Brochfael ap Meurig

The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia claimed dominion over most of Wales, but in the late 880s Brochfael, Ffernfael and Hywel submitted voluntarily to Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, in order to gain protection from the oppression of Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians.

[9] From the early ninth century, Mercia, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom on the eastern Welsh border, claimed hegemony over most of Wales.

Thomas Charles-Edwards thinks that he may be the Meurig whose death is recorded in the Annales Cambriae under 849,[13] but Wendy Davies argues that 874 is more likely and dates his reign as c. 848 – c. 874 or c. 850 – c. 870.

In the previous generation, Davies (followed by Charles-Edwards) states that Brochfael's father Meurig ab Arthfael gave grants in both territories, and that he ruled them both as king of Glywysing.

[19] The historian Patrick Sims-Williams dissents, arguing that the charters placing Meurig in Glywysing were forged, and that he had no power outside Gwent.

[20] Æthelred's defeat at the Battle of the Conwy in 881 ended Mercian domination of north and west Wales, but he violently tried to maintain his rule over the south-east.

In about 868, King Meurig surrendered the church at Tryleg and returned it to Bishop Cerennyr in the presence of Brochfael and Ffernfael.

One disagreement concerned a church with three modii (about 120 acres or 50 hectares) of land which Brochfael gave to his daughter, described as "a holy virgin", to support her in her religious life.

Cyfeilliog was awarded an "insult price" in puro auro (in pure gold) of the worth of his face, lengthwise and breadthwise.