Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1055–1137) wasKing of Gwynedd from 1081 until his death in 1137.^[1] In the course of a long and eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance toNorman rule.

Gruffudd ap Cynan
King of Gwynedd
Gruffudd ap Cynan escapes from Chester Illustration by T. Prytherch, 1900
King of Gwynedd
Reign	1081–1137
Predecessor	Trahaearn ap Caradog
Successor	Owain Gwynedd
Born	c. 1055 Dublin, Ireland
Died	1137 (aged 81–82) Gwynedd,Wales
Burial	Bangor Cathedral
Spouse	Angharad ferch Owain
Issue	Cadwallon,Owain,Cadwaladr, Susanna,Gwenllian, Mareda, Ranulht, Agnes
House	Aberffraw
Father	Cynan ab Iago
Mother	Ragnailt ingen Amlaíb

As a descendant ofRhodri Mawr (Rhodri the Great), Gruffudd ap Cynan was a senior member of the princelyHouse of Aberffraw.^[2][3] Through his mother, Gruffudd had close family connections with theNorse settlement aroundDublin and he frequently usedIreland as a refuge and as a source of troops.^[3] 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 sonOwain Gwynedd and his great-grandsonLlywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great).

Unusual 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.^[4]

Most of the existing manuscripts of the history are inWelsh but these are clearly translations of aLatin original. It is usually considered that the original Latin version has been lost and that existing Latin versions are re-translations from the Welsh.^[4] However, Russell (2006) has suggested that the Latin version inPeniarth MS 434E incorporates the original Latin version, later amended to bring it into line with the Welsh text.

According to theLife of Gruffudd ap Cynan, Gruffudd was born in theHiberno–NorseKingdom of Dublin and reared nearSwords,County Dublin in Ireland. He was the son of an exiled Welsh King as per the Life,Cynan ap Iago, who was a claimant to the kingship of Gwynedd but was probably never its king in actuality, 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,^[3] since theHistory describes his mother telling him who his father was.^[4]

According toHistoria Gruffud vab Kenan, Gruffudd's mother wasRagnailt ingen Amlaíb, a granddaughter of KingSigtrygg Silkbeard and a member of the Hiberno-NorseUí Ímair dynasty.^[5] The latter had two sons named Amlaíb: one died in 1013, whilstanother died in 1034. Either man could have been Ragnailt's father.^[4] An anecdote described here aboutRagnailt ingen Amlaíb explained a prophecy in which an unnamed monk told her that great power would come to her son. However, this has been rejected by modern scholars as an embellishment by later writers.^{[6][page needed]}

During his many struggles to gain the kingship of Gwynedd, Gruffudd received considerable aid from Ireland, from the Hiberno-Norse atDublin, theIsles andWexford and fromMuircheartach Ua Briain, because he was also descendant through his mother fromBrian Boru,High King of Ireland.^{[4][cy 1]}

Gruffudd first attempted to take over the rule of Gwynedd in 1075, following the death ofBleddyn ap Cynfyn.Trahaearn ap Caradog had seized control of Gwynedd but had not yet firmly established himself. Gruffudd landed onAbermenai Point,Anglesey with an Irish force, and with the assistance of troops provided by theNormanRobert of Rhuddlan first defeated and killedCynwrig ap Rhiwallon, an ally of Trahaearn who heldLlŷn, then defeated Trahaearn himself in theBattle of Gwaed Erw inMeirionnydd and gained control of Gwynedd.^[3][4] 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 destroyedRhuddlan 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 theBattle of Bron yr Erw aboveClynnog Fawr the same year.^[3][4]

Gruffudd fled to Ireland but, in 1081, returned and made an alliance withRhys ap Tewdwr, prince ofDeheubarth.^[3] Rhys had been attacked byCaradog ap Gruffudd ofGwent andMorgannwg, and had been forced to flee toSt Davids Cathedral. Gruffudd this time embarked fromWaterford with a force composed ofDanes andIrish and landed near St Davids, 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 ofPowys. The armies of the two confederacies met at theBattle of Mynydd Carn, with Gruffudd and Rhys victorious and Trahaearn,^[3] Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffudd was thus able to seize power in Gwynedd for the second time.^[4]

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 withHugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester andHugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury atRhug, nearCorwen. 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 atChester for many years while Earl Hugh andRobert of Rhuddlan went on to take possession of Gwynedd, building castles atBangor,Caernarfon andAberlleiniog.^[3][4]

