Gruffudd was born and grew up in Dublin, where his father had fled, probably following a 1039 coup. In 1075, Gruffudd sailed from Ireland to Anglesey and attempted to take control of Gwynedd, where his grandfather had ruled. After initial successes, he was forced to retreat to Wexford, in Ireland. In 1081, he again attempted to take Gwynedd. This time, after initial success, he was captured and imprisoned in Chester for at least 12 years. He eventually escaped, and seems to have participated in the Welsh revolt of 1094. Eventually Gruffudd gained control of Anglesey, and gradually, after 1099, he extended his control over the rest of north Wales. In 1114, Gruffudd submitted to Henry I, who had led a major campaign against him. Later in his life, Gruffudd’s sons continued to press into Meirionydd, Powys, and Ceredigion. A near contemporary biography of Gruffudd survives. (Pryce, ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”)
Events
Date of Birth: 1054/5.
Place of Birth: Dublin, Ireland.
The date and place are given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”).
Date of Death: 1137.
This date is given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”).
Date of Burial: 1137.
Place of Burial: Bangor Cathedral.
The burial is given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”).
Relationships
Father: Cynan ab Iago ab Idwal.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Gruffudd ap Cynan 1”) and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”). Brut y Tywysogion (s.a. 1073, s.a. 1096, etc.) calls him “Grufud uab Kynan.” In Brut y Tywysogion (s.a. 1079) and Annales Cambriæ (s.a. 1073), he is referred to as the grandson of Iago, presumably because Gruffudd’s father, having spent most of his life in Ireland, was not well known.
Mother: Radnaillt of Dublin.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Gruffudd ap Cynan 1”), and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”). The ultimate source of the information is HGaC § 1. This source is often unreliable, but probably right about this relationship. (See Jones, p. 46; Baldwin, LaI).
Spouse: Angharad ferch Owain ab Edwin (Died 1162). Married about 1095.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Gruffudd ap Cynan 1”) and given by Pryce (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Cynan”).
Spouse: a daughter of Llychwy of Llanbeulan, Llifon.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Gruffudd ap Cynan 1”).
Spouse: Perwyr ferch Brân.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (“Gruffudd ap Cynan 1”).
Children (by Angharad):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Most information below comes from Bartrum.)
Owain Gwynedd (about 1100 - 1170). King of Gwynedd. Bartrum gives Owain these wives: Gwladus ferch Llywarch; Cristin ferch Gronwy; Angharad ferch Peredur; Gwenllian ferch Ednywain; Morfudd ferch Merwydd Hir; Afandreg ferch Gwrgi of Penmynydd; Anedd ferch Gwrgi of Penmynydd; Ffynnod Wyddeles; Morfudd ferch Elfan ap Sandde of Rhos. (Early Welsh sources usually don’t distinguish mistresses from wives legally married according to church law.)
Cadwaladr (died 1172) married Gwerful ferch Gwrgeneu, Dyddgu ferch Maredudd, Alice de Clare, and his niece, Tangwystl ferch Cadwallon.
Cadwallon (died 1132).
Rhanullt married Madog ab Idnerth.
Gwenllian married Gruffudd ap Rhys.
Susanna married Madog ap Maredudd.
Margred married Ieuaf ab Owain.
Annes.
Children (by a daughter of Llychwy of Llanbeulan, Llifon):
Iago.
Yslani married Hwfa ab Ithel Felyn.
Children (by Perwyr ferch Brân):
Idwal. Abbot of Penmon.
Cadwallon Ieuengaf.
Duling.
Children (mother uncertain):
Membry Ddu
Rhael married Llywach ap Bleddyn.
Tudwal. Bartrum notes that his name may actually have been Idwal.
Gwenllian married Cadwgon ap Bleddyn. Bartrum notes that this Gwenllian was probably illegitimate.
References
Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 23 May 2014).
Bartrum, Peter C (ed.) Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968).
