House of Aberffraw
Encyclopedia
The House of Aberffraw is a historiographical
and genealogical
term
historians use to illustrate the clear line of succession from Rhodri the Great
of Wales
through his eldest son Anarawd
.
Anarawd and his immediate heirs made the village of Aberffraw
on Ynys Môn (Anglesey
) as their early principal family seat
.
In the 10th century, Rhodri the Great had inherited Gwynedd
from his father and Powys
from his mother, and added Seisyllwg (Ceredigion
and Carmarthenshire
) through a dynastic marriage to Angharad of Seisyllwg. Rhodri’s influence was significant in the rest of Wales and he left a lasting legacy. According to tradition Rhodri formalised the de-facto pre-eminent position of Gwynedd in Wales;
The family was able to assert their influence within the traditional family sphere of Gwynedd, but by the 11th century were ousted from Powys (Mid Wales
) and Deheubarth (West Wales
) by a series of strong rulers from the House of Dinefwr
in Deheubarth, their dynastically junior cousins. The Dinefwr family were descended from the second son
of Rhodri the Great. However, Gruffydd ap Cynan
Aberffraw was able to recover his heritage and position as Prince of Gwynedd from Norman invaders by 1100. Owain Gwynedd
, Gruffydd's son, defeated King Henry II of England
and the vast Angevin host
in 1157 and 1166, which led to Owain being proclaimed as Princeps Wallensium, the Prince of the Welsh, by other Welsh rulers. This procalimation reasserted and updated the Aberffraw claims for the 12th century as the principle royal family of Wales as senior line descendants of Rhodri the Great. This position was further reaffirmed in the biography The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan. Written in Latin, the biography was indended for an audience outside of Wales. The significance of this claim was that the Aberffraw family owed nothing to the English king for their position in Wales, and that they held authority in Wales "by absolute right through descent," wrote historian John Davies.
By 1216 Llywelyn the Great
received the fealty
and homage
of the Dinefwr rulers of Deheubarth at the Council of Aberdyfi. With homage and fealty paid by other Welsh lords to Llywelyn at the Council of Aberdyfi, Llywelyn the Great became the defacto first Prince of Wales in the modern sense, though it was his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn
who was the first to adopt the title Prince of Wales. However, the 1282 Edwardian Conquest of Wales greatly reduced the influence of the family. King Edward I of England
forced the remaining members of the family to surrender their claim to the title of Prince of Wales with the Statute of Rhuddlan
in 1284, which also abolished the independent Welsh peerage
. The Aberffraw family members closest to Llywelyn II were imprisoned for life by Edward I of England, while the more distant Aberffraw members went into deep hiding and falling into obscurity. Other members of the family did lay claim to their heritage and included Owain Lawgoch
in the 14th century.
Royal succession within the House of Aberffraw (as with succession in Wales in general) was a complex matter due to the unique character of Welsh Law
. According to Hurbert Lewis, though not explicitly codified as such, the edling, or Heir apparent, was by convention, custom, and practice the eldest son of the lord or Prince and entitled to inheirit the position and title as "head of the family" from the father. Effectively primogeniture with local variations. However, all sons were provided for out of the lands of the father and in certain circumstances so too were daughters (with both children born in and out of wedlock considered legitimate). Men could also claim royal title through the materinal patrimony of their mother's line in certain circumstances (which occurred several times during the period of Welsh Independence). The female line of the dynasty was also considered to remain royal as marriage was an important means of strengthening individual claims to the various kingdoms of Wales and uniting various royal families to the Aberffraw, or to reunite disputing sections after dynastic civil wars.(such as with the marriage of Hywel Dda
, member of Dinefwr
branch of the Aberffraw dynasty, to Elen of Dyfed, daughter of Llywarch ap Hyfaidd
, King of Dyfed). This meant that the female line was considered as a legitimate path of royal descent within the House of Aberffraw, with the claims of royal women to titles usually transferring to their sons.
Members of the House of Aberffraw would include Idwal Foel
, Iago ab Idwal
, Cynan ab Iago, Gruffydd ap Cynan
, Owain Gwynedd
, Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
, Llywelyn the Great
, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
, and Owain Lawgoch
. Succeeding surviving branches emerged and included the Wynn family of Gwydir
.
