One of Hywel Dda’s most enduring legacies is his contribution to Welsh law. He is credited with consolidating and codifying the Welsh legal system, a feat that earned him the epithet “the Good.” Around the year 930, Hywel summoned a council of Welsh chiefs and lawmakers, known as the Senedd or Welsh Parliament, to standardize and systematize the various legal codes that had existed in different Welsh regions. These laws became known as Cyfraith Hywel (the Laws of Hywel), and they would influence Welsh governance for centuries.

The laws of Hywel Dda were notable for their fairness and the protection of certain social rights. They offered significant protection to women, granted them rights in marriage, divorce, and inheritance, and prohibited practices like kidnapping brides. They also established the principle of compensation for wrongs, which was a hallmark of early Welsh law. This system was quite advanced for its time, and it is believed that elements of Hywel's legal reforms influenced later European legal traditions.

Hywel and the Anglo-Saxons

Throughout his reign, Hywel maintained an ambivalent relationship with the Anglo-Saxons of England. While he faced pressure from the expanding English kingdoms, particularly from the kingdom of Wessex, he managed to navigate these challenges with skill. Hywel formed an alliance with Æthelstan, the King of England, through marriage and mutual agreements.

In 927, Hywel Dda and the other Welsh kings acknowledged the overlordship of Æthelstan in a formal treaty, which is sometimes referred to as the “Treaty of the Welsh Kings.” While this agreement recognized the authority of the English king over the Welsh, it was a pragmatic move by Hywel to ensure peace and stability for his kingdom. The treaty allowed Hywel to maintain his independence while avoiding military conflict with England, and it helped to secure his position as one of the most powerful rulers in the British Isles. shutdown123