Gruffydd ap Cynan

See Peter Bartrum, https://cadair.aber.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/handle/2160/4701/Edwin%2... (November 5, 2018; Anne Brannen, curator)

See Peter Bartrum, https://cadair.aber.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/handle/2160/6516/TABLES%... (May 27, 2018; Anne Brannen, curator)

Please see Darrell Wolcott; The Royal Family of Gwynedd - History of Gruffudd ap Cynan/A New Perspective; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id46.html. (Steven Ferry, March 28, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: The Royal Family of Gwynedd - The Unofficial "History" of Gruffudd, Nephew of Iago; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id74.html. (Steven Ferry, March 30, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: The Royal Family of Gwynedd - The Children of Gruffudd, Nephew of Iago; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id80.html, for a detailed look at the trees for BOTH Gruffudd(s) ap Cynan(Steven Ferry, March 30, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Edwin of Tegeingl and His Family - Was Owain ap Edwin Really a Traitor; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id87.html. (Steven Ferry, April 17, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Ifor Bach, Lord of Senghenydd; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id316.html (Steven Ferry, August 4, 2023.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Hwfa ap Cynddelw, Lord of Llifon: http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id322.html (Steven Ferry, January 23, 2024.)

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1. ID: I4341
2. Name: Gruffudd ap Cyan
3. Given Name: Gruffudd ap
4. Surname: Cyan
5. Suffix: King Of Gwynedd 1 2
6. Sex: M
7. Birth: 1055 in Dublin, Ireland 3
8. Death: 1137 in Bangor, England 1 2
9. Burial: Bangor Cathedral, Is Gwyrfai, Caernarvonshire, Wales
10. Change Date: 21 Sep 2005 at 15:23

Painting: Gruffydd ap Cynan escapes from Chester, Illustration by T. Prytherch in 1900.

1. Note:

   patron of bardic tradition, reigned 1081-1137

!Sources: A. Roots 176, 239; Kraentzler 1406, 1409; AF; Dictionary of National Biography;Young; History of

   Gruffydd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd, 1081. Weis says that his father's name was Conan. Morgan and Ancestral File say it was Cynan.

!SOURCES:

   1. Weis, Frederick Lewis. _Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists_. 6th

   Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1988; line 239.

   2.Family Group Record.

   3. _Dictionary of National Biography_. Has 2 1/2 pages of details, beginning on Page 301. Says he had five legitimate daughters and several illegitimate children.

   4. Morgan, Dennis. _A History of the Morgan Family_. "Griffith was born in Dublin and married Angharad, daughter of Owen. He returned to Wales in 1081, founded the first of five Royal Tribes, and was restored to the Crown of Gwynedd in 1081. Griffith was imprisoned by the Normans in Chester, England, from 1081 to 1093 and is buried in Bangor Cathedral.

   Children were Cadwallon, Owen, Cadwaladr and Gwenillian. From Owen's line came King Edward IV of England."

   5. Jones, Arthur. _The History of Griffith ap Cynan. Manchester, 1910,a

   translation and analysis of a twelfth century biography of Griffith (cited as thesource of the pedigree given in Weis, line 239).

   6. Bartrum, Peter C. _Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1400_, page 41.

Father: Ragnhildir (Ranult) ingen Olaf Of Dublin b: Abt 1030

Marriage 1 Angharat verch Owain b: Abt 1065 in Tegeingl, Flintshire, Wales

   * Married: Abt 1095 in Wales 4

   * Change Date: 21 Sep 2005

Children

  1. Has Children Margred Verch Gruffudd b: Abt 1070 in Wales

  2. Has Children Gruffydd ap Rhys b: Abt 1081

  3. Has Children Gwenlian verch Gruffydd b: Abt 1090 in Caernarvonshire, Wales

  4. Has Children Susanna Verch Gruffydd b: Abt 1095 in Caernarvonshire, Wales c: in <Gwynedd, Wales>

  5. Has No Children Cadwaladr Ap Gruffudd b: Abt 1096 in Caernarvonshire, Wales

  6. Has Children Owain Gwynedd Ap Gruffudd b: Abt 1100 in The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland"

Sources:

  1. Abbrev: Encyclopedia Britannica, Treatise on

     Title: Encyclopedia Britannica, Treatise on

     Date: 13 Nov 2000

     Page: UK-Wales Macropaedia p 124

     Quality: 3

  2. Abbrev: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New Englan d Between 1623 And 1650

     Title: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New England Between 1623And 1650

     Author: Weis, Frederick Lewis

     Publication: Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1992

     Date: 7 Jun 2004

     Repository:

Page: 176-6

     Quality: 3

  3. Abbrev: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New Englan d Between 1623 And 1650

     Title: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New England Between 1623And 1650

     Author: Weis, Frederick Lewis

     Publication: Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1992

     Date: 7 Jun 2004

     Repository:

Page: 239-5

     Quality: 3

  4. Abbrev: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New Englan d Between 1623 And 1650

     Title: Ancestral Roots Of Sixty Colonists Who Came To New England Between 1623And 1650

     Author: Weis, Frederick Lewis

     Publication: Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1992

     Date: 7 Jun 2004

     Repository:

Page: 239-5

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Gruffydd ap Cynan (standard Welsh: Gruffydd ap Cynan) (c. 1055 – 1137) was a King of Gwynedd. 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, Gruffydd ap Cynan was a senior member of the princely house of Aberffraw. Through his mother Gruffydd had close family connections with the Danish 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. Gruffydd laid the foundations which were built upon by his son Owain Gwynedd and his great-grandson Llywelyn the Great.

The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan

Unusually for a Welsh king or prince, a near-contemporary biography of Gruffydd, The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan, has survived. Much of our knowledge of Gruffydd comes from this source, though allowance has to be made for the fact that it appears to have been written as dynastic propaganda for one of Gruffydd's descendants. The traditional view among scholars was that it was written during the third quarter of the 12th century during the reign of Gruffydd's son, Owain Gwynedd, but it has recently been suggested that it may date to the early reign of Llywelyn the Great, around 1200. The name of 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 re-translations from the Welsh. However Russell (2006) has suggested that the Latin version in Peniarth MS 434E incorporates the original Latin version, later emended to bring it into line with the Welsh text. [edit]Genealogy

According to the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan, Gruffydd 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, Gruffydd's grandfather, Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig had ruled Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039. When Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd was still young, since the History describes his mother telling him who his father was. Gruffydd's mother, Ragnaillt, was the daughter of Olaf of Dublin, son of King Sigtrygg Silkbeard and a member of the Hiberno-Norse dynasty. Through his mother, who appears in the list of the fair women of Ireland in the Book of Leinster, Gruffydd claimed relationships with many of the leading septs in Ireland, including those of the Ua Briain. During his many struggles to gain the kingship of Gwynedd, Gruffydd received considerable aid from Ireland, both from the Hiberno-Norse at Dublin, but also those at Wexford, and also from Muircheartach Ua Briain. [edit]First bid for the throne

Gruffydd made his first attempt 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. Gruffydd landed on 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. Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd's Danish-Irish bodyguard and the local Welsh led to a rebellion in Llŷn and Trahaearn took the opportunity to counter attack, defeating Gruffydd at the battle of Bron yr Erw above Clynnog Fawr the same year. [edit]Second bid for the throne and capture by the Normans

Gryffydd ap Cynan's Coat of Arms Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd of Gwent and Morgannwg, and had been forced to flee to the St David's Cathedral. Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd and Rhys victorious and Trahaearn, Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffydd 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. Gruffydd had not been king very long when he was enticed to a meeting with Hugh Earl of Chester and Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury at Rug, near Corwen. At the meeting Gruffydd was seized and taken prisoner. According to his biographer this was by the treachery of one of his own men, Meirion Goch. Gruffydd 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, Caernarfon and Aberlleiniog. [edit]Escape from captivity and third reign

Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd up, fetters and all, and carried him out of the city on his shoulders. There is debate among historians as to the year of Gruffydd's escape. Ordericus Vitalis mentions a "Grifridus" attacking the Normans in 1088. The History in one place states that Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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. Gruffydd 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 the Welsh to battle and returned to Chester without having achieved very much. King Willam mounted a second invasion in 1097, but again without much success. The History only mentions one invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffydd 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. Gruffydd and his ally Cadwgan ap Bleddyn retreated to Anglesey, but then were 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. [edit]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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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, Gruffydd was obliged to pay homage to Henry and to pay a heavy fine, but lost no territory. By about 1118 Gruffydd'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: 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 Gruffydd and made no further attempt to invade Gwynedd during Gruffydd'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. Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd and King Henry could not agree on a candidate. David went on to rebuild Bangor Cathedral with a large financial contribution from Gruffydd. Owain and Cadwaladr in alliance with Gruffydd 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 Guffydd's reign was considered to be a "Golden Age"; according to the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan Gwynedd was "bespangled with lime-washed churches like the stars in the firmament". [edit]Death and succession

Gruffydd was buried in Bangor Cathedral Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, son of his old ally Rhys ap Tewdwr, is also notable for her resistance to English rule. [edit]Children

Cadwallon ap Gruffydd (killed 1132) Owain Gwynedd (Owain ap Gruffydd), married (1) Gwladus (Gladys) ferch Llywarch, daughter of Llywarch ap Trahaearn (2) Cristin ferch Goronwy, daughter of Goronwy ab Owain Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd, married Alice de Clare, daughter of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare Susanna, married Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, married Gruffydd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth [edit]References

Gruffydd ap Cynan From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gruffydd ap Cynan (also spelled Gryffydd ap Cynan) (c. 1055 – 1137) was a King of Gwynedd. 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, Gruffydd ap Cynan was a senior member of the princely house of Aberffraw.

Through his mother Gruffydd had close family connections with the Danish 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. Gruffydd laid the foundations which were built upon by his son Owain Gwynedd and his great-grandson Llywelyn the Great.

The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan

Unusually for a Welsh king or prince, a near-contemporary biography of Gruffydd, "The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan", has survived. Much of our knowledge of Gruffydd comes from this source, though allowance has to be made for the fact that it appears to have been written as dynastic propaganda for one of Gruffydd's descendants. The traditional view among scholars was that it was written during the third quarter of the 12th century during the reign of Gruffydd's son, Owain Gwynedd, but it has recently been suggested that it may date to the early reign of Llywelyn the Great, around 1200. The name of 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 re-translations from the Welsh. However Russell (2006) has suggested that the Latin version in Peniarth MS 434E incorporates the original Latin version, later emended to bring it into line with the Welsh text.

Genealogy

According to the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan, Gruffydd 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, Gruffydd's grandfather, Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig had ruled Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039. When Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd was still young, since the History describes his mother telling him who his father was.

Gruffydd's mother, Ragnaillt, was the daughter of Olaf of Dublin, son of King Sigtrygg Silkbeard and a member of the Hiberno-Norse dynasty. Through his mother, who appears in the list of the fair women of Ireland in the Book of Leinster, Gruffydd claimed relationships with many of the leading septs in Ireland, including those of the Ua Briain.

During his many struggles to gain the kingship of Gwynedd, Gruffydd received considerable aid from Ireland, both from the Hiberno-Norse at Dublin, but also those at Wexford, and also from Muircheartach Ua Briain.

First bid for the throne

Gruffydd made his first attempt 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. Gruffydd landed on 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.

Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd's Danish-Irish bodyguard and the local Welsh led to a rebellion in Llŷn and Trahaearn took the opportunity to counter attack, defeating Gruffydd at the battle of Bron yr Erw above Clynnog Fawr the same year.

Second bid for the throne and capture by the Normans

Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd of Gwent and Morgannwg, and had been forced to flee to the St David's Cathedral. Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd and Rhys victorious and Trahaearn, Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffydd 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. Gruffydd had not been king very long when he was enticed to a meeting with Hugh Earl of Chester and Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury at Rug, near Corwen. At the meeting Gruffydd was seized and taken prisoner. According to his biographer this was by the treachery of one of his own men, Meirion Goch. Gruffydd 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, Caernarfon and Aberlleiniog.

