Database: Rhodri

Rhodri ap Merfyn became King of Gwenydd in 844 CE. Through marriage to Angharad ferch Meurig, Rhodri expanded his kingdom to largely comprise modern-day Wales, giving him the title King of the Britons.

Wedding gift: Wales!

More important than the territorial increase, however, was the political intelligence that Angharad brought to the marriage. Together, Rhodri and Angharad formed a unified and savvy leadership over expansive holdings surrounded by hostile forces. A canny warrior, Rhodri fought against both Mercians and Vikings (he bested Ivarr the Boneless in an early encounter). He would eventually become known as Rhodri Mawr - "Rhodri the Great."