Owain ap Dafydd
Encyclopedia
Owain ap Dafydd de jure Prince of Gwynedd (1287 – c. 1325), was the younger son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd
the last free ruler of Gwynedd
and self-proclaimed Prince of Wales
. Nothing is known of his early life, though it is thought likely he accompanied his father during periods of exile in England
in the 1270s.
Following the death of his uncle Llywelyn the Last
in late 1282 the governance of Gwynedd was assumed by his father Dafydd ap Gruffudd. He and his father were captured together, after a struggle, close to Cadair Idris
on 21 or 22 June 1283. Shortly after this Dafydd was brought to Shrewsbury
where he would be executed for treason
in October.
Following the arrest of his elder brother Llywelyn
on 29 June they were both escorted under guard out of Gwynedd via Acton Burnell
to Bristol Castle
. Llywelyn would die in 1287 while Owain was last reported to be alive in 1325 when he would have been in his sixties. During much of his captivity at Bristol - and we must assume the same treatment, or worse, for his brother - he was kept in a cage to ensure there was no means of escape. Order from King Edward I to the Constable of Bristol Castle, October 1305:
The exact date and circumstances of his death are not known. After his death the de jure Prince of Gwynedd would have been his cousin Thomas ap Rhodri
.
Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 by King Edward I of England...
the last free ruler 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...
and self-proclaimed Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. Nothing is known of his early life, though it is thought likely he accompanied his father during periods of exile in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 1270s.
Following the death of his uncle Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
in late 1282 the governance of Gwynedd was assumed by his father Dafydd ap Gruffudd. He and his father were captured together, after a struggle, close to Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in Gwynedd, Wales that lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as...
on 21 or 22 June 1283. Shortly after this Dafydd was brought to Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
where he would be executed for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in October.
Following the arrest of his elder brother Llywelyn
Llywelyn ap Dafydd
Llywelyn ap Dafydd , de jure Prince of Gwynedd , was the eldest son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd the last free ruler of Gwynedd and his wife Elizabeth Ferrers. Nothing is known of his early life, though it is thought he was probably born some time around 1267...
on 29 June they were both escorted under guard out of Gwynedd via Acton Burnell
Acton Burnell
Acton Burnell is a village and parish in the English county of Shropshire. It lies at 110m above sea level and is near to Park Wood.-Attractions:...
to Bristol Castle
Bristol Castle
Bristol Castle was a Norman castle built for the defence of Bristol. Remains can be seen today in Castle Park near the Broadmead Shopping Centre, including the sally port.-History:...
. Llywelyn would die in 1287 while Owain was last reported to be alive in 1325 when he would have been in his sixties. During much of his captivity at Bristol - and we must assume the same treatment, or worse, for his brother - he was kept in a cage to ensure there was no means of escape. Order from King Edward I to the Constable of Bristol Castle, October 1305:
As the King wills that Owain son of Dafydd ap Gruffudd, who is in the Constable’s custody in the castle, should be kept more securely than he has been previously, he orders the Constable to cause a strong house within the castle to be repaired as soon as possible, and to make a wooden cage bound with iron in that house in which Owain might be enclosed at night.
The exact date and circumstances of his death are not known. After his death the de jure Prince of Gwynedd would have been his cousin Thomas ap Rhodri
Thomas ap Rhodri
Tomas 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...
.