Senana ferch Caradog (c.1198–1263) was the wife of

Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (c. 1196 – 1 March 1244) was the Wales, Welsh first-born son of Llywelyn the Great ("Llywelyn Fawr"). His mother Tangwystl (c. 1180/1185 – c. 1210) probably died in childbirth. Hostage As a boy, Gruffudd was ...

(1198–1244). Senana's full name was Senana ferch Caradog ap Thomas ap Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd therefore

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 ...

was her great great grandfather, although she came from an illegitimate line. She had four sons: Owain, Llywelyn, Dafydd and Rhodri. Additionally she had two known daughters: Gwladus and Margaret. Although it is unknown exactly when she died, she was buried in 1263 in

Llanfaes Llanfaes (formerly also known as Llanmaes) is a small village on the island of Anglesey, Wales, located on the shore of the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from the north Wales coast. Its natural har ...

Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr's imprisonment

In 1239 Gruffudd was imprisoned by his father, Llywelyn, following Llywelyn's sudden stroke. He was imprisoned to ensure the safety of his father's chosen heir Dafydd ap Gruffudd was the first born son but he was considered illegitimate. Following Llywelyn's death in 1240, Senana appealed to

Dafydd ap Llywelyn Dafydd ap Llywelyn (''c.'' March 1212 – 25 February 1246) was Prince of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. He was the first ruler in Wales to claim the title Prince of Wales. Birth and descent Though birth years of 1208, 1206, and 1215 have ...

to release her husband but was unsuccessful. After this, in April 1241, she appealed directly to

King Henry III of England Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry ass ...

. She was able to address the King due to her noble status as well as her marital and genealogical connections. These connections and their support for the release of Senana's husband are shown by the pledges given by noblemen such as:

Ralph de Mortimer Ranulph or Ralph de Mortimer (before 1198 to 6 August 1246) was the second son of Roger de Mortimer and Isabel de Ferrers of Wigmore Castle in Herefordshire. He succeeded his elder brother before 23 November 1227 and built Cefnllys and Knuckla ...

; Walter de Clifford; Gruffudd ap Madog of Bromfield and his brothers. Initially negotiations between Henry and Senana went well, both parties agreed to the terms and a charter was signed to release Gruffudd and their son

Owain Goch ap Gruffydd Owain ap Gruffudd (also known as ''Owain Goch'' wain the Red (died 1282) was brother to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Dafydd ap Gruffudd and, for a brief period in the late 1240s and early 1250s, ruler of part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd (in modern-day n ...

. In exchange for this pardon Henry III would receive six hundred marks and an additional three hundred mark every year if Gruffudd gained the lands he would have received from Llwelyn's estate when Llwelyn died. However, after this charter was signed, Gruffydd was not released but transferred from Dafydd's prison in

Criccieth Castle Criccieth Castle ( cy, Castell Cricieth; ) is a native Welsh castle situated on the headland between two beaches in Criccieth, Gwynedd, in North Wales, on a rocky peninsula overlooking Tremadog Bay. It was built by Llywelyn the Great of the kin ...

to Henry III's prison in 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 ...

where he was well treated. It was recorded that Senana was allowed to visit him.Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 23
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References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Senana ferch Caradog 1263 deaths Welsh royalty Year of birth uncertain