The Wynn of Gwydir family died out in the male line on the death of Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet
in 1719.
and bearing his coat of arms
.
From Robert ap Maredudd the Wynn family descend:
The Wynn Baronet
s of Gwydir were created in the Baronetage of England in 1611—one of the initial creations—for John Wynn, of Gwydir. The family continued to be prominent in politics, all the baronets save Owen sat as members of parliament, often for Carnarvon or Carnarvonshire. This creation became extinct in 1719, on the death of the fifth baronet. Wynnstay, near Ruabon
, passed to Sir Watkin Williams, who took the name of Williams-Wynn.
A cadet branch of descendants could trace their descent from Richard Wynn, through his daughter Mary Wynn, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven
, and his great granddaughter Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
. This cadet branch would expire with the 1915 death of Willoughby Merrik Campbell Burrell, 5th Baron Gywdyr.
David of Bala died without issue and the title passed to his cousins;
Two grandsons of Jonathan the younger brother of Evan Anwyl (b. 1858) are also extant and live in Surrey. Philip (b. 1943) and Roger (b. 1947).
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
and genealogical
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
term
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
historians use to illustrate the clear line of succession from Rhodri the Great
Rhodri the Great
Rhodri the Great was King of Gwynedd from 844 until his death. He was the first Welsh ruler to be called 'Great', and the first to rule most of present-day Wales...
of Wales
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...
through his eldest son Anarawd
Anarawd ap Rhodri
Anarawd ap Rhodri was a King of Gwynedd, also referred to as "King of the Britons" by the Annales Cambriae.Anarawd's father Rhodri the Great had eventually become ruler of most of Wales, but on his death in 878 his kingdom was shared out between his sons, with Anarawd inheriting the throne of...
.
Anarawd and his immediate heirs made the village of Aberffraw
Aberffraw
Aberffraw is a small village and community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey , in Wales, by the west bank of the River Ffraw, at . The UK postcode begins LL63. Access by road is by way of the A4080 and the nearest rail station is Bodorgan. In the early Middle Ages Aberffraw was the...
on Ynys Môn (Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
) as their early principal family seat
Family seat
A seat or family seat is the principal residence of a family. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families took their dynasty name from their family seat , or named their family seat after their own dynasty...
.
In the 10th century, Rhodri the Great had inherited Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
from his father and Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
from his mother, and added Seisyllwg (Ceredigion
Kingdom of Ceredigion
The Kingdom of Ceredigion was one of several Welsh kingdoms that emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain. Its area corresponded roughly to that of the modern county of Ceredigion. The kingdom's hilly geography made it difficult for foreign invaders to conquer. Cardigan Bay bordered to the west...
and Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
) through a dynastic marriage to Angharad of Seisyllwg. Rhodri’s influence was significant in the rest of Wales and he left a lasting legacy. According to tradition Rhodri formalised the de-facto pre-eminent position of Gwynedd in Wales;
"Rhodri the Great, King of all Wales, divided his dominion into three kingdoms, which he distributed among his three sons, — namely, Cadell, who had DinevorDinefwrDinefwr 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....
; Mervyn, who had MathravaelMathrafalMathrafal near Welshpool, in Powys, Mid Wales, was the seat of the Kings and Princes of Powys probably from the 9th century until its destruction in 1212 by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth of Gwynedd.- Location :...
, in Powis Wynva; and Anarawd, who had Aberffraw, in Anglesea; and he conferred on the eldest of these diademDiademDiadem may refer to:*Diadem, a type of crown-Military:*HMS Diadem was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line in the Royal Navy launched in 1782 at Chatham and participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1787...
ed princes the paramount sovereignty of Wales; enjoining an annual tribute to him from each of the other two, to enable him to make up the tribute due from Wales to the King of London — that is, £60 in gold. The said three Kings are called the three diademed princes [see Llywelyn's coronetLlywelyn's coronetLlywelyn's coronet is a lost treasure of Welsh history. It is recorded that Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales and Lord of Aberffraw had deposited this crown and other items with the monks at Cymer Abbey for safekeeping at the start of his final campaign in 1282. He was killed later that year...
