Rhain the Irishman

Rhain was an 11th-century king of Dyfed.

It is unclear when Rhain's reign began. He claimed to be the son of Maredudd ab Owain, King of Gwynedd, a younger son of Owain ap Hywel Dda, King of Deheubarth and the grandson of King Hywel Dda. Rhain was apparently accepted as such by the people of the Kingdom of Dyfed, and by the anonymous author of the C text of the Annals of Wales.^[1] It has been suggested that Rhain might have been an illegitimate son and fled to Ireland for safety when Maredudd died and Gwynedd was claimed by Cynan ap Hywel then Aeddan ap Blegywryd, possibly by violence.^[2] Hywel Dda had a son whose name was spelled Rhain or Rhun,^[3] and given the naming conventions of the medieval Wales, it is possible that his name, historically identified with earlier rulers of Dyfed through Hywel's wife Elen ferch Llywarch ap Hyfaidd, king of Dyfed, was an indication of a familial relationship with the line of Hywel Dda.^[4]

Llywelyn ap Seisyll, King of Gwynedd, was the son in law of Maredudd ab Owain through his marriage to Angharad ferch Maredudd ab Owain, and saw Rhain's successful takeover of the Kingdom of Dyfed as a threat to his control of his more northern territories. Llywelyn brought an army against Rhain.^[5]^[6]

Rhain was later recorded as acting 'after the manner of the Irish' and 'proudly and ostentatiously' encouraging his men to fight in the battle, promising them victory. However, Rhain's troops lost the battle against the army from Gwynedd, and he was recorded by the victors as fleeing 'shamefully, like a fox'.^[7]

After his defeat at the Battle of Abergwilli near Carmarthen, he was deposed by Llywelyn ap Seisyll in 1022.^[8] Rhain was recorded by the other histories of the time as Rhain the Irishman (Old Welsh: Rein Yscot; Welsh Latin: Reyn Scottus) and treated as a pretender.^[7] The B text of the Welsh annals asserted he was killed in the battle with Llywelyn; the Chronicle of the Princes, however, pointedly notes that his body was not discovered.^[9]

References

^ Charles-Edwards, p. 556.
^ "The Era of Llewelyn ap Seisyll". www.ancientwalesstudies.org. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
^ "Hywel Dda [Hywel Dda ap Cadell] (d. 949/50), king in Wales". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/13968. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
^ Thornton, David E. (1999). "Predatory Nomenclature and Dynastic Expansion in Early Medieval Wales". Medieval Prosopography. 20: 1–22. ISSN 0198-9405.
^ Pierce, T. J., (1959). MAREDUDD ab OWAIN ap HYWEL DDA (died 999), king of Deheubarth. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 29 Apr 2025, from https://biography.wales/article/s-MARE-ABO-0999
^ "Gruffudd ap Llywelyn (d. 1063), king of Gwynedd and of Deheubarth". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/11695. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
^ ^a ^b Tout, Thomas (1893). "Llywelyn ab Seisyll" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 34. pp. 6–7.
^ Pierce, T. J., (1959). LLYWELYN ap SEISYLL (died 1023), king of Deheubarth and Gwynedd. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 29 Apr 2025, from https://biography.wales/article/s-LLYW-APS-1023
^ Charles-Edwards, T. Wales and the Britons, 350–1064, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2012. Accessed 12 Feb 2013.

