A New Look at Ancient Lineage of Maddox Family of Wales
David Ford of Binfield, county
Berkshire, England commented recently on James G. Perry's work "Kinfolk:
Maddox Family of Wales." David Ford's Internet site, Early British
Kingdoms http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/
is a valuable resource for American family historians researching ancient UK families,
i.e. Herbert, Maddox and Warren.
David Nash Ford sent Maddox genealogists the following e-mail regarding the Maddox family of Wales:
Brychan Brycheiniog, King of Brycheiniog, was father of St. Gwenllian (female), and not the father of St. Gwenllian's husband Molwyn. Gwenllian's husband and Caradog's father was said to have been Llyr Marini, meaning "of the Sea," one of the many "Men of the North." Llyr Marini was an enigmatic figure who appeared to be named for and confused with the Celtic Sea-God, Llyr Llediarth (Half-Speech). Gwenllian's husband was sometimes named Masgwid Gloff, a King of the Lennox region of Scotland; Molwyn is probably a corrupted form of this Scottish king's name.
Caradog Feichfras (Strong-Arm) was an early King of Gwent, hence Lord of Hereford, though probably not of Gloucester. His ancestry is highly disputed. The "Bonedd y Saint" gives the Llyr Marini and Gwenllian parentage. A connection with the "Men of the North" seems highly unlikely. Modern historians tend to identify him as Caradog ap Ynyr Gwent, who is probably the earliest recorded King of Gwent. His wife was St. Madrun, the granddaughter of the infamous King Vortigern, whose ancestry can be read on my website.
Caradog Freichfras had a wife named
Tegau Eufron (Golden Breast). Her father is usually given as Nudd Hael (the Generous),
King of Man, though sometimes she is called Guignier and her father becomes Gereint
Llyngesog (Fleet-Owner), King of Dumnonia.
James G. Perry, author of "Kinfolk," wrote: "At Maesmawr, Llanfynach, a short distance from Brecon following the River Usk, there lived for many generations a [Maddox] family in Brycheinog. The convulsion which shook the Brycheinog world was unable to dislodge this [Maddox] household from its paternal inheritance. In the parish of Llanfynach, Newmarch found them, three hundred years after William the Conqueror had invaded Wales. Wales Map: Llanfynach and Scethrog located s.e. of Brecon.
Neither force of arms nor feudal law invalidated their title to inheritance. Thomas ap Jenkin Madaox was the Brycheinog parallel to John Hampden. He refused to yield his lands upon which his forefathers had dwelled. The Madogs of Llanfynach of Maesmawr were of the line of Gwgan, second son of Moreiddig Warwyn who is said to have been born with a snake around his neck."
Note by Pat Doster: I have clarified the above paragraph from "Kinfolk" so that it makes more sense to web-readers.
David Ford's comment :
The Madog kings cited by James G. Perry in his book "Kinfolk," are unlikely to have been Kings of Brycheiniog; they were more likely to have been Princes of adjoining Ferreg. Admittedly, "King's List for Brycheiniog" does not exist; but it is generally accepted that Brychan was succeeded by his son, Rhein Dremrydd (Red-Face) and his grandson, Rigenew. The latter had male descendants, but it is unclear whether they ruled Brycheiniog.
Also, I do not understand James Perry's No. 18 "Llewelyn who married Joan." Llewelyn is a very common Welsh name and this particular Llewelyn has nothing to do with either Llewelyn the Great or his grandson, Llewelyn the Last. Both were Kings of Gwynedd. Owain Glyndwr had two sisters. I have no record of a brother named Rhys, again a common Welsh name. Glyndwr was certainly the heir of the Princes of Powys Fadog, named after Madox ap Gryffydd, and through his mother was the 6th great-grandson of Lord Rhys. A connection with Rhys Goch seem most unlikely.
Internet on topic Wales!
"The Castles of Wales" - http://www.castlewales.com/home.html#PleaseSelect
"Everything on Wales" - http://www.britannia.com/wales/wales.html