Owain Gwynedd

Owain Gwynedd (in English, "Owen") (c. 1100 – November 28, 1170), alternatively known by the patronymic "Owain ap Gruffydd", is considered to be the most successful of all the north Welsh princes prior to his grandson, Llywelyn the Great. He was known as Owain Gwynedd to distinguish him from another contemporary Owain ap Gruffydd, ruler of Powys who was known as Owain Cyfeiliog.

Related Topics:
1100 - November 28 - 1170 - Patronymic - Llywelyn the Great - Powys

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Owain's father, Gruffydd ap Cynan, was a strong and long-lived ruler who had made the principality of Gwynedd the most influential in Wales during the sixty-two years of his reign, using the island of Anglesey as his power base. It was there that Owain was born, about the year 1100. When Gruffydd grew too old for warfare, Owain and his brothers Cadwallon and later Cadwaladr led the forces of Gwynedd against the Normans and against other Welsh princes with great success. Cadwallon died in 1132 but Owain and Cadwaladr, in alliance with Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth won a major victory over the Normans at Crug Mawr near Cardigan in 1136 and annexed Ceredigion to their father's realm.

Related Topics:
Gruffydd ap Cynan - Gwynedd - Wales - Anglesey - Cadwallon - 1132 - Gruffydd ap Rhys - Deheubarth - Normans - Crug Mawr - Cardigan - 1136 - Ceredigion

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On Gruffydd's death in 1137, therefore, Owain inherited a portion of a well-established kingdom, but had to share it with Cadwaladr. In 1143 Cadwaladr was implicated in the murder of Anarawd ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth, and Owain responded by sending his son Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd to strip him of his lands in the north of Ceredigion. Though Owain was later reconciled with Cadwaladr, from 1143, Owain ruled alone over most of north Wales. In 1155 Cadwaladr was driven into exile.

Related Topics:
1137 - 1143 - Deheubarth - Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd - Ceredigion - 1155

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Owain took advantage of the civil war in England between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda to push Gwynedd's boundaries further east than ever before. In 1146 he captured the castle of Mold and about 1150 captured Rhuddlan and encroached on the borders of Powys. The prince of Powys, Madog ap Maredudd, with assistance from Earl Ranulf of Chester, gave battle at Coleshill, but Owain was victorious.

Related Topics:
King Stephen - Empress Matilda - 1146 - Mold - 1150 - Rhuddlan - Powys - Madog ap Maredudd

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All went well until the accession of King Henry II of England in 1154. Henry invaded Gwynedd in 1157 with the support of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys and Owain's brother Cadwaladr. The invasion met with mixed fortunes. King Henry was nearly killed in a skirmish near Basingwerk and the fleet accompanying the invasion made a landing on Anglesey where it was defeated. Owain was however obliged to come to terms with Henry, being obliged to surrender Rhuddlan and other conquests in the east.

Related Topics:
Henry II of England - 1154 - 1157 - Basingwerk - Anglesey

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Madog ap Maredudd died in 1160, enabling Owain to regain territory in the east. In 1163 he formed an alliance with Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth to challenge English rule. King Henry again invaded Gwynedd, but instead of taking the usual route along the northern coastal plain, the king's army invaded from Oswestry and took a route over the Berwyn hills. The Welsh weather came to Owain's assistance as torrential rain forced Henry to retreat in disorder.

Related Topics:
1160 - 1163 - Rhys ap Gruffydd

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Henry did not invade Gwynedd again and Owain was able to regain his eastern conquests, recapturing Rhuddlan castle in 1167 after a siege of three months. The last years of Owain's life were spent in disputes with the Archbishop of Canterbury over the appointment of a new Bishop of Bangor. He was also put under pressure by the Archbishop and the Pope to put aside his second wife, Cristin, who was his first cousin, this relationship making the marriage invalid under church law. Despite being excommunicated for his defiance, Owain steadfastly refused to put Cristin aside. Owain died in 1170, and despite having been excommunicated was buried in Bangor cathedral by the local clergy.

Related Topics:
1167 - Archbishop of Canterbury - Excommunicated - 1170 - Bangor

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He is believed to have commissioned the propaganda text, The Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan an account of his father's life. Following his death, civil war broke out between his sons, and a generation passed before Gwynedd was restored to its former glory. According to legend, one of Owain's sons was Prince Madoc, who is popularly supposed to have fled across the Atlantic and colonised America.

Related Topics:
The Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan - Madoc - Atlantic - America

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