Notes:

Owain Gwynedd
Prince of Gwynedd
King of All Wales
Predecessor Gruffudd ap Cynan
Successor Rhys ap Gruffydd
King of Gwynedd
Reign 1137-1170
Predecessor Gruffudd ap Cynan
Successor Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
Born c. 1100
Gwynedd, Wales?
Died 23 or 28 November 1170 (aged 69–70)
Burial Bangor Cathedral
Spouse Gwladus ferch Llywarch, Cristin ferch
Goronwy
Issue Rhun ab Owain Gwynedd
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
Iorwerth "Drwyndwn" ab
Owain Gwynedd
Maelgwn ab Owain Gwynedd
Gwenllian ferch Owain
Gwynedd
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd
Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd
Angharad ferch Owain
Gwynedd
Margaret ferch Owain
Gwynedd
Iefan ferch Owain Gwynedd
Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd
Rhirid ab Owain Gwynedd
Rhirid ab Owain Gwynedd
Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd
Cynwrig ab Owain Gwynedd
Gwenllian ferch Owain
Gwynedd
Einion ab Owain Gwynedd
Iago ab Owain Gwynedd
Ffilip ab Owain Gwynedd
Cadell ab Owain Gwynedd
Rotpert ab Owain Gwynedd
Idwal ab Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Owain ap Gruffudd (c. 1100 – 23 or 28 November 1170)
was King of Gwynedd, North Wales, from 1137 until his
death in 1170, succeeding his father Gruffudd ap Cynan. He
was called "Owain the Great" (Welsh: Owain Mawr) [1] and
the first to be styled "Prince of Wales".[2] He is considered to
be the most successful of all the North Welsh princes prior to
his grandson, Llywelyn the Great. He became known as
Owain Gwynedd (Middle Welsh: Owain Gwyned, "Owain
of Gwynedd") to distinguish him from the contemporary
king of Powys Wenwynwyn, Owain ap Gruffydd ap
Maredudd, who became known as Owain Cyfeiliog.[3]
Contents
1 Early life
2 Accession to the throne and early campaigns
3 War with King Henry II
4 Disputes with the church and succession
5 Heirs and successors
6 Ancestry
7 Fiction
8 Titles
9 References
9.1 Sources
Early life
Owain Gwynedd was a member of the House of Aberffraw,
the senior branch of the dynasty of Rhodri the Great. His
father, Gruffudd ap Cynan, was a strong and long-lived ruler
who had made the principality of Gwynedd the most
influential in Wales during the sixty-two years of his reign,
using the island of Anglesey as his power base. His mother,
Angharad ferch Owain, was the daughter of Owain ab Edwin
of Tegeingl. Owain Gwynedd was the second son of
Gruffydd and Angharad. His elder brother, Cadwallon, was
killed in fighting in Powys in 1132.
Owain is thought to have been born on Anglesey about the
year 1100. By about 1120 Gruffydd had grown too old to
lead his forces in battle and Owain and his brothers
Cadwallon and later Cadwaladr led the forces of Gwynedd
against the Normans and against other Welsh princes with
great success. His elder brother Cadwallon was killed in a
battle against the forces of Powys in 1132, leaving Owain as
his father's heir. Owain and Cadwaladr, in alliance with
House Aberffraw
Father Gruffudd ap Cynan
Mother Angharad ferch Owain
Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, won a major victory over
the Normans at Crug Mawr near Cardigan in 1136 and
annexed Ceredigion to their father's realm.
Accession to the throne and early
campaigns
On Gruffydd's death in 1137, therefore, Owain inherited a portion of a well-established kingdom, but had to
share it with Cadwaladr. In 1143 Cadwaladr was implicated in the murder of Anarawd ap Gruffydd of
Deheubarth, and Owain responded by sending his son Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd to strip him of his lands in
the north of Ceredigion. Though Owain was later reconciled with Cadwaladr, from 1143, Owain ruled alone
over most of north Wales. In 1155 Cadwaladr was driven into exile.
Owain took advantage of the Anarchy, a civil war between Stephen, King of England, and the Empress
Matilda, to push Gwynedd's boundaries further east than ever before.[4] In 1146 he captured Mold Castle and
about 1150 captured Rhuddlan and encroached on the borders of Powys. The prince of Powys, Madog ap
Maredudd, with assistance from Earl Ranulf of Chester, gave battle at Coleshill, but Owain was victorious.
War with King Henry II
All went well until the accession of King Henry II of England in 1154. Henry invaded Gwynedd in 1157 with
the support of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys and Owain's brother Cadwaladr. The invasion met with mixed
fortunes. Henry's forces ravaged eastern Gwynedd and destroyed many churches thus enraging the local
