In keeping with Welsh law, Rhodri’s holdings were divided between his three sons. His eldest, Anarawd, retained the traditional lands of the Merfynion dynasty and became the new ruler of the vast and powerful northern kingdom Gwynedd. Cadell was given lordship of the southern kingdom in Ceredigion, and Merfyn inherited Powys. This positioned the sons of Rhodri to maintain control through collaboration. However, having also inherited the cunning and ruthless ambition of their father, the elder sons were not content. In particular, Cadell campaigned for dominance, immediately killing his brother Merfyn to gain control of Powys. And by the time of Hywel’s birth circa 880 AD, the relationship between his father and uncle was likely as contentious as it was cooperative.
Although the surviving sons of Rhodri were united in their vision of an independent nation of Britons, they were fierce rivals in the bid for who would control that nation. The record reflects few battles of note after Cadell’s death circa 905, but it is to be assumed that the struggle for power between Gwynedd and Seisyllwg was ongoing. The known history indicates that Hywel continued his father’s conquests. And though there is no evidence of a true rivalry between Hywel and his younger brother Clydog, given the family legacy I have assumed such for the purposes of storytelling. There is, in fact, evidence of cooperation between the sons of Cadell, as the two appear to have ruled jointly until Clydog’s somewhat mysterious death in 920 AD. It is at this point that Hywel emerges as the most powerful king of the day.
Hywel ap Cadell, who is both a foundational and a pivotal character in The Well of Tears and The Keys to the Realms, is arguably the most significant of all the Welsh kings. Hywel continued to gain control of lands and titles through inheritance, marriage, and brute force until 920 AD, when he also claimed Gwynedd and established the kingdom of Deheubarth. He continued his reign over this new nation until his death in 950 AD. Deheubarth did not long survive Hywel, and the individual territories eventually wrested back their independence.
However, Hywel did have a lasting legacy. Though it should be assumed that he accomplished his political feats with his fair share of ruthlessness and brutality, he apparently also had a sophisticated and far-reaching vision for himself and his peoples. Hywel understood the necessity of alliances in creating a state invulnerable to outside influence and invasion, and established a policy of conciliation with England that offered him the ability to maintain stability and a formidable line of defense. But perhaps his most laudable accomplishment was the codification of a body of laws that addressed issues of local governance, property rights, and social conduct, which remained in effect for many generations following his death.
The reign of Hywel Dda ap Cadell came to be known as the “age of peace,” which brought a heretofore-unknown era of unity and stability to a region that had existed for generations in an unending state of upheaval. The stuff, as they say, of legend.
Hywel’s is a story that begs to be told, and given the mystery surrounding his life, I began to envision the convergence of unknown forces that might give rise to such a remarkable reign. The lack of empirical evidence only made the place and period more appealing to me. So many holes in the reality to patch with fantasy—and yet still pay homage to the history that is known to be fact. In researching the world of the Dream Stewards, I spent more than ten years compiling and poring through the most reputable and generally recognized materials I could find (you will find a partial bibliography at the end of this book). Using the historical record and the natural world as a backdrop, I fabricated a magical realm adjacent to the mortal one and wove the threads together.
The Dream Stewards series is set during the formative years of Hywel’s reign and focuses on his rise to power. To the best of my ability, I have honored the rich cultural and political legacies of Cornwall and Wales, lands for which I have a personal affinity and familial connection. But being an author of fantasy, I have also imbued the known history and lore with a culture and mythology of my own making. Although the magic system and society I have created may resemble any number of ancient agrarian-based religions (including Druidism), it is not a reflection or extension of any one in particular. Instead it is an amalgamation of philosophies, doctrines, beliefs, and practices that are common to all—resulting in a unique and original concept.
Suffice it to say, if you were looking for a story rife with bloody battle scenes depicting marauding Viking hordes overrunning the Britons, or an examination of the Druidic mysticism of the Celts (which did not actually exist in Cornwall or Wales), you did not find it in these pages. However, I am hopeful that the story you did find carried you away on a fantastical adventure that was both exciting and meaningful.
My true intent with The Well of Tears and The Keys to the Realms (and any future installments of the Dream Stewards series) is merely to pay tribute to an unsung hero by exploring how the mysterious and magical realms that exist alongside what we know to be real might have played a part in his real-life story. I hope you are enjoying the journey as much as I am.
Awen á bendithion…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photograph © Brian Huntoon, 2000
Roberta Trahan is a former journalist and marketing professional who always wanted to write a book - and so she did. Her first novel, The Well of Tears, was published in 2012.
The Dream Stewards series was inspired by generations of Roberta’s family history originating in Cornwall and Wales, as well as the culture and mythology of her ancestral home.
A Pacific Northwest native, Roberta currently lives with her family near Seattle, Washington.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(a partial list of resources and suggested reading)
Alfred the Great: Asser’s Life of King Alfred & Other Contemporary Sources. Transl. by Simon Keynes. (Penguin Classics edition, 2003).
Berresford Ellis, Peter. The Druids. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995).
Charles-Edwards, T. M. Wales & the Britons, 350–1064 (History of Wales). (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013).
Crawford, Christina. Daughters of the Inquisition: Medieval Madness: Origins and Aftermaths, 1st ed. (Tensed, ID: Seven Springs Press, 2004).
Herm, Gerhard. The Celts, 1st ed. (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1977).
Lloyd, J. E. A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, vol. 1. Wales—History to 1536. (New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1911).
Reston, James, Jr. The Last Apocalypse: Europe at the Year 1000 A.D. (New York: Anchor, 1998).
Roesdahl, Else. The Vikings, 2nd ed. (New York: Penguin, 1998).
The Keys to the Realms (The Dream Stewards) Page 33
