BattlefieldsBattle of Pengwern
Early Medieval

Battle of Pengwern

658
Shropshire, England
Also known as: Fall of Pengwern · Shrewsbury 658 AD
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Shropshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Powys / Pengwern (Welsh Midlands)
Forces
c. 1,500–3,000 Powys/Pengwern
VS
Victor
Mercia
Forces
c. 2,000–4,000 Mercia
Outcome
Mercian victory; Pengwern (Shrewsbury area) lost; Cynddylan ap Cyndrwyn killed
The Battle

History & Significance

The destruction of the court of Pengwern — the sub-kingdom of the Welsh Midlands — by Mercia. Prince Cynddylan ap Cyndrwyn was killed. The Welsh poem cycle "Canu Llywarch Hen" and the extraordinary elegy "Marwnad Cynddylan" mourn the burning of the hall at Pengwern: "Stafell Gynddylan, ys tywyll heno / Heb dân, heb wely" (The hall of Cynddylan is dark tonight / Without fire, without bed). This marks the end of Welsh political presence east of the Severn. Exact date and location estimated from poetic and chronicle evidence.

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