population. The two armies met at Ewloe. Owain's men ambushed the royal army in a narrow, wooded valley,
routing it completely with King Henry himself narrowly avoiding capture.[5] The fleet accompanying the
invasion made a landing on Anglesey where it was defeated. Ultimately, at the end of the campaign, Owain was
forced to come to terms with Henry, being obliged to surrender Rhuddlan and other conquests in the east.
Forty years after these events, the scholar, Gerald of Wales, in a rare quote from these times, wrote what Owain
Gwynedd said to his troops on the eve of battle:
"My opinion, indeed, by no means agrees with yours, for we ought to rejoice at this conduct of our
adversary; for, unless supported by divine assistance, we are far inferior to the English; and they,
by their behaviour, have made God their enemy, who is able most powerfully to avenge both
himself and us. We therefore most devoutly promise God that we will henceforth pay greater
reverence than ever to churches and holy places."[5]
Madog ap Maredudd died in 1160, enabling Owain to regain territory in the east. In 1163 he formed an alliance
with Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth to challenge English rule. King Henry again invaded Gwynedd in 1165,
but instead of taking the usual route along the northern coastal plain, the king's army invaded from Oswestry
and took a route over the Berwyn hills. The invasion was met by an alliance of all the Welsh princes, with
Owain as the undisputed leader. However, apart from a small melee at the Battle of Crogen there was little
fighting, for the Welsh weather came to Owain's assistance as torrential rain forced Henry to retreat in disorder.
The infuriated Henry mutilated a number of Welsh hostages, including two of Owain's sons.
Henry did not invade Gwynedd again and Owain was able to regain his eastern conquests, recapturing
Rhuddlan castle in 1167 after a siege of three months.
Disputes with the church and succession
There is no evidence
Owain used a coat of
arms during his life, but
later antiquarians
retroactively attributed to
Owain Gwynedd the
blazon: Vert, three eagles
displayed in fess Or.
The last years of Owain's life were spent in disputes with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, over
the appointment of a new Bishop of Bangor. When the see became vacant Owain had his nominee, Arthur of
Bardsey, elected. The archbishop refused to accept this, so Owain had Arthur consecrated in Ireland. The
dispute continued, and the see remained officially vacant until well after Owain's death. He was also put under
pressure by the Archbishop and the Pope to put aside his second wife, Cristin, who was his first cousin, this
relationship making the marriage invalid under church law. Despite being excommunicated for his defiance,
Owain steadfastly refused to put Cristin aside. Owain died in 1170, and despite having been excommunicated
was buried in Bangor Cathedral by the local clergy. The annalist writing Brut y Tywysogion recorded his death
"after innumerable victories, and unconquered from his youth".
He is believed to have commissionedThe Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan, an account of his father's life. Following
his death, civil war broke out between his sons. Owain was married twice, first to Gwladus ferch Llywarch ap
Trahaearn, by whom he had two sons, Maelgwn ab Owain Gwynedd and Iorwerth Drwyndwn, the father of
Llywelyn the Great, then to Cristin, by whom he had three sons including Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd and
Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd. He also had a number of illegitimate sons, who by Welsh law had an equal claim
on the inheritance if acknowledged by their father.
Heirs and successors
Owain had originally designated Rhun ab Owain Gwynedd as his successor. Rhun
was Owain's favourite son, and his premature death in 1146 plunged his father into
a deep melancholy, from which he was only roused by the news that his forces had
captured Mold castle. Owain then designated Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd as his
successor, but after his death Hywel was first driven to seek refuge in Ireland by
Cristina's sons, Dafydd and Rhodri, then killed at the battle of Pentraeth when he
returned with an Irish army. Dafydd and Rhodri split Gwynedd between them, but
a generation passed before Gwynedd was restored to its former glory under
Owain's grandson Llywelyn the Great.
