Cynllaith or Cynllaeth was a '' cwmwd'' (

commote A commote (Welsh ''cwmwd'', sometimes spelt in older documents as ''cymwd'', plural ''cymydau'', less frequently ''cymydoedd'')'' Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru'' (University of Wales Dictionary), p. 643 was a secular division of land in Medieval Wal ...

) of north east

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

in the cantref of Swydd y Waun which was once part of the

Kingdom of Powys The Kingdom of Powys ( cy, Teyrnas Powys; la, Regnum Poysiae) was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain. It very roughly covered the northern ...

and later part of the smaller kingdom of Powys Fadog. Cynllaith, or at least the part of it called ''Cynllaith Owain'', was part of the inheritance of

Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in W ...

in 1370. The titles ''Baron of Glyndyfrdwy'' and ''Lord of Cynllaith Owain'' were used by the dispossessed former ruling family of Powys Fadog before Owain was proclaimed

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rule ...

in 1400. The episode "Monk's Hood" of the Cadfael Chronicles includes a scene in a Welsh court in Llansilin within this commote.

References

Commotes History of Powys {{Wales-hist-stub