]; and it was in the aforesaid manner that the sovereignty of Wales was divided among them." Iolo manuscripts By Taliesin ab Iolo, Iolo MorganwgIolo MorganwgEdward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg , was an influential Welsh antiquarian, poet, collector, and literary forger. He was widely considered a leading collector and expert on medieval Welsh literature in his day, but after his death it was revealed that he had forged a...
, Thomas PriceThomas PriceThomas Price was a stonecutter, teacher, lay preacher, businessman, stonemason, clerk-of-works, union secretary, union president and politician...
, Owen JonesOwen JonesOwen Jones may refer to:*Owen Jones , Welsh antiquary*Owen Jones , British architect, son of the antiquary*Owen Jones , American Congressman from Pennsylvania...
, Society for the Publication of Ancient Welsh Manuscripts, AbergavennyAbergavennyAbergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
(1843) p.449
The family was able to assert their influence within the traditional family sphere of Gwynedd, but by the 11th century were ousted from Powys (Mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
) and Deheubarth (West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
) by a series of strong rulers from the House of Dinefwr
House of Dinefwr
The House of Dinefwr was a royal house of Wales and refers to the descendants of Cadell ap Rhodri King of Seisyllwg, son of Rhodri the Great.With the death of Rhodri Mawr, the kingdom of Gwynedd passed to his eldest son Anarawd ap Rhodri...
in Deheubarth, their dynastically junior cousins. The Dinefwr family were descended from the second son
Cadell ap Rhodri
Cadell ap Rhodri was the son of Rhodri Mawr . He inherited the kingdom of Seisyllwg from his mother Angharad of Seisyllwg in 878, and passed it to his son, Hywel Dda , on his death in 909. Cadell and Hywel had previously conquered Dyfed in 904/905, establishing Hywel as the king in that region...
of Rhodri the Great. However, Gruffydd ap Cynan
Gruffydd ap Cynan
Gruffydd ap Cynan was a King of Gwynedd. In the course of a long and eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was remembered as King of all Wales...
Aberffraw was able to recover his heritage and position as Prince of Gwynedd from Norman invaders by 1100. Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
, Gruffydd's son, defeated King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
and the vast Angevin host
Angevin Empire
The term Angevin Empire is a modern term describing the collection of states once ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty.The Plantagenets ruled over an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland during the 12th and early 13th centuries, located north of Moorish Iberia. This "empire" extended...
in 1157 and 1166, which led to Owain being proclaimed as Princeps Wallensium, the Prince of the Welsh, by other Welsh rulers. This procalimation reasserted and updated the Aberffraw claims for the 12th century as the principle royal family of Wales as senior line descendants of Rhodri the Great. This position was further reaffirmed in the biography The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan. Written in Latin, the biography was indended for an audience outside of Wales. The significance of this claim was that the Aberffraw family owed nothing to the English king for their position in Wales, and that they held authority in Wales "by absolute right through descent," wrote historian John Davies.
By 1216 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...
received the fealty
Fealty
An oath of fealty, from the Latin fidelitas , is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another. Typically the oath is made upon a religious object such as a Bible or saint's relic, often contained within an altar, thus binding the oath-taker before God.In medieval Europe, fealty was sworn between...
and homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
of the Dinefwr rulers of Deheubarth at the Council of Aberdyfi. With homage and fealty paid by other Welsh lords to Llywelyn at the Council of Aberdyfi, Llywelyn the Great became the defacto first Prince of Wales in the modern sense, though it was his son 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 :...
who was the first to adopt the title Prince of Wales. However, the 1282 Edwardian Conquest of Wales greatly reduced the influence of the family. 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...
forced the remaining members of the family to surrender their claim to the title of Prince of Wales with the Statute of Rhuddlan
Statute of Rhuddlan
The Statute of Rhuddlan , also known as the Statutes of Wales or as the Statute of Wales provided the constitutional basis for the government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1536...
in 1284, which also abolished the independent Welsh peerage
Welsh peers
This is an index of Welsh peers whose primary peerage, life peerage, and baronetcy titles includes a Welsh place-name origin or its territorial qualification is within the historic counties of Wales....
. The Aberffraw family members closest to Llywelyn II were imprisoned for life by Edward I of England, while the more distant Aberffraw members went into deep hiding and falling into obscurity. Other members of the family did lay claim to their heritage and included Owain Lawgoch
Owain Lawgoch
Owain Lawgoch, , full name Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri , was a Welsh soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland. He led a Free Company fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Years' War...
in the 14th century.
