Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Cadell (d.943)

1327135Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 08 — Cadell (d.943)1886Thomas Frederick Tout‎

CADELL (d. 943), a Welsh prince, was the son of Arthvael, the son of Hywel. He appears to have been lord of some portion of Morganwg, and perhaps, like Arthvael, of seven cantreds of Gwent as well. He died of poison in 943, according to the ‘Annales Cambriæ;’ in 941 according to the ‘Brut y Tywysogion.’ The less trustworthy ‘Gwentian Brut,’ which speaks with some authority for the part of Wales governed by Cadell, gives several other particulars about him. It also asserts that two of his immediate predecessors attained the patriarchal age of 120. In 933 King Æthelstan subdued all the Welsh princes, and on his death in 940 Cadell joined Idwal Voel and his brother in their effort to throw off the English yoke. On this account Cadell was slain by the Saxons ‘through treachery and ambush.’ It is quite clear that South-east Wales was during this period closely subject to the West Saxon kings, and there is nothing improbable in the story. Cadell, son of Arthvael, king of Gwent, is mentioned in the ‘Liber Landavensis’ (p. 481) as approving and consenting to the pardon of a certain Llywarch, son of Cadwgan, by Bishop Gulfrid of Llandaff.

[Authorities cited in the text.]

T. F. T.