Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd () (''Gwenllian, daughter of Gruffydd''; 1100 – 1136) was
Princess consort
Princess consort is an official title or an informal designation that is normally accorded to the wife of a sovereign prince. The title may be used for the wife of a king if the more usual designation of queen consort is not used.
More informal ...
of
Deheubarth
Deheubarth (; lit. "Right-hand Part", thus "the South") was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House o ...
in Wales, and married to
Gruffydd ap Rhys,
Prince of Deheubarth
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
. Gwenllian was the daughter of
Gruffudd ap Cynan
Gruffudd ap Cynan ( 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 rememb ...
(1055–1137),
Prince of Gwynedd
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
and Angharad ferch Owain, and a member of the princely
Aberffraw family of Gwynedd. Gwenllian's "patriotic revolt" and subsequent death in battle at
Kidwelly Castle contributed to the
Great Revolt of 1136.
There are several notable artistic depictions of Gwenllian, often depicting her with a sword in hand, or riding a chariot into battle in the style of
Boudicca
Boudica or Boudicca (, known in Latin chronicles as Boadicea or Boudicea, and in Welsh as ()), was a queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61. She ...
. She is sometimes confused with
Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn
Gwenllian of Wales or Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn (June 1282 – 7 June 1337) was the second daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales (). Gwenllian is sometimes confused with Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, who lived two cent ...
, who lived two centuries later.
Early life
Gwenllian was the youngest daughter of
Gruffudd ap Cynan
Gruffudd ap Cynan ( 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 rememb ...
, Prince of
Gwynedd, and his wife, Angharad. She was born on
Ynys Môn at the
family seat
A family seat or sometimes just called seat is the principal residence of the landed gentry and aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families ...
at
Aberffraw
Aberffraw is a village and community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey ( cy, Ynys Môn), in Wales, by the west bank of the Afon Ffraw (Ffraw River). The community includes Soar and Dothan. Located near the A4080 and the neares ...
, and was the youngest of eight children; four older sisters: Mared, Rhiannell, Susanna, and Annest, and three older brothers: Cadwallon,
Owain[Gwenllian verch Gruffydd (1085–1136) – Mathematical.com]
Accessed 19 April 2013. and Cadwaladr. She was the great-great-great-granddaughter of
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig
Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domi ...
,
High King of Ireland.
[
Brian Boru -> Sláine ingen Briain -> Óláfr Sigtryggsson -> Ragnhilda Olafsdottir -> Gruffydd ap Cynan -> Gwenllian verch Gruffyd]
Gwenllian grew to be strikingly beautiful. After
Gruffydd ap Rhys, the
Prince of Deheubarth
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
, ventured to
Gwynedd around 1113 to meet her father, Gwenllian and Deheubarth's prince became romantically involved and
eloped.
[Warner, Philip. ''Famous Welsh Battles'', pg 79. 1997. Barnes and Noble, Inc.] She married Gruffydd ap Rhys shortly after 1116.
Gwenllian and Gruffydd had the following children:
* Morgan ap Gruffydd (c. 1116, Carmarthenshire – 1136)
* Maelgwyn ap Gruffydd (c. 1119, Carmarthenshire – 1136)
* Gwladus ferch Gruffydd (between 1120 and 1130, Carmarthenshire - after 25 July 1175)
* Nest ferch Gruffydd (between 1120 and 1130, Carmarthenshire - after 25 July 1175)
* Owain ap Gruffydd (c. 1126, Carmarthenshire - after 1155)
[Cadw (Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh Government), April 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2020, from https://cadw.gov.wales/sites/default/files/2019-04/20140916gwenlliancardsen.pdf.]
*
Maredudd ap Gruffydd
Maredudd ap Gruffydd (1131–1155) was a prince of the kingdom of Deheubarth in Southwest Wales.
Maredudd was the fifth of six sons of Gruffydd ap Rhys, and the third of four by Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd;Cadw, Welsh Government (Crown Copyright), ...
(c. 1130/1, Carmarthenshire – 1155)
*
Rhys "Fychan" ap Gruffydd (c. 1132,
Dynevor Castle,
Llandeilo
Llandeilo () is a town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th-century stone bridge. Its population was 1,795 at the 2011 Census. It is adjacent to the westernmost point of the ...
,
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...
– after 24 April 1197)
* Sion ap Gruffydd (c. 1134, Carmarthenshire - after 1155)
Gwenllian joined her husband at his family seat of
Dinefwr in
Deheubarth
Deheubarth (; lit. "Right-hand Part", thus "the South") was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House o ...
. Deheubarth was struggling against the
Norman invasion
The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, Duchy of Brittany, Breton, County of Flanders, Flemish, and Kingdom of France, French troops, ...
in
South Wales, with
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
, English, and
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
colonists in footholds throughout the country. While the conflict between the Normans and the Welsh continued, the princely family were often displaced, with Gwenllian joining her husband in mountainous and forested strongholds.
From here, she and Gruffydd ap Rhys led
retaliatory strikes, aka "lightning raids" against Norman-held positions in Deheubarth.
