Gruffudd ap Owain Glyndŵr (c. 1375-c. 1412) was the eldest son of

Margaret Hanmer Margaret Hanmer (c. 1370 – c. 1420), sometimes known by her Welsh name of Marred ferch Dafydd, was the wife of Owain Glyndŵr. Early life and marriage Nothing is known of Margaret's early life, not even the precise date of her marriage ...

and

Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wa ...

, who led a major revolt in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

between 1400 and about 1416.

Early life

Little is known about any of the children of Owain Glyndŵr. Gruffudd is recorded as being Owain's eldest son and would-be heir to the crown of

had his father's rebellion ultimately been successful in creating an independent

Role in the Rebellion

He is known to have taken part in a raid in south Wales in 1405, alongside his uncle

Tudur ap Gruffudd Tudur ap Gruffudd (1365-1405), also known as Tudor de Glendore or Tudor Glendower, was the Lord of Gwyddelwern, a junior title of the Princely house of Powys Fadog, and was the younger brother of Owain Glyndŵr, the Welsh rebel leader crowned ...

, and another rebel Captain Rhys Gethin. They were defeated by Prince Henry of Monmouth, later to become

King Henry V Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the ...

or possibly

John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

. The exact place and date of this battle is subject to dispute, but the

Annals of Owain Glyndwr A number of medieval chronicles of the history of Wales survive, notably the 9th century ''Historia Brittonum'' and the 10th century ''Annales Cambriae''. These early chronicles are written in Latin, while from the 12th century, some are composed ...

call it the

Battle of Pwll Melyn The Battle of Pwll Melyn (also known as the Battle of Usk), was a battle between the Welsh and English on 5 May 1405, it was part of the Glyndŵr Rising that lasted from 1400 to 1415. It was the first English victory in a pitched battle during t ...

, near

Usk Usk ( cy, Brynbuga) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, northeast of Newport. It is located on the River Usk, which is spanned by an arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. Usk Castle, above the town, overlooks th ...

. The result appears to have been a major Welsh defeat, the capture of Gruffudd ab Owain Glyndŵr, and the deaths of Tudur and Rhys Gethin.

Imprisonment and death

Before being taken to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

he was first imprisoned at Nottingham. He was sent from there to the Tower of London and after seven years died in prison of

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

Family

It is not known if he was married or had sired any children of his own.

Notes

References