According to legend, one of Owain's sons was Prince Madoc, who is popularly
supposed to have fled across the Atlantic and colonised America.
Altogether, the prolific Owain Gwynedd is said to have had the following children
from two wives and at least four mistresses:
Rhun ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate in Catholic custom, but legitimate
successor in Welsh law)
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate in Catholic custom, but legitimate
successor in Welsh law)
Iorwerth ab Owain Gwynedd (the "flat nose", also called Edward in some sources, from first wife
Gwladys (Gladys) ferch Llywarch)
Maelgwn ab Owain Gwynedd,(from first wife Gwladys (Gladys) ferch Llywarch) Lord of Môn (1169–
1173)
Gwenllian ferch Owain Gwynedd
Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd (from second wife Cristina (Christina) ferch Gronw)
Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd, Lord of Môn (1175–1193) (from second wife Cristina (Christina) ferch
Gronw)
Angharad ferch Owain Gwynedd
Margaret ferch Owain Gwynedd
Iefan ab Owain Gwynedd
Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd, Lord of Meirionnydd (illegitimate)
Rhirid ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate) (speculative/legendary)
Cynwrig ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Gwenllian II ferch Owain Gwynedd (also shared the same name with a sister)
Einion ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Iago ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Ffilip ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Cadell ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Rotpert ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Idwal ab Owain Gwynedd (illegitimate)
Other daughters
Ancestry
16. Idwal ap Meurig ap Idwal Foel
8. Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig
4. Cynan ab Iago
2. Gruffudd ap Cynan
20. Sigtrygg Silkbeard
10. Amlaíb mac Sitriuc
21. Sláine daughter of Brian Boru
5. Ragnhilda of Ireland
1. Owain
Gwynedd
24. Einion ab Owain
12. Edwin ab Einion
6. Owain ab Edwin
3. Angharad ferch Owain
Fiction
Owain is a recurring character in the Brother Cadfael series of novels by Ellis Peters, often referred to, and
appearing in the novels Dead Man's Ransom and The Summer of the Danes. He acts shrewdly to keep Wales's
borders secure, and sometimes to expand them, during the civil war between King Stephen and Matilda, and
sometimes acts as an ally to Cadfael and his friend, Sheriff Hugh Beringar. Cadwaladr also appears in both
these novels as a source of grief for his brother. Owain appears as a minor character in novels of Sharon Kay
Penman concerning Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine (When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and
Chance). Her focus with respect to Owain is on the fluctuating and factious relationship between England and
Wales.
He also appears in the Sarah Woodbury 'Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery Series' of books.
Titles
Owain Gwynedd
House of Aberffraw
Cadet branch of the House of Gwynedd
Born: c. 1100 Died: 23 or 28 November 1 170
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Gruffudd ap Cynan
Prince of Gwynedd
1137–1169
Succeeded by
Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
References
Sources
Lloyd, John Edward (2004). A History of Wales: From the Norman Invasion to the Edwardian Conquest.
Barnes & Noble. ISBN 978-0-7607-5241-8.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Owain_Gwynedd&oldid=786302027"
Categories: House of Aberffraw Monarchs of Gwynedd
People excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church 1100s births 1170 deaths
12th-century Welsh monarchs Welsh princes Welsh people of Irish descent
This page was last edited on 18 June 2017, at 15:41.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may
apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
1. Lloyd 2004, p. 94.
2. Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Baines, Menna; Lynch,
Peredur I., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy
Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales
Press. p. 636. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
3. Lloyd 2004, p. 93.
4. R. R. Davies, Conquest, Coexistence and Change.
4. R. R. Davies, Conquest, Coexistence and Change.
Wales 1063-1415 (Oxford, 1987), p. 229.
5. "Gerald of Wales, Itinirum Cambrae" (http://www.buil
dinghistory.org/primary/gerald2.shtml).
Buildinghistory.org. 2010-03-16. Retrieved
2013-03-01.

