Howel y Fwyall
Encyclopedia
Howel y Fwyall or 'Howel of the Battle-axe,' was a Welsh knight and hero.
According to Philip Yorke
's The Royal Tribes of Wales, his father was Gruffydd ab Howel ab Meredydd ab Einion ab Gwganen. Sir John Wynne, however, says that he was the son of Einion ab Gruffydd Both the accounts agree that he was descended from Collwyn ab Tangno, 'lord of Eifionydd
, Ardudwy
, and part of Llyen.' Howel was one of the Welshmen who fought at Battle of Poitiers
in 1356, and Welsh tradition very improbably made him out to be the actual captor of John II of France
, 'cutting off his horse's head at one blow'
Howel undoubtedly seems to have fought well, for he was knighted by the Black Prince, and received afterwards the constableship of Criccieth Castle
, and also the rent of Dee Mills at Chester
, 'besides other great things in North Wales;' and as a memorial of his services a mess of meat was ordered to be served before his axe in perpetuity, the food being afterwards given to the poor `for his soul's health.' This ceremony is said to have been observed till the beginning of Elizabeth I's time, eight yeoman attendants at 8d. a day having charge of the meat 'Howel was also "raglot" of Aberglaslyn, and died between Michaelmas 2 and the same time 6 Rich. II,' leaving two sons, Meredydd, who lived in Eifionydd; and Davydd, who lived at Henblas, near Llanrwst
.
According to Philip Yorke
Philip Yorke
Philip Yorke was an antiquary who developed a great interest in Welsh history and genealogy relatively late in his life. He is the author of The Royal Tribes of Wales .-Background:...
's The Royal Tribes of Wales, his father was Gruffydd ab Howel ab Meredydd ab Einion ab Gwganen. Sir John Wynne, however, says that he was the son of Einion ab Gruffydd Both the accounts agree that he was descended from Collwyn ab Tangno, 'lord of Eifionydd
Eifionydd
Eifionydd is an area in north-west Wales covering the south-eastern part of the Llŷn Peninsula from Porthmadog to just east of Pwllheli. The Afon Erch forms its western border. It now lies in Gwynedd....
, Ardudwy
Ardudwy
Ardudwy is an area of Gwynedd in north-west Wales, lying between Tremadog Bay and the Rhinogydd. Administratively, under the old Kingdom of Gwynedd, it was first a division of the sub kingdom of Dunoding and later a cantref in its own right...
, and part of Llyen.' Howel was one of the Welshmen who fought at Battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
in 1356, and Welsh tradition very improbably made him out to be the actual captor of John II of France
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
, 'cutting off his horse's head at one blow'
Howel undoubtedly seems to have fought well, for he was knighted by the Black Prince, and received afterwards the constableship of Criccieth Castle
Criccieth Castle
Criccieth Castle is a native Welsh castle situated on the headland between two beaches in Criccieth, Gwynedd, in North Wales, on a rocky peninsula overlooking Tremadog Bay...
, and also the rent of Dee Mills at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, 'besides other great things in North Wales;' and as a memorial of his services a mess of meat was ordered to be served before his axe in perpetuity, the food being afterwards given to the poor `for his soul's health.' This ceremony is said to have been observed till the beginning of Elizabeth I's time, eight yeoman attendants at 8d. a day having charge of the meat 'Howel was also "raglot" of Aberglaslyn, and died between Michaelmas 2 and the same time 6 Rich. II,' leaving two sons, Meredydd, who lived in Eifionydd; and Davydd, who lived at Henblas, near Llanrwst
Llanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
.