Gwenllian ferch Yr Arglwydd Rhys

Family/Spouse: Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig ab Iorwerth ap Gwgon. Ednyfed (son of Cynwrig ab Iorwerth ap Gwgon ab Idnerth ab Edryd ab Inethan ab Iasedd ap Carwed ap Marchudd ap Cynan and Angharad ferch Hwfa ap Cynwrig ap Rhiwallon ap Dingad ap Tudur Trefor) died in 1246. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Gronwy ab Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig ab Iorwerth was born in of Trecasteil, Anglesey, Wales; died in 1268.
2. Gwenllian ferch Ednyfed Fychan
3. Gruffudd ab Ednyfed Fychan ap Cynwrig ab Iorwerth died in 1246.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 28 Apr 1197

Notes:

Also called Ys Arglwydd Rhys, "The Lord Rhys."

Rhys married Gwenllian ferch Madog. Gwenllian (daughter of Madog ap Maredudd, Prince of Powys Fadog and (Unknown wife or mistress of Madog ap Maredudd)) died in 1160. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Gwenllian ferch Madog ap Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn ap Gwerystan ap Gwaithfoed ap Gwynnan ap Gwynnog Farfsych ap Lles Llawdeog ap Ceido ap Corf ap Caenog ap Tegonwy ap Teon ap Gwineu Deufreuddwyd ap Bywyr Lew ap Bywdeg ap Rhun Rhudd Baladr ap Llary ap Casnar Wledig.

Notes:

He was definitely a son of Rhys ap Tewdyr. He may or may not have been a son of Rhys's first wife, Gwladus verch Rhiwallon.

Gruffydd married Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd. Gwenllian (daughter of Gruffydd ap Cynan ab Iago, King of Gwynedd and Angharad ferch Owain) died in 1136. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"At the opening of the great Welsh uprising in 1136, she led an attack on the Norman fortress of Kidwelly, in her husband's absence, and was killed fighting outside the town, at a spot still known as Maes Gwenllian." [Dictionary of Welsh Biography, citation details below]

Madog married (Unknown wife or mistress of Madog ap Maredudd). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the Dictionary of Welsh Biography:

RHYS ap TEWDWR (d. 1093), king of Deheubarth; grandson of Cadell ab Einion ab Owain ap Hywel Dda. In 1075 he took possession of Deheubarth on the death of his second-cousin, Rhys ab Owain ab Edwin. In 1081 he was dislodged by Caradog ap Gruffydd , but later in the year, with the help of Gruffudd ap Cynan, he was firmly reinstated after the historic battle of Mynydd Carn. In the same year William the Conqueror made a demonstration of power in South Wales, traversing the land as far as S. Davids; it is reasonably certain that during the visit the two kings came to an agreement as to their future good relations, which lasted to the end of William's reign. A few years later it is recorded that Rhys is paying the king £40 a year for Deheubarth, thereby becoming a vassal of the Norman Crown and establishing a precedent with lasting consequences on Anglo-Welsh relations.

Henceforth, with the exception of the closing tragedy of his career, Rhys had only to contend with the jealousies of his fellow princes. In 1088 he was attacked by the young rulers of Powys and was obliged to seek refuge in Ireland, but he soon returned and, with Danish help, decisively defeated his opponents (see Madog, Rhiryd, and Cadwgan ap Bleddyn). Again in 1091 he was opposed by a group of his own vassals in Dyfed, who sought to restore the kingship to the senior line of Hywel Dda in the person of Gruffydd ap Maredudd ab Owain. At Llandudoch (S. Dogmaels) on the Teifi the rebels were defeated and Gruffydd killed. Meanwhile the Norman conquest of the south had gathered a new momentum after William's death in 1087, and among the territories then being over-run was the old kingdom of Brycheiniog. It was while resisting the Norman advance in this all-important approach to his own dominions that Rhys was killed in uncertain circumstances near Aberhonddu (Brecon).

He was virtually the last of the ancient kings of Deheubarth, and it was in a different political setting that the power of the dynasty was eventually revived by his grandson -- Rhys ap Gruffydd. He m. Gwladus, daughter of Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn. He was survived by two sons, Gruffydd ap Rhys and Hywel, and by a daughter, Nest.

Rhys married (Unknown wife of Rhys ap Tewdyr). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1139

Notes:

"It was part of the traditional lore of the Welsh bards that Gruffudd ap Cynan had made certain regulations to govern their craft, and his name was used to give authority to the 'statute' drawn up in connection with the Caerwys eisteddfod of 1523. There is nothing to substantiate this tradition, but it is not unreasonable to suggest that Gruffudd may have brought bards and musicians with him from Ireland and that these may have had some influence on the craft of poetry and music in Wales. He may also have made some formal changes in the bardic organization. It is clear that a genuine and persistent tradition to this effect existed in the 16th century. It is perhaps worth noting that the History mentions the death in battle of Gellan, Gruffudd's harpist, in 1094." [Dictionary of Welsh Biography, citation details below.]

Gruffydd married Angharad ferch Owain about 1095. Angharad (daughter of Owain ab Edwin and (Unknown daughter of Ednywain Bendew)) died in 1162. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Angharad of Tegaingl.

Maredudd married Hunydd ferch Einudd. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Cynan married Radnailt of Dublin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Ragnaillt O'Olaf; Ragnaillt Olafsdottir; Ragnhildr of Dublin.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1105

Notes:

Called by some Owain the Traitor. Welsh chieftan in Tegeingl. However, see also Darrell Wolcott, "Was Owain ap Edwin Really a Traitor?", citation details below.

Owain married (Unknown daughter of Ednywain Bendew). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Bleddyn married Haer ferch Cillin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Cadell married Elinor ferch Gwerystan. Elinor (daughter of Gwerystan) was born in of Powys, Wales. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Not to be confused with her mother-in-law of (according to Boyer, citation details below) the same name. See our note for her father Gwerystan for another disagreement with Boyer.

Notes:

Called, in Old Norse, Óláfr. Royal heir of Dublin.

Amlaíb married Máelcorcre ingen Dúnlaing. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1104

Notes:

Also called Edwin ap Gronwy. Prince of Tegaingl. "He held Counsillt near Flint under the Norman lord Robert of Rhuddlan, perhaps the beginning of feudal tenure in Wales." [Henry James Young, citation details below]

Edwin married Iwerydd ferch Cynfyn. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also spelled Eferydd.

Cynfyn married Angharad ferch Maredudd. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]