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. ap Owain Gwynedd, Iorwerth was born in 1164 in Aberffraw Castle, Aberffraw, Anglesey, Wales; died on 18 Apr 1240 in Aberconwy Abbey, Conwy, Caernarvonshire, Wales.

Notes:

Gruffudd ap Cynan

King of Gwynedd
Reign 1081–1137
Predecessor Trahaearn ap Caradog
Successor Owain Gwynedd
Born c. 1055
Dublin, Ireland
Died 1137
Gwynedd, Wales
Burial Bangor Cathedral
Spouse Angharad ferch Owain
Issue Cadwallon, Owain Gwynedd,
Cadwaladr, Susanna, Gwenllian
House Aberffraw
Father Cynan ab Iago
Mother Ragnailt ingen Amlaíb
Gruffudd ap Cynan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1055 – 1137), sometimes written as
Gruffydd ap Cynan, was King of Gwynedd from 1081 until
his death in 1137. In the course of a long and eventful life, he
became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and
was remembered as King of all Wales. As a descendant of
Rhodri Mawr, Gruffudd ap Cynan was a senior member of
the princely House of Aberffraw.[1]
Through his mother, Gruffudd had close family connections
with the Norse settlement around Dublin and he frequently
used Ireland as a refuge and as a source of troops. He three
times gained the throne of Gwynedd and then lost it again,
before regaining it once more in 1099 and this time keeping
power until his death. Gruffudd laid the foundations which
were built upon by his son Owain Gwynedd and his greatgrandson
Llywelyn the Great.
Contents
1 Life
1.1 Ancestry
1.2 First bid for the throne
1.3 Second bid for the throne and capture by
the Normans
1.4 Escape from captivity and third reign
1.5 King for the fourth time and consolidation
2 Death and succession
3 Children
4 Ancestry
5 References
5.1 Notes
5.2 Citations
5.3 Sources
Life
Unusually for a Welsh king or prince, a near-contemporary
biography of Gruffudd, The history of Gruffudd ap Cynan,
has survived. Much of our knowledge of Gruffudd comes
from this source. The traditional view among scholars was that it was written during the third quarter of the
12th century during the reign of Gruffudd's son, Owain Gwynedd, but it has recently been suggested that it may
date from the early reign of Llywelyn the Great, around 1200. The author is not known.
Most of the existing manuscripts of the history are in Welsh but these are clearly translations of a Latin original.
It is usually considered that the original Latin version has been lost, and that existing Latin versions are retranslations
from the Welsh. However Russell (2006) has suggested that the Latin version in Peniarth MS 434E
incorporates the original Latin version, later amended to bring it into line with the Welsh text.
Coat of Arms retroactively attributed
to Gryffudd ap Cynan
Ancestry
According to the Life of Gruffudd ap Cynan, Gruffudd was born in Dublin and reared near Swords, County
Dublin in Ireland. He was the son of a Welsh Prince, Cynan ap Iago, who was a claimant to the Kingship of
Gwynedd but was probably never king of Gwynedd, though his father, Gruffudd's grandfather, Iago ab Idwal ap
Meurig had ruled Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039. When Gruffudd first appeared on the scene in Wales the Welsh
annals several times refer to him as "grandson of Iago" rather than the more usual "son of Cynan", indicating
that his father was little known in Wales. Cynan ap Iago seems to have died while Gruffudd was still young,
since the History describes his mother telling him who his father was.
According to Historia Gruffud vab Kenan, Gruffudd's mother was Ragnailt ingen Amlaíb, a granddaughter of
King Sigtrygg Silkbeard and a member of the Hiberno-Norse Uí Ímair dynasty.[2] The latter had two sons
named Amlaíb: one died in 1013, whilst another died in 1034. Either man could have been Ragnailt's father.
During his many struggles to gain the kingship of Gwynedd, Gruffudd received considerable aid from Ireland,
from the Hiberno-Norse at Dublin, the Isles and Wexford and from Muircheartach Ua Briain.
First bid for the thr one
Gruffudd first attempted to take over the rule of Gwynedd in 1075, following the death of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn.
Trahaearn ap Caradog had seized control of Gwynedd but had not yet firmly established himself. Gruffudd
landed on Abermenai Point, Anglesey with an Irish force, and with the assistance of troops provided by the
Norman Robert of Rhuddlan first defeated and killed Cynwrig ap Rhiwallon, an ally of Trahaearn who held
Llŷn, then defeated Trahaearn himself in the battle of Gwaed Erw in Meirionnydd and gained control of
Gwynedd.
Gruffudd then led his forces eastwards to reclaim territories taken over by the Normans, and despite the
assistance previously given by Robert of Rhuddlan attacked and destroyed Rhuddlan Castle. However tension
between Gruffudd's Danish-Irish bodyguard and the local Welsh led to a rebellion in Llŷn, and Trahaearn took
the opportunity to counterattack, defeating Gruffudd at the battle of Bron yr Erw above Clynnog Fawr the same
year.
Second bid for the thr one and capture by the Normans
Gruffudd fled to Ireland but, in 1081, returned and made an alliance
with Rhys ap Tewdwr, prince of Deheubarth. Rhys had been attacked by
Caradog ap Gruffudd of Gwent and Morgannwg, and had been forced to
flee to St David's Cathedral. Gruffudd this time embarked from
