Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr ab Iorwerth Drwyndwn

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Pierce states that he was born before his father’s marriage to Joan of England in 1206. His birth is usually put in the 1190s.

Date of Death: 1 March 1244.

Place of Death: London.

Gruffudd fell to his death while trying to escape from the Tower of London (Lloyd 2:700).

Date of Burial: 1248.

Place of Burial: Aberconwy.

The date and place are given by Lloyd (2:701).

Relationships

Father: Llywelyn Fawr ab Iorwerth Drwyndwn ab Owain Gwynedd.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Gruffudd ap Cynfyn 5), and given by Lloyd (2:686), and by Pierce.

Mother: Tangwystl ferch Llywarch Gȏch.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Gruffudd ap Cynfyn 5), and given by Lloyd (2:686), and by Pierce.

Spouse: Senena ferch Caradog.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Gruffudd ap Cynfyn 5), and given by Richards (p. 24), and by Pierce. Pryce (p. 452) quotes an agreement of 12 August 1241 between Henry III and Senena, and notes that Senena died after 11 July 1252.

(possible) Spouse: Rhanullt, daughter of Ragnvald Godredsson, king of the Isles.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Gruffudd ap Cynfyn 5). Beverley Smith (pp. 37-38) expresses some doubt about the reality of this relationship.

Spouse: Catrin ferch Cynchwr of Ireland.

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Gruffudd ap Cynfyn 5).

Children (by Senena):

(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 Gȏch (living 1246-1277).

Llywelyn y Llyw Olaf (died 1282) married Eleanor, daughter of Simon de Montfort.

Rhodri (died about 1315) married (1) Beatrice, daughter of David de Malpas (the bastard); married (2) Catherine.

Dafydd (died 3 October 1283), lord of Denbigh and Hope, married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Ferrers, earl of Derby; had a relationship outside of marriage with Tangwystl ferch Owain Fflam of Deheubarth.

Margaret married Madog ap Gruffudd.

Children (by Rhanullt):

Catrin married Iorwerth Fychan ab yr Hȇn Iorwerth; married Maredudd ap Madog.

Gwladus (died 1261) married Rhys Ieuanc ap Rhys Mechyll.

Children (mother uncertain):

Dafydd Felyn.

References

Bartrum, Peter C., “Gruffudd ap Cynan 5” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.

[The sources Bartrum cites for Gruffudd are:

Peniarth 127 (70), written by Syr Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deicws between about 1510 and 1523, which doesn’t mention her husband; Peniarth 128 (133b, 172b, 173b, 937a), “Llyfr Edward ap Roger”, written before 1582, which mentions her husband Iorwerth Fychan ab yr Hen Iorwerth ab Owain; Peniarth 128 (173b, 435a), “Llyfr Edward ap Roger”, written before 1582, which mention her husband Maredudd ap Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor.]

Beverley Smith, J. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales (University of Wales Press, 1998).

Pryce, Huw (ed.) The Acts of the Welsh Rulers 1120 - 1283 (Malta, 2005).

Pierce, Thomas Jones. “Gruffydd ap Llywelyn” in Welsh Biography Online.

Richards, Gwenyth. Welsh Noblewomen in the Thirteenth Century: An Historical Study of Medieval Welsh Law and Gender Roles (The Edwin Mellen Press, 2009).