Gruffydd ap Rhys II
Encyclopedia
Gruffydd ap Rhys II was a prince of Deheubarth in south-west Wales
.
(The Lord Rhys) and grandson of Gruffydd ap Rhys
.
Gruffydd was the eldest son of Rhys ap Gruffydd by his wife Gwenllian, daughter of Madog ap Maredudd
prince of Powys.
and of William de Braose
. They had two sons, Rhys and Owain.
, both supported by some of their other brothers. In 1189 Rhys was persuaded to imprison Maelgwn, and he was given into Gruffydd's keeping at Dinefwr
. Gruffydd handed him over to his father in law, William de Braose. In 1192 Rhys secured Maelgwn's release, but by now he and Gruffydd were bitter enemies. In 1194 Maelgwn and another brother Hywel defeated their father and imprisoned him, though he was later released by Hywel.
the justiciar
.
of Powys to attack Aberystwyth
. He captured the town and the castle, and took Gruffydd himself prisoner, later handing him over to Gwenwynwyn who in turn transferred him to the English who imprisoned him in Corfe Castle
.
and Elfael, and Gruffydd was released from captivity to try to mediate in the dispute. His efforts failed, and in the ensuing battle Gwenwynwyn was defeated.
from Maelgwn except for the castles of Cardigan
and Ystrad Meurig. In 1199 he took Cilgerran Castle
. Maelgwn made an agreement with King John of England
, selling Cardigan castle to him in exchange for the possession of the remainder of Ceredigion.
In July 1201 another brother, Maredudd ap Rhys, was killed, and Gruffydd took over his lands.
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
Lineage
He was the son of Rhys ap GruffyddRhys ap Gruffydd
Rhys ap Gruffydd or ap Gruffudd was the ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth in south Wales. He is commonly known as The Lord Rhys, in Welsh Yr Arglwydd Rhys, but this title may not have been used in his lifetime...
(The Lord Rhys) and grandson of Gruffydd ap Rhys
Gruffydd ap Rhys
Gruffydd ap Rhys was Prince of Deheubarth, in Wales. His sister was the Princess Nest ferch Rhys.-Early life:Following the death of Gruffydd's father Rhys ap Tewdwr in 1093, Deheubarth was taken over by the Normans, and Gruffydd spent much of his early years in exile in Ireland.In 1113 Gruffydd...
.
Gruffydd was the eldest son of Rhys ap Gruffydd by his wife Gwenllian, daughter of Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry.Madog was the son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn and grandson of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He followed his father on the throne of Powys in 1132...
prince of Powys.
Norman Intermarriage
Rhys intended Gruffydd to be his main heir, and in 1189 he was married Matilda de Braose, the daughter of Maud de BraoseMaud de Braose
Maud de Braose, Lady of Bramber was the wife of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, a powerful Marcher baron and court favourite of King John of England...
and of William de Braose
William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, , 4th Lord of Bramber , court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.-Lineage:William was the most...
. They had two sons, Rhys and Owain.
Family Feud
In Rhys' last years a feud developed between Gruffydd and his brother Maelgwn ap RhysMaelgwn ap Rhys
Maelgwn ap Rhys was prince of part of the kingdom of Deheubarth in south west Wales.Maelgwn was the son of Rhys ap Gruffydd by his wife Gwenllian ferch Madog, daughter of Madog ap Maredudd prince of Powys. He appears in the historical record for the first time helping at the siege of Tenby in 1187...
, both supported by some of their other brothers. In 1189 Rhys was persuaded to imprison Maelgwn, and he was given into Gruffydd's keeping at Dinefwr
Dinefwr
Dinefwr was a local government district of Dyfed, Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was named after Dinefwr Castle which was the royal capital of the Principality of Deheubarth and one of the three principal royal courts of Wales....
. Gruffydd handed him over to his father in law, William de Braose. In 1192 Rhys secured Maelgwn's release, but by now he and Gruffydd were bitter enemies. In 1194 Maelgwn and another brother Hywel defeated their father and imprisoned him, though he was later released by Hywel.
Succession By Interview
Rhys ap Gruffydd died in 1197. Gruffydd was recognised as his successor after an interview with Archbishop HubertHubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
the justiciar
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
.
Prisoner of His Brother & the English
But Maelgwn used troops supplied by Gwenwynwyn ab OwainGwenwynwyn ab Owain
Gwenwynwyn ab Owain Cyfeiliog was the last major ruler of mid Wales before the completion of the Norman English invasion.- Lineage :...
of Powys to attack Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. He captured the town and the castle, and took Gruffydd himself prisoner, later handing him over to Gwenwynwyn who in turn transferred him to the English who imprisoned him in Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It is the site of a ruined castle of the same name. The village and castle stand over a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The village lies in the gap below the castle, and is some eight...
.
Released to Mediate
In 1198 Gwenwynwyn threatened the English holdings at PainscastlePainscastle
Painscastle is a castle in Powys in mid Wales and also a village which takes its name from the castle. It lies between Builth and Hay-on-Wye, approximately 3 miles from the Wales-England border today.- Early history:...
and Elfael, and Gruffydd was released from captivity to try to mediate in the dispute. His efforts failed, and in the ensuing battle Gwenwynwyn was defeated.
Lands Regained
Gruffydd retained his liberty and by the end of the year had captured all of CeredigionCeredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
from Maelgwn except for the castles of Cardigan
Cardigan Castle
Cardigan Castle is a castle located in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales.-History:The first motte-and-bailey castle was built a mile away from the present site, probably about the time of the founding of the town by Roger de Montgomery, a Norman baron....
and Ystrad Meurig. In 1199 he took Cilgerran Castle
Cilgerran Castle
Cilgerran Castle is a 13th-century ruined castle located in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, Wales, near Cardigan.The castle is a National Trust property, in the guardianship of Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency....
. Maelgwn made an agreement with King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, selling Cardigan castle to him in exchange for the possession of the remainder of Ceredigion.
In July 1201 another brother, Maredudd ap Rhys, was killed, and Gruffydd took over his lands.
Death & Burial
However on 25 July Gruffydd himself died of an illness and was buried in Strata Florida AbbeyStrata Florida Abbey
Strata Florida Abbey Flowers. Ystrad corrupts into Strata, while Fflur is the name of the nearby river. After the region around St. David's was firmly occupied by the Norman Marcher lordship of Pembroke by the early 12th century, with St...
.