Escape from captivity and third reign

Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd up, fetters and all, and carried him out of the city on his shoulders. There is debate among historians as to the year of Gruffydd's escape. Ordericus Vitalis mentions a "Grifridus" attacking the Normans in 1088. The History in one place states that Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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.

Gruffydd 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 the Welsh to battle and returned to Chester without having achieved very much. King Willam mounted a second invasion in 1097, but again without much success. The History only mentions one invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffydd 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. Gruffydd and his ally Cadwgan ap Bleddyn retreated to Anglesey, but then were 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 Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd 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, Gruffydd was obliged to pay homage to Henry and to pay a heavy fine, but lost no territory. By about 1118 Gruffydd'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: 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 Gruffydd and made no further attempt to invade Gwynedd during Gruffydd'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.

Gruffydd 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 had been forced to flee by the Welsh almost twenty years before, since Gruffydd and King Henry could not agree on a candidate. David went on to rebuild Bangor Cathedral with a large financial contribution from Gruffydd.

Owain and Cadwaladr in alliance with Gruffydd 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 Guffydd's reign was considered to be a "Golden Age"; according to the Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan Gwynedd was "bespangled with lime-washed churches like the stars in the firmament".

Death and succession

Gruffydd was buried in Bangor Cathedral

Gruffydd 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 Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, son of his old ally Rhys ap Tewdwr, is also notable for her resistance to English rule.

Children Cadwallon ap Gruffydd (killed 1132) Owain Gwynedd, married (1) Gwladus (Gladys) ferch Llywarch, daughter of Llywarch ap Trahaearn (2) Cristin ferch Goronwy, daughter of Goronwy ab Owain Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd, married Alice de Clare, daughter of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare Susanna, married Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys Gwenllian, married Gruffydd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth

References 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. 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

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Historical Event: William took seven months to prepare his invasion force, using some 600 transport ships to carry around 7,000 men (including 2,000-3,000 cavalry) across the Channel. On 28 September 1066, with a favourable wind, William landed unopposed at Pevensey and, within a few days, raised fortifications at Hastings. Having defeated an earlier invasion by the King of Norway at the Battle of Stamford Bridge near York in late September, Harold undertook a forced march south, covering 250 miles in some nine days to meet the new threat, gathering inexperienced reinforcements to replenish his exhausted veterans as he marched.

At the Battle of Senlac (near Hastings) on 14 October, Harold's weary and under-strength army faced William's cavalry (part of the forces brought across the Channel) supported by archers. Despite their exhaustion, Harold's troops were equal in number (they included the best infantry in Europe equipped with their terrible two-handled battle axes) and they had the battlefield advantage of being based on a ridge above the Norman positions.

The first uphill assaults by the Normans failed and a rumour spread that William had been killed; William rode among the ranks raising his helmet to show he was still alive. The battle was close-fought: a chronicler described the Norman counter-attacks and the Saxon defence as 'one side attacking with all mobility, the other withstanding as though rooted to the soil'. Three of William's horses were killed under him.

William skilfully co-ordinated his archers and cavalry, both of which the English forces lacked. During a Norman assault, Harold was killed - hit by an arrow and then mowed down by the sword of a mounted knight. Two of his brothers were also killed. The demoralised English forces fled.

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The Histort of Gruffudd ap Cynan (ed. Arthur Jones), 1910; Hist. W., gw. mynegai; Trans. Cymm., 1913-4, 244; B.B.C.S., v, 25. T.P. ..................................