Waterford with a force composed of Danes and Irish and landed near St
David's, presumably by prior arrangement with Rhys. He was joined
here by a force of his supporters from Gwynedd, and he and Rhys
marched north to seek Trahaearn ap Caradog and Caradog ap Gruffudd
who had themselves made an alliance and been joined by Meilyr ap
Rhiwallon of Powys. The armies of the two confederacies met at the
Battle of Mynydd Carn, with Gruffudd and Rhys victorious and
Trahaearn, Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffudd was thus able
to seize power in Gwynedd for the second time.
He was soon faced with a new enemy, as the Normans were now
encroaching on Gwynedd. Gruffudd had not been king very long when
he was enticed to a meeting with Hugh, Earl of Chester and Hugh, Earl
of Shrewsbury at Rhug, near Corwen. At the meeting Gruffudd was seized and taken prisoner. According to his
biographer this was by the treachery of one of his own men, Meirion Goch. Gruffudd was imprisoned in Earl
Hugh's castle at Chester for many years while Earl Hugh and Robert of Rhuddlan went on to take possession of
Gwynedd, building castles at Bangor, Wales Bangor, Caernarfon and Aberlleiniog.
Escape from captivity and third reign
Gruffudd reappeared on the scene years later, having escaped from captivity. According to his biography he
was in fetters in the market-place at Chester when Cynwrig the Tall, on a visit to the city, saw his opportunity
when the burgesses were at dinner. He picked Gruffudd up, fetters and all, and carried him out of the city on his
shoulders. There is debate among historians as to the year of Gruffudd's escape. Ordericus Vitalis mentions a
"Grifridus" attacking the Normans in 1088. The History in one place states that Gruffudd was imprisoned for
twelve years, in another that he was imprisoned for sixteen years. Since he was captured in 1081, that would
date his release to 1093 or 1097. J.E. Lloyd favours 1093, considering that Gruffudd was involved at the
beginning of the Welsh uprising in 1094. K.L. Maund on the other hand favours 1097, pointing out that there is
no reference to Gruffudd in the contemporary annals until 1098. D. Simon Evans inclines to the view that
Ordericus Vitalis' date of 1088 could be correct, suggesting that an argument based on the silence of the annals
is unsafe.
Gruffudd again took refuge in Ireland but returned to Gwynedd to lead the assaults on Norman castles such as
Aber Lleiniog. The Welsh revolt had begun in 1094 and by late 1095 had spread to many parts of Wales. This
induced William II of England (William Rufus) to intervene, invading northern Wales in 1095. However his
army was unable to bring the Welsh to battle and returned to Chester without having achieved very much. King
William mounted a second invasion in 1097, but again without much success. The History only mentions one
invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffudd did not feature in the resistance to the first invasion. At
this time Cadwgan ap Bleddyn of Powys led the Welsh resistance.
In the summer of 1098, Earl Hugh of Chester joined with Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury in another attempt to
recover his losses in Gwynedd. Gruffudd and his ally Cadwgan ap Bleddyn retreated to Anglesey, but were
then forced to flee to Ireland in a skiff when a fleet he had hired from the Danish settlement in Ireland accepted
a better offer from the Normans and changed sides.
King for the fourth time and consolidation
The situation was changed by the arrival of a Norwegian fleet under the command of King Magnus III of
Norway, also known as Magnus Barefoot, who attacked the Norman forces near the eastern end of the Menai
Straits. Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury was killed by an arrow said to have been shot by Magnus himself. The
Normans were obliged to evacuate Anglesey, and the following year, Gruffudd returned from Ireland to take
possession again, having apparently come to an agreement with Earl Hugh of Chester.
With the death of Hugh of Chester in 1101, Gruffudd was able to consolidate his position in Gwynedd, as much
by diplomacy as by force. He met King Henry I of England who granted him the rule of Llŷn, Eifionydd,
Ardudwy and Arllechwedd, considerably extending his kingdom. By 1114, he had gained enough power to
induce King Henry to invade Gwynedd in a three-pronged attack, one detachment led by King Alexander I of
Scotland. Faced by overwhelming force, Gruffudd was obliged to pay homage to Henry and to pay a heavy
fine, but lost no territory. By about 1118, Gruffudd's advancing years meant that most of the fighting, which
pushed Gwynedd's borders eastward and southwards, was done by his three sons by his wife Angharad,
daughter of Owain ab Edwin of Tegeingl: Cadwallon, Owain Gwynedd and later Cadwaladr. The cantrefs of
Rhos and Rhufoniog were annexed in 1118, Meirionnydd captured from Powys in 1123, and Dyffryn Clwyd in
1124. Another invasion by the king of England in 1121 was a military failure. The king had to come to terms
with Gruffudd and made no further attempt to invade Gwynedd during Gruffudd's reign. The death of
Cadwallon in a battle against the forces of Powys near Llangollen in 1132 checked further expansion for the
time being.
