Royal Tribes of Wales (II.)

The sons of Rhodri Mawr continue their Y-chromosome into South Wales.  Rhys ap Twedwr Mawr, King of South Wales A.D. 1077, is given in Burke as being derived from Cadelh, King of South Wales.  This Cadelh is given as the second son of Rhodri Mawr. [Descent from first son given last post.]

Rhys ap Tewdwr is given as the "Founder of the II. Royal Tribe".  The arms are given:

                                     "Gu. a lion ramp. within a bordure indented or."

     This would be that the color of the shield is red [ Gu. = Gules = red].

     The charge [ordinaries] is a lion standing erect on the hind legs.

     The boarder of the shield would be colored gold with its inter margins being jagged or irregular.

From: The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales; Comprising A Registry of Armorial Bearings From The Earliest To The Present Time. By Bernard Burke, published 1884, by Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, London.  [p. lxi]

A good reference for South Wales is:

By Ruth Thomas, it was first published in 1977 by John Bartholomew & Son Limited, Edinburgh.

Royal Tribes of Wales (I)

Tribal groups were associated with geographic areas in Wales.  This was primarily due to the geological status of mountains, rivers, valleys, and the settlement pattern of family groups.  In Burke [1884 edition] there are recorded "Royal Tribes of Wales" divided by the major areas "North Wales" and "South Wales".  The next several post will present these tribes as identified.

North Wales:

     "Griffith ap Cynan, King of North Wales, A.D. 1079, derived from Anarawd, King of North Wales, eldest son of Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales, A.D. 843; founder of the I. Royal Tribe."

                       The arms are described: "Gu. three lions pass. in pale ar armed az."

                               Gu. = red [color of shield] :  three lions pass. [full body lions standing on feet]
                            
                               in pale ar [formed by two lines drawn perpendicularly from the top to bottom of the shield comprising a third of the field, in this case it would be colored silver and the three lions would be placed equal distance from the top to bottom in the middle of the sheild]

                               armed az = the claws of the lions would be colored blue