Ednyfed, King of Greater Dyfed
(Born c.AD 380)
(Latin: Demetius, English: Ednemet)

'King' Annun's son. Ednyfed, alias Dyfed, appears to have been the personification of is father's powerbase in South-West Wales. He was probably born there in the late 4th century and, hence, was named after it. The area was then still known by the Roman name of the Civitas Demetarum, named after the local Celtic tribe of the Demetae. It is not clear whether his father died before or after the final withdrawal of Roman troops from Britain around AD 410, but Ednyfed certainly appears to have upheld the family honour and soon established a local monarchy.

Traditionally, Ednyfed married and had at least two sons, Glydwyn and Dyfnwal. The Dyfed dynasty continued with the family of the first, down to his son, King Clodri. Dyfnwal may have inherited an area in the eastern regions of his father's kingdom as his apparent son, Ynyr Gwent, moved still further eastwards upon acquiring the kingdom of Gwent through an advantageous marriage.

Records of King Ednyfed date back to the 10th century. He is generally considred apocryphal.

 

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