Gruffudd was now powerful enough to ensure that his nominee David the Scot was consecrated as Bishop of
Bangor in 1120. The see had been effectively vacant since Bishop Hervey le Breton had been forced to flee by
the Welsh almost twenty years before, since Gruffudd and King Henry could not agree on a candidate. David
went on to rebuild Bangor Cathedral with a large financial contribution from Gruffudd.
Gruffudd was buried in Bangor
Cathedral
Owain and Cadwaladr, in alliance with Gruffudd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, gained a crushing victory over the
Normans at Crug Mawr near Cardigan in 1136 and took possession of Ceredigion. The latter part of Gruffydd's
reign was considered to be a "Golden Age"; according to the Life of Gruffudd ap Cynan Gwynedd was
"bespangled with lime-washed churches like the stars in the firmament".
Death and succession
Gruffudd died in his bed, old and blind, in 1137 and was mourned by the
annalist of Brut y Tywysogion as the "head and king and defender and
pacifier of all Wales". He was buried by the high altar in Bangor Cathedral
which he had been involved in rebuilding. He also made bequests to many
other churches, including one to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin where he
had worshipped as a boy. He was succeeded as king of Gwynedd by his son
Owain Gwynedd. His daughter Gwenllian, who married Gruffudd ap Rhys
of Deheubarth, son of his old ally Rhys ap Tewdwr, is also notable for her
resistance to English rule.
Children
The family line of Cynan shows he had many children by several different women.[3] With wife Angharad
(daughter of Owain ab Edwin) he had:[4]
Owain Gwynedd (Owain ap Gruffudd),[1] married (1) Gwladus (Gladys) ferch Llywarch, daughter of
Llywarch ap Trahaearn (2) Cristin ferch Goronwy, daughter of Goronwy ab Owain
Cadwaladr ap Gruffudd, married Alice de Clare, daughter of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare
Cadwallon ap Gruffudd[5]
Mareda
Susanna, married Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys
Ranulht
Agnes
Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, married Gruffudd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth
Ancestry
Ancestors of Gruffudd ap Cynan
16. Meurig ap Idwal Foel
8. Idwal ap Meurig
4. Iago ab Idwal
2. Cynan ab Iago
1. Gruffudd ap Cynan
24. Amlaíb Cuarán
12. Sigtrygg Silkbeard
6. Amlaíb
3. Ragnailt
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
Llwyd, Humphrey (2002). Cronica Walliae. University of Wales Press. ISBN 978-0-7083-1638-2.
Lloyd, John Edward (2004). A History of Wales: From the Norman Invasion to the Edwardian Conquest.
Banes & Noble. ISBN 978-0-7607-5241-8.
R.R. Davies (1991). The age of conquest: Wales 1063–1415. O.U.P. ISBN 0-19-820198-2.
Simon Evans (1990). A Mediaeval Prince of Wales: the Life of Gruffudd Ap Cynan. Llanerch Enterprises.
ISBN 0-947992-58-8.
Hudson, Benjamin T. (2005). Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the
North Atlantic (Illustrated ed.). United States: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195162374, ISBN 978-0-
19-516237-0.
Arthur Jones (1910). The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan: the Welsh text with translation, introduction and
notes. Manchester University Press.. Translation online at The Celtic Literature Collective
K.L. Maund (ed) (1996). Gruffudd ap Cynan: a collaborative biography. Boydell Press. ISBN 0-85115-
389-5.
Kari Maund (ed) (2006). The Welsh kings:warriors, warlords and princes. Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-2973-
6.
Paul Russell (ed) (2006). Vita Griffini Filii Conani: The Medieval Latin Life of Gruffudd Ap Cynan.
University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1893-2.
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis
Weis, Lines: 176B-26, 239–5
Gruffudd ap Cynan
House of Aberffraw
Cadet branch of the House of Gwynedd
Born: c. 1055 Died: 11 April 1137
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Trahaearn ap Caradog
King of Gwynedd
1081–1137
Succeeded by
Owain Gwynedd
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gruffudd_ap_Cynan&oldid=786425342"
Categories: 1050s births 1137 deaths Monarchs of Gwynedd House of Aberffraw Uí Ímair
British people of Scandinavian descent 11th-century Welsh monarchs 12th-century Welsh monarchs
People from Dublin (city) Norse-Gaelic monarchs Welsh people of Irish descent
This page was last edited on 19 June 2017, at 11:43.
1. Lloyd 2004, p. 93.
2. Hudson, p 83
3. Llwyd 2002, p. 151.
4. Lloyd 2004, p. 274.
5. Lloyd 2004, p. 78.
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apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Gruffydd married verch Owain, Angharad. Angharad was born in UNKNOWN in Gwynedd, Wales; died in 1162 in Wales. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was the wife of Gruffudd ap Cynan, was a daughter of Owain ab Edwin, a chieftain of eastern Gwynedd. She married Gruffudd about 1095, during his early struggle for power, and survived her husband many years, dying in 1162. Their children were Cadwallon (died 1132), Owain (Gwynedd), and Cadwaladr, and five daughters, named Gwenllian, Marared (Margaret), Rainillt, Susanna, and Annest. Of these, Gwenllian married Gruffydd ap Rhys, and Susanna married Madog ap Maredudd.