Gruffudd reappeared on the scene years later, having escaped from captivity, he was free by 1094.^{[3][cy 2]} Gruffudd again took refuge in Ireland but returned to Gwynedd to lead the assaults on Norman castles such asCastell Aberlleiniog. The Welsh revolt had begun in 1094 and by late 1095 had spread to many parts ofWales. This inducedWilliam II of England (William Rufus) to intervene, invadingNorth 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. TheHistory only mentions one invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffudd did not feature in the resistance to the first invasion. At this timeCadwgan ap Bleddyn ofPowys led the Welsh resistance.^[4]

In the summer of 1098, Earl Hugh of Chester joined with Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury in another attempt to recover his losses in Gwynedd.^[3][4] Gruffudd and his allyCadwgan ap Bleddyn retreated to Anglesey, but were then forced to flee to Ireland in askiff when a fleet he had hired from the Danish settlement in Ireland accepted a better offer from the Normans and changed sides.

The Normans were obliged to evacuate Anglesey, and the following year, Gruffudd returned from Ireland to take possession again,^[3] having apparently come to an agreement with Earl Hugh of Chester. The situation was changed by the arrival of aNorwegian fleet under the command of KingMagnus Barefoot (Magnus III of Norway) who attacked the Norman forces near the eastern end of theMenai Strait. Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury was killed by an arrow said to have been shot by Magnus himself.^[4]

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 KingHenry I of England who granted him the rule of Llŷn,Eifionydd,Ardudwy andArllechwedd, considerably extending his kingdom. By 1114, he had gained enough power to induce King Henry to invade Gwynedd,^[3] one detachment led by KingAlexander I of Scotland. Faced with overwhelming force, Gruffudd was obliged to pay homage to Henry and to pay a heavy fine but lost no territory.

The Kingdom was expanded by his sons,^{[cy 3]}Owain Gwynedd and laterCadwaladr, by Gruffudd's last years "Ceredigion,Meirionnydd,Rhos,Rhufoniog andDyffryn Clwyd were under the rule of Gwynedd".^[3][4] Thecantrefs of Rhos and Rhufoniog were annexed in 1118, Meirionnydd captured fromPowys in 1123, and Dyffryn Clwyd in 1124. Another invasion by King Henry I in 1121 ultimately ended in 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 nearLlangollen in 1132 checked further expansion for the time being.

Gruffudd was now powerful enough to ensure that his nomineeDavid the Scot was consecrated asBishop of Bangor in 1120. The see had been effectively vacant since bishopHervey 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 rebuildBangor Cathedral with a large financial contribution from Gruffudd.

Owain and Cadwaladr, in alliance withGruffudd ap Rhys ofDeheubarth, gained a crushing victory over the Normansat Crug Mawr, nearCardigan, in 1136 and took possession ofCeredigion. The latter part of Gruffydd's reign was considered to be a "Golden Age"; according to theLife of Gruffudd ap Cynan Gwynedd was "bespangled with lime-washed churches like the stars in the firmament".

Gruffudd died in his bed, old and blind in 1137,^[3] and was mourned by the annalist ofBrut y Tywysogion as the "head and king and defender and pacifier of all Wales". He was buried by the high altar inBangor Cathedral,^[3] which he had been involved in rebuilding. He also made bequests to many other churches, including one toChrist Church Cathedral, Dublin where he had worshipped as a boy. An elegy was sung for him by the poetMeilyr Brydydd, his wife Angharad survived him by 25 years.^[3] He was succeeded as king of Gwynedd by his sonOwain Gwynedd. His daughterGwenllian, who marriedGruffudd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, son of his old ally Rhys ap Tewdwr, is also notable for her resistance to Norman rule.^{[citation needed]}

According toHywel Teifi Edwards, Gruffudd, according to legend, not only reformed the Welshbardic tradition to accord with that of theIrish language bards but also sponsored anEisteddfod atCaerwys during his reign as King ofGwynedd.^[7]

The family line of Gruffudd shows he had many children by several different women.^[8] With wife Angharad (daughter ofOwain ab Edwin) he had:^[9][1]

• Cadwallon ap Gruffudd [cy];^[10]
• Owain Gwynedd (Owain ap Gruffudd),^[2] 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 ofRichard Fitz Gilbert de Clare;
• Mareda/Marared ferch Gruffudd;
• Susanna ferch Gruffudd, marriedMadog ap Maredudd, prince ofPowys;
• Ranulht/Rannillt ferch Gruffudd, married Madog ap Idnerth, King ofCynllibiwg;
• Agnes/Annest ferch Gruffudd;
• Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, marriedGruffydd ap Rhys, prince ofDeheubarth.

The FitzRery family of Swords, County Dublin, who were prominent in Dublin politics and commercial life until the seventeenth century, claimed descent from Gruffudd: since he was born in Swords, and maintained close links with Ireland, the claim is not implausible.

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