The sources Bartrum gives for Gruffudd include:
Hanes Gruffudd ap Cynan -- the biography is probably from the 1170s, but Bartrum believes the pedigrees may be later (1200s).
1. “Mab oed Gruffud y Gynan vrenhin m. Yago m. Idwal …”
3. Gruffud brenhin m. Raonell verch Avloed vrenhin Dinas Dulyn ... “
4. Gruffud vrenhin oed vab y Ragnell merch Vaycorcre verch Dunlug m. Tethel vrenhin Laine, pymhetran Ywerdon….”
5. Y Gruffud vrenhin yd oed deu vroder vn vam, brenhined Wltw, nyt amgen Ranalld m. Mathauyn, yr hwnn a enillws dwyrann o Ywerdon ympytheunos a mis oe dewred….”
Mostyn MS. 117. -- a MS from the late 1200s.
1. “...Gruffyd m. Kynan m. Iago m [Idwal m. Meuric m.] Idwal voel m. Anarawt m. Rodri m. Meruyn vrych, gwr priawt Esyllt verch Kynan Tindaethwy…”
2. “Ririd ap Ywain, y gwr pieivu Klochran, y dref a rodded i hen Ruffydd ap Kynan hon y sydd y rwng Dinas Dulyn a Swrth Kolomkilli.”
Jesus College MS. 20 -- (dated to the first part of the 14th century):
25. “Rees gryc m. Rees mwynuawr m. Gwenlliant. Brodyr y Rees mwynuawr oedynt Maredud a Morgant a Maelgwn, meibon Gwenlliant merch Gruffud m. Kynan”);
26. “Gruffud m. Kynan m. Iago m. Idwal m. Meuric m. Itwal voel m. Anarawt mab Rodri mawr.”
28. “Llywelyn m. Iorwoerth m. Ewein Gwyned m. Gruffud m. Cynan.”
Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru (probably based on 15th century MSS):
1. “...Owain Gwynedd m. Gruffudd m. Kynan m. Iago m. Idwal m. Meirig m. Idwal voel m. Anarawd m. Rodri mawr…”
5. Plant Gruffudd ap Kynan ap Iago ap Idwal ap Meurig
(a). “Ewain Gwynnedd a Chatwaladyr a Chatwallawn a Ranillt a Gwenlliant a Marfreda a Sussan ag Agnest. Angharat ferch Ywein ap Edwin eu mam.”
6. a. “Mam Gruffudd ap Kynan: Rhanillt ferch Afloidd m. Sutrig m. Glin aru m. Sutrig m. Harallt Harfagyr (m.) Siwyrder sur m. Beor m. Siwyrder ris m. Harallt Harfagyr. …”
7. “Idwal m. Meurig, oddyna Iago mab Idwal, oddyna Kynan mab Iago tad Gruffudd mab Kynan.”
8. d. “...Gwraic Lywarch oedd Rruel verch Gruffydd ap Kynan ap Iago.”
10. Gwehelyth Deheubarth: “Rrys ap Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr [ap Cadell] ap Eynon ap Ewein ap Howel dda ap Kadell ap Rhodri. I vam oedd Wenllian verch Gruffudd ap Kynan ap Iago...”;
11. “I vam oedd Rranvllt verch Gruffudd ap Kynan ap Iago.”
12. “I mam oedd Susan verch Gruffudd ap Kynan.”
13. “I vam oedd Vared verch Gruffudd ap Kynan.”
Hen Lwythau Gwynedd a’r Mars
5. b. “Ysani verch Gruffudd ap Kynan oedd wraic Hwva ap Ithel velyn.”
Bartrum, Peter C., “Early Series [41] " and “Gruffudd ap Cynan 1 ” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
The sources Bartrum cites for Gruffudd are Brut y Tywysogion and his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts.
Guy, Ben. Medieval Welsh Genealogy. (The Boydell Press, 2020).