Angharad is singled out for lavish praise by her husband's biographer, as a handsome blonde, gentle, eloquent, generous, discreet, good to her people and charitable to the poor. Gruffydd left her, in addition to the half of his goods as provided by Welsh law, two shares of land (rhandir) and the profits of the port of Abermenai.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: 9CS6-TP3
• Appointments / Titles: Between 1023 and 1039; King of Gwynedd

Notes:

Cynan ab Iago

King of Gwynedd
Born c. 1014
Died 1063 (aged 48–49)
Spouse Ragnaillt of Dublin
Issue Gruffudd ap Cynan
House House of Aberffraw
Father Iago ap Idwal ap Meurig

Cynan ab Iago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cynan ab Iago (c. 1014 – c. 1063) was a Welsh prince of the House of Aberffraw sometimes credited with briefly reigning as King of Gwynedd. His father, Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig, had been king before him and his son, Gruffudd, was king after him.

Iago was King of Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039 but was
killed (possibly by his own men) while Cynan was still
young. The throne was seized by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, a
member of a cadet branch of the royal dynasty. Cynan fled to
Ireland and took refuge in the Viking settlement at Dublin.
He married Ragnhilda, the daughter of its King Olaf
Sigtryggsson and granddaughter of King Sigtrygg Silkbeard.
Ragnhilda appeared on the list of the "Fair Women of Ireland" in the Book of Leinster and was also descended
from Brian Boru.
Cynan may have died fairly soon after the birth of their son Gruffudd, as the 13th-century History of Gruffydd
ap Cynan details Cynan's ancestry but omits him from its account of Gruffudd's youth. Instead, Gruffudd's
mother tells him about his father and the patrimony he should claim across the sea.[1] Following two major
Saxon invasions under Harold and Tostig Godwinson, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was killed in 1063: the later
Welsh Brut y Tywysogion reported he was done in by his own men, while the Ulster Chronicle stated he was
killed by Cynan ab Iago. This may account for later records in Gwynedd calling Cynan a king or, alternatively,
it may simply have been an honorary title on account of his family. If Cynan ruled, it was very briefly, for
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was installed by the Saxons the same year.

Children
Gruffudd

References
1. History of Gruffydd ap Cynan (http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/gruffydd.html), 13th c. Accessed 6 Feb 2013.
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis
Weis, Line 239-4

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cynan_ab_Iago&oldid=726436955"
Categories: Welsh princes 1063 deaths House of Aberffraw Monarchs of Gwynedd 1014 births
11th-century Welsh monarchs
This page was last edited on 22 June 2016, at 04:53.
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Cynan married ingen Amlaíb, Ragnailt in 1054 in Caernarvonshire, Wales. Ragnailt (daughter of mac Sitriuc, Amlaíb) was born in 1015 in Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; died in DECEASED in Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to the 17th century Annals of the Four Masters, Amlaíb mac Sitriuc "was slain by the Saxons" on his way on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1034.[13] He was survived by one Ragnhild, who was the mother of Gruffudd ap Cynan, from whom the Kings of Gwynedd were descended.[1] Per Wikipedia.org

Iago married verch Gwair, Afandreg. Afandreg was born in 984 in Malltraeth, Anglesey, Wales; died in 1060 in Malltraeth, Anglesey, Wales. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Appointments / Titles: Queen of Gwynedd

Notes:

Amlaíb mac Sitriuc
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amlaíb mac Sitriuc ("Amhlaeibh, son of Sitric") or Olaf Sigtryggsson was the son of Sigtrygg Silkbeard, the
Hiberno-Norse King of Dublin, and Sláine, the daughter of Brian Boru. A member of the Uí Ímair dynasty, his
ancestors also included Amlaíb Cuarán and Gormflaith, who were influential in medieval Ireland. He was
ransomed by the Gaelic lord of Brega and later killed in England by Anglo-Saxons while on his way on
pilgrimage to Rome in 1034. Some of his descendants later became the Kings of Gwynedd in Wales.
Contents
1 Life
1.1 Family
1.2 Politics
2 Footnotes
3 References
Life
Family
Amlaíb was the son of the ruling King of Dublin, Sigtrygg Silkbeard (d. 1042), and his wife Sláine, daughter of
the King of Munster and High King of Ireland, Brian Boru (d. 1014), and his first wife.[1][1][2][3] His paternal
grandfather was Amlaíb Cuarán (d. 981), the powerful King of York and of Dublin.[1] Amlaíb Cuarán's wife
was Gormflaith (d. 1030), a "beautiful, powerful and intriguing Irish woman" who later married Boru at the
same time Sigtrygg married Sláine.[3]
Amlaíb had four half-brothers: Artalach (d. 999),[4] Oleif (d. 1013), Godfrey (d. 1036), Glúniairn (d. 1031).[1]
Oleif was killed in immediate vengeance for the burning of the Norse city of Cork.[5] Glúniairn was killed by
the people of South Brega in 1031.[6] Godfrey was killed in Wales, possibly by a first cousin.[7] Amlaíb was
outlived by his half-sister Cellach, who died in 1042 in the same month as her father.[8]
Politics
In 1027, after the death of Máel Sechlainn in 1022 and the chaos which accompanied the subsequent bids for
the High Kingship by the Irish princes, Sigtrygg Silkbeard was forced to make a new alliance with the men of
Brega.[9] Amlaíb joined Donnchad of Brega in a raid on Staholmock, County Meath.[10] The army of Sigtrygg
and Donnchad was defeated by the men of Meath under their king, Roen Ua Mael Sechlainn.[10][11] Sigtrygg
rallied to the fight again, and fought a battle at Lickblaw where Donnchad and Roen were slain.[10][11]
In 1029, Amlaíb was taken prisoner by the new lord of Brega, Mathghamhain Ua Riagain, who exacted a
ransom of 1200 cows.[2] Further conditions of the agreement necessitated payment of another 140 British
horses, 60 ounces of gold and of silver, "the sword of Carlus", the Irish hostages of Leinster and Leath Cuinn,
"four hostages to Ua Riagain as a security for peace, and the full value of the life of the third hostage."[2]
Added to the total, 80 cows "for word and supplication"[2] were to be paid to the man who entreated for
Amlaíb's release.[12] The incident illustrates the importance of ransoming noble captives, as a means of
political manipulation, increasing one's own revenues and exhausting the resources of one's foes.[12] The
demand of British horses also suggests that Dublin was one of the main ports for importing horses into 11th
century Ireland, and that Amlaíb's family may have been personally involved in husbandry.[12]
According to the 17th century Annals of the Four Masters, Amlaíb mac Sitriuc "was slain by the Saxons" on
his way on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1034.[13] He was survived by one Ragnhild, who was the mother of
Gruffudd ap Cynan, from whom the Kings of Gwynedd were descended.[1]
Footnotes
References
Hudson, Benjamin T (2005). Viking pirates and Christian princes: dynasty, religion, and empire in the
North Atlantic (Illustrated ed.). United States: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516237-4, ISBN 978-
0-19-516237-0.
MacManus, Seumas (1921). The Story of the Irish Race: A Popular History of Ireland. Ireland: The Irish
Publishing Co. ISBN 0-517-06408-1.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amlaíb_mac_Sitriuc&oldid=782306690"
Categories: 1034 deaths Military personnel killed in action People from County Dublin Norse-Gaels
11th-century Irish people Uí Ímair Monarchs of Dublin
This page was last edited on 26 May 2017, at 02:06.
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apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered
trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
1. Hudson, p 83
2. "Part 13 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text013.html.) Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 819.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.
3. MacManus, p 278
4. Hudson, Benjamin T. "Sihtric (Sigtryggr Óláfsson,
Sigtryggr Silkiskegg) (d. 1042)".O xford Dictionary of
National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University
Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25545 (https://doi.org/10.1
093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F25545). (Subscription or UK
public library membership (https://global.oup.com/oxfordd
nb/info/freeodnb/libraries/) required.)
5. "Part 11 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text01.html). Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 769.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.
6. "Part 13 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
6. "Part 13 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text013.html.) Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 823.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.
7. Hudson, p 82
8. "Part 14 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text014.html.) Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 843.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.
9. Hudson, p 109-110
10. Hudson, p 110
11. "Part 13 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text013.html.) Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 815.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.
12. Hudson, p 111
13. "Part 14 of the Annals of the Four Masters" (http://ww
w.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100005B/text014.html.) Annals
of the Four Masters. University College Cork. p. 831.
Retrieved 10 March 2009.