John Jones Maesygarnedd
Encyclopedia
Colonel John Jones was a Welsh military leader, politician and one of the regicide
s of King Charles I
. A brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell
, Jones was born at Llanbedr
in North Wales
and is often surnamed Jones Maesygarnedd after the location of his Merionethshire
estate. Jones spoke Welsh
with his family. He was an avid Republican at a time when most of Wales
was Royalist, and for this reason he was described by one of his contemporaries as 'the most hated man in North Wales'.
During the Civil War
, Jones rose from Captain of the Foot, under Sir Thomas Myddelton
, to Colonel of a cavalry regiment. In 1647, he was involved in the Royalist surrenders of Anglesey
and Harlech
and, later, in suppressing the insurgency in North Wales. He was elected MP for Merioneth in 1647 and given a military commission in Ireland
(see Wars of the Three Kingdoms
). However, as a committed republican, he was opposed Cromwell's Protectorate and lost this commission as a result. Despite this, he made up with the Protector, and married Cromwell's widowed sister, Catherine.
Jones was appointed Commissioner of the High Court of Justice in 1649, as a member of which he became one of the fifty-nine signatories to King Charles I's death warrant. Like many of the others who signed, he was in grave danger when Charles II of England
was restored to the throne. He was arrested whilst out walking in London, put on trial, and found guilty of regicide. On 17 October 1660, Jones was hanged, drawn and quartered
a fate which, according to some accounts, he faced with immense bravery.
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
s of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. A brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, Jones was born at Llanbedr
Llanbedr
Llanbedr is a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales.The village originally grew around the slate quarrying industry. Attractions in Llanbedr include Neolithic standing stones and Bronze Age hut circles. The Morfa Dyffryn sand dunes and Mochras lie nearby...
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
and is often surnamed Jones Maesygarnedd after the location of his Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
estate. Jones spoke Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
with his family. He was an avid Republican at a time when most 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...
was Royalist, and for this reason he was described by one of his contemporaries as 'the most hated man in North Wales'.
During the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Jones rose from Captain of the Foot, under Sir Thomas Myddelton
Thomas Myddelton
Sir Thomas Myddelton was the fourth son of Richard Myddelton, Governor of Denbigh, and Jane Dryhurst.As a youth, he was apprenticed to a grocer in London, and made his fortune in trade...
, to Colonel of a cavalry regiment. In 1647, he was involved in the Royalist surrenders of 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...
and Harlech
Harlech
Harlech is a town and seaside resort in Gwynedd, within the historical boundaries of Merionethshire in northwest Wales. Lying on Tremadog Bay and within the Snowdonia National Park, it has a population of 1,952, of whom 59% speak Welsh...
and, later, in suppressing the insurgency in North Wales. He was elected MP for Merioneth in 1647 and given a military commission in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(see Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
). However, as a committed republican, he was opposed Cromwell's Protectorate and lost this commission as a result. Despite this, he made up with the Protector, and married Cromwell's widowed sister, Catherine.
Jones was appointed Commissioner of the High Court of Justice in 1649, as a member of which he became one of the fifty-nine signatories to King Charles I's death warrant. Like many of the others who signed, he was in grave danger when Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
was restored to the throne. He was arrested whilst out walking in London, put on trial, and found guilty of regicide. On 17 October 1660, Jones was hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
a fate which, according to some accounts, he faced with immense bravery.
External links
- John Jones, Regicide
- A biography of Col John Jones (in WelshWelsh languageWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
)