Royal succession within the House of Aberffraw (as with succession in Wales in general) was a complex matter due to the unique character of 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...
. According to Hurbert Lewis, though not explicitly codified as such, the edling, or Heir apparent, was by convention, custom, and practice the eldest son of the lord or Prince and entitled to inheirit the position and title as "head of the family" from the father. Effectively primogeniture with local variations. However, all sons were provided for out of the lands of the father and in certain circumstances so too were daughters (with both children born in and out of wedlock considered legitimate). Men could also claim royal title through the materinal patrimony of their mother's line in certain circumstances (which occurred several times during the period of Welsh Independence). The female line of the dynasty was also considered to remain royal as marriage was an important means of strengthening individual claims to the various kingdoms of Wales and uniting various royal families to the Aberffraw, or to reunite disputing sections after dynastic civil wars.(such as with the marriage of Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda , was the well-thought-of king of Deheubarth in south-west Wales, who eventually came to rule Wales from Prestatyn to Pembroke. As a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, through his father Cadell, Hywel was a member of the Dinefwr branch of the dynasty and is also named Hywel ap Cadell...
, member of 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....
branch of the Aberffraw dynasty, to Elen of Dyfed, daughter of Llywarch ap Hyfaidd
Llywarch ap Hyfaidd
Llywarch ap Hyfaidd was the king of Dyfed, Wales until its conquest in 904 or 905 by Cadell ap Rhodri and his son Hywel Dda, rulers of Seisyllwg. Kingship passed briefly to his brother, Rhodri, until rule was consolidated by Hywel. Hywel married Llywarch's daughter, Elen, to legitimise his claim...
, King of Dyfed). This meant that the female line was considered as a legitimate path of royal descent within the House of Aberffraw, with the claims of royal women to titles usually transferring to their sons.
Members of the House of Aberffraw would include Idwal Foel
Idwal Foel
Idwal Foel ap Anarawd was a King of Gwynedd, referred to as King of the Britons by William of Malmesbury in his Gesta Regum Anglorum. William spells his name as Judwalum in the original Latin ; the Annales Cambriae spell it Iudgual.Idwal inherited the throne of Gwynedd on the death of his...
, Iago ab Idwal
Iago ab Idwal
Not to be confused with Iago ab Idwal ap MeurigIago ab Idwal was a King of Gwynedd and possibly Powys, also referred to as "King of the Britons" by the Annals of Ulster....
, Cynan ab Iago, Gruffydd ap Cynan
Gruffydd ap Cynan
Gruffydd ap Cynan was a King of Gwynedd. In the course of a long and eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was remembered as King of all Wales...
, Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
, Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd was Princess-consort of Deheubarth in Wales, and married to Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince of Deheubarth. Gwenllian was the daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan , Prince of Gwynedd, and a member of the princely Aberffraw family of Gwynedd. Gwenllian was the sister of Prince Owain...
, 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...
, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd may refer to:*Llywelyn the Last *Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan...
, and Owain Lawgoch
Owain Lawgoch
Owain Lawgoch, , full name Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri , was a Welsh soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland. He led a Free Company fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Years' War...
. Succeeding surviving branches emerged and included the Wynn family of Gwydir
Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet
Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet , Welsh baronet, Member of Parliament and antiquary, was the son of Morys Wynn ap John. He claimed to be directly descended from the princes of Gwynedd through Rhodri ab Owain son of Owain Gwynedd. However, this claim is disputed in a publication of 1884 entitled...
.
Aberffraw senior line
- Gruffydd ap CynanGruffydd ap CynanGruffydd ap Cynan was a King of Gwynedd. In the course of a long and eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was remembered as King of all Wales...
(c. 1055–1137), Prince of Gwynedd- Owain GwyneddOwain GwyneddOwain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
(c. 1100–November 28, 1170), Prince of the Welsh, Prince of Gwynedd = Cristina ferch Gronw ap Owain ap Edwin- Hywel ab Owain GwyneddHywel ab Owain GwyneddHywel ab Owain Gwynedd Wales Prince of Gwynedd in 1170, a Welsh poet and military leader. Hywel was the son of Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd, and an Irishwoman named Pyfog. In recognition of this, he was also known as Hywel ap Gwyddeles...
