The Third
Division Of The Britons, Who Obtained A Part Of Britany In Gaul,
Were Transported Thither, Not After The
Defeat of their nation, but
long before, by king Maximus, and, in consequence of the hard and
continued warfare which
They underwent with him, were rewarded by
the royal munificence with those districts in France.
CHAPTER II
Of the ancient division of Wales into three parts
Wales was in ancient times divided into three parts nearly equal,
consideration having been paid, in this division, more to the value
than to the just quantity or proportion of territory. They were
Venedotia, now called North Wales; Demetia, or South Wales, which
in British is called Deheubarth, that is, the southern part; and
Powys, the middle or eastern district. Roderic the Great, or
Rhodri Mawr, who was king over all Wales, was the cause of this
division. He had three sons, Mervin, Anarawt, and Cadell, amongst
whom he partitioned the whole principality. North Wales fell to
the lot of Mervin; Powys to Anarawt; and Cadell received the
portion of South Wales, together with the general good wishes of
his brothers and the people; for although this district greatly
exceeded the others in quantity, it was the least desirable from
the number of noble chiefs, or Uchelwyr, (6) men of a superior
rank, who inhabited it, and were often rebellious to their lords,
and impatient of control. But Cadell, on the death of his
brothers, obtained the entire dominion of Wales, (7) as did his
successors till the time of Tewdwr, whose descendants, Rhys, son of
Tewdwr, Gruflydd, son of Rhys, and Rhys, son of Gruffydd, the
ruling prince in our time, enjoyed only (like the father) the
sovereignty over South Wales.
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