Morgan ap Gruffydd Maelgwyn ap Gruffydd Gwladus ferch Gruffydd Nest ferch Gruffydd Owain ap Gruffydd Maredudd ap Gruffydd Rhys ap Gruffydd Sion ap Gruffydd
Her death would serve as a rallying cry for Welsh rebels, and she became a symbol of Welsh independence. 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. She is sometimes confused with Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn, who lived two centuries later.
Early life
Gwenllian was the youngest daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd, and his wife, Angharad. She was born on Ynys Môn (now also known as Anglesey) at the family seat at Aberffraw, and was the youngest of eight children; four older sisters: Mared, Rhiannell, Susanna, and Annest, and three older brothers: Cadwallon, Owain[1] and Cadwaladr. She was the great-great-great-granddaughter of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, High King of Ireland.[2]
Gwenllian grew to be strikingly beautiful. After Gruffydd ap Rhys, the Prince of Deheubarth, ventured to Gwynedd around 1113 to meet her father, Gwenllian and Deheubarth's prince became romantically involved and eloped.[3] She married Gruffydd ap Rhys shortly after 1116.[4]
Gwenllian and Gruffydd had the following children:[1]
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)[5][6][7]
Nest ferch Gruffydd (between 1120 and 1130, Carmarthenshire - after 25 July 1175)
Owain ap Gruffydd (c. 1126, Carmarthenshire - after 1155)[8]
Sion ap Gruffydd (c. 1134, Carmarthenshire - after 1155)[8]
Gwenllian joined her husband at his family seat of Dinefwr in Deheubarth. Deheubarth was struggling against the Norman invasion in South Wales, with Norman, English, and Flemish 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.[3] From here, she and Gruffydd ap Rhys led retaliatory strikes, aka "lightning raids" against Norman-held positions in Deheubarth.[3]
By 1136 an opportunity arose for the Welsh to recover lands lost to the Marcher Lords 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.[11][12] The usurpation and conflict it caused eroded central authority in England.[11] The revolt began in South Wales, as Hywel ap Maredudd, Lord of Brycheiniog, gathered his men and marched to Gower, defeating a smaller Norman force there at the Battle of Llwchwr, killing 500 Normans.[3][11] 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.[11]
While her husband was in Gwynedd seeking an alliance with her father against the Normans, Maurice de Londres and other Normans led raids against Deheubarth's Welsh and Gwenllian was compelled to raise an army for their defence.[11][13][14] In a battle fought near Kidwelly Castle, Gwenllian's army was routed, she was captured in battle and beheaded by the Normans.[11] In the battle her son Morgan was also slain and another son, Maelgwyn, captured and executed.
When word reached Gwynedd of Gwenllian's death and the revolt in Gwent, Gwenllian's brothers Owain and Cadwaladr invaded Norman-controlled Ceredigion, taking Llanfihangel, Aberystwyth, and Llanbadarn.[11]
Gwenllian's youngest son went on to become a notable leader of Deheubarth, The Lord Rhys.
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. For centuries after her death, Welshmen cried-out 'Dial Achos Gwenllian' (Eng: Revenge for Gwenllian) when engaging in battle.[3] Gwenllian and her husband also attacked Norman, English, and Flemish colonists in Deheubarth, looting goods and money and redistributing them among the Deheubarth Welsh. These actions led historian and author Philip Warner to described Gwenlliann and her husband as a pair of "Robin Hoods of Wales".[3]
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 (Welsh: Field of Gwenllian). A spring in the field is also named after her, supposedly welling up on the spot where she died. The field is said to be haunted by her headless ghost.[15]
Lloyd, J.E. (2004). A History of Wales; From the Norman Invasion to the Edwardian Conquest. New York: Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc. ISBN0-7607-5241-9.
Lloyd, J.E. (1935). A History of Carmarthenshire. Cardiff.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Pierce, T. J., (1959). MAREDUDD ap GRUFFYDD ap RHYS (1130 or 1131 - 1155), prince of Deheubarth. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020, from https://biography.wales/article/s-MARE-APG-1130
^Pierce, T. J., (1959). RHYS ap GRUFFYDD (1132 - 1197), lord of Deheubarth, known in history as ‘Yr Arglwydd Rhys’ (‘The lord Rhys’).. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 24 Jan 2020, from https://biography.wales/article/s-RHYS-APG-1132
^ abcdefghiLloyd, 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
^From Kidwelly Castle by C. A. Ralegh Radford: "The account speaks of Maurice de Londres, Lord of Kidwelly, and Geoffrey, Constable of the Bishop, as leaders of the Norman army. Maurice, who is mentioned for the first time in connection with this district, already possessed Ogmore in Glamorgan, where his father William de Londres appears to have been one of the original conquerors. The coupling of the two names suggests that Roger of Salisbury, while retaining possession of the castle, had granted the lordship of the district to Maurice de Londres, who probably acquired the castle also when the bishop died in the following year."