(eldest surviving son after the death of Rhun ab Owain) Prince of Gwynedd 1170, succeeding as his father's chosen heir. Died 1170 in battle at Pentreath, against his brother Dafydd. The Chronicle of the Princes (Brut y Tywysogyon) records the following entry in the year 1170: One thousand one hundred and sevnty was the year of Christ when Dafydd ab Owain slew Hywel ab Owain (Red Book of Hergest Version translated and arranged by Thomas Jones, 1955). See in genealogical tables in J.E. Lloyd's History of Wales: The Line of Gwynedd.- Caswallon ap Hywel [see: PC Bartrum Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1400 (1974), page ref: Gruffudd ap Cynan 10]. Caswallon has proven direct male ancestors who exist into the modern day and thereby represent the senior surviving male line of Owain Gwynedd - the genealogy of one family was recorded by Peter Gwynn-Jones, late Garter King of Arms, at The College of Arms.
- Iorwerth ab Owain (1145–1174),
- Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (c. 1173 – 11 April 1240), de facto Prince of Wales, Prince of Gwynedd and Powys, Prince of Aberffraw and Lord of Snowdon. The last of the Llywelyn line died out with the death of Owain LawgochOwain LawgochOwain Lawgoch, , full name Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri , was a Welsh soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland. He led a Free Company fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Years' War...
in 1378
- Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (c. 1173 – 11 April 1240), de facto Prince of Wales, Prince of Gwynedd and Powys, Prince of Aberffraw and Lord of Snowdon. The last of the Llywelyn line died out with the death of Owain Lawgoch
- Rhodri ab Owain GwyneddRhodri ab Owain GwyneddRhodri ab Owain Gwynedd was prince of part of Gwynedd, one of the kingdoms of medieval Wales. He ruled from 1175 to 1195.On the death of Owain Gwynedd in 1170, fighting broke out among his nineteen sons over the division of his kingdom...
(c. 1146-1195),, Lord of Anglesey = Annest ferch Rhys ap Gruffudd- Thomas ap Rhodri ab Owain GwyneddThomas ap RhodriTomas ap Rhodri or Thomas Rothery as his name is sometimes rendered in English accounts, de jure Prince of Gwynedd was the only known son of Rhodri ap Gruffudd Tomas ap Rhodri (c. 1300 – 1363) or Thomas Rothery as his name is sometimes rendered in English accounts, de jure Prince of Gwynedd...
= Annest ferch Einion ap Seisyllt- Caradog ap Tomas = Efa ferch Gwyn ap Gruffudd ap Beli
- Gruffudd ap Caradog = Lleuca ferch Llywarch Fychan ap Llywarch
- Dafydd ap Gruffudd of Rhos = Efa ferch Gruffudd Fychan
- Hywel ap Dafydd = Efa ferch Evan ap Hywel ap Maredudd
- Maredudd ap Hywel (d. after 1353) = Morfydd verch Ieuan ap Dafydd ap Trahaern Goch
- Robert
- Wynn of Gwydir family until 1719
- Ieuan
- Anwyl of Tywyn family current
- Robert
- Maredudd ap Hywel (d. after 1353) = Morfydd verch Ieuan ap Dafydd ap Trahaern Goch
- Hywel ap Dafydd = Efa ferch Evan ap Hywel ap Maredudd
- Dafydd ap Gruffudd of Rhos = Efa ferch Gruffudd Fychan
- Gruffudd ap Caradog = Lleuca ferch Llywarch Fychan ap Llywarch
- Caradog ap Tomas = Efa ferch Gwyn ap Gruffudd ap Beli
- Thomas ap Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd
- Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
- Owain Gwynedd
The Wynn of Gwydir family died out in the male line on the death of Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet
Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet
Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet succeeded his cousin Sir Richard Wynn, 4th Baronet as a baronet in 1674 but did not inherit the lands of the Gwydyr Estate which passed to his predecessor's daughter Mary.-Inheritance:...
in 1719.
Wynn family of Gwydir
Later direct male descendants would include the Wynn of Gwydir (disputed in a publication of 1884 entitled "Gweithiau Gethin" published by W.J.Roberts in Llanrwst.) and Anwyl of Tywyn families, claiming direct male decent from Owain GwyneddOwain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
and bearing his coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
.
