Angharad ferch Owain (1065–1162) was the wife 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 ...

, a king of Gwynedd.

Biography

Angharad was born in the region of

Tegeingl Tegeingl, in English Englefield, was a cantref in north-east Wales during the mediaeval period. It was incorporated into Flintshire following Edward I of England's conquest of northern Wales in the 13th century. Etymology The region's name was ...

Flintshire , settlement_type = County , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms of Flint ...

county,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. Her father was Owain ab Edwin (1044–1105). Her mother was Morwyl ferch Ednywain (1048–1065), wife of Edwin. She was faithful to her queenly duties. Angharad married Gruffudd ap Cynan in 1082 in the

Kingdom of Gwynedd The Kingdom of Gwynedd (Medieval Latin: ; Middle Welsh: ) was a Welsh kingdom and a Roman Empire successor state that emerged in sub-Roman Britain in the 5th century during the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. Based in northwest Wales, th ...

when she was seventeen. She was queen of Gwynedd for forty years with her husband and queen mother for twenty-five years into the time period when her son Owain ap Gruffudd was king of Gwynedd in north Wales.

Personality

Angharad was a tall blonde and labelled "Golden Haired".Ancestry.com Library Edition �
Angharad Queen of Gwyneed, "Golden Haired", Verch Owain ap Edwin
/ref> She was considered attractive and eloquent. Angharad had large eyes, strong limbs, long fingers with well groomed nails, a nice figure and fine feet. She had a queenly personality, was good-natured, and was known as being kindhearted and sympathetic towards the poor.

Siblings

Her siblings were Meilyr ab Owain, Rhiryd ab Owain, Gronw ab Owain and Einion ab Owain.

Children

Angharad and Gruffudd had the following children at Aberffraw Castle,

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 ...

, on

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

(now within Isle of Anglesey County), in the

in north-west

: * Rhanullt ferch Gruffydd (b. 1083) *

Owain Gwynedd Owain ap Gruffudd ( 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 ( cy, Owain Fawr) and the first to be ...

(b. 1087) * Elen ferch Gruffydd (b. 1089) * Merinedd ferch Gruffydd (b. 1091) * Susanna ferch Gruffydd (b. 1095) *

Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd (c. 1100 – 1172) was the third son of Gruffudd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd, and brother of Owain Gwynedd. Appearance in history Cadwaladr first appears in the historical record in 1136, when following the killing of the l ...

(b. 1096) *

Cadwallon ap Gruffydd Cadwallon ap Gruffydd (c. 1097 – 1132) () was the eldest son of Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd. Early life Cadwallon was born in the village of Walesey in the county of Caernarvonshire in Wales. His mother was Angharad ferch Owain, the ...

(b. 1097) * Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd (b. 1100), wife of Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince 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 ...

and mother of the Lord Rhys * Yslani ferch Gruffudd (b. 1104) * Membyr "Ddu" ap Gruffydd (b. 1114) * Rhael verch Gruffydd (b. 1116) * Annes ferch Gruffydd (b. 1118) * Margred ferch Gruffydd (b. 1120) * Tudwal ap Gruffydd (b. 1122).

Later life and death

Angharad was 72 years old in 1137 when her husband died. He left her half of his assets as was customary by

Welsh law Welsh law ( cy, Cyfraith Cymru) is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd.Law Society of England and Wales (2019)England and Wales: A World Jurisdiction of Choice eport(Link accessed: 16 March 20 ...

of the time. In addition she received two shares of land (rhandir). She also received in her inheritance the profits of the ferry service of the time at the port of Abermenai. This ferry is documented in the twelfth-century Welsh reference work ''Life of Guffudd ap Cynan'' and believed to be the earliest such service at this strait. Angharad died in 1162 at the age of 97.

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

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External links

Angharad verch Owain

Angharad verch (Deuheubarth) Owain

{{DEFAULTSORT:Angharad ferch Owain 11th-century Welsh people Year of birth uncertain 1060s births 1162 deaths Angharad People of The Anarchy 12th-century Welsh people Welsh people of Irish descent 11th-century Welsh women 12th-century Welsh women Queens consort