continued here where Eisyllt marries Gwriad to join the Cunnedda line with the Arthur line.

King Arthur

Arthur's father Uther Pendragon may be the same as Yrth Einion the Impetuous, King of Gwynedd in the Cunnedda Dynasty above. He had two sons Cadwallon Lawhir and Owain Ddantgwyn. Owain Ddantgwyn may be Arthur or in any case Arthur lived at the same time and might have been the the head chieftain (penteulu) under the king thus Arthur Pen-dragon of his troops.

Arthur, King or Penteulu of Britain (Ruled c. 521 - 542). According to Nennius, "Then Arthur fought against those men in those days with the kings of the Britons, but he was the leader of battles. The first battle was in the mouth of the river which is called Glein. The second and third and fourth and fifth on [sic] another river which is called Dubglas and is in the region Linnuis. The sixth battle on [sic] the river which is called Bassas. The seventh battle was in the forest of Celidon, that is Cat Coit Celidon. The eighth battle was at the fort of Guinnion, in which Arthur carried the image of the blessed Mary . . .. The ninth battle was fought in the city of the Legion. He fought the tenth battle on the shore of the river called Tribruit. The eleventh battle was fought on the mountain called Agned. The twelfth battle was at Badon Hill..."

• wife (498) Guinevere (divorced 513) son Amhar
• wife (513) Winlogoto (divorced 527) son Llacheu (514-523) and daughter Lunete (Lenote) (516-552), mother of Hoel, boy-king (547-552)
• wife (528) Ganhumar, son Gwydre (529-538)
• illegitimate issue:
  • Arawn, Duke of Wales
  • Cerdic, Earl of Wessex, killed in battle in France in 534 during his father's French campaign
  • Maelgwn "Gwynedd", called "Dragon of The Isle", Prince of Gwynedd, King of Britain 538 & 541-547
  • Smerbe (Smerevie; Smeirbhe), Duke of Argyle (d570)
  • Cinnede, reputed ancestor of the Kennedy Family

Amhar (Anir; Enir) (died 517) married Aerea, daughter of Cadrod (son of Portho "Gotto"), &, wife, Gwrygon "Goddeu", daughter of Brychan, King of Brecon.

Cadrod "Calchvynydd" rival-king of Britain, (died 556) is mentioned by the poet Gwylim Ddu o Arfon: "...Kadrawt Kalchvynydd" ["RBP"]. His epithet "Calchvynydd" doubles as his name in the "Aedd Mawr Pedigree", in which he is listed as a son of Enir, that is, Am[ha]r, Arthur’s eldest son (above), however, due to the politics of the times Arthur's name was omitted from the pedigree. Cadrod [of] "Calchvynydd" was killed in battle in 556 fighting Cynric of Wessex, his rival to the throne. He was survived by his wife, Wynyn (Wen), and seven sons who were:

• Cyndywyn (mur 556)
• Cyndeyrn "Wledic", anti-king 560-565;
• Condidan (Cynheiddon), rival-king 571-577
• Gwrmyl "Cadgyr-Farch" (d581), whose marriage to a peasant woman caused a royal scandal at the time, which tainted their son, Cynfeddw [rival king 613, killed 614], who was reared by his mother after his father's early death
• Llywarch[not to be identified with Llywarch "Hen" of the "Coel Hen Pedigree"], the father of two sons, Idwal "Valch" [ancestor of the dynasty’s main-line, extinct in the male-line 729] and Dwywg [ancestor of Rhodri "Mawr", the first King of Wales, 872]
• Yspwys, Lord of Ercing (Ergyng) (d581) [the ancestor of the Tudors of England and other Welsh families]
• Cynferch, rival-king 581-593; and three daughters, (h) Saraide, (i) Rexelle, and (j) Andrive; one of whom was the 2nd wife of Cynwyd "Cynwydion" [of the "Coel Hen Pedigree"] and the mother of Cadrod (Cadros) of Kelso, that is, the third person with the name Cadrod in three successive generations

• Saraide
• Rexelle
• Andrive; one of whom was the 2nd wife of Cynwyd "Cynwydion" [of the "Coel Hen Pedigree"] and the mother of Cadrod (Cadros) of Kelso, that is, the third person with the name Cadrod in three successive generations.

Llywarch (died 581) [not to be confused with Llywarch "Hen" in the "Gwyr-y-Gogledd Genealogy"]

Dwywg (died 593), the brother of Idwal "Valch" The descendants of Idwal "Valch" became the main-line of descent after the failure of the descendants of Gwrmyl "Cadgyr Farch" [the father of Cynfeddw, rival king 613-614, the father of Cadafael "Cadgommed", anti-king 637-654, the father of Cadwaladr I, anti-king 654-657].

Gwair (Gwyar) (died 613), who had a brother whose name was Idwal

Tegid (Tegyth) (died 654)

Algwn, (died 663) reigned in peace. A tombstone marks his grave in Anglesey.

Sandef (Sandde) "Bryd Angel" fled to Isle of Man following the 3rd Battle of Badon Hill (663). Married Celenion, a Manx princess, eventual heiress of the Isle of Man.

Elidur married Telri of Manaw [his elder brother, Mechydd, who died childless, inherited the Isle of Man from their mother and reigned as its king; and, his younger brother Madawg (Madoc) was the ancestor of a collateral-line]

Gwriad, succeeded his uncle as King of the Isle of Man [his grave near Ramsey on the Isle of Man is marked by a cross inscribed "CRUX GURIAT"] Married Esyllt, eventual heiress of Gwynedd [Maelgwn’s line] & a collateral Arthurian descent-line (died 712), Prince of North Wales, ruled over Anglesey. He married Agatha, daughter of Alan, Count of Brittany, and had Roderic.

The Cunnedda Dynasty (Continued)

Eisyllt (Ethil) , Queen of Wales, married Gwriad (died 825) and became Prince of Dehubarth, thus joining the Stephens line and the Tudor Line with King Arthur.

Merfyn the Freckled (died 844), married Nest, Queen of Powys, of ancient lineage.

Rhodri Mawr (Roderick the Great) (844-878). Uniting three kingdoms, he became King of all Wales, having inherited North Wales from his father, Powys from his mother, and South Wales from his wife. He was slain in battle, having married Angharad, Queen of South Wales, thirteenth in descent from Cunnedda, No. 1 of his line. He defeated Gorm of the Danes. The kingdoms he united were at his death divided among their three sons:

• Anarawd, heir to North Wales and ancestor of Llewellyn. See below.
• Mervyn, heir to Powys.
• Cadell, heir to South Wales, died about 909. His son, Hywel Dha (Howell the Great), Prince of Wales, compiled a famous code of laws, and after a long and peaceful reign, died in 948. He married Eleanor, daughter of the last king of Dyfed (Pembrokeshire) and the ninth in descent from Cadwgan, living in 650. His daughter Ankaret and her husband Tewdwr, were grandparents of Tudor Mawr, from whom descend the Carew, Awbrey, and other families. He was the great-great grandfather of Bleddyn, as mentioned below.

Anarawd (died 916), the eldest son, Prince of North Wales. When Earl Aethelred of Mercia invaded Gwynedd in 881, Anarawd was able to defeat him with much slaughter in a battle at the mouth of the River Conwy, hailed in the annals as "God's vengeance for Rhodri", Rhodri having been killed in battle against the Mercians. To protect his eastern border, he came to an agreement with Alfred the Great of Wessex, visiting Alfred at his court. In exchange for Alfred's protection Anarawd recognised the supremacy of Alfred. This was the first time a ruler of Gwynedd had accepted the supremacy of an English king, and formed the basis for the homage which was demanded by the English crown from then on. In 894 Anarawd was able to repel a raid by a Danish host on North Wales, and the following year raided Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi in southern Wales. He is reported as having some English troops under his command for these raids. In 902 an attack on Ynys Môn (Anglesey) by some of the Danes of Dublin under Ingimund was repulsed. He had two sons: Idwal and Elisedd.

Idwal Foel ap Anarawd (died 942), Idwal the Bald, Prince of North Wales, married Avendreg of Powys, his cousin. Idwal inherited the throne of Gwynedd on the death of his father, Anarawd ap Rhodri in 916. He was obliged to acknowledge Athelstan of England as overlord. Following the death of Athelstan, Idwal and his brother Elisedd took to arms against the English, but both were killed in battle in 942. The rule of Gwynedd should now have passed to his sons, Iago ab Idwal and Ieuaf ab Idwal. However Hywel Dda, already ruler of most of south Wales, invaded Gwynedd and forced them into exile, adding Gwynedd to his realm. After Hywel's death in 950, Idwal's sons were able to claim the kingdom. Sons were Iago, Ieuaf, Meyric.

Meyric (Meurig) (died 986), Prince of North Wales was blinded in 974 by Iueaf's son Hywel ab Ieuaf who also drove out Iago.

Idwal (died 996), Prince of North Wales. Reign: 1023-1039.

Iago (died 1039), Prince of North Wales, married Avendreg. On the death of Llywelyn ap Seisyll in 1023, the rule of Gwynedd returned to the ancient dynasty with the accession of Iago, who was a great-grandson of Idwal Foel.

Cynan ap Iago (died c.1060) of North Wales, Cynan was king of Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039, but his throne was seized by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. Cynan was forced to flee to Ireland and took refuge at the Danish settlement of Dublin. He married Rhanult O'Olaf, daughter of King Olaf II Sirhtricson (c.1000-c.1034) and Maelcorcre ingen Dunlaing O'Muiredaig. Her grandfather was King Sigtrygg III Olafsson (Silkbeard) (0981 - 1042) a member of the Hiberno-Norse dynasty from King Radbard of Russia Ragnaillt married to Siani Nicbrian(0981 - 1042) whose father was Brian Boru (0941 - 1014), King of Ireland making Rhanult the great granddaughter of Brian Boru (0941 - 1014), King of Ireland.

Gruffydd ap Cynan, Prince of North Wales. He is the start of the Princes of Gwynedd continued below or bypass both and go to the Merovingian Line further on here .

The Princes of Gwynedd

When Gruffydd ap Cynan married Angharad Verch Owain, he joined the line of Egbert (died 839) which included such familiar heros as Alfred the Great and
Lady Godiva

Gruffydd ap Cynan (1055-1137) was the son of Cynan Ap Iago and Rhanult O'Olaf, a great granddaughter of Brian-Boru, King of Ireland. was a King of Gwynedd. Gruffydd became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was remembered as King of all Wales. As a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, Gruffydd ap Cynan was a senior member of the princely house of Aberffraw. Through his mother, Gruffydd had close family connections with the Danish settlement around Dublin and he frequently used Ireland as a refuge and as a source of troops. He three times gained the throne of Gwynedd and then lost it again before regaining it once more in 1099 and this time keeping power until his death.
Gruffydd made his first attempt to take over the rule of Gwynedd in 1075, following the death of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. Trahaearn ap Caradog had seized control of Gwynedd but had not yet firmly established himself. Gruffydd landed on Anglesey with an Irish force, and with the assistance of troops provided by the Norman Robert of Rhuddlan first defeated and killed Cynwrig ap Rhiwallon, an ally of Trahaearn who held Llŷn, then defeated Trahaearn himself in the battle of Gwaed Erw in Meirionnydd and gained control of Gwynedd. Gruffydd then led his forces eastwards to reclaim territories taken over by the Normans, and despite the assistance previously given by Robert of Rhuddlan attacked and destroyed Rhuddlan castle. However tension between Gruffydd's Danish-Irish bodyguard and the local Welsh led to a rebellion in Llŷn and Trahaearn took the opportunity to counter attack, defeating Gruffydd at the battle of Bron yr Erw above Clynnog Fawr the same year.
Gruffydd fled to Ireland but in 1081 returned and made an alliance with Rhys ap Tewdwr prince of Deheubarth. Rhys had been attacked by Caradog ap Gruffydd of Gwent and Morgannwg, and had been forced to flee to the St David's Cathedral. Gruffydd this time embarked from Waterford with a force composed of Danes and Irish and landed near St David's, presumably by prior arrangement with Rhys. He was joined here by a force of his supporters from Gwynedd, and he and Rhys marched north to seek Trahaearn ap Caradog and Caradog ap Gruffydd who had themselves made an alliance and been joined by Meilyr ap Rhiwallon of Powys. The armies of the two confederacies met at the Battle of Mynydd Carn, with Gruffydd and Rhys victorious and Trahaearn, Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffydd was thus able to seize power in Gwynedd for the second time. He was soon faced with a new enemy, as the Normans were now encroaching on Gwynedd. Gruffydd had not been king very long when he was enticed to a meeting with Hugh Earl of Chester and Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury at Rug, near Corwen. At the meeting Gruffydd was seized and taken prisoner. According to his biographer this was by the treachery of one of his own men, Meirion Goch. Gruffydd was imprisoned in Earl Hugh's castle at Chester for many years while Earl Hugh and Robert of Rhuddlan went on to take possession of Gwynedd, building castles at Bangor, Caernarfon and Aberlleiniog.
Gruffydd reappeared on the scene years later, having escaped from captivity. According to his biography he was in fetters in the market-place at Chester when Cynwrig the Tall on a visit to the city saw his opportunity when the burgesses were at dinner. He picked Gruffydd up, fetters and all, and carried him out of the city on his shoulders. Gruffydd again took refuge in Ireland but returned to Gwynedd to lead the assaults on Norman castles such as Aber Lleiniog. The Welsh revolt had begun in 1094 and by late 1095 had spread to many parts of Wales. This induced William II of England (William Rufus) to intervene, invading northern Wales in 1095. However his army was unable to the Welsh to battle and returned to Chester without having achieved very much. King Willam mounted a second invasion in 1097, but again without much success. The History only mentions one invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffydd did not feature in the resistance to the first invasion. At this time Cadwgan ap Bleddyn of Powys led the Welsh resistance. In the summer of 1098 Earl Hugh of Chester joined with Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury in another attempt to recover his losses in Gwynedd. Gruffydd and his ally Cadwgan ap Bleddyn retreated to Anglesey, but then were forced to flee to Ireland in a skiff when a fleet he had hired from the Danish settlement in Ireland accepted a better offer from the Normans and changed sides.
The situation was changed by the arrival of a Norwegian fleet under the command of King Magnus III of Norway, also known as Magnus Barefoot, who attacked the Norman forces near the eastern end of the Menai Straits. Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury was killed by an arrow said to have been shot by Magnus himself. The Normans were obliged to evacuate Anglesey, and the following year Gruffydd returned from Ireland to take possession again, having apparently come to an agreement with Earl Hugh of Chester. With the death of Hugh of Chester in 1101 Gruffydd was able to consolidate his position in Gwynedd, as much by diplomacy as by force. He met King Henry I of England who granted him the rule of Llŷn, Eifionydd, Ardudwy and Arllechwedd, considerably extending his kingdom. By 1114 he had gained enough power to induce King Henry to invade Gwynedd in a three-pronged attack, one detachment led by King Alexander I of Scotland. Faced by overwhelming force, Gruffydd was obliged to pay homage to Henry and to pay a heavy fine, but lost no territory. By about 1118 Gruffydd's advancing years meant that most of the fighting which pushed Gwynedd's borders eastward and southwards was done by his three sons by his wife Angharad, daughter of Owain ab Edwin: Cadwallon, Owain Gwynedd and later Cadwaladr. The cantrefs of Rhos and Rhufoniog were annexed in 1118, Meirionnydd captured from Powys in 1123 and Dyffryn Clwyd in 1124. Another invasion by the king of England in 1121 was a military failure. The king had to come to terms with Gruffydd and made no further attempt to invade Gwynedd during Gruffydd's reign. The death of Cadwallon in a battle against the forces of Powys near Llangollen in 1132 checked further expansion for the time being. Gruffydd was now powerful enough to ensure that his nominee, David the Scot was consecrated as Bishop of Bangor in 1120. The see had been effectively vacant since Bishop Hervey le Breton had been forced to flee by the Welsh almost twenty years before, since Gruffydd and King Henry could not agree on a candidate. David went on to rebuild Bangor Cathedral with a large financial contribution from Gruffydd. Owain and Cadwaladr in alliance with Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth gained a crushing victory over the Normans at Crug Mawr near Cardigan in 1136 and took possession of Ceredigion. The latter part of Guffydd's reign was considered to be a "Golden Age"; according to the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan Gwynedd was "bespangled with lime-washed churches like the stars in the firmament".
Gruffydd died in his bed, old and blind, in 1137 and was mourned by the annalist of Brut y Tywysogion as the head and king and defender and pacifier of all Wales. He was buried by the high altar in Bangor Cathedral which he had been involved in rebuilding. He also made bequests to many other churches, including one to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin where he had worshipped as a boy. Gruffydd laid the foundations which were built upon by his son Owain Gwynedd and his great-grandson Llywelyn the Great. Gruffydd married (c1082) to Angharad Verch Owain(1065-1162). Their children were:

• Rhanult verch Gruffydd (b. 1083)
• Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd (1087-1169)
• Cadwaladr (b. 1096 -1172)
• Cadwallon (1097-1132)
• Rhiannell
• 
  
• Susanna Verch Gruffydd (b. 1095), lived in Caernarvonshire, Wales. Susanna married Madog Ap Maredydd. Madog was born about 1091, lived in Montgomeryshire, Wales. He was the son of Maredudd Ap Bleddyn and Hunydd Verch Einudd. He died in 1160 in Winchester, Hampshire, England. (Her line and that of her sister Gwenllian joined at Gruffudd and Elen as father and mother of Owain Glyn Dwr and therefore he claimed his descent from the Princes of Powys and of Deheubarth and thus to the Princes of Gwynedd.)
• Magred verch Gruffydd (b.1120)
• Annest
• Gwenllian ap Gruffydd (1085-1136) princess of Deheubarth. Born at Aberffraw Castle, Caernarvonshire, died Battle of Maes (killed by Maurice de Londres after being defeated by him near Cydweli). Married to Gruffudd ap Rhys, son of Rhys ap Tewdwr king of Deheubarth(1065 – 1093), grandson of Cadell ab Einion ab Owain ab Hywel Dda. (Gruffudd ap Rhys was brother of Nest(b. 1100) ('the Helen of Wales") taken by Henry I then married to Gerald de Windsor of Pembroke Castle) The kingdom of Deheubarth after the death of Gruffudd ap Rhys was ruled by Anarawd, Cadell, Maredydd and Rhys (later known as The Lord Rhys)
  Gwenllian was the mother of:
  • Maredudd (1130 - 1155)
  • Morgan (1116-1136) - killed with her
  • Maelgwn (b. 1120) - wounded with her was captured and suffered an unknown fate
  • Rhys ap Gruffydd, Yr Arglwydd Rhys (Lord Rhys)
  Gruffudd ap Rhys also had two older sons by a previous marriage, Anarawd (1143–1153) and Cadell (d. 1175).

Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd (1087-1169),

lived and died in Caernarvonshire, Wales. Owain married Gwladus Verch Llywarch. Gwladus was born about 1098, lived in Arwystii, Montgomeryshire, Wales. She was the daughter of Dinawal Ap Tudwal and Dyddgu Verch Iowerth. Their child Iorwerth Ap Owain(1145-1174) or Iorwerth Drwyndwn (1145-1174), meaning "the broken-nosed" was born at Aberffraw, Angelsey, Wales was a legitimate son of Owain Gwynedd (the king of Gwynedd) and his first wife Gwladys (Gladys) ferch Llywarch. Iorwerth married Marared ferch Madog and their son was Llywelyn the Great. He favored two illegitimate sons: Rhun ab Owain Gwynedd and Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd to rule after him, but they died before him. Then he married Cristina. Two of their sons Dafydd and Rhodri split Gwynedd between them. Another of their sons was: Iefan ab Owain Gwynedd. Of the illegitimate children Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd is fabled to have discovered America in 1170, his descendants being the Mandan Indian tribe.

Iefan ab Owain Gwynedd(1438-1469) married Catherine ferch Rhys ap Hywel Fychan and had a daughter Gwellian

Gwellian ferch Owain (born c1130) of Caernarvonshire married Hwfa ap Kendrig (born c1130) of Denbighshire and their daughter was Angbarad.

Angbarad ferch Hwfa (born c1134) married Cynwrig ap Iorwwth c1122 of Denbighshire Their son was Ednyfed ap Cynwrig.

Ednyfed Fychan, Lord of Brynffanigl (1215-1246), seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn.
Married, firstly, Tangwystl, daughter of Llowarch ap Bran, Lord of Menai, By his first wife he had nine children, including:

• Tudur Ab Ednyfed, ancestor of the Griffiths of Penrhyn, was captured during Henry III's inconclusive campaign against Dafydd ap Llywelyn in Sept. 1245, and was released in May 1247 on swearing fealty to the king. Despite marks of royal favour in the following years, Tudur was one of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's leading advisers after 1256, succeeding his brother Goronwy as seneschal and remaining faithful to the prince until his death in 1278. (His son Heilyn; he had been a hostage in the king's hands between 1246 and 1263 and he submitted finally to Edward I in 1282.)

• Goronwy Ab Ednyfed was seneschal to Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, ancestor of the Tudor dynasty.

• Hywel (bishop of S. Asaph, 1240-7)
• Cynwrig
• Rhys

Griffiths of Penrhyn

The Griffiths of Penrhyn had a common ancestor with the Tudor Dynasty:
Ednyfed Fychan, Lord of Brynffanigl.
This place in the descent is where Stephens family is joined with

Henry VII

Ednyfed Fychan, Lord of Brynffanigl (1215-1246) (see above)

Sir Tudur ap Ednyfed Fychan of Nant and Llangynhafal (d. 1278) married Adlias, daughter of Richard, son of Cadwallader, son of Griffith ap Cynan, Prince of North Wales and was the father of Sir Heilyn ap Tudur.

Sir Heilyn ap Tudur (d. 1298) married Agnes, daughter of Bleddyn, Lord of Dinmael, son of Owain Brogyntyn, Lord of Edeirnion, Dinmael and Abertanat, son of Madoc, last Prince of Powys and was the father of Gruffydd ap Heilyn. His daughter, Angharad, married Daffyd Goch, nephew of Llewelyn the Last, Prince of Wales (killed 1282) and great-grandson of Llewelyn the Great, Prince of Wales (d. 1240), and their descendant, Morris Wynn of Gwydir (d. 1580) - see 'The Descent of Hughes' - married Jane Bulkeley, granddaughter of Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn (d. 1531), below.

Gruffydd ap Heilyn of Cochwillan (d.c. 1340) married Eva, daughter and heiress of Griffith ap Tudur of Cochwillan, eldest son of Tudor ap Madoc, Lord of Penrhyn (this is how the Griffith family came by Penrhyn, according to Burke, but see below) and was the father of Gwilym ap Gruffydd.

Gwilym ap Gruffydd of Penrhyn (d.c. 1370) married Hwyfa ('Gwenhwyfer'), daughter of Ievan ap Griffith ap Madog Ddu, derived from Edwin, Lord of Tegaingl, and from Rhodri Mawr and was the father of Gruffydd ap Gwilym.

Gruffydd ap Gwilym of Penrhyn (d. 1405) married Generys ferch Madog, daughter and heiress of Madog ap Goronwy Fychan, third in descent from Ednyfed Fychan through his son, Goronwy ap Ednyfed Fychan, Lord of Tref-Gastel, ancestor of the Tudors, and was the father of Gwilym ap Gruffydd.

Gwilym ap Gruffydd of Penrhyn (c.1365-1431) married, secondly, Joan Stanley, daughter of Sir William Stanley of Hooton, and was the father of Gwilym Fychan. His first wife was Morfydd ferch Goronwy Fychan (son of Sir Tudur ap Goronwy of Penmynydd - see left). Gwilym ap Gruffydd's daughter by this marriage, Elin, married William Bulkeley (d. 1484), grandfather of Sir Richard Bulkeley (d. 1547) who married Catherine Griffith, daughter of Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn, Chamberlain of North Wales (d. 1531) - see below and left above.

Gwilym Fychan ap Gwilym of Penrhyn, Chamberlain of North Wales (d. 1483) married (1444) , firstly, Ales (Alice) (born c.1422), (daughter of Sir Richard Dalton of Apthorp, Northants and was the father of Sir William Griffith. He married, secondly, Gwenllian (born c.1430), daughter of Iowerth ap David. The eldest son of this marriage, Robert, was the ancestor of the Griffiths of Plas-Newydd, Anglesey owned by the National Trust.

Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn(1445-1506). He married Jane Troutbeck, a descendant of the Merovingian Line which included William the Conqueror. At Michaelmas 1483 he was appointed Chamberlain of North Wales by Richard III. This was confirmed within a month by Henry VII (14900ending and therefore he appears to have been imprisoned with lord Strange, Derby's heir at Nottingham as hostage for his father's all-too-uncertain loyalty excaping just prior to Bosworth.

The Griffiths of Penrhyn joins the Merovingian Line below.

Merovingian Line (continued)

Joan Troutbeck (born 1459) married (1494) Gwilym Griffith (1445-1505/6). Later he married Elizabeth Grey. Gwilym Griffith descended from Owain Gwynedd (grandfather of Llywelyn the Great (Welsh King). Joan Troutbeck connects the Merovingian Line.

Sir William Griffith of Penrhyn (1478-1531) served under Brandon in the French campaign of 1513; he was at the siege of Thérouanne, the battle of the Spurs, and the siege of Tournai in Aug. 1513, and was knighted at Tournai 25 Sept. 1513. He married (1494) Jane Stradling (born c.1480) then he married (1520) Jane Puleston. They had two daughters: Jane, Catherine, and Ellen Griffth.

Ellen Griffith (born c1500 Penrhyn?) married Hugh Conway Esq

Jane Conway (Born c1520 Bryneurin?)(Married in 1549 to Hugh Gwyn Holland (c1520 Conway-1585), Conway Castle

Robert Holland (born c1556 Conway-c1622)(parson of Llanddowror wrote The Holie Historie) Married Joan Meylir

Nicholas Holland (Born c1613) married Dorothy

Rees Holland (died Jul 1720) married 07Nov 1664 Flemington to Alice Walter

John Holland (c1680-17Apr 1753 St. Athan) married 28Jan 1701 at Gileston Elizabeth Andrews ((06Mar 1670 Penmark)

Rees Holland (died 15Feb 1740 St Athan) married Mary Sweet

Elizabeth Holland (born c1736) Married 25Sep 1760 at Llantwit Major to Thomas David (c1736-1820)

Elizabeth David (1769-1856), Penmark. Married 10Dec 1796 at Llantwit Major to Matthew Stephens the smuggler (1768-1832) from St. Austelle, Cornwall and lived in Pleasant Harbour. His gravestone used to be in Penmark Church. Matthew orginally worked for Richard Garby, a smuggler, and one of his clients was a vicious pirate, William Brown. Matthew became a wealthy man. Elizabeth David had a large dowry. His home was full of nooks and crannies to hide the goods quickly. Their children who managed to spend away the fortune were:

• Joseph Stephens(1799-1878)
• John Stephens(1801-1858) Married Eleanor(1804-1830) Sandstone grave in Penmark church
• Matthew Stephens(1803-1829) His son Matthew(1828-1851)
• Mary Stephens (born 1805)
• Grace Stephens (1806-1880) married Matthew Evans (1794-1865) Their children:
  • Grace (born 1828)
  • Matthew (born 1835)
  • Jessy (born 1838)
  • Walter Evans (born 1840)
  • Annabella (1842)
  • Catherine (1851)
• Thomas Stephens Grave around to the side of the church
  
  Peter John Stephens descended from Thomas Edgar Stephens
  with Matthew Evans descended from Grace Stephens
  standing in front of the remains at of Pleasant Harbor home
  of MatthewStephens, the Smuggler.

Thomas Stephens (1808-17Mar1858) married Maria (1812-1839). (Children: source 1861 Census, Penmark Parish) : Their children:

• Mary Ann (died 1836)
• Marianne (baptized 9/25/1836) (Still living at age 64 with William Stephens at Pleasant Harbor)
• Matthew (born 1838)
• Thomas (died at childbirth with Maria 1839)
  Children of Ann Thomas (born 1819) the servant:
• Oliver Stephens (died 1845)
• Evan Stephens (born 1840)
• John Stephens (born 1845)
• Emily Stephens (died at childbirth 1844)
• Thomas Stephens (born 1848)
• William Stephens (baptized 1851)
  In July 9, 1852 married Ann Thomas making previous legal
• Alfred Stephens (born 1852)
  
• William Henry Stephens(1855-1904) married in 1888 to Georgina Jones, daughter of Thomas Jones. Their children are:
  • Thomas Aubrey Stephens who married Elizabeth Eleanor Pearson.
    • Brenda Stephens married Gerald Roberts. Their children are:
      • Kenneth Roberts: children are Joanne & Michaek Kenneth Roberts
      • Ann Elizabeth Roberts: daughter is Rebecca Anne
      • Susan Mary Roberts: sons are Daniel Mark & Christpher Gerald
      • Philip Roberts
  • Arthur Roland Stephens (1892-1917) married Gladys Rogers
    • Paul N.M. Stephens
    • Christopher R. Stephens
    • Richard M. Stephens
  • Percy Stephens (1895-1954) married Milly Elworthy daughters Grace, Jean, Ruth (born 1932)
  • Winifred Joan Stephens (born 1897) marrried John Morgan, son John Morgan
  • Frank Stephens (born 1902)
• Joseph Stephens(born 1858 died at 2 years)

Thomas Stephens (born 1848) Married Mary from Hereford and worked as a compositer (print-type setter?) in Penmark.

Thomas E. Stephens (1886-1966) married
Evelyn Mary Waring:

 
Evelyn's Mother <--> Evelyn M. Stephens (by TES) (her recollections tape)

Thomas at age 16 worked as an artist for the Cardiff Daily Mail. (1901 Census) living at home at 111, Richards St. Cathays, Cardiff. He eventually went on to do portraits of Eisenhower (Smithomian Hall of Presidents), having taught Ike to paint, also MacArthur and Churchill, etc.

They had two sons: Peter John Stephens and Richard Stephens (27 May 1911 – 5 December 1994) (Richard took his mother's maiden tape as Hollywood actor Richard Waring appearing with Bette Davis in "Mr. Skeffington").

Peter John and Richard Waring (also Nirvana & Kesdjan)

The Merovingian Line for Peter John Stephens continues here, however a side line of descent is shown for Marcia Nichols Holden follows from here. (Although Marcia's official birth certificate shows Nicols as the father.)

Louis XV was the great grandson of Louis XIV, the Great, the Sun King. His ancestory can be traced back to Charlemagne (Charles Magne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire 742-814) and Hildegrad of Vintschgau (758-783) whose only surviving son became Louis I, the Pious, King of France, and through him the Carolingian Dynasty continued until 987, followed by the Carpetian Dynasty to the House of Bourbon (1589-1792) which included Louis XV, King of France. (The daughter of Charlemagne and Hildegard was the ancestor of William, the Conqueror, the British Royal Line, thus Peter John Stephens and Marcia Nichols Holden share the same ancestral line.)

Marcia Nichols Holden's decent from Louis XV, King of France

Louis XV (1 Sep 1715- 10 May 1774), le Grand Dauphin, (1710-1774)
with Madame de Pompadour (29 December 1721 - 15 April 1764 - aged 42)

  
The only surviving legitimate son of Louis XIV, had, with his wife, Marie-Anne-Victoire de Bavière, three sons, the duc de Bourgogne (Louis XV's father), Philippe, duc d'Anjou (who became King of Spain) and Charles, duc de Berry.

However, he was well-known for his sexual appetite. One of these liaisons ended in a son carefully created as 1st Marquis de Grouchy (a then defunct line) as François-Jacques de Grouchy. He remained in court as a page. Clearly his royal blood was well know as later when his son Emmanuel de Grouchy tried to join the Revolutionary Army he was initially excluded because of his royal blood. (A case can also be made for his mother being the favorite mistress Madame de Pompadour because of the title that he was awarded.)

François-Jacques de Grouchy, 1st Marquis de Grouchy and intellectual wife Gilberte Fréteau de Pény (d. 1793). They had a son Emmanuel de Grouchy and a daughter Sophie de Condorcet, a noted femininist.

A case can be made for François having been a page in the court and awarded the expired title of de Grouchy that his

Emmanuel de Grouchy, 2nd Marquis de Grouchy (October 23, 1766 – May 29, 1847)

> 
Though a Marshall of Napoleon (appointed (3 June 1815) with his name on the top of the Arc de Triomphe next to Napoleon, he was blamed for causing the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. History shows that Napoleon should have won without de Grouchy and was responsible for sending de Grouchy too far from the battle. He was later exonerated and allowed his title back.

Dylan & Tarot

Married to Cécile le Doulcet de Pontécoulant (1767–1827), sister of Louis Gustave le Doulcet, comte de Pontécoulant, by whom he had 4 children Ernestine (1787–1866) Alphonse (1789–1864) Aimee-Clementine (1791–1826) Victor (1796–1864)

Georges de Grouchy (1841-1898), chief of staff squadron and general counsel of Calvados , married to Marie Lambrecht. Sons were:
H M Jean Félix DE Grouchy , Marquis DE Grouchy (1881-1944) Married 25 August 1913 (Monday), OSNY 95, with Lilian (f) Reiset , Osny (1888-1966)
Emmanuel (1882-1950)
Daughter: F Arlette DE Grouchy 1888 Married Y COTTIN ca 1875-

(wrongly referred to as "René de Grouchy" in the above book)
Emmauel (26) has an affair with Anne Dorothy Vardon Nichols (Dolly Vardon) (almost 22) in March 1908. Became pregnant with 2 twins Marcia and Aimee she emigrated to America and goes back with Harry Sidney Nichols, her 'guardian', who had recently come to America. Twins were born December 8, 1908 in America. On the birth certificate for father she wrote Marquis de Grucci (not knowing how to spell it). She had other children, but from her husband Laurence Chaffee Holden (November 5, 1880 - February 25, 1935) Staten Island, New York.

Thus Marcia’s adoptive father was Harry Sidney Nichols. Harry became famous, notorious, and rich, publishing classics of erotica - then illegal, now mainstream media - the most famous being The Thousand Nights and One Nights by Sir Richard Burton. He was arrested for selling “dirty books.” The trial was featured in The Times of London for a month or so. In the middle of the trial The Times printed a front-page box with news of an auction of Harry’s most prized rare books and manuscripts. Basically, he took the money and escaped to Paris, still doing business as usual through the Royal Mail. Finally he was deported and went to New York. However, Dolly, his most prized possession, was left in Paris. Dolly was a young orphan (common in those days when abortion was not available) whose ‘debts’ were paid by Harry. This fascination with young girls appears to be quite common in those days i.e. Charles Dodgson and J.M. Barrie who went on to write the two best children’s books.

               
Marcia, Her Mother, Tom, Aimee <--> Marcia Nichols Holden, Dylan, Gillian, Peter John<->Aimee(sister)

(Marcia's son, Dylan's half brother, Anton (Schmidt) Holden (born May 23, 1934, father Ralph Schmidt), the author of the best selling book "Prince Valium", has written a book Dolly Vardon" 2013.)

Anton, Marcia, Dylan, Peter-John<--> Nana(Dolly Holden) Gillian Dylan

Marcia Nichols Holden was the editor of the "Poetry and Drama Magazine". She was first married to a tug boat captain (Frank Johnstone, born 12/16/1904) in New York Harbor (daughter Diane born July 15, 1928) and divorced in March 13, 1933. While unmarried, had a son Anton Holden (Schmidt) and then remarried Jan 22, 1954 to Peter John Stephens, a writer of books for children and teens, plays, and operetta lyrics. Had children: Dylan Richard & Gillian. Continue below to the Merovingian Line following.

Merovingian Line (continued)

Peter John Stephens (31 July 1912 - 11 Jun 2002) Lived in Chalfont St Peter as a child and died in Streatham, London after living in City Island, New York. His descent line included (David/Jesus?), Merovingian Kings, William the Conquerer, Owain Gwynedd, the grandfather of Llewelyn the Great of Wales, and a Welsh smuggler. Was first married to Henrietta (Henkle) "Buckmaster" born 10 March 1909, Cleveland, Ohio; died April 1983 (Buckmaster's works reveal a fascination with history. They include two history books—Let My People Go (1941), the story of the underground railroad, and Freedom Bound (1965), which describes the Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1877—as well as numerous historical novels. Guggenheim Fellowship for biography 1944) Married Marcia Nichols Holden.(Born 9Dec1908) Her descent and her twin sister Aimee can be traced from King Louis XV, the French King through Emmanuel de Grouchy, the Grand Marshall of Napoleon. (See chart above.) She brought to the marriage a daughter Diane and a son Anton. They had two children:

• Dylan Richard Stephens (1947)
• Gillian Stephens (1948) Thomas Langdon. Their children are Gavin Langdon (born 1994) and ElisiaYeva Langdon.(1990)

Peter John divorced Marcia and married Eliane Falconi. They had a daughter, Dilys Stephens who married Michael Finlay. They have a son Luke Finlay.

Dylan Stephens (1947) married in 1971 Wendy Stern (1953) (daughter of Marshal Jacob Stern (26Sep1913-11Dec1991) and Irene Elizabeth Sirullo(born 1Mar1917) being married on 25Sep1938). They had three children:

• Kesdjan Eldwyn(Kes)(1977)
• Nirvana Andwyl (1979)
• Tarot Delwyn (1983) married Paulina Poplawska

Nirvana Stephens Guernsey (1979) Married in 1999 Timothy Adam Guernsey(Garnsey)(1976) They have a daughter Isis Bellesandra. A son Llyr and a daughter Atira.