Southern Powys (medieval)

Southern Powys
Powys Wenwynwyn (Welsh)
1160 – 1309
Banner of Southern Powys
Coat of arms of Southern Powys
The divisions of Powys in about 1200
CapitalWelshpool
Common languagesMiddle Welsh
GovernmentMonarchy
• 1160–1195
Owain Cyfeiliog
• 1195–1216
Gwenwynwyn ab Owain
• 1241–1286
Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn
• 1286–1293
Owen de la Pole
• 1293–1309
Gruffudd de la Pole
• 1309
Hawys Gadarn
Historical eraMiddle Ages
1160
• Wedding of Hawys Gadarn and John Charlton
July 1309
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Powys
Welsh Marches
Today part ofWales

Southern Powys, or Powys Wenwynwyn (Welsh for 'Gwenwynwyn's Powys'), was a Welsh lordship which existed during the high Middle Ages. The realm was the southern portion of the former princely state of Powys which split following the death of Madog ap Maredudd and the killing of his heir Llywelyn in 1160: the northern portion (Maelor) went to Gruffydd Maelor and eventually became known as Powys Fadog; while the southern portion (Cyfeiliog) going to Owain Cyfeiliog and becoming known, eventually, as Powys Wenwynwyn after Prince Gwenwynwyn ab Owain, its second ruler.

Southern Powys and Gwynedd became bitter rivals in the years that followed, with the former frequently allying itself with England to further its aims of weakening the latter.