"Mediæval Wales consisted of a host of petty kingdoms, each overseen by a King or Prince; many of whom were really little more than tribal chieftains. The larger and more influential of these kingdoms were Dyfed and Gwent in the south, Powys in the midlands and Gwynedd in the north. Gwynedd proved to be the most influential.
"Wat's Dyke, built during the reign of Æthelbald of Mercia (716 - 757) and Offa's Dyke, built during the reign of Offa of Mercia (757 - 796) served to denote the Welsh frontier.
"The Welsh political system resembled the English system in that a ruler presided over a clan, and clan members vowed allegiance on the basis of the personal strength of the ruler. However, according to Welsh law, on the death of a ruler, the kingdom was divided among the heirs. This, along with a poor economy, lack of town development and the absence of a feudal system inhibited royal expansion. In spite of these obstacles, no fewer than four rulers did manage to unify the separate Welsh kingdoms for short periods. [Rhodri the Great, 844 - 878; Hywel the Good, 900 - 950; Maredudd ap Owain, 986 - 999; Gruffudd ap Llwelyn, 1039 - 1063]153 |