From Robert ap Maredudd the Wynn family descend:
- Robert ap MareduddRobert ap MareduddRobert ap Maredudd is the presumed Head of the House of Aberffraw following the death of Owain Lawgoch the last and only known surviving great-nephew of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in 1378. He is cited by Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet as his ancestor and head of the family at that time. He is known to have...
= Angharad ferch Dafydd ap Llywelyn- Ifan ap RobertIfan ap RobertIfan ap Robert was the Head of the House of Aberffraw following the death of his father. It is not known if he had any siblings. He is cited by Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet as his ancestor and head of the family at that time....
(b. 1438, d. 1469) = Catherine ferch Rhys ap Hywel Fychan- Maredudd ap IfanMaredudd ap IfanMaredudd ab Ifan was the Head of the House of Aberffraw following the death of his father. It is not known if he had any siblings. He rebuilt Gwydyr Castle after it was destroyed in the 1460s and made it the family home. He is cited by Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet as one of his ancestors and head of...
(Ieuan) ap Robert (b. c1459, d. 18 March 1525) = Ales ferch William Gruffudd ap Robin- John "Wynn" ap Maredudd (d. 9 July 1559) = Ellen Lloyd ferch Morys ap John
- Morys Wynn ap John (d.1580) = Jane Bulkeley (1) Ann Grevill (2) Katherine of Berain (3)
- John "Wynn" ap Maredudd (d. 9 July 1559) = Ellen Lloyd ferch Morys ap John
- Maredudd ap Ifan
- Ifan ap Robert
The Wynn Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
s of Gwydir were created in the Baronetage of England in 1611—one of the initial creations—for John Wynn, of Gwydir. The family continued to be prominent in politics, all the baronets save Owen sat as members of parliament, often for Carnarvon or Carnarvonshire. This creation became extinct in 1719, on the death of the fifth baronet. Wynnstay, near Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
, passed to Sir Watkin Williams, who took the name of Williams-Wynn.
- Sir John Wynn, 1st BaronetSir John Wynn, 1st BaronetSir John Wynn, 1st Baronet , Welsh baronet, Member of Parliament and antiquary, was the son of Morys Wynn ap John. He claimed to be directly descended from the princes of Gwynedd through Rhodri ab Owain son of Owain Gwynedd. However, this claim is disputed in a publication of 1884 entitled...
(son of Morys Wynn, d. 1627)- Jane Thelwall (great-granddaughter). Her husband took the name Wynn in honor of his wife's heritage, establishing the Williams-WynnWilliams-Wynn BaronetsThe Williams-Wynn Baronetcy, of Gray's Inn in the County of Middlesex in the Baronetage of England, and of Bodelwyddan in the County of Flint in the Baronetage of Great Britain, are two titles held jointly since 1880.- Creation :...
family.- Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 11th BaronetSir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 11th BaronetSir David Watkin Williams-Wynn, 11th Baronet of Bodelwyddan in the County of Flint , and of Gray's Inn in the county of Middlesex , is a member of the surviving Welsh nobility and is the closest known living heir of the Princely House of Aberffraw, the former ruling family of Gwynedd and the...
, (David), descendant of Sir John Wynn
- Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 11th Baronet
- Jane Thelwall (great-granddaughter). Her husband took the name Wynn in honor of his wife's heritage, establishing the Williams-Wynn
- Sir Richard Wynn, 2nd BaronetSir Richard Wynn, 2nd BaronetSir Richard Wynn, 2nd Baronet was an English courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1649....
(c. 1588–1649) - Sir Owen Wynn, 3rd BaronetSir Owen Wynn, 3rd BaronetSir Owen Wynn, 3rd Baronet inherited the family baronetcy, of Gwydyr, Wales in 1649 after the death of his brother Sir Richard Wynn, 2nd Baronet during the Civil War...
(d. 1660) - Sir Richard Wynn, 4th BaronetSir Richard Wynn, 4th BaronetSir Richard Wynn, 4th Baronet succeeded his father Sir Owen Wynn, 3rd Baronet at Gwydir in 1660.He was High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire for 1657, Member of the Parliament of England for Caernarvonshire, 1647–53 and 1661–75, and was associated with the municipal government of Denbigh...
