Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn
Encyclopedia
Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn was a Welsh prince who was lord of the part of Powys known as Powys Wenwynwyn
.
Gruffydd was the son of Gwenwynwyn ab Owain
and Margaret Corbet. He was still a child when his father, who had been driven out of his princedom by Llywelyn the Great
, died in exile in 1216. He spent his youth in England
, maintained by the king, and did not return to Wales until after Llywelyn's death. When Dafydd ap Llywelyn
was forced to come to terms with King Henry III of England
in 1241, Gruffydd was given most of the lands formerly held by his father, paying homage to Henry for them. Around this time he married Hawise, daughter of John Lestrange of Knockin
.
When Llywelyn the Last
increased his power in Wales after 1255, Gruffydd continued to support the crown, and in 1257 he was again driven into exile. In 1263 he agreed to transfer his allegiance to Llywelyn under threat of being stripped of his lands, and this was confirmed at the Treaty of Montgomery
in 1267. In 1274 Gruffydd, his wife Hawise and his son Owain were all involved with Llywelyn's brother Dafydd ap Gruffydd
in a plot to assassinate Llywelyn. Dafydd was with Llywelyn at the time, and it was arranged that Owain would come with armed men on February 2 to carry out the assassination; however he was prevented by a snowstorm. Llywelyn did not discover the full details of the plot until later that year, when Owain confessed to the Bishop of Bangor. He said that the intention had been to make Dafydd prince of Gwynedd, and that Dafydd would then reward Gruffydd with lands. When Llywelyn discovered the details of the plot he sent envoys to Welshpool
to summon Gruffydd to appear before him, but Gruffydd fled to England. He settled in Shrewsbury
and used it as a base for raids on Llywelyn's lands, probably encouraged by the king. After the war of 1277, when Llywelyn was forced to cede his lands outside Gwynedd, Gruffydd was again given his lands back. He became embroiled in an increasingly bitter dispute with Llywelyn over lands in Arwystli
. Llywelyn wanted the issue resolved by Welsh law
while Gruffydd wanted English law used and was supported by King Edward I of England
.
Gruffydd supported King Edward in the final war of 1282 although by now he was an old man. There have been suggestions that his eldest son Owen may have been involved in the killing of Llywelyn at Cilmeri in December that year.
At the end of the Welsh War of 1282-1283 the principality of Powys-Wenwynwyn was abolished and the family - now Marcher Lords - adopted the surname de la Pole meaning "of Poole" referring to their family seat in Poole (modern Welshpool). After 1283 his estate became increasingly controlled by his son Owen
and he died some time between February 1286 and the end of 1287.
Owen divided the lands he inherited with his brothers, by arrangements later recorded in detail in the Calendar of Patent Rolls for 1342, pages 496-7
Powys Wenwynwyn
Powys Wenwynwyn or Powys Cyfeiliog was the southern portion of the former princely state of Powys which split following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160...
.
Gruffydd was the son of Gwenwynwyn ab Owain
Gwenwynwyn ab Owain
Gwenwynwyn ab Owain Cyfeiliog was the last major ruler of mid Wales before the completion of the Norman English invasion.- Lineage :...
and Margaret Corbet. He was still a child when his father, who had been driven out of his princedom by Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
, died in exile in 1216. He spent his youth in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, maintained by the king, and did not return to Wales until after Llywelyn's death. When Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn was Prince of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. He was for a time recognised as Prince of Wales.- Descent :...
was forced to come to terms with King Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in 1241, Gruffydd was given most of the lands formerly held by his father, paying homage to Henry for them. Around this time he married Hawise, daughter of John Lestrange of Knockin
Knockin
-History:Knockin is a village and civil parish located on the B4396 in Shropshire, England. It comprises mainly historic detached buildings in a rural setting. Much of Knockin was owned by the Earl of Bradford until it was sold off in lots to meet other financial demands. The Earl still owns the...
.
When Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
increased his power in Wales after 1255, Gruffydd continued to support the crown, and in 1257 he was again driven into exile. In 1263 he agreed to transfer his allegiance to Llywelyn under threat of being stripped of his lands, and this was confirmed at the Treaty of Montgomery
Treaty of Montgomery
By means of the Treaty of Montgomery , Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was acknowledged as Prince of Wales by the English king Henry III, the only time in history that an English ruler would recognise the right of a ruler of Gwynedd over Wales...
in 1267. In 1274 Gruffydd, his wife Hawise and his son Owain were all involved with Llywelyn's brother Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 by King Edward I of England...
in a plot to assassinate Llywelyn. Dafydd was with Llywelyn at the time, and it was arranged that Owain would come with armed men on February 2 to carry out the assassination; however he was prevented by a snowstorm. Llywelyn did not discover the full details of the plot until later that year, when Owain confessed to the Bishop of Bangor. He said that the intention had been to make Dafydd prince of Gwynedd, and that Dafydd would then reward Gruffydd with lands. When Llywelyn discovered the details of the plot he sent envoys to Welshpool
Welshpool
Welshpool is a town in Powys, Wales, or ancient county Montgomeryshire, from the Wales-England border. The town is low-lying on the River Severn; the Welsh language name Y Trallwng literally meaning 'the marshy or sinking land'...
to summon Gruffydd to appear before him, but Gruffydd fled to England. He settled in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
and used it as a base for raids on Llywelyn's lands, probably encouraged by the king. After the war of 1277, when Llywelyn was forced to cede his lands outside Gwynedd, Gruffydd was again given his lands back. He became embroiled in an increasingly bitter dispute with Llywelyn over lands in Arwystli
Arwystli
Arwystli was a cantref in medieval Wales, located in the headland of the River Severn in what is now the county of Powys. It was chiefly associated with the Kingdom of Powys, but was heavily disputed between Powys, Gwynedd, and the Norman Marcher Lords for hundreds of years, and was the scene of...
. Llywelyn wanted the issue resolved by Welsh law
Welsh law
Welsh law was the system of law practised in Wales before the 16th century. According to tradition it was first codified by Hywel Dda during the period between 942 and 950 when he was king of most of Wales; as such it is usually called Cyfraith Hywel, the Law of Hywel, in Welsh...
while Gruffydd wanted English law used and was supported by King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
.
Gruffydd supported King Edward in the final war of 1282 although by now he was an old man. There have been suggestions that his eldest son Owen may have been involved in the killing of Llywelyn at Cilmeri in December that year.
At the end of the Welsh War of 1282-1283 the principality of Powys-Wenwynwyn was abolished and the family - now Marcher Lords - adopted the surname de la Pole meaning "of Poole" referring to their family seat in Poole (modern Welshpool). After 1283 his estate became increasingly controlled by his son Owen
Owen de la Pole
Owen de la Pole , also known as Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, was the heir presumptive to the Welsh principality of Powys Wenwynwyn until 1283 when it was abolished by the Parliament of Shrewsbury. He became the 1st Lord of Powis after the death of his father Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn c...
and he died some time between February 1286 and the end of 1287.
Owen divided the lands he inherited with his brothers, by arrangements later recorded in detail in the Calendar of Patent Rolls for 1342, pages 496-7