King of Deheubarth; later, Prince of Deheubarth
As a teenager, Rhys participated in several campaigns with his elder brothers. On the death of his brother Maredudd in 1155, Rhys succeeded to a kingdom made up of Ceredigion, Ystrad Tywi, and Dyfed. Rhys submitted to King Henry II in 1157, but there were frequent hostilities between them up until 1171, when Henry decided to throw his support behind Rhys as a check to the growing power of the Marcher Lords. This brought about a peace lasting until Henry’s death in 1189. In that year Rhys renewed his attacks, considering his agreement to have been a personal agreement with Henry rather than an agreement with the English crown. In his last years, Rhys found himself occupied with conflicts between his sons, at one point being briefly imprisoned by Maelgwn, his eldest, but illegitimate, son.
Rhys was the most powerful native ruler in Wales from the death of Owain Gwynedd in November 1170 until his own death. Contemporary opinion of Rhys was almost entirely favourable. (Pryce, ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”)
Events
Date of Birth:1131/2.
This date is given by Pryce (ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”) and by Lloyd (2:475 fn 53). The date is based on Rhys being younger than his brother Maredudd, who died in 1155 in his 25th year. Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 182-183) records Maredudd as dying in 1154 in the 25th year of his age. Annales Cambriæ (Williams p. 46) records that Rhys was Maredudd’s younger brother (“Maredut filius Grifini [filii Res veneno] obiit. Resus vero junior [ejus frater]...”). Rhys’s involvement in military campaigns in the 1140s suggests that he couldn’t be much younger than Maredudd.
Date of Death: 28 April 1197.
This date is given in Brut y Tywysogion (Williams pp. 244-247) and Annales Cambriæ (Williams pp. 60-61). Bridgeman (p. 65), citing Annales Theokesberiæ, gives the date as 24 April (viii. Kal. Maii). Maund (p. 112) gives 28 April 1197.
Date of Burial: 1197.
Place of Burial: the cathedral church of St David’s.
The place is given in Annales Cambriæ (Williams pp. 60-61). Prior to his burial, penance was administered on his corpse “to absolve him from a sentence of excommunication incurred for his complicity in an assault on Peter de Leia, bishop of St David’s, shortly before his death” (Pryce, ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”; Bridgeman pp. 66-67). Bridgeman (pp. 67-68) notes that some accounts state that Rhys was buried at Strata Florida or Istrad Flur.
Relationships
Father: Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr (about 1090 - 1137).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG, Rhys ap Tewdwr 1; EWGT), and given by Pryce (Acts Table 3), and by Pryce (ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”). Brut y Tywysogion records this relationship. The earliest record of this relationship is in Geraldus Cambrensis (Description of Wales 1:3).
Mother: Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan (died 1136).
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (EVWG, Rhys ap Tewdwr 1; EWGT), and given by Pryce (ODNB “Rhys ap Gruffudd”).
Spouse: Gwenllian ferch Madog ap Maredudd.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 4, Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 3, “Plant yr Arglwydd Rhys” note 1), and given by Bridgeman (p. 68), and by Smith (ODNB “Gruffudd ap Rhys”). Giraldus Cambrensis, whose mother was a first cousin of Rhys, in Itinerarium Kambriæ (1:1) describes how Rhys’s wife caused him to change his mind about going to the Holy Land: “...donec uxor ejus, et communi patriæ vitio in quarto gradu cognata, Gwendoloena scilicet Maidoci Powisensis filia, ipsum a nobili proposito, peccatis exegentibus, muliebriter instans penitus avertit.” That is, Rhys’s wife, Gwenllian, daughter of Madog of Powys, was related to Rhys in the fourth degree, after “the common vice of the country.” Gwenllian is said to have married her stepson, Maelgwn Hen, after Rhys’s death.
Concubine: Gwerful ferch Llywelyn.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: Nest ferch Caradog Fychan.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: a daughter of Gruffudd ap Gwyn ap Gwalchmai of Llansadwrn.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: Gwenllian ferch Maredudd.
Gwenllian was Rhys’s niece. This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: Ystