Treaty of Gwerneigron
Encyclopedia
Treaty of Gwerneigron was a peace treaty signed by Henry III
, king of England and Dafydd ap Llywelyn
, prince of Wales
of the House of Gwynedd
, on 29 August 1241. The treaty brought to an end Henry's invasion of Wales begun earlier that month.
In it, and the Treaty of London which followed in October, Dafydd agreed to cede large parts of modern-day Flintshire
to Henry. The treaty also obliged Dafydd to hand over his half-brother, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr, to Henry, who promptly imprisoned him in the Tower of London
. Given that Gruffudd was a rival claimant to Dafydd's princeship, Henry reasoned that Dafydd's authority could be curbed by the ever-present threat that Gruffudd might be released and sent to Wales to undermine Dafydd's position. Dafydd promised his and his own heirs' loyalty to kings of England so that in the event of breach he would forfeit all the remaining lands to the king. The king also became Dafydd's heir in case the latter died without living offspring.
The treaty effectively prevented Dafydd from pressing his rights to the territories controlled by his father Llywelyn until Gruffudd's death during an escape attempt on 1 March 1244, after which Dafydd invaded Flintshire and recovered his lost territory.
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, king of England and Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn was Prince of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. He was for a time recognised as Prince of Wales.- Descent :...
, 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...
of the House of Gwynedd
House of Gwynedd
The House of Gwynedd is the name given to the old royal house of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. Technically it is divided between the earlier House of Cunedda which lasted from c.420-825 and the later House of Aberffraw beginning in 844. They are so named after the founding king of Gwynedd; Cunedda, and...
, on 29 August 1241. The treaty brought to an end Henry's invasion of Wales begun earlier that month.
In it, and the Treaty of London which followed in October, Dafydd agreed to cede large parts of modern-day Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
to Henry. The treaty also obliged Dafydd to hand over his half-brother, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr, to Henry, who promptly imprisoned him in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. Given that Gruffudd was a rival claimant to Dafydd's princeship, Henry reasoned that Dafydd's authority could be curbed by the ever-present threat that Gruffudd might be released and sent to Wales to undermine Dafydd's position. Dafydd promised his and his own heirs' loyalty to kings of England so that in the event of breach he would forfeit all the remaining lands to the king. The king also became Dafydd's heir in case the latter died without living offspring.
The treaty effectively prevented Dafydd from pressing his rights to the territories controlled by his father Llywelyn until Gruffudd's death during an escape attempt on 1 March 1244, after which Dafydd invaded Flintshire and recovered his lost territory.