Early Life
Hywel was born around 880, the son of Cadell, King of Seisyllwg. He had a brother, Clydog, who was probably the younger of the two. At some point Hywel married Elen, daughter and heir of Llywarch ap Hyfaidd of Dyfed, giving him firm ties to that kingdom.
Hywel's father Cadell had been installed as King of Seisyllwg by his father, Rhodri the Great of Gwynedd, following the accidental drowning of the last king in the traditional line, Gwgon, in 872. Following Gwgon's death, Rhodri, husband to the dead king's sister Angharad, became steward of his kingdom. This gave Rhodri no standing to claim the kingship of Seisyllwg himself, but he was able to install his son Cadell as a subject king. Cadell died in 911, and Seisyllwg appears to have been divided between his two sons Hywel and Clydog according to Welsh custom.
Hywel probably already controlled Dyfed by that time. No king is recorded after the death of Llywarch ap Hyfaidd in 904, and Hywel's marriage to Llywarch's only surviving heir likely ensured that the kingdom came into his hands. Hywel and Clydog seem to have ruled Seisyllwg together following their father's death, and jointly submitted to Edward the Elder of England in 918. However, Clydog died in 920, evidently leaving the whole realm to Hywel. Hywel soon joined Seisyllwg and Dyfed into a single realm known as Deheubarth. This became the first significant event of his reign.
Read more about this topic: Hywel Dda
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