From Guy’s critical edition of the Llywelyn ab Iorwerth genealogies, which were based on an archetype created no later than the first half of the fourteenth century from an original compilation dating to the early thirteenth century, partly based on earlier written sources (Note that Guy is striving for textual rather than genealogical accuracy):
11.1 Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ap Ywein ap Gruffyd ap Kynan ap Iago ap Idwal ap Meurig ap Idwall Foel ap Anarawt ap Rodri Mawr ap Essyllt ferch Kynan Dyndaethwy …[back to Adam]
15 Plant Gruffud ap Kynan:
15.1 Ewein a Chatwaladyr a Chatwallawn a Ranillt a Gwenlliant a <Maryreda> a Sussanna ag Agnest: Agharat ferch Ywein ap Edwin eu mam.
15.2 Iago map Gruffyd <a’i> chwaer, y wreig a vu y Hwfa ap Ithel Felyn o Yal: a merch Lychwy o Lan <Bevlan> eu mam.
15.3 Idwal m. Gruffyd a vu abad ar Bennon, ag y mae y ved ym Pennmon.
15.4 Duling m. Gruffyd, effeiriat vu ag athro da, a vu fab iddaw; Thomas m. Duling.
16. Mam Gruffud ap Kynan:
16.1 Ranillt ferch Alfoid m. Sutrig m. <Glinvarn> m. Sutrig m. Harallt Harfagyr m. Siwyrder Sur m. Beor m. Siwyrder Ris m. Harallt Harfagyr. Yr Harallt hwnnw a oresgynnws Lychlyn oll, ag diolyes y holl vrenined ohonei, ag a vu ehun oruchel vrenin dros Lychlyn. Harallt <Harffagyr> ap Haldan Du ap <Gwythrid> Vrenin Helgwr ap Haldan Milde ap Eisten ap Haldan Chinbein, y brenin kyntaf a doeth y Lychlyn o Suesia. Ranallt m <Gwrthryd> ap Afloyd m. Gwrthryt Mearch m. Harallt Du m. Ifor Gamle m. Afloyd m. <Sutric>.
16.1.1 <Mam> Ranillt, nain Gruffud ap Kynan: Maelgreg ferch Dwling m. Dwthil vrenin Lani, y bymet ran o Iwerdon.
16.1.2 Slani oed fam Afloyd vrenin, merch brenin Muen, dwy rann o Iwerdon.
16.1.3 <A> <Gwrymlaith> oed fam Sutrig, merch y <Vwrchoth> vrenin Llaini. Tri maib a vu y <Wrchath> vrenin, klotforaf tri or wiring oedunt <yn> Iwerdon yn eu hoes, a buanaf tri dyn: <Dwnchath> vrenin Muen; <Sutric> vrenhin Dinas Dulyn; Moelkelyn vrenin Midi.
16.2 Deu vroder oed un fam a Gruffud ap Kynan:
16.2.1 Ranallt mab <Mathawn> a oresgynnws dwy rann o Iwerdon yn oet <pythefnos> a mis; dewraf gwr ieuang oed ym rann Iwerdon. <Buanaf> march oed yr eidaw; mae y <lam> etto <yn ddihareb> yn Iwerdon, a nodeu <ymhob> tal idwal; def y kynebygit y <Bucefal>, march Alexander Mawr.
16.2.2 Y brawt arall un fam a Gruffud fab Kynan: Etwathawn brenin <Wltw>.
Jones, Arthur (ed.) The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan. (Manchester U.P., 1910).
Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).
Oman, Sandra. “Gruffudd ap Cynan, Brenin of Gwynedd” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.
Parry, Sir Thomas. “Gruffydd ap Cynan” in Welsh Biography Online.
Pryce, Huw. “Gruffudd ap Cynan” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Williams ab Ithel, John (ed.). Annales Cambriæ (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts; 1860).
Williams ab Ithel, John (ed.). Brut y Tywysogion; or, The Chronicle of the Princes (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts; 1860).