Editing Hywel Dda (section)

== Early life ==
Hywel was the son of King [[Cadell ap Rhodri]] of [[Seisyllwg]].<ref name=DWB/><ref name=geni>{{cite web |url=https://www.geni.com/people/Hywel-Dda-ap-Cadell-King-of-the-Britons/6000000001173860005 |website=geni.com |title=Hywel Dda ap Cadell, King of the Britons|date=2 November 2023}}</ref>{{sfn|Tout|1891|pp=105–107}} He had a brother, [[Clydog ap Cadell]], who was probably the younger of the two. Hywel was later reputed to have married [[Kingdom of Dyfed|Elen ferch Llywarch]] (893-943), the supposed heiress of [[List of rulers in Wales|King]] [[Llywarch ap Hyfaidd]] of [[Kingdom of Dyfed|Dyfed]],<ref name=DWB/>{{sfn|Tout|1891|pp=105–107}} which connection was subsequently used to justify his family's reign over that kingdom.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Hywel's father Cadell had been installed as King of Seisyllwg by his father, [[Rhodri Mawr]] (Rhodri the Great) of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]], following the drowning of the last king in the traditional line, [[Gwgon]], in 872. After Gwgon's death, Rhodri, husband to the dead king's sister [[Angharad ferch Meurig|Angharad]], became steward of his kingdom.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} This gave Rhodri no standing to claim the kingship of Seisyllwg himself, but he was able to install his son Cadell as a subject king. Cadell died around 911, and his lands in Seisyllwg appear to have been divided between his two sons Hywel and Clydog.<ref name=DWB/>{{sfn|Tout|1891|pp=105–107}}