Three Welsh kings and Rome: royal pilgrimage, overlordship, and Anglo-Welsh relations in the early Middle Ages

Abstract

This article investigates the motivations behind royal pilgrimage to Rome in the early Middle Ages by examining the journeys of three Welsh kings (Cyngen ap Cadell in 854, Hywel in 886, and Hywel Dda in 928). These journeys have rarely been considered as a group, and in bringing them together this article proposes a new interpretation of Welsh royal pilgrimages, highlighting the important context of English overlordship. By scrutinizing the Welsh evidence in a comparative context, placing these Welsh journeys alongside examples from England and Ireland, this article also aims to contribute to our understanding of broader trends in early medieval royal pilgrimage.