Rhys ap Maredudd
Encyclopedia
Rhys ap Maredudd was a senior member of the Welsh royal house of Deheubarth, a principality of Medieval Wales
. He was the great grandson of The Lord Rhys (d. 1197), prince of south Wales, and the last ruler of a united Deheubarth. He is best known for his leadership of a revolt in south Wales in 1287-88.
Deheubarth having fragmented after the Lord Rhys' death in 1197, Rhys ap Maredudd's father had ruled over a truncated portion of the ancient kingdom. Rhys succeeded his father in 1271 as lord of the region of Deheubarth known as the Cantref Mawr, and considered himself custodian of Dinefwr
, the royal capital of Deheubarth. He ruled the Cantref Mawr
of Deheubarth from 1271, but although his father had done so under the aegis of the prince of Wales
, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Rhys came to no such agreement with the prince, and relations between the two men appear to have been cold. He was among the first Welsh noblemen to submit to the English crown during the Anglo-Welsh war of 1276-77, doing so on the grounds that his claims to the lands of Maenordeilo, Mallaen, Caeo and Mabelfyw, and Dinefwr Castle
- all within Deheubarth, and ruled over by his great-grandfather - would be properly considered. The agreement has since been considered as indicative of Rhys' ambitions to reconstitute Deheubarth as a unified kingdom within the principality of Wales.
He continued to exercise power in the Cantref Mawr after Llywelyn's death in 1282, and the execution of the last native prince of Wales, Dafydd ap Gruffudd, the following year. His failure, alone of all the noblemen of Deheubarth, to adhere to Llywelyn and Dafydd's cause in the war of 1282-3 led to king Edward I of England bestowing additional lands on Rhys for his allegiance to the English crown. Edward, however, refused to deliver to Rhys the long sought-after castle at Dinefwr. This state of affairs led Rhys to make Dryslwyn castle his main residence, and it seems likely that he embarked on a substantial building programme there in the late 1270s and early 1280s.
Rhys endeavoured to remain loyal to the English crown in the hope he may be restored to more of his former patrimony, but no such offers were forthcoming from the king - instead, Edward forced Rhys to quitclaim the castle to him in October 1283. In 1287 he rebelled and led the capture of most of Ystrad Tywi
, the heartland of Deheubarth, including the castles at Dinefwr and Carreg Cennen
. Though the revolt was quelled by the autumn, it broke out again in November, and was only brought to a conclusion after a ten-day siege of Rhys' final stronghold, the castle at Newcastle Emlyn
, in January 1288.
After Newcastle Emlyn's fall Rhys went into hiding; one tradition has him fleeing to Ireland, but this remains unsubstantiated. He was eventually captured in 1291 and executed for treason
at York
in 1292. His son, also named Rhys, was arrested after his execution, and was imprisoned, firstly in Bristol Castle
and then in Norwich
; he was still alive in 1340. Late genealogical sources also give a daughter, Morfudd, and an individual occurring in 1289, Maredudd ap Richard [sic] ap Maredudd, may also have been his son.
The next Welshman to lead a revolt against the English crown was Madog ap Llywelyn
in Gwynedd.
Medieval Wales
Medieval Wales may refer to:*Wales in the Early Middle Ages*Wales in the High Middle Ages*Wales in the Late Middle Ages-See also:*Medieval Britain *Kingdom of Cornwall...
. He was the great grandson of The Lord Rhys (d. 1197), prince of south Wales, and the last ruler of a united Deheubarth. He is best known for his leadership of a revolt in south Wales in 1287-88.
Deheubarth having fragmented after the Lord Rhys' death in 1197, Rhys ap Maredudd's father had ruled over a truncated portion of the ancient kingdom. Rhys succeeded his father in 1271 as lord of the region of Deheubarth known as the Cantref Mawr, and considered himself custodian of Dinefwr
Dinefwr
Dinefwr was a local government district of Dyfed, Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was named after Dinefwr Castle which was the royal capital of the Principality of Deheubarth and one of the three principal royal courts of Wales....
, the royal capital of Deheubarth. He ruled the Cantref Mawr
Cantref Mawr
Cantref Mawr was a cantref in south-west Wales. It was of strategic importance in medieval Wales as the location of the main seat of the princes of Deheubarth at Dinefwr....
of Deheubarth from 1271, but although his father had done so under the aegis of the 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...
, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Rhys came to no such agreement with the prince, and relations between the two men appear to have been cold. He was among the first Welsh noblemen to submit to the English crown during the Anglo-Welsh war of 1276-77, doing so on the grounds that his claims to the lands of Maenordeilo, Mallaen, Caeo and Mabelfyw, and Dinefwr Castle
Dinefwr Castle
Dinefwr Castle is a Welsh castle overlooking the River Tywi near the town of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It lies on a ridge on the northern bank of the Tywi, with a steep drop of several hundred feet to the river. Dinefwr was the chief seat of the Principality of Deheubarth...
- all within Deheubarth, and ruled over by his great-grandfather - would be properly considered. The agreement has since been considered as indicative of Rhys' ambitions to reconstitute Deheubarth as a unified kingdom within the principality of Wales.
He continued to exercise power in the Cantref Mawr after Llywelyn's death in 1282, and the execution of the last native prince of Wales, Dafydd ap Gruffudd, the following year. His failure, alone of all the noblemen of Deheubarth, to adhere to Llywelyn and Dafydd's cause in the war of 1282-3 led to king Edward I of England bestowing additional lands on Rhys for his allegiance to the English crown. Edward, however, refused to deliver to Rhys the long sought-after castle at Dinefwr. This state of affairs led Rhys to make Dryslwyn castle his main residence, and it seems likely that he embarked on a substantial building programme there in the late 1270s and early 1280s.
Rhys endeavoured to remain loyal to the English crown in the hope he may be restored to more of his former patrimony, but no such offers were forthcoming from the king - instead, Edward forced Rhys to quitclaim the castle to him in October 1283. In 1287 he rebelled and led the capture of most of Ystrad Tywi
Ystrad Tywi
Ystrad Tywi is an area of south-west Wales situated on the banks of the Tywi river as it approaches the sea to join the Bristol Channel at Carmarthen...
, the heartland of Deheubarth, including the castles at Dinefwr and Carreg Cennen
Carreg Cennen
Castell Carreg Cennen is a castle near the River Cennen , in the village of Trapp, four miles south of Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The castle's location has been described as spectacular, due to its position above a limestone precipice.- Description :Carreg Cennen Castle consists of a...
. Though the revolt was quelled by the autumn, it broke out again in November, and was only brought to a conclusion after a ten-day siege of Rhys' final stronghold, the castle at Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn is a town straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in west Wales and lying on the River Teifi.Adpar is the part of the town that lies on the Ceredigion side of the River Teifi...
, in January 1288.
After Newcastle Emlyn's fall Rhys went into hiding; one tradition has him fleeing to Ireland, but this remains unsubstantiated. He was eventually captured in 1291 and 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...
at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in 1292. His son, also named Rhys, was arrested after his execution, and was imprisoned, firstly in 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:...
and then in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
; he was still alive in 1340. Late genealogical sources also give a daughter, Morfudd, and an individual occurring in 1289, Maredudd ap Richard [sic] ap Maredudd, may also have been his son.
The next Welshman to lead a revolt against the English crown was Madog ap Llywelyn
Madog ap Llywelyn
Madog ap Llywelyn, or Prince Madoc, was from a junior branch of the House of Aberffraw and a distant relation of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last recognised native Prince of Wales.-Lineage:...
in Gwynedd.