Gruffudd ap Cynan (c 1055-1137), king of Gwynedd, son of Cynan ap Iago, who was an exile in Ireland, and Rhagnell (Ragnhildr), a daughter of the royal house of the Scandinavians of Dublin. After 1039, when Iago was treacherously slain by his own men, Gwynedd was ruled by usurpers who were not of the royal line. One of these was Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was killed in 1075 and succeeded by his cousin, Trahaearn ap Caradog, king of Arwystli. In that same year Gruffudd crossed over from Ireland intent on regaining his patrimony, and landed at Abermenai. With the help of Robert of Rhuddlan he overcame and killed Cynwrig, who held Llyn under Trahaearn. Trahaearn himself was conquered in a battle fought somewhere in Meirionnydd and compelled to retreat to his own lands of Arwystli. As king of Gwynedd Gruffudd's first act was to attack the Norman castle at Rhuddlan in spite of the former help given him by Robert, carrying off booty but failing to take the castle itself. As a result of the resentment felt towards the Norsemen in Gruffudd's army the men of Llyn rebelled, giving Trahaearn an opportunity to attack Gruffudd and overcome him in a battle which took place at Bron-yr-erw near Clynnog. Gruffudd fled to Ireland. In 1081 he returned and landed at Porth Clais in Dyfed, where he was joined by Rhys ap Tewdwr, another exile, who was laying claim to his patrimony in Deheubarth. They met Trahaearn at Mynydd Carn, where he was slain, Gruffudd thus becoming again king of Gwynedd. Soon after, however, through the treachery of Meirion Goch, one of his own men, he was captured by the Normans at Rug near Corwen and taken prisoner to Chester. During his imprisonment the Normans gained much land in Gwynedd, and built castles at Bangor, Caernarvon and Aberlleingiog (near the later Beaumaris). It cannot now be stated with certainty how long Gruffudd remained a prisoner (the History at one point says twelve years and at another sixteen years), but he was free by 1094 (and perhaps some years earlier) because he was prominent in the general insurrection against the Norman power which took place that year. But in 1098 the Normans made a concerted attack upon Gwynedd from Chester and Shrewsbury. Gruffudd was shut up in Anglesey and compelled once more to seek refuge in Ireland. He returned however the following year and was allowed to rule over Anglesey with the consent of the Normans. Sometime in the course of the succeeding years he made himself lord of Gwynedd uwch Conwy, and for the rest of his life he was left undisturbed to consolidate his kingdom. It is true that Henry I led a formidable army into Gwynedd in 1114, but Gruffudd lost no land, and after this he himself did not fight a single battle. The authority of Gwynedd was however greatly extended by his sons, Owain and Cadwaladr, and before Gruffudd's death Ceredigion, Meirionnydd, Rhos, Rhufoniog and Dyffryn Clwyd were under the rule of Gwynedd. He d blind and decrepit, in 1137, and was buried in the cathedral church of Bangor. An elegy upon him was sung by Meilyr, hie pencerdd. His wife, Angharad, daughter of Owain ab Edwin, survived him by twenty-five years.

It was part of the traditional lore of the Welsh bards that Gruffudd ap Cynan had made certain regulations to govern their craft, and his name was used to give authority to the 'statute' drawn up in connection with the Caerwys eisteddfod of 1523. There is nothing to substantiate this tradition, but it is not unreasonable to suggest that Gruffudd may nave brought bards and musicians with him from Ireland and that these may have had some influence on the craft of poetry and music in Cymru. He may also have made some formal changes in the bardic organization. It is clear that a genuine and persistant tradition to this effect existed in the 16th cent. It is perhaps worth noting that the 'History' mentions the death in battle of Gellan, Gruffudd's harpist, in 1094.

Gruffudd ap Cynan is the only mediaeval Welsh prince whose biography, in the form of pure eulogy, has survived. Linguistic characteristics prove it to have been a translation of a Latin original now lost. It was probably written by a cleric towards the end of the 12th cent. [Dictionary of Welsh Biography pp310-311]

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GRUFFUDD AP CYNAN the most successful king of Gwynedd during the twenty years which followed Gruffudd ap Llywelyn was Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, who was related to the royal family through his mother, Angharad, the widow of Llywelyn ap Seisyll and the mother of Gruffudd; Bleddyn was a half-brother to 1067 Gruffudd. He and his brother Rhiwallon attacked Hereford in 1067, and in the following year succeeded in meeting the challenge of two of the sons of Gruffudd.

