Kingdom of Dyfed

Teyrnas Dyfed Kingdom of Dyfed ← c. 410–920 → Banner of Dyfed Map showing Dyfed, after the late 7th century, showing its seven cantrefi. Capital Not specified Language(s) Welsh Government Monarchy Historical era Middle Ages  - Established c. 410  - Disestablished 920 ^

Post-Roman Welsh kingdoms. Dyfed is the promontory on the southwestern coast. The modern Anglo-Welsh border is also shown.

The Kingdom of Dyfed was a sub-Roman and early medieval kingdom in south-west Wales.

Dyfed, or in its Latin form Demetia, was one of the ancient kingdoms of Wales prior to the Norman Conquest. It succeeded to the former Roman administrative civitas of the Demetae tribe. It is thought to originally have occupied the area bounded by the rivers Teifi, Gwili and Tywi, although it may have stretched as far as the Brycheiniog border. This included Pembrokeshire and the western part of Carmarthenshire including the town of Carmarthen. It consisted of at least seven cantrefi: Cemais, Deugleddyf, Emlyn, Cantref Gwarthaf, Pebidiog, Penfro and Rhos. Its area was about 2284 km². During the 'Age of the Saints', Dyfed was said to have seven bishops: presumably one for each cantref^[1]. Later the kingdom expanded to additionally cover Ystrad Tywi, including Cydweli and Gwyr. This area was conquered by Ceredigion in the late 7th century to form the kingdom of Seisyllwg.

In the 10th century Hywel Dda united Dyfed and the neighbouring kingdom of Seisyllwg under his rule. The new kingdom became known as Deheubarth and covered an area roughly corresponding to the modern preserved county of Dyfed.

References

1. ^ Williams, A. H., An Introduction to the History of Wales: Volume I: Prehistoric Times to 1063, UoWP, 1941, p 120