OLD KING COLE DESCENDANTS.

As previously stated, the Coel kingdom extended over the complete north of England from a line joining Chester and the Wash up into southern Scotland, as it is today. This of course included Gododin, mentioned in the pages of The Scottish King Arthur. Further investigation is now complete and a lot more is known about the Cole dynasty.
Generally the area controlled by the Coels (Coles) was known as Rheged and, besides being known as North and South Rheged also had territories known as Elmet, Bryneich, Ebraunc, Salway, Middle Britain and the Pennines.
If we start with Coel Hen (Old King Cole), hen being ancient British for old, who lived from about 350 to 420 (living to 70 being very old in those days) the Coel line can be traced until about 650, when the Saxons, etc had settled their lands and wiped the family out.
Coel Hen was married to Ystradwal, the daughter of Cadfan, who was born about 360 and was much younger than Coel. They had three children, St. Ceneu c382, a daughter Gwawl c384 who married Cunedda Wledig of the family line, and Garbanion c392.
Ceneu had three sons Mor c 422, Gwarst Lledlwm (the Ragged) and Dyfnwal Moelmud (the Bald and Silent) c425. Mor had three sons, Einion c450, who fathered Eliffer Gosgorddfawr (Of The Great Army) c484 married to Erfiddyl, Ceidio c488 and Rhun Ryfedd Mawr (of great Wealth). The second son of Mor was Arthwys c 455, who it has been claimed was the real King Arthur. Arthwys had two sons, St.Pabo Post Prydain c470 – 530, whose daughter Arddyn Penasgell (Wing Headed) c510 married Brochfael Ysgythrog of the family line. The second son was Cynfelyn c474. The next son of Mor was Morydd c456, who in turn fathered Morfryn Frych (the Freckled), who after marrying Alden was later to become a king in the Gwynedd area.
Ceneu’s second son Gwarst is known to have fathered two sons, Meirchion Gul (the Lean) c422 and Masgwid Gloff c444, King of Elmet. Meirchion Gul had three sons, which caused the Rheged kingdom to be split. The first was Cynfarch Oer (the Dismal) c461, King of North Rheged, and the second Elidyr Llydanwyn (the Stout and Handsome) c464. They married two sisters Nyfain and Gwawr, the daughters of Brychan. The third was Idno c466 who had no offspring. Masgwid Gloff had five sons, Llaennog c475, King of Elmet and his brothers Einion c477, Arthwys c479, St. Cynllo c481 and Ceredig c483, none of whom became kings or had family.
Ceneu’s third son Dyfnwal Moelmud (the Bald and Silent), who fathered Cyngar c455 and Bran Hen (the Old) c460. Cyngar in turn fathered Morgan Fwlch c485 to become King of Bryneich. Bran Hen appears to be without issue.
Coel Hen’s daughter Gwawl, married to Cunedda, is reputed to have had eight sons who went with their father into north Wales to drive out the Irish and after whom many Welsh counties are named. Coels other son was Garbanion c390.
It can be seen from the above that from the fourth generation after Coel Hen the kingdom was split into many smaller kingdoms to satisfy the male offspring of current kings. It now became increasingly difficult to split kingdoms further and the practice began of leaving the kingdom to the eldest son or having joint kings. The female line were married off into as high a family as possible. It will be noticed that where there are more than one child a gap of two years separate them as this is thought to be an earliest/average gap for those times.
It is now proposed to list future generations under the kingdoms, as follows :-
 

EBRAUNC from Eliffer Gosgorddfawr.

Peredyr Arueu Dur (Steel Arms) c510 – 580

      Gwrgant Gwron (the Hero) c540

            St. Cedwyn c570

Gwrgi c510 – 580

Ceindrech Penasgell c510 (Later married Brochfael – King of Powys)

Other unknown sons.

NORTH OF SALWAY from Einion.

       Ceido c488

             Gwenddolew c520

             Nudd c522

             Caw c524

SOUTH OF SALWAY from Rhun Ryfedd Mawr.

       Perfawr (daughter) c510 who married Rhun Hir (the Tall) of Gwynedd, c508 – 586

       Rhun c492

PENNINES from St. Pabo Post (Pillar of Britain)

       Sawyl Penuchel (the Arrogant) c488 – King of North Pennines. 1^st wife Deicher of Ulster.

             Nesta (daughter) c494 married Maelgwn Gwynedd – King of Gwynedd c480 – 549.

             Gwidgwn c496.

                   Cadwallon c520

             St. Madog Ailither (the Pilgrim) c498

             St. Santan c500. Bishop.

       Unknown 2^nd wife.

             St. Asa c520 – 601. Bishop of Llanelwy.

             Pyr c522.

       Carwyd c498.

       St. Dynod Bwr (the Stout) c505 – 595 – King of South Pennines. Married Dwywai.

             St.Deiniol Gwyn (the Blessed) c535 – 584. Bishop of Bangor.

                   St. Deiniolen Fab (the Younger) c560.

             St. Cynwyl c537

             St. Gwarthan c539

             St. Aneirin Gwodryd (of Flowing Verse) c541

       Arddyn Penasgell (daughter) (Wing Headed) c510. Married Brochfael Ysgythrog of family.

MIDDLE BRITAIN from Cynfelyn.

       Cynwyd Cynwydion c491 – King of Cynwydion.

             Cadrod Calchfynedd c507. – King of Calchwynedd. Married Gwrgan ferch Brychan.

             Cynan Genhir c509

             Cynfelyn Drwsgi (the Clumsy) c511.

MOVED INTO WALES from Morfryn Frych.

       Myrddin Emrys (alias Merlin the Magician) c488.

NORTH RHEGED from Cynfarch Oer.

       Enynny (daughter) c476. Married Caradog Freichfras (Strong Arm) – King of Gwent.

       Erfiddyl (daughter) c478. Married Eiffer Gosgorddfawr (the Great Army) – King of Ebrauc.

       Anarawn c482. Bishop of Llydaw.

       Llew c484. King.

       Arawn c486. King north of the Salway.

       Urien Rheged c490. 1^st wife Orwen ferch Ceredig. 2^nd wife Morganna Le Fay (the Fair) then:-

             Owain c510, King.

                   Elffin c534.

                   St. Kentigern Garthwys c528 – 612. Bishop of Strathclyde.

                   Edwyn c550.

                   Pasgen c552.

             Deifr c512.

             Rhiwallon c514.

             St. Cadell c516.

             Elffin c518.

                   Gwaith Hengaer c545. Married Euronwy ferch Clinog.

             Morfydd c520.

             Pasgen c522. King of Gwyr.

                   Elen (daughter) c540. Married Elisedd ap Neufedd c530.

             Rhun c524.

                   Rhoedd c560.

                         Rhiainfelt (daughter) c600. Married Oswy c610 – 670. King of Northumbria.

SOUTH RHEGED from Elidyr Llydanwyn.

       Heledd (daughter) c510. Made poems of the fall of her brother’s son Cynddylan.

       Llywarch Hen (the Old) 534 – 634. Last King of South Rheged. Had 42 children.

             Gwen c555

             Pill c556

             Llawr c557

             Mechydd c558

             Maen c559

             Dwywg c560

                   Caid c595

                         Tegid c630

                               Alcun c660

                                     Sandde c690. King of Ynys Manaw by marrying Celemion, heiress.

                                           Elidyr c720. King of Ynys Manaw.

                                                 Gwriad c750. King of Ynys Manaw. Married Essylt ferch Cynan.

                                                       Merfyn Frych (Freckled) d844. K Ynys Manaw and Gwynedd.                                                                 (married Nesta ferch Cadell)

Rhodri Mawr (the Great) King Gwynedd, Powys & Ceredigion

Gwriad

Anarawd

       Nefydd c561

       Sandde Bryd Engyl (Bright Angel) c562

       Selyf c563

       Dilig c564

       Lliwer c565

       Deigr c 566

       Rhud c567

       Madog c568

       Medel c569

       Heilin c570

       Gwell c571

       Sawyl c572

       Llorien c573

       Ceny c574

       Llynghedwy c575

       Cynllwg c576

       Llewenydd c577

       Gorwynion c578

       Rhiell (daughter) c579

       Ceneu c580

       Cynddylan c581. Was said to follow Arthur’s policy when at war.

       Talan c582

       Cynfarch c583

       Rheged c584

       Gredwal c585

       Gwawr c586

       Mabon c587

       Alarch c588

       Bryw c589

       Brwyn c590

       Urien c591

       Ysgwn c592

       Ceinfron (daughter) c593

       Ragaw (daughter) c594

       Ceindreg (daughter) c595

       Gwladys (daughter) c596

ELMET from Llaennog

       Dwywai (daughter) c515. Married St. Dynod Bwr (the Stout) King of South Pennines.

       Gwallog Marchog Trin (Battle Horseman) c520.

             Ceredig c560 – 616. King of Elmet.

WITHOUT KINGDOMS

       Einion ap Masgwid c477

       Arthwys ap Masgwid c479

       St. Cynllo ap Masgwid c481

       Ceredig ap Masgwid c483

BRYNEICH from Morgan Fwlch.

       Coledog c515.

             Morgan c545.

It will be seen from the above that Old King Cole (Coel) and his descendants were kings of an area of land bigger in size than Wales and that of Wales itself the area of Gwynedd and Powys (which at that time extended out as far as Lichfield) was more than half of Wales.
These three dynasties had very close associations and inter-married frequently; a substantial population would be required to marry all of Llywarch Hen’s children. Because of this closeness the fact that Cunedda (also known as Cunorix and Wledig) of Gododin on the Scottish borders should take his army to fight off the encroachment of Irish into north Wales is not surprising, especially if promised land for his troubles.
It must be remembered that at this time the entire population of Wales was probably less than two million and the Coel lands not much more, which comprised mostly of slaves, surfs and followers of the kings or leaders and that there were very few independants.
So there we have it. Old King Cole was not just the figment of a poet’s imagination but was in fact a living, breathing King who ruled a vast area of land in northern Britain and started a dynasty that continued that rule for 400 years but also spread by marriage and conquest into some of the originators and members of my own ancesters. A merry old soul indeed.