Annals of Ulster, s.a. 855 ; Chron. Scot. s.a. 856 ). In the light of the Dubliners’ interest in
north Wales and the assertion by the Welsh writer Asser that Rhodri Mawr’s sons were
dependent on the Scandinavians of York, a case has been made for Viking hegemony over
north Wales by the 870 s (Dumville 2001 ). External interest in Anglesey is further
illustrated by the exploits of the Viking leader Ingimund (Igmunt, Hingamund). Having
been expelled from Dublin c. 902 / 3 , Ingimund attempted to establish a base on
Anglesey (recorded in the eleventh-century Irish account presented in Annals of Ireland,
Three Fragments, § 429 ; Jones trans. 1952 : 6 ; Griffiths 2004 ). The Annales Cambriae also
record that one of Rhodri Mawr’s sons, Merfyn ap Rhodri (Mervyn vab Rodri), was slain
by ‘gentiles’ (s.a. 904 in Brenhinedd y Saesson). Expelled by the Welsh king, Ingimund
and his followers sailed east and were allowed to land near Chester, an event which was
followed by the development of a Viking enclave in north-west England (O’Donovan
1860 ; Wainwright 1948 ; Jesch 2000 ).
During the reign of Rhodri Mawr’s grandson, Hywel ap Cadell (Hywel Dda ‘The
Good’, 920 – 50 ), the focus of native royal power shifted southwards with the expansion
of Dyfed. Hywel Dda’s pragmatic policy of active cooperation with the House of Wessex
may have contributed to a period of relative security and unity against the Viking
threat. This contrasts with the passionate sentiments expressed in a famous dissident
poem in Welsh composed possibly by a monk from south Wales about 930 , known as
Armes Prydein (‘The Prophecy of Britain’), which called upon the Scandinavians to help
the Welsh and other Britons in a coalition to expel the English from the Island of Britain
(Clancy 1970 ) – possibly a reaction to the size of Welsh tribute exacted by Æthelstan
( 924 – 39 ) at Hereford.
THE ‘SECOND PHASE’ OF VIKING RAIDSIf the lull in the annalistic references to raids in Wales reflects what really happened,
there appears to be a ‘Second Viking Phase’ starting about 950 , with renewed attacks on
the coastal lowlands, and on monasteries at Penmon and Caer Gybi near Holyhead
(Anglesey), Tywyn (Gwynedd), St David’s (eleven times between 967 and 1091 ),
Clynnog Fawr ( 978 ) and St Dogmaels (Pembrokeshire), Llanbadarn Fawr (Ceredigion),
Llantwit Major and Llancarfan (Vale of Glamorgan). In 989 Maredudd ab Owain, great-
great-grandson of Rhodri Mawr and king of Dyfed, was compelled to redeem captive
Welshmen from slavery at a penny a head paid to black gentiles, and in 998 the Bishop of
St David’s, Morgeneu, was killed by Vikings.
By the mid-tenth century, some members of the Dublin community were as much
engaged in commerce as Irish politics, and it has been suggested that Scandinavians
were controlling Gwynedd (or large parts of it) between about 960 and 1025. According
to the twelfth-century Historia Gruffud vab Kenan, Óláfr Sigtryggsson ruled Anglesey
and mainland Gwynedd (as well as Dublin, a large part of Ireland, the Isle of Man,
Galloway and the Rhinns) in the early eleventh century (Loyn 1977 : 104 – 5 ; Davies
1990 : 59 ; see also Historia Gruffudd vab Kenan: Evans 1990 : 55 ; see also Russell 2005 ).
THE FINAL PHASE OF VIKING RAIDSA third phase of raiding appears (according to the annals) to have commenced during
the second half of the eleventh century, linked to events leading up to the Norman
–– Mark Redknap––