Owen Tudor
Encyclopedia
Sir Owen Meredith Tudor ( ˈəuain ap maˈrɛdɨð ap ˈtɛudʊr; c. 1400 – 2 February 1461) was a Welsh
soldier and courtier, descended from a daughter of the Welsh prince Rhys ap Gruffudd, "Lord Rhys". However, Owen Tudor is particularly remembered for his role in founding England's Tudor dynasty
– including his relationship with, and probable secret marriage to, Catherine of Valois
, widow of King Henry V of England
.
(English:Meredith) had been (together with his two brothers Rhys and Gwilym) stalwarts of Owain Glyndwr
's uprising of 1400. When that uprising ebbed away Maredudd lost most of his land to the English Crown. His saw his chance to better his position in society by moving to London and changing his son's name from Owain ap Maredydd to Owain Tudor. This is one of the first instances where a surname is used by Welshmen. Had he taken his father's name (rather than his grandfather) the royal English Dynasty that ruled England for the next hundred years would have been called The Meredith Dynasty.
In London, Owen (or Owain) became the ward of his father's second cousin, Lord Rhys. At the age of seven he was sent to the English court of Henry IV
as page to the King's Steward. He went on to fight for the English at Agincourt
in 1415, and appears to have been promoted to squire for his efforts. After Agincourt he was granted "English rights" and permitted to use Welsh arms in England. (King Henry IV had deprived Welshmen of many civil rights).
Owen was a descendant of Rhys ap Gruffydd
(1132–1197) via the lineages that follow:
Rhys had a daughter, Gwenllian ferch (daughter of) Rhys, who was married to Ednyfed Fychan
, Seneschal
of the Kingdom of Gwynedd
(d. 1246).
Ednyfed Fychan
and Gwenllian ferch Rhys were the parents of Goronwy, Lord of Tref-gastell (d. 1268). Goronwy was married to Morfydd ferch Meurig, daughter of Meurig of Gwent. (Meurig was the son of Ithel, grandson of Rhydd and great-grandson of Iestyn ap Gwrgant
. Iestyn had been the last King of Gwent (reigned 1081–1091) before its conquest by the Normans
.)
Goronwy and Morfydd were parents of Tudur Hen
, Lord of Penmynydd
(d. 1311). Tudur Hen later married Angharad ferch Ithel Fychan, daughter of Ithel Fychan ap Ithel Gan, Lord of Englefield
. They were the parents of Goronwy ap Tudur, Lord of Penmynydd
(d. 1331).
Goronwy ap Tudur was married to Gwerfyl ferch Madog, daughter of Madog ap Dafydd, Baron
of Hendwr. They were the parents of Tudur Fychan, Lord of Penmynydd (d. 1367).
Tudur Fychan married Margaret ferch Thomas of Is Coeod, who's direct ancestor was Anghard ferch Llewellyn, daughter of Llewellyn the Great. (Margaret was the daughter of Thomas ap Llewelyn, Lord of Is Coed, South Wales
, and his wife Eleanor ferch Philip. Margaret's sister Ellen ferch Thomas was the mother of Owain Glendoŵr (the last native "Prince of Wales"). Her sister Eleanor ferch Thomas was the ancestor of the Newport family and the Earl of Bradford and the Lingen family and Baron Lingen of Lingen. Margaret's paternal grandfather was Llewelyn ab Owain, Lord of Gwynnionydd. Her maternal grandfather was Philip ab Ifor, Lord of Is Coed.)(ref Visitation of Shropshire 1623,R Tresswell. Somerset Herald)
Tudur and Margaret were parents to
Maredudd ap Tudur
(died 1406); Maredudd married Margaret ferch Dafydd. (Margaret was the daughter of Dafydd Fychan, Lord of Anglesey, and his wife, Nest ferch Ieuan.)
Maredudd ap Tudur and Margaret ferch Dafydd were the parents of Owen Tudor.
There is little doubt that Owen was of gentle birth. Queen Catherine, upon being denied permission by her son's regents to wed John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, allegedly said upon leaving court, "I shall marry a man so basely, yet gently born, that my lord regents may not object." (The objection to Somerset was that he was a second cousin of Henry V through the legitimised Beaufort line sired by John of Gaunt).
as keeper of the Queen's wardrobe, (essentially her major-domo) after the death of her husband Henry V of England
on 22 August 1422. The Queen initially lived with her infant son, King Henry VI
, before moving to Wallingford Castle
early in his reign and taking Tudor with her. Catherine left court when her son's regents, John of Bedford and Humphrey of Gloucester (brothers of Henry V) denied her permission to marry John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and scion of a legitimised Plantagenet line. Ironically, Somerset became Henry VII's other grandfather. No documentation survives of her marriage to Owen Tudor in 1429. Parliament passed a resolution in 1428 forbidding dowager queens to remarry without the king's permission, so the marriage of Catherine and Owen Tudor may not have been legally valid. Still, they were communicants, and kept a chaplain. Henry VI in due time gave his two oldest Tudor half-brothers the rank of Earl though, as a signal recognition of their rank, they ranked above Marquesses and immediately below non-royal Dukes. Henry VI also issued an edict that the legitimisation of his two Tudor half-brothers was unnecessary. Henry VI knighted his stepfather Owen, made him Warden of Forestries, and appointed him a Deputy Lord Lieutenant. Prior to his creation as a Knight Bachelor, Owen, though excused from duty, was appointed an Esquire to the King's Person. Ironically, many years later, in order that he could command Henry VI's forces at Mortimer's Cross, Owen was made a Knight Banneret.
Owen Tudor had at least one illegitimate child:
After Queen Catherine's death, Owen Tudor was imprisoned at Newgate Prison
, but later released.
(1455–1487) between the House of Lancaster
and the House of York
.
On 2 February 1461, as a man of advanced years, Owen led the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross
against Edward, Earl of March
. They were defeated. Owen was subsequently executed, beheaded
at Hereford
along with other prisoners, and buried there. He is said to have expected a reprieve because of his relationship with the former royal family. Owen reportedly was not convinced of his approaching death until the collar
was ripped off his doublet
by the executioner
. At this point he is alleged to have said that "the head
which used to lie in Queen Catherine's lap would now lie in the executioner's basket
".
, founding the Tudor dynasty
, when his supporters defeated those of Richard III
at Bosworth Field in 1485. While the Wars of the Roses
effectively ended at Tewkesbury
in 1471, Richard III's alleged murder of the Princes in the Tower
, coupled with his invalidation by Act of Parliament, subsequently repealed, of the marriage of Edward IV to Elizabeth Woodville
caused the English people to rally behind the last reasonably legitimate British adult male descendant of Edward III, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond.
Sir Owen's descendants include Charles I of England
and Oliver Cromwell
; King Juan Carlos of Spain and Elizabeth II
, the current Queen regnant
of the United Kingdom and of 15 other independent states.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
soldier and courtier, descended from a daughter of the Welsh prince Rhys ap Gruffudd, "Lord Rhys". However, Owen Tudor is particularly remembered for his role in founding England's Tudor dynasty
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
– including his relationship with, and probable secret marriage to, Catherine of Valois
Catherine of Valois
Catherine of France was the Queen consort of England from 1420 until 1422. She was the daughter of King Charles VI of France, wife of Henry V of Monmouth, King of England, mother of Henry VI, King of England and King of France, and through her secret marriage with Owen Tudor, the grandmother of...
, widow of King Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
.
Early life
Owen's father Maredudd ap TudurMaredudd ap Tudur
Maredydd ap Tudur was a Welsh soldier and nobleman from the Tudor family of Penmynydd and Owen Tudor's father. He supported the 1400 Welsh uprising of his first cousin Owain Glyndwr....
(English:Meredith) had been (together with his two brothers Rhys and Gwilym) stalwarts of Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
's uprising of 1400. When that uprising ebbed away Maredudd lost most of his land to the English Crown. His saw his chance to better his position in society by moving to London and changing his son's name from Owain ap Maredydd to Owain Tudor. This is one of the first instances where a surname is used by Welshmen. Had he taken his father's name (rather than his grandfather) the royal English Dynasty that ruled England for the next hundred years would have been called The Meredith Dynasty.
In London, Owen (or Owain) became the ward of his father's second cousin, Lord Rhys. At the age of seven he was sent to the English court of Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
as page to the King's Steward. He went on to fight for the English at Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
in 1415, and appears to have been promoted to squire for his efforts. After Agincourt he was granted "English rights" and permitted to use Welsh arms in England. (King Henry IV had deprived Welshmen of many civil rights).
Ancestry
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...
(1132–1197) via the lineages that follow:
Rhys had a daughter, Gwenllian ferch (daughter of) Rhys, who was married to Ednyfed Fychan
Ednyfed Fychan
Ednyfed Fychan , full name Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig, was a Welsh warrior who became seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in Northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn...
, Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of the Kingdom 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...
(d. 1246).
Ednyfed Fychan
Ednyfed Fychan
Ednyfed Fychan , full name Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig, was a Welsh warrior who became seneschal to the Kingdom of Gwynedd in Northern Wales, serving Llywelyn the Great and his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn...
and Gwenllian ferch Rhys were the parents of Goronwy, Lord of Tref-gastell (d. 1268). Goronwy was married to Morfydd ferch Meurig, daughter of Meurig of Gwent. (Meurig was the son of Ithel, grandson of Rhydd and great-grandson of Iestyn ap Gwrgant
Iestyn ap Gwrgant
Iestyn ap Gwrgant was the last ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Morgannwg, which encompassed the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire .- Lineage :...
. Iestyn had been the last King of Gwent (reigned 1081–1091) before its conquest by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
.)
Goronwy and Morfydd were parents of Tudur Hen
Tudur Hen
Tudur Hen or Tudur ap Goronwy was a Welsh aristocrat and a member of the Tudor family of Penmynydd, Anglesey, North Wales. His father Goronwy ab Ednyfed was seneschal to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Kingdom of Gwynedd between 1246 and 1256...
, Lord of Penmynydd
Penmynydd
Penmynydd is a village on Anglesey situated on a slight hill on the B5420 road between Menai Bridge and Llangefni, at...
(d. 1311). Tudur Hen later married Angharad ferch Ithel Fychan, daughter of Ithel Fychan ap Ithel Gan, Lord of Englefield
Englefield
-Geography:In England:* Englefield, a village in the county of Berkshire, England.* Englefield Green, a village in the county of Surrey, England.In Wales:* Englefield, an alternative name for the Cantref of Tegeingl in north Wales.-People:...
. They were the parents of Goronwy ap Tudur, Lord of Penmynydd
Penmynydd
Penmynydd is a village on Anglesey situated on a slight hill on the B5420 road between Menai Bridge and Llangefni, at...
(d. 1331).
Goronwy ap Tudur was married to Gwerfyl ferch Madog, daughter of Madog ap Dafydd, Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of Hendwr. They were the parents of Tudur Fychan, Lord of Penmynydd (d. 1367).
Tudur Fychan married Margaret ferch Thomas of Is Coeod, who's direct ancestor was Anghard ferch Llewellyn, daughter of Llewellyn the Great. (Margaret was the daughter of Thomas ap Llewelyn, Lord of Is Coed, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
, and his wife Eleanor ferch Philip. Margaret's sister Ellen ferch Thomas was the mother of Owain Glendoŵr (the last native "Prince of Wales"). Her sister Eleanor ferch Thomas was the ancestor of the Newport family and the Earl of Bradford and the Lingen family and Baron Lingen of Lingen. Margaret's paternal grandfather was Llewelyn ab Owain, Lord of Gwynnionydd. Her maternal grandfather was Philip ab Ifor, Lord of Is Coed.)(ref Visitation of Shropshire 1623,R Tresswell. Somerset Herald)
Tudur and Margaret were parents to
Maredudd ap Tudur
Maredudd ap Tudur
Maredydd ap Tudur was a Welsh soldier and nobleman from the Tudor family of Penmynydd and Owen Tudor's father. He supported the 1400 Welsh uprising of his first cousin Owain Glyndwr....
(died 1406); Maredudd married Margaret ferch Dafydd. (Margaret was the daughter of Dafydd Fychan, Lord of Anglesey, and his wife, Nest ferch Ieuan.)
Maredudd ap Tudur and Margaret ferch Dafydd were the parents of Owen Tudor.
There is little doubt that Owen was of gentle birth. Queen Catherine, upon being denied permission by her son's regents to wed John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, allegedly said upon leaving court, "I shall marry a man so basely, yet gently born, that my lord regents may not object." (The objection to Somerset was that he was a second cousin of Henry V through the legitimised Beaufort line sired by John of Gaunt).
Catherine of Valois
Owen entered the service of Queen Catherine of ValoisCatherine of Valois
Catherine of France was the Queen consort of England from 1420 until 1422. She was the daughter of King Charles VI of France, wife of Henry V of Monmouth, King of England, mother of Henry VI, King of England and King of France, and through her secret marriage with Owen Tudor, the grandmother of...
as keeper of the Queen's wardrobe, (essentially her major-domo) after the death of her husband Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
on 22 August 1422. The Queen initially lived with her infant son, King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, before moving to Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle was a major medieval castle situated in Wallingford in the English county of Oxfordshire , adjacent to the River Thames...
early in his reign and taking Tudor with her. Catherine left court when her son's regents, John of Bedford and Humphrey of Gloucester (brothers of Henry V) denied her permission to marry John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset and scion of a legitimised Plantagenet line. Ironically, Somerset became Henry VII's other grandfather. No documentation survives of her marriage to Owen Tudor in 1429. Parliament passed a resolution in 1428 forbidding dowager queens to remarry without the king's permission, so the marriage of Catherine and Owen Tudor may not have been legally valid. Still, they were communicants, and kept a chaplain. Henry VI in due time gave his two oldest Tudor half-brothers the rank of Earl though, as a signal recognition of their rank, they ranked above Marquesses and immediately below non-royal Dukes. Henry VI also issued an edict that the legitimisation of his two Tudor half-brothers was unnecessary. Henry VI knighted his stepfather Owen, made him Warden of Forestries, and appointed him a Deputy Lord Lieutenant. Prior to his creation as a Knight Bachelor, Owen, though excused from duty, was appointed an Esquire to the King's Person. Ironically, many years later, in order that he could command Henry VI's forces at Mortimer's Cross, Owen was made a Knight Banneret.
Children
Owen and Catherine had at least six children:- Thomas Tudor (6 November 1429 – Westminster Abbey, London, 1501, buried there). He became a MonkMonkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
at Westminster Abbey. Known as Edward Bridgewater while a Monk. - Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of RichmondEdmund Tudor, 1st Earl of RichmondEdmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond , also known as Edmund of Hadham , was the father of King Henry VII of England and a member of the Tudor family of Penmynydd, North Wales.-Birth and early life:...
(1430 – 1 November 1456). He married Lady Margaret Beaufort, and fathered Henry Tudor, the future king. He died shortly before his son's birth. - Jasper Tudor, 1st Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford (1431 – 21/26 December 1495). He married Catherine Woodville, daughter to Richard Woodville, 1st Earl RiversRichard Woodville, 1st Earl RiversRichard Woodville , 1st Earl Rivers, KG was an English nobleman, best remembered as the father of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV....
and Jacquetta of LuxembourgJacquetta of LuxembourgJacquetta of Luxembourg was the elder daughter of Peter I, Count of St Pol, Conversano and Brienne and his wife Margaret de Baux...
. Interestingly, Jasper married Catherine, the sister-in-law of Edward IV, in 1485, immediately after Henry VII married her niece Elizabeth of York, several months after Bosworth Field. Jasper had no legitimate children but did have two illegitimate children. One was Joan Tudor, an ancestor of Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver 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....
. - Owen Tudor (1432–1510). He became a Monk at Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. - Tacinda Tudor (b. 1433). She married Reginald Grey, Baron Grey of Wilton (1420/1421 – 22 February 1494), and had issue.
- (Daughter) Tudor (b. c. 1435). She became a NunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. Only shown in Europäisch Stammtafeln Band II tafel 63. - Margaret (Catherine) Tudor (b. Abbey of St Saviour, Bermondsey, London, January 1437). Died there shortly after birth.
Owen Tudor had at least one illegitimate child:
- Sir David Owen (1459–1528), knighted in 1485 by his nephew, King Henry VII, at Milford HavenMilford HavenMilford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
. He married firstly Anne Blount, daughter of William Blount, and secondly before 1488 Mary (de) Bohun (born 1459), daughter of Sir John (de) Bohun, of MidhurstMidhurstMidhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
and Anne Arden, and had:- Sir Henry Owen, who married and had:
- David Owen
- Jasper Owen
- Roger Owen
- Anne Owen, married Sir Arthur Hopton
- Sir Henry Owen, who married and had:
After Queen Catherine's death, Owen Tudor was imprisoned at Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
, but later released.
Participation in the Wars of the Roses
Owen Tudor became an early casualty of the Wars of the RosesWars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
(1455–1487) between the House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
and the House of York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
.
On 2 February 1461, as a man of advanced years, Owen led the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross
Battle of Mortimer's Cross
The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was fought on 2 February 1461 near Wigmore, Herefordshire . It was part of the Wars of the Roses....
against Edward, Earl of March
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. They were defeated. Owen was subsequently executed, beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
at Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
along with other prisoners, and buried there. He is said to have expected a reprieve because of his relationship with the former royal family. Owen reportedly was not convinced of his approaching death until the collar
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
was ripped off his doublet
Doublet
Doublet may refer to:*Doublet , a man's snug-fitting buttoned jacket that was worn from the late 14th century to the mid 17th century*Doublet , an assembled gem composed in two sections, such as a garnet overlaying green glass...
by the executioner
Executioner
A judicial executioner is a person who carries out a death sentence ordered by the state or other legal authority, which was known in feudal terminology as high justice.-Scope and job:...
. At this point he is alleged to have said that "the head
Human head
In human anatomy, the head is the upper portion of the human body. It supports the face and is maintained by the skull, which itself encloses the brain.-Cultural importance:...
which used to lie in Queen Catherine's lap would now lie in the executioner's basket
Basket
A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibres, which can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehair, baleen, or metal wire can be used. Baskets are...
".
Descendants
Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, Owen Tudor's Welsh grandson, became King Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
, founding the Tudor dynasty
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
, when his supporters defeated those of Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
at Bosworth Field in 1485. While the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
effectively ended at Tewkesbury
Battle of Tewkesbury
The Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on 4 May 1471, was one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses. The forces loyal to the House of Lancaster were completely defeated by those of the rival House of York under their monarch, King Edward IV...
in 1471, Richard III's alleged murder of the Princes in the Tower
Princes in the Tower
The Princes in the Tower is a term which refers to Edward V of England and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York. The two brothers were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville alive at the time of their father's death...
, coupled with his invalidation by Act of Parliament, subsequently repealed, of the marriage of Edward IV to Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
caused the English people to rally behind the last reasonably legitimate British adult male descendant of Edward III, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond.
Sir Owen's descendants include Charles I of England
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...
and 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....
; King Juan Carlos of Spain and Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, the current Queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of the United Kingdom and of 15 other independent states.