Penychen was a possible minor kingdom of

early medieval The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Middle Ages of Europ ...

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

and later a

cantref A cantref ( ; ; plural cantrefi or cantrefs; also rendered as ''cantred'') was a Wales in the Early Middle Ages, medieval Welsh land division, particularly important in the administration of Welsh law. Description Land in medieval Wales was divid ...

of the Kingdom of Morgannwg. Penychen was one of three cantrefi that made up the kingdom of

Glywysing Glywysing was, from the sub-Roman period to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribe of the Silures, and frequently in union with Gwent, merging to form Morgannwg. Name ...

, lying between the rivers Taff and Thaw, the other two being Gwynllwg and

Gorfynydd Glywysing was, from the Sub-Roman Britain, sub-Roman period to the Early Middle Ages, a petty kingdom in south-east Wales in the Early Middle Ages, Wales. Its people were descended from the Iron Age tribes in Britain, Iron Age tribe of the Silu ...

. According to tradition, these cantrefi were created on the death of Glywys (c.480 AD), the first king of Glywysing, when the kingdom was divided between his three sons: Pawl, Gwynllyw and Mechwyn. But our knowledge of the early history of the kingdom is very uncertain, being mainly sourced from medieval documents and traditional pedigrees. Pawl was the ruler of Penychen and on his death (c.540 AD) passed the cantref on to his nephew. Pawl's brother Gwynllyw was the ruler of Gwynllwg and upon his death it is said that the cantref passed to his son Cadoc (Cadwg), also known as St. Cadoc. Cadoc would later take control of Penychen, but when he was killed by the

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

s he had no heirs, and both cantrefi fell under the control of Meureg of Gwent and were absorbed into his kingdom. After the Norman conquest of South Wales, the southern parts of Penychen, on the Bristol Channel, came under the direct rule of the Norman Marcher Lords and their descendants, but the rest (the commotes of Rhondda Valley and Miskin) remained under the rule of local Welsh lords, who paid homage to the powerful Norman lords but still retained a degree of independence, which they were very ready to defend. In the Middle Ages Penychen contained two important ecclesiastical centres: the episcopal seat of Llandaf, and Llancarfan, a clas connected to the early author Caradoc of Llancarfan.

Location

Penychen lay between Senghenydd and Gwrinydd in

South Wales South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...

;''The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales''. John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg668 it contained the areas which today are the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, the majority of the

Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan ( ), locally referred to as ''The Vale'', is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf t ...

and the west of

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

References

Cantrefs History of Wales History of Glamorgan Marcher lordships {{Wales-geo-stub