Maelienydd, sometimes spelt Maeliennydd, was a cantref and lordship in east central Wales covering the area from the River Teme to Radnor Forest and the area around Llandrindod Wells. The area, which is mainly upland, is now in Powys. During the Middle Ages it was part of the region known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren () and its administrative centre was at Cefnllys Castle.
History
Early history
According to historic manuscripts, the region between the Wye and the Severn was once regarded as a unit. Manuscripts use various alternative spellings for this, such as Ferlix, Fferllys, Fferleg, and Fferreg; in his Hanes Cymru, the historian John Davies argued, based on these alternatives, that it was probably named Fferyllwg, and that the name may refer to ironworkers (Fferyll in Welsh).
Welsh tradition (as reported for example by the 1844 Topographical Dictionary of Wales), claims that Ferlix was part of the realm of King Caradoc (more usually associated with Gwent), but on his death, the realm was divided between his sons; Cawdraf received Ferlix, while Meurig received the rest of the realm, as Gwent. In any case, manuscripts give Tangwydd ap Tegid, an 8th-century ruler of Ferlix, the following pedigree: Cawrdaf ap Caradoc Caw ap Cawrdaf Gloyw ap Caw Hoyw ap Gloyw Cynfarch ap Hoyw Cyndegg ap Cynfarch Teithwalch ap Cyndegg Tegid ap Teithwalch Tangwydd ap Tegid
Welsh annals claim that during the reign of Tangwydd's father, Tegid, the Mercians seized parts of Ferlix, by constructing Offa's Dyke through it. For unclear reasons, Tangwydd also became ruler of Brycheiniog, which lay adjacent to Ferlix; Elisse ap Rhain, the previous king of Brycheiniog, only had daughters, so it is possible that Tangwydd obtained Brycheiniog by marriage.
Hwgan, Tangwydd's son and successor, attempted to invade Mercia, while King Edward the Elder was distracted by the Viking invasion; Hwgan, however, hadn't reckoned with Edward's sister, Æthelflæd, who lead an army against him. Æthelflæd defeated Hwgan, in battle, then invaded his lands, captured Hwgan's castle (in Brycheiniog). and took his wife prisoner. Hwgan decided to form an alliance with the Vikings, but died soon after, while defending Derby (at the time held by the Vikings) from the Saxons.
New dynasties
As Hwgan had been an aggressor against the Saxons, his son Dryffin was forced by King Æthelstan to pay tribute, and was deposed from Ferlix. He was replaced by Elystan Glodrydd, Æthelstan's god-son (and namesake), united Ferlix with his existing realm of Buellt; Dryffin and his heirs would now only rule in Brycheiniog. Elystan was succeeded by his son, Cadwgan, who was succeeded by his eldest son, Idnerth; a younger son gave rise to the Cadogan family, who were raised to the nobility many centuries later.
Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066 many Welsh princes, who owed allegiance to the Saxon kings, assisted anti-Norman revolts such as that of Eadric the Wild. Hence, in 1080, when a revolt broke out in Northern England, the Normans pre-emptively occupied Wales to prevent any further Welsh assistance to the Saxons. In turn, this led to a Welsh revolt in 1094, but by the end of the century it was successfully suppressed by a number of Norman magnates; the northern parts of Ferlix were conquered by Ranulph de Mortimer. He founded the castles of Dinieithon (near present Llandrindod Wells) and Cymaron (between Llanbister and Llangunllo).
Ranulph's daughter (Hawise) had married Stephen of Aumale, the cousin of William Rufus, the King. In 1095, Ranulph took part in an unsuccessful conspiracy to replace the king with his son-in-law, and was consequently exiled. Idnerth was able to recover his lands in northern Ferlix; he reached agreement with Philip de Braose, the conqueror of southern Ferlix, to regain most of the remainder, but had to consent to Braose retaining Buellt and the area around New Radnor. Idnerth passed his lands to his son, Madog, but when Madog died, in 1140, Ferlix was divided between Madog's sons.