Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Seissyl, king of Gwynedd and of Deheubarth

Events

Date of Birth: about 1013.

This estimated date is given by Davies (p. 23). Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [41]) gives about 1000.

Date of Death: August 1063.

The date is given by Walker (ODNB). It is recorded in Brut y Tywysogion s.a. 1061, in Annales Cambriæ s.a. 1063, and in in the Annals of Ulster (s.a. 1064).

Place of Death: Wales.

Relationships

Father: Llywelyn ap Seissyl (died 1023).

This relationship is given by Walker (ODNB) and by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [41]). It is recorded in Brut Y Tywysogion (Williams, pp. 38-44).

Mother: Angharad ferch Maredudd ab Owain.

This relationship is given by Walker (ODNB), by Maund (p. 66), and by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [41]). Thornton (pp. 569-570) states that this genealogical connection is not beyond suspicion, but probably historical.

Spouse: the wife of Hywel ab Edwin. Abducted ("took for his own") in 1041.

This relationship is given by Maund (p. 68).

Spouse: Ealdgyth, daughter of Ælfgar, earl of Mercia. Probably married after 1056.

This relationship is given by Lewis (ODNB), Walker (ODNB), by Maund (p. 68), and by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [41]”). It is recorded by Orderic Vitalis.

(possible) Concubine: Ceinfryd ferch Rhirid Mawr.

This relationship is given by Bartrum (EVWG “Early Series [41]”). Maund (p. 68) states, "It is impossible to say whether there is any truth in the liaison with Ceinfryd."

Children (by Ealdgyth):

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

Nest married Osbern fitz Richard.

Children (by Ceinfryd):

Cynin.

Children (mother unknown):

Owain.

Maredudd (died 1069).

Idwal (died 1069).

References

The Annals of Ulster (Pádraig Bambury, Stephen Beechinor, compilers) (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2000).

Bartrum, Peter C (ed.) Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts. (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1968).

The sources Bartrum gives for Gruffudd include:

Jesus College MS. 20 -- (dated to the first part of the 14th century):

27. “...Y (Kynvin [Bledynt] hwnnw, a Gruffud vab Llewelyn, (a Thrahayarn m. Cradawc, tri) broder oedynt, meibon y Hagharat merch Maredud mab Ewein m. Howel da”

33.

“...a Llewelyn m. Seissyll, tat Gruffud m. Llewelyn.”

Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru (probably based on 15th century MSS):

7. (f) “Prawst ferch Elise ap Anarawd oedd fam Kynan ap Seissylt, a mam Llewelyn ap Seissyll, tad hen Ruffudd ap Llewelyn.”

(k) “Pllant Maredudd ap Ewein: Katwallawn ag Angharat mam Ruffudd ap Llewelyn ap Seissill, a mam Vleddyn ap Kynfyn, a mam Rriwallon ap Kynvyn ac Ewerydd.”

Brut y Tywysogion (23 f).

Bartrum, Peter C.,“Early Series [41]” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The sources Bartrum gives for Gruffudd are Brut y Tywysogion and his own Early Welsh Genealogical Tracts]

Davies, Michael and Sean. The Last King of Wales: Gruffudd ap Llywelyn c. 1013-1063. (The History Press, 2012).

Giraldus Cambrensis. Itinerarium Kambriæ, in Opera Volume 6 (James F. Dimock, ed.) (London, 1868).

“Gruffudd 1” on the Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England website.

Lewis, C.P. “Richard Scrob (fl. 1052-1066)” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Lloyd, John Edward, A History of Wales. 2 volumes (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1911-1912).

Maund, K.L. Ireland, Wales, and England in the Eleventh Century (The Boydell Press, 1991).

Thornton, David E. "Maredudd ab Owain (d. 999): The Most Famous King of the Welsh" in Welsh History Review Vol. 18, no. 4 (Dec. 1997), pp. 567-597.

Walker, David “Gruffudd ap Llywelyn (d. 1063)” 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).