Great Revolt 1136
By 1136 an opportunity arose for the Welsh to recover lands lost to the
Marcher Lords
A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in F ...
when
Stephen de Blois displaced his cousin,
Empress Matilda, from succeeding her father to the English throne the year prior, sparking
the Anarchy in England.
[Lloyd, J. E. ''A History of Wales; From the Norman Invasion to the Edwardian Conquest'', Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc. 2004. pp. 80, 82–85.][Davies, John, ''A History of Wales'', Penguin, 1994, p. 124] The usurpation and conflict it caused eroded central authority in England.
The revolt began in South Wales, as
Hywel ap Maredudd, Lord of
Brycheiniog
Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Norman ...
, gathered his men and marched to
Gower
Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...
, defeating the Norman and English
colonists there at the
Battle of Llwchwr
The Battle of Llwchwr (or Battle of Gower) was a battle fought between Welsh and Norman forces between Loughor and Swansea on New Year's Day 1136.
Background
In 1135–1136 an opportunity arose for the Welsh to recover lands lost to the Mar ...
.
Inspired by Hywel of Brycheiniog's success,
Gruffydd ap Rhys hastened to meet with Gruffudd ap Cynan of Gwynedd, his father-in-law, to enlist his aid in the revolt.
While her husband was in Gwynedd seeking an alliance with her father against the Normans,
Maurice de Londres
Maurice de Londres (died 1166) was an Anglo-Norman noble. He was a son of William de Londres (died 1131), who was one of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan, and his wife Matilda.
During his father's lifetime he took control of Ogmore, where he b ...
and other Normans led raids against Deheubarth's Welsh and Gwenllian was compelled to raise an army for their defence.
In a battle fought near
Kidwelly Castle, Gwenllian's army was routed, she was captured in battle and beheaded by the Normans.
In the battle her son Morgan was also slain and another son, Maelgwyn, captured and executed.
Though defeated, her patriotic revolt inspired others in South Wales to rise.
The Welsh of
Gwent, led by
Iorwerth ab Owain
Iorwerth ab Owain (also known as Iorwerth of Gwynllŵg) (d. before 1184) was a Welsh prince of Gwynllŵg and Lord of Caerleon.
Life
He was a son of Owain ap Caradog and thus a grandson of King Caradog ap Gruffydd of Gwent. In 1136 together wit ...
(grandson of
Caradog ap Gruffydd
Caradog ap Gruffydd (died 1081) was a Prince of Gwent in south-east Wales in the time of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn and the Norman conquest, who reunified his family's inheritance of Morgannwg and made repeated attempts to reunite southern Wales ...
, Gwent's Welsh ruler displaced by the Norman invasions), ambushed and slew
Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, the Norman lord who controlled
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...
.
When word reached Gwynedd of Gwenllian's death and the revolt in Gwent, Gwenllian's brothers Owain and Cadwaladr invaded Norman-controlled
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...
, taking
Llanfihangel,
Aberystwyth, and
Llanbadarn.
Legacy
Gwenllian's actions have been compared with those of another Celtic leader:
Boadicea (Buddug). Gwenllian is also the only woman of the medieval period who is known to have led a Welsh army into battle. The field where the battle is believed to have taken place, close to
Kidwelly Castle and north of the town, is known as ''Maes Gwenllian'' ( cy, Field of Gwenllian). A
spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season)
Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...
in the field is also named after her, supposedly welling up on the spot where she died.
For centuries after her death, Welshmen cried-out ''Revenge for Gwenllian'' when engaging in battle.
Gwenllian and her husband also harassed Norman, English, and Flemish colonists in Deheubarth, taking goods and money and redistributed them among the Deheubarth Welsh who were themselves dispossessed by those colonizers, like a pair of "
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...
s of Wales", as historian and author
Philip Warner writes.
Gwenllian's youngest son went on to become a notable leader of Deheubarth,
The Lord Rhys
Rhys ap Gruffydd, commonly known as The Lord Rhys, in Welsh ''Yr Arglwydd Rhys'' (c. 1132 – 28 April 1197) was the ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth in south Wales from 1155 to 1197 and native Prince of Wales.
It was believed that h ...
.
Authorship of the Mabinogi
Dr Andrew Breeze has argued that Gwenllian could have been the author of the
Four Branches of the Mabinogi
The ''Four Branches of the Mabinogi'' or ''Pedair Cainc Y Mabinogi'' are the earliest prose stories in the literature of Britain. Originally written in Wales in Middle Welsh, but widely available in translations, the ''Mabinogi'' is generally agre ...
.
[McCarthy, James]
"Experts clash over theory of female author of Mabinogion"
''Western Mail'', 6 July 2009
Ancestry
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
Rockefeller, Laurel A (2015). ''Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd: The Warrior Princess of Deheubarth''. CreateSpace Publishing.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwenllian Ferch Gruffydd
1136 deaths
Welsh princesses
Medieval Welsh killed in battle
12th-century Welsh women
House of Aberffraw
1090s births
Mabinogion
People from Anglesey
11th-century Welsh people
12th-century Welsh people
11th-century Welsh women
Women in 12th-century warfare
House of Dinefwr
Uí Ímair
Welsh people of Irish descent
Women in medieval European warfare