Maelgwn ap Rhys
Encyclopedia
Maelgwn ap Rhys was prince of part of the kingdom of Deheubarth in south west Wales
.
Maelgwn was the son of Rhys ap Gruffydd
(The Lord Rhys) 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. In 1188 when Baldwin
, Archbishop of Canterbury
and Giraldus Cambrensis
travelled through Wales raising men for the Third Crusade
, Maelgwn is recorded as having taken the cross, though there is no record that he actually went on the crusade.
Maelgwn was described as being short in stature and a turbulent character, who caused his father much trouble in his later years and maintained a lengthy feud with his brother Gruffydd
. He was kept a prisoner from 1189 to 1192. In 1194 he and his brother Hywel defeated their father in battle and imprisoned him in Nevern castle, though he was later released by Hywel. Maelgwn was in exile when Rhys died in 1197. Gruffydd had been recognised as his father's successor, but Maelgwn, helped by troops supplied by Gwenwynwyn ab Owain
of Powys attacked and captured the town and castle of Aberystwyth
, taking Gruffydd prisoner. Maelgwn handed Gruffydd over to Gwenwynwyn and took possession of Ceredigion
. When Gwenwynwyn was defeated at Painscastle
by Norman forces in 1198 Gruffydd was set free and recaptured all Ceredigion from Maelgwn except for the castles of Cardigan
and Ystrad Meurig. Maelgwn came to an agreement with King John of England
and sold Cardigan castle to John, taking possession of the remainder of Ceredigion himself. The annalist of Brut y Tywysogion
commented:
Gruffydd died in 1201, enabling Maelgwn to seize Cilgerran Castle
, but in 1204 he lost it to William Marshall
. In 1204 Maelgwn's men attacked his brother Hywel, leaving him with wounds of which he later died. In 1205 according to Brut y Tywysogion
, Maelgwn caused a certain Irishman to kill Cedifor ap Gruffudd and his four sons with a battle-axe after they had been captured. The chronicler of Brut y Tywysogion again disapproved, describing Cedifor as "a praiseworthy man, gracious, strong and generous".
In 1207 Maelgwn's ally, Gwenwynwyn of Powys fell out with King John and his lands were taken into the custody of the crown. Llywelyn the Great
of Gwynedd
took advantage of this to annex the northern part of Ceredigion from Maelgwn and to give the lands between the River Ystwyth
and the River Aeron
to the sons of Gruffydd. Maelgwn helped King John to force Llywelyn to come to terms in 1211 but these lands were not returned to him, and this induced him to throw in his lot with Llywelyn instead of the king. However when Llywelyn redistributed the lands formerly under the rule of the Lord Rhys in 1216, Maelgwn was still only allowed the southern part of Ceredigion.
Maelgwn died in 1230 in Llannerch Aeron and was buried at Strata Florida Abbey
. His territory passed to his son, Maelgwn ap Maelgwn, called Maelgwn Fychan.
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...
.
Maelgwn was the son of Rhys ap Gruffydd
Rhys 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) by his wife Gwenllian ferch Madog, 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. He appears in the historical record for the first time helping at the siege of Tenby
Tenby
Tenby is a walled seaside town in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, lying on Carmarthen Bay.Notable features of Tenby include of sandy beaches; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse ; 15th century St...
in 1187. In 1188 when Baldwin
Baldwin of Exeter
Baldwin of Forde was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1185 and 1190. Son of a clergyman, he studied both canon law and theology at Bologna and was tutor to Pope Eugene III's nephew before returning to England to serve successive bishops of Exeter...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and Giraldus Cambrensis
Giraldus Cambrensis
Gerald of Wales , also known as Gerallt Gymro in Welsh or Giraldus Cambrensis in Latin, archdeacon of Brecon, was a medieval clergyman and chronicler of his times...
travelled through Wales raising men for the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, Maelgwn is recorded as having taken the cross, though there is no record that he actually went on the crusade.
Maelgwn was described as being short in stature and a turbulent character, who caused his father much trouble in his later years and maintained a lengthy feud with his brother Gruffydd
Gruffydd ap Rhys II
Gruffydd ap Rhys II was a prince of Deheubarth in south-west Wales.- Lineage :He was the son of Rhys ap Gruffydd and grandson of Gruffydd ap Rhys....
. He was kept a prisoner from 1189 to 1192. In 1194 he and his brother Hywel defeated their father in battle and imprisoned him in Nevern castle, though he was later released by Hywel. Maelgwn was in exile when Rhys died in 1197. Gruffydd had been recognised as his father's successor, but Maelgwn, helped by troops supplied by 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 :...
of Powys attacked and captured the town and castle of 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....
, taking Gruffydd prisoner. Maelgwn handed Gruffydd over to Gwenwynwyn and took possession of Ceredigion
Ceredigion
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...
. When Gwenwynwyn was defeated at Painscastle
Painscastle
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:...
by Norman forces in 1198 Gruffydd was set free and recaptured all Ceredigion 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. Maelgwn came to 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...
and sold Cardigan castle to John, taking possession of the remainder of Ceredigion himself. The annalist of Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion is one of the most important primary sources for Welsh history. It is an annalistic chronicle that serves as a continuation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. Brut y Tywysogion has survived as several Welsh translations of an original Latin version, which has...
commented:
- In that year, about the Feast of St. Mary Magdalen, Maelgwn ap Rhys, for fear and hatred of his brother Gruffydd, sold to the English for little profit the key and keeping of all Wales, the castle of Aber Teifi [Cardigan]
Gruffydd died in 1201, enabling Maelgwn to seize 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....
, but in 1204 he lost it to William Marshall
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Sir William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke , also called William the Marshal , was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He was described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" by Stephen Langton...
. In 1204 Maelgwn's men attacked his brother Hywel, leaving him with wounds of which he later died. In 1205 according to Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion is one of the most important primary sources for Welsh history. It is an annalistic chronicle that serves as a continuation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. Brut y Tywysogion has survived as several Welsh translations of an original Latin version, which has...
, Maelgwn caused a certain Irishman to kill Cedifor ap Gruffudd and his four sons with a battle-axe after they had been captured. The chronicler of Brut y Tywysogion again disapproved, describing Cedifor as "a praiseworthy man, gracious, strong and generous".
In 1207 Maelgwn's ally, Gwenwynwyn of Powys fell out with King John and his lands were taken into the custody of the crown. 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...
of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
took advantage of this to annex the northern part of Ceredigion from Maelgwn and to give the lands between the River Ystwyth
River Ystwyth
The River Ystwyth is a river in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. Its source is a number of streams that include the Afon Diliw, located on the border of Ceredigion and Powys in the Cambrian Mountains....
and the River Aeron
River Aeron
The River Aeron is a small river in Ceredigion, Wales, that flows into Cardigan Bay at Aberaeron. It is also referred to on some older maps as the River Ayron.- Source :...
to the sons of Gruffydd. Maelgwn helped King John to force Llywelyn to come to terms in 1211 but these lands were not returned to him, and this induced him to throw in his lot with Llywelyn instead of the king. However when Llywelyn redistributed the lands formerly under the rule of the Lord Rhys in 1216, Maelgwn was still only allowed the southern part of Ceredigion.
Maelgwn died in 1230 in Llannerch Aeron and was buried at Strata Florida Abbey
Strata 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...
. His territory passed to his son, Maelgwn ap Maelgwn, called Maelgwn Fychan.