Cyngen ap Cadell

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Cyngen ap Cadell (died 855) was a king of Powys in eastern Wales.

Cyngen was of the line of Brochwel Ysgithrog and after a long reign as king of Powys went on a pilgrimage to Rome and died there in 855. He is thought to be the first Welsh ruler to visit Rome after the healing of the breach between the Welsh branch of the Celtic Church and Rome over the date of Easter.

Cyngen raised a pillar in memory of his great-grandfather Elisedd ap Gwylog which stands near the later abbey of Valle Crucis. This memorial is known as the Pillar of Eliseg owing to a mistake by the original carver of the inscription.

Cyngen was the last of the original line of kings of Powys. He had three sons, but on his death Powys was annexed by Rhodri Mawr, ruler of Gwynedd who claimed it as the son of Cyngen's sister, Nest.

[edit] References

• John Edward Lloyd (1911). A history of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest. Longmans, Green & Co.. 

Preceded by Cadell ab Elisedd

King of Powys 808–855

Succeeded by Rhodri Mawr