He suffered at the hands of Robert of Rhuddlan and the Normans in 1073, and met his end in a battle against Rhys ap Owain and the nobles of Ystrad Tywi in 1075. Bleddyn was one of the few kings who reformed the Law of Hywel, and according to the Brut kept in Llanbadarn Fawr, he proved during his twelve year reign, to be the 'most civilised and merciful of the kings, gentle towards his enemy, kind and genial, generous to the poor and defenceless, and having respect for the rights of the Church."

He was succeeded on the throne by Trahaearn ap Caradog, the king of Arwystli, who ruled for six years. With the death of Bleddyn, Gruffudd ap Cynan, of the ancient lineage of Gwynedd, returned from Ireland to claim the throne. Quite a lot is known about this man from the biography which was written shortly after his death. He was born in Dublin about 1054, the son of Cynan ap lago, who was an exile in Ireland, and Rhagnall, of the royal family of Dublin Scandinavians. He landed in Abermenai, received help from Robert of Rhuddlan, attacked Cynwrig of Llyn and defeated him. Moving down to Meirionnydd, he met Talhaearn on the field of Gwaeterw in the Glyngin valley, and defeated him also. He did not feel under any obligation to Robert of Rhuddlan who was endangering the independence of Gwynedd; he attacked him successfully in 1075 but failed to take him prisoner. Unfortunately the Irish members of ap Cynan's retinue were making him unpopular in Llyn; a number of them were killed by the natives. Trahaearn saw his opportunity, and with help from Powys he overcame ap Cynan, who again fled to Ireland, thereby losing and winning a kingdom in the same year.

He returned in 1081 when he fought beside Rhys ap Tewdwr on Mynydd Cam, where Trahaearn was killed. 1081 Shortly after reoccupying his heritage, there came another quick turn in his career: through treachery he was taken prisoner by the Normans near Corwen, and kept in prison in Chester for some years. In 1088 he attacked Robert of Rhuddlan near Llandudno, and killed him. About the same time, with a troop of Scandinavians from the Orkneys, he sailed up the Severn, pitched camp on Barri Island and attacked Gwynllwg (Wentloog). A little later he again enlisted the help of the Danes to defeat the Normans in Anglesey.

Before coming to the next milestone in his career attention must be drawn to the great and sudden success of the Normans in other parts of Cymru. When Rhys ap Tewdwr was killed in 1093 the bulwark which stood in the way of their advance was holed. No sooner was he dead than they occupied Brycheiniog and Buallt. Fitzhamon razed the plain of Morgannwg between Taf and Tawe, and rebuilt the Roman castle in Cardiff which is today the college of music and drama.

Roger, the Earl of Shrewsbury, occupied Ceredigion. He built a castle in Aberteifi (Cardigan) before building in Pembroke the only western castle which proved capable of withstanding every Welsh attack. Dyfed was overcome, the fourth of the old Welsh kingdoms to disappear finally into the Norman maw. The royal family of Dyfed had been founded by Eochaid Allmuir, an Irishman of the third century, when the Romans were strong in the land of the blue stones of Cor y Cewri. The old kingdom had vanished in the age of the Mabinogion and with it a host of memories. In the middle of the twentieth century they are recalled by Waldo Williams, the greatest poet to be reared in Dyfed in the course of her long history:

Un funud fach cyn elo'r haul o'r wybren, Un funud fwyn cyn delo'r hwyr i'w hynt, I gofio am y pethau anghofiedig Ar goll yn awr yn Dwell yr amser gynt.

Pel ewyn ton a dyr ar draethell unig, Pel can y gwynt lie nid oes glust a glyw, Mi wn eu bod yn galw'n ofer arnom- Hen bethau anghofiedig dynol ryw.

Camp a chelfyddyd y cenhedloedd cynnar, Anheddau bychain a neuaddau mawr, Y chwedlau cain a chwalwyd ers canrifoedd Y duwiau na wyr neb amdanynt 'nawr.

A geiriau bach hen ieithoedd diflanedig, Hoyw yng ngenau dynicn oeddynt hwy, A thlws i'r clust ym mharabl plant bychain, Ond tafod neb ni eilw arnynt mwy.

O, genedlaethau dirifedi daear, A'u breuddwyd dwyfol a'u dwyfoldeb brau, A erys ond tawelwch i'r calonnau