Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr

Gruffudd was brought up in Ireland, where he had fled with some of his kindred after the death in battle of his father. He returned to Dyfed in about 1113. His request for a part of his inheritance was refused, and Gruffudd, being regarded as a threat, was forced to flee to Gwynedd and then to the south. He gathered around himself a group of booty-seeking “imbeciles” (in the words of Brut y Tywysogion) and ravaged the countryside, gradually increasing in power. In 1127, he was forced to flee to Ireland, but soon returned. He participated in major battles in 1136 and 1137, when revolt broke out in Wales on the death of Henry I, but died in 1137, it is said through the treachery of his wife. (Tout/Pryce ODNB “Gruffudd y Rhys”)

Events

Date of Birth: about 1090.

The estimated date is given by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 1) and Pierce (“Gruffydd ap Rhys”).

Date of Death: 1137.

This date is given in Annales Cambriæ (Williams p. 41), and by John of Worcester (Thorpe p. 98), and by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 1) and Tout/Pryce. Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 160-161) gives 1136.

Relationships

Father: Rhys ap Tewdwr ap Cadell (died 1093).

This relationship is given in Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 118-119), shown by Bartrum (EVWG, Rhys ap Tewdwr 1; EWGT), and given by Pryce (Acts Table 3), and Tout/Pryce.

(possible) Mother: Gwladus ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn.

This relationship is given by Pierce (“Gruffydd ap Rhys”). Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 1) does not specify which of Rhys’s wives was the mother of Gruffudd.

Spouse: unknown.

This relationship is given by Tout/Price.

Spouse: Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan (died 1136).

This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG, Rhys ap Tewdwr 1), and given by Pryce (ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”). Giraldus Cambrensis gives her name as Guendoloena (Itinerarium Kambriæ 1:9).

Spouse: unknown.

This relationship is given by Tout/Pryce.

Children (by his first wife):

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Some doubt exists surrounding some of the facts for some of the children. Most of the information below comes from Tout/Pryce and Bartrum.)

Cadell (died 1176).

Anarawd (died 1143) married Margred ferch Cadwaladr.

Children (by Gwenllian):

Morgan (died 1136).

Maelgwn (died 1136).

Owain.

Rhys Fychan married Margred.

Nest married Ifor Bach.

Gwladus married (1) Caradog ab Iestyn ap Gwrgan; (2) Seisyll ap Dyfnwal.

child

Maredudd (about 1130 - 1155).

Yr Arglwydd Rhys (about 1132 - 1197) married Gwenllian ferch Madog. Had many concubines.

References

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

The sources Bartrum gives for Rhys are:

Mostyn MS. 117 -- dated to the last quarter of the 13th century (“Rys m. Gruffudd m. Rys m. Tewdwr m. Kadell m. Eynon m. Owein m. Hywel da m. Kadell m. Rodri mawr m. Meruyn vrych”);

Jesus College MS. 20 -- dated to the last part of the 14th century (“Rees gryc m. Rees mwynuawr m. Gruffudd m. Rees m. Tewdwr m. Cadell m. Einyawn m. Ewein m. Howel da m. Kadell m. Rodri mawr” and “Rees gryc m. Rees mwynuawr m. Gwenlliant. Brodyr y Rees mwynuawr oedynt Maredud a Morgant a Maelgwn, meibon Gwenlliant merch Gruffud m. Kynan”);

Achau Brenhinoedd a Thywysogion Cymru:

“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”);

“Gwehelyth Morganwc” (“...Mam Vorgan oedd Wladus verch Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr mawr”);

“Gwehelyth Sainhenydd” (“...I vam oedd Nest verch Gruffudd ap Rrys ap Tewdwr”);

Brut y Tywysogion.

Bartrum, Peter C., “Rhys ap Tewdwr 1” and “Gruffudd ap Cynan” 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.

Bridgeman, George T.O. History of the Princes of South Wales (Wigan: Thomas Birch, 1876).

Giraldi Cambrensis. Opera, Volume VI: Itinerarium Kambriæ (James F. Dimock, ed.) (London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1868).

Guy, Ben. Medieval Welsh Genealogy. (The Boydell Press, 2020).

From Guy’s critical edition of the Gutun Owain recension 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):

G16.1 Plant Gruffudd ap Rys ap Tewdwr: yr arglwydd Rys, Anarawd, Kadell, Mredudd. O verched: Gwladus gwraig Garadog ap Iestin, Nest mam Gruffudd ap Mevrig o Sainhenydd. Gwenllian verch Gruffudd ap Kynan oedd ev mam.

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

Maund, Kari. The Welsh Kings (Tempus, 2000).

Oman, Sandra. “Gruffudd ap Rhys, Brenin of Cantref Mawr” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.

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

Pryce, Huw. The Acts of the Welsh Rulers 1120 - 1283 (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2005)

Thorpe, Benjamin (ed.), Florentii Wigorniensis Monachi Chronicon ex Chronicis Tomus II, (Londini: Sumptibus Societatis, M.DCCC.XLIX)

Tout, T.F. rev. Huw Pryce. “Gruffudd ap Rhys” 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).