Cynyr Ceinfarfog Explained

Cynyr Ceinfarfog (born) was a ruler of the Kingdom of Dyfed in Wales. He was known as Cunoricus in Latin^[1] and in English as Kendrick or as Cynyr the Red.

According to the earliest Welsh versions of the Arthurian legend, he was the foster parent who raised King Arthur,^[2] with his son Sir Kay,^{[3] [4]} though this later was attributed to Sir Ector.

Born about 480AD he may have been born a Roman citizen,^[5] and ruled from Caer Goch (Caer Gawch), near Mynyw (St. Davids).^[4] Some historians say that he could have been the son of Aergol Lawhir and brother of Vortiporius and may have been a Saint and not a King.

Family

He is reputed to have married twice, first to Princess Sefin, daughter of St. Brychan, King of Brycheiniog, and second to Anna daughter of Vortimer.^[6]

He was the father of Saint Non^{[7] [8]} (the mother of Saint David of Wales)^[9] and Saint Wenna (the mother of Saint Cybi).

His grandchildren include

• Saint Cybi.^[10]
• Saint David, patron saint of Wales.

His great-grandchildren include

• Winwaloe^{[11] [12]}
• Jacut
• Wethenoc (or Gwethenoc or Guethenoc)
• Creirwy (or Creirvy or Klervi)
• Cadfan.^[13]

Notes and References

1. http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/CymruRhos.htm Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles:Celts of Cymru
2. http://www.britannia.com/bios/ebk/cynyrccg.html Cynyr Ceinfarfog, Lord of Caer Goch
3. Chris Barber, David Pykitt, Journey to Avalon: The Final Discovery of King Arthur (Weiser Books, 15 Jan. 1997) p107.
4. http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/CymruDemetia.htm Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles
5. http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/CymruRhos.htm Celtic Kingdoms of the British Isles:Celts of Cymru
6. Web site: Cynyr Ceinfarfog, Lord of Caer Goch . 2017-10-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170915072403/http://www.britannia.com/bios/ebk/cynyrccg.html . 2017-09-15 . dead .
7. Nash Ford, David, St. Non in Early British Kingdoms, 2001, accessed 17 October 2012.
8. Mike Ashley, The Mammoth Book of King Arthur.(Hachette UK, 2011).
9. Book: Stanton, Richard. A menology of England and Wales: or, Brief memorials of the ancient British and English saints arranged according to the calendar, together with the martyrs of the 16th and 17th centuries. 1892. Burns & Oates. London. 99.
10. Brian Starr, The Life of Saint Brychan (Lulu.com) p34.
11. Butler, Alban. The lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints, volume 1, p. 275 (Henry & Co. 1857).
12. Baring-Gould, Sabine and Fisher, John. The Lives of the British Saints: The Saints of Wales and Cornwall and Such Irish Saints as Have Dedications in Britain, Volume 3, p. 38 (1911).
13. Baring-Gould, Sabine and Fisher, John. The Lives of the British Saints: The Saints of Wales and Cornwall and Such Irish Saints as Have Dedications in Britain, Volume 2, p. 9 (C. J. Clark, 1908).