(c. 1625–1674)- Mary Wynn, Duchess of Ancaster and KestevenWynn BaronetsThere have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Wynn, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
- Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de EresbyPriscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de EresbyPriscilla Barbara Elizabeth Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was a daughter of the 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. On 23 February 1779, she married Sir Peter Burrell and they later had two children...
- Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
- Mary Wynn, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven
- Sir John Wynn, 5th BaronetSir John Wynn, 5th BaronetSir John Wynn, 5th Baronet succeeded his cousin Sir Richard Wynn, 4th Baronet as a baronet in 1674 but did not inherit the lands of the Gwydyr Estate which passed to his predecessor's daughter Mary.-Inheritance:...
(c. 1628–1719) (extinct 1719)
A cadet branch of descendants could trace their descent from Richard Wynn, through his daughter Mary Wynn, Duchess of Ancaster and Kesteven
Wynn Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Wynn, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
, and his great granddaughter Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Priscilla Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Priscilla Barbara Elizabeth Bertie, 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was a daughter of the 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. On 23 February 1779, she married Sir Peter Burrell and they later had two children...
. This cadet branch would expire with the 1915 death of Willoughby Merrik Campbell Burrell, 5th Baron Gywdyr.
Anwyl family of Tywyn
- Thomas Lloyd Anwyl of Hendremur (1695–1734); married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Meyrick, and died 1734.
- William Anwyl of Hendremur (1717–1751) = Margaret, daughter of Rice Pierce, of Celynyn.
- Rice (Rev) Anwyl (1740–1819) = Margaret, daughter of David Roberts, of Goppa, and died 1819.
- David Anwyl of Bala (1771–1831) = married Mary, daughter of Gruffyd Owen of Pencader.
- Rice (Rev) Anwyl (1740–1819) = Margaret, daughter of David Roberts, of Goppa, and died 1819.
- William Anwyl of Hendremur (1717–1751) = Margaret, daughter of Rice Pierce, of Celynyn.
David of Bala died without issue and the title passed to his cousins;
- Jonathan Bunce Anwyl of Llugwy (1789–1852). He died unmarried and without issue. After the death of Jonathan Bunce Anwyl in 1852 the de jure Head of House would have passed to the sons of Maurice Anwyl of Llugwy (1753–1832)
- Robert Anwyl of Llugwy (1787–1867)
- Evan Anwyl of Llugwy (1789–1872) (brother of Robert) = daughter of William Morgan, of Brynallys, Montgomeryshire.
- Robert Charles Anwyl of Llugwy (1849–1933) = Harriette daughter of William Hamilton.
- Maurice Ifan Hamilton Anwyl (1889–1942) (died without issue, line passed to his cousin)
- Evan Anwyl of Ty-Mawr Farm, TywynTywynTywyn is a town and seaside resort on the Cardigan Bay coast of southern Gwynedd , in north Wales. The name derives from the Welsh tywyn and the town is sometimes referred to as Tywyn Meirionnydd...
, Merionethshire (1858–1955) = Sarah daughter of Jonathan Benbow of Meifod.- Evan Anwyl of Ty-Mawr of Tywyn (1911–1968) = Gwyneth daughter of Harold Henry Scott of Chester.
- Evan Vaughan Anwyl of Tywyn (1943-extant) educated at Tywyn Grammar School and University of Wales Aberystwyth (BSc 1967, DipEd 1968). He resides in Gwynedd and has issue one son;
- David Evan Anwyl (born 1977).
- Evan Vaughan Anwyl of Tywyn (1943-extant) educated at Tywyn Grammar School and University of Wales Aberystwyth (BSc 1967, DipEd 1968). He resides in Gwynedd and has issue one son;
- Evan Anwyl of Ty-Mawr of Tywyn (1911–1968) = Gwyneth daughter of Harold Henry Scott of Chester.
- Evan Anwyl of Ty-Mawr Farm, Tywyn
- Maurice Ifan Hamilton Anwyl (1889–1942) (died without issue, line passed to his cousin)
- Robert Charles Anwyl of Llugwy (1849–1933) = Harriette daughter of William Hamilton.
Two grandsons of Jonathan the younger brother of Evan Anwyl (b. 1858) are also extant and live in Surrey. Philip (b. 1943) and Roger (b. 1947).