Rulers of medieval Wales

Territories/dates^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]	Powys		Dogfeiling	Gwynedd	Dunoding	Ceredigion	Ystrad Tywi	Dyfed	Brycheiniog	Glywysing	Gwent	Ergyng
400–600	Sub-Roman Britain
	Kingdom of Powys Gwrtheyrn Catigern Cadell Ddyrnllwg Rhuddfedel Frych Cyngen Glodrydd Brochwel Ysgithrog Cynan Garwyn Selyf ap Cynan Manwgan ap Selyf		Kingdom of Gwynedd				Kingdom of Dyfed Triffyn Farfog Aergol Lawhir Vortiporius		Brycheiniog Anlach mac Cormac Brychan	Glywysing Mor Solor Glywys Gwynllŵg Gwynllyw Cadoc	Kingdom of Gwent Ynyr Gwent Caradoc Vreichvras	Ergyng Peibio Clafrog Cynfyn Gwrfoddw Gwrgan Fawr
			Dogfeiling Dogfael ap Cunedda Wledig Elno ap Dogfael Glas ap Elno Elgud ap Glas ap Elno Elaeth ab Elgud Meurig ap Elaeth	House of Gwynedd Cunedda Wledig Einion Yrth ap Cunedda Cadwallon Lawhir Maelgwn Gwynedd Rhun Hir ap Maelgwn Beli ap Rhun Iago ap Beli Cadfan ap Iago Cadwallon ap Cadfan Cadafael Cadwaladr	Dunoding Dunod ap Cunedda Eifion ap Dunod Dingad ab Eifion Meurig ad Dingad Eifion ap Meurig Issac ap Eifion ap Meurig Pobien Hen ap Isaac Pobddelw ap Pobien Hen Eifion ap Pobddelw Brochwel ap Eifion Eigion ap Brochwel ab Eifion Ieuanawl ab Eigion Caradog ap Ieuanawl Bleiddud ap Caradog Cuhelyn ap Bleiddud	Kingdom of Ceredigion Ceredig ap Cunedda Usai ap Ceredig Serwyl ab Usai Boddw ap Serwyl Arthfoddw ap Boddw Athrwys ab Arthfoddw Clydog ab Athrwys			Brycheiniog Anlach mac Cormac Brychan		Kingdom of Gwent Ynyr Gwent Caradoc Vreichvras
600–613							Cloten Cathen ap Gwlyddein Cadwgan ap Caten Rhain ap Cadwgan			Tewdrig Meurig ap Tewdrig
613–642	Eluadd ap Glast (Eiludd Powys)
642–645	Manwgan ap Selyf Beli ab Eiludd Gwylog ap Beli Elisedd ap Gwylog Brochfael ab Elisedd Cadell ap Brochfael Cyngen ap Cadell
645–682										Athrwys ap Meurig Morgan ab Athrwys Ithel ap Morgan Meurig ab Ithel
682–740			Idwal Iwrch Rhodri Molwynog Caradog ap Meirion Cynan Dindaethwy Hywel ap Caradog
730–745						Seisyllwg Seisyll ap Clydog Arthen ap Seisyll Dyfnwallon ab Arthen Meurig ap Dyfnwallon Gwgon ap Meurig		Dyfed Tewdos (Tewdwr) Maredudd ap Tewdws Rhain ap Maredudd Owain ap Maredudd Triffyn ap Rhain Bleddri (Bledrig) Hyfaidd ap Bleddri Llywarch ap Hyfaidd Rhodri ap Hyfaidd Hywel Dda	Brycheiniog
745–825										Glywysing Rhys ab Ithel Rhodri ab Ithel Meurig ab Ithel Rhys ap Arthfael Hywel ap Rhys Owain ap Hywel	Gwent Brochfael ap Meurig Ffernfael ap Meurig Brochwel ap Meurig Arthfael ap Hywel Ithel ab Athrwys ap Ffernfael	Mercia
825–854			House of Aberffraw Merfyn Frych Rhodri Mawr
854–872	Rhodri Mawr
871–878	Rhodri Mawr					Rhodri Mawr
878–909	Powys Merfyn ap Rhodri Llywelyn ap Merfyn		Gwynedd Anarawd ap Rhodri			House of Dinefwr Cadell ap Rhodri
909–913						Deheubarth Hywel Dda
913–925												Kingdom of England Archenfield
916–930	Idwal Foel									Owain ap Hywel
930–942	Idwal Foel									Glywysing Gruffydd ab Owain Cadwgan ab Owain	Gwent Morgan Hen ab Owain
942–950	Hywel Dda									Glywysing Gruffydd ab Owain Cadwgan ab Owain	Gwent Morgan Hen ab Owain
950–986	Powys Owain ap Hywel Dda		Gwynedd Ieuaf Iago ab Idwal Hywel ap Ieuaf Cadwallon ab Ieuaf			Deheubarth Owain ap Hywel Dda				Morgannwg Morgan Hen ab Owain Hywel ab Owain ap Morgan Hen Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
988–999	Maredudd ab Owain
999–1022	Powys Llywelyn ap Seisyll		Gwynedd Cynan ap Hywel Aeddan ap Blegywryd			Deheubarth Rhain the Irishman Cadell ab Einion
1018–1023	Llywelyn ap Seisyll
1023–1033	Powys Rhydderch ab Iestyn		Gwynedd Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig			Deheubarth Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1033–1039	Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig Gruffudd ap Llywelyn					Deheubarth Rhydderch ab Iestyn Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1045–1055	Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig Gruffudd ap Llywelyn					Gruffudd ap Rhydderch
1055–1063	Gruffudd ap Llywelyn
1063–1075	House of Mathrafal Bleddyn ap Cynfyn					Deheubarth Maredudd ab Owain ab Edwin Rhys ab Owain Rhys ap Tewdwr				Glywysing Caradog ap Gruffudd	Gwent Cadwgan ap Meurig
1075–1081	Powys Iorwerth ap Bleddyn Cadwgan ap Bleddyn Owain ap Cadwgan Maredudd ap Bleddyn Madog ap Maredudd		Gwynedd Trahaearn ap Caradog							Morgannwg Caradog ap Gruffudd Iestyn ap Gwrgant
1081–1093			Gruffudd ap Cynan Owain Gwynedd Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
1088–1116						Norman occupation
1095–1160						Deheubarth Gruffydd ap Rhys Anarawd ap Gruffydd Cadell ap Gruffydd Maredudd ap Gruffydd Rhys ap Gruffydd Gruffydd ap Rhys II Maelgwn ap Rhys Rhys Gryg			Lordship of Brecknock	Lordship of Glamorgan
1160–1216	Powys Fadog Gruffydd Maelor I Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor Gruffydd II ap Madog Madog II ap Gruffydd Gruffudd Fychan I	Powys Wenwynwyn Owain Cyfeiliog Gwenwynwyn
1216–1241		Principality of Wales Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
1241–1283		Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn	Dafydd ap Llywelyn Owain Goch ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Dafydd ap Gruffudd
1283–1287	(English conquest of Wales)
1535–1542	Laws in Wales Acts
^ Rulers with names in italics are considered fictional ^ Bartrum, Peter Clement (1993). A Welsh Classical Dictionary: People in History and Legend Up to about A.D. 1000. National Library of Wales. ISBN 0907158730. ^ biography.wales (Dictionary of Welsh Biography) ^ Davies, John (1994). A History of Wales. Penguin Books. ISBN 9780140145816. ^ Encyclopaedia of Wales. University of Wales Press. 2008. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6. ^ Lloyd, John Edward (1912). A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest. Longmans, Green, and Co. ^ Turvey, Roger (2010). Twenty-One Welsh Princes. Conwy: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 9781845272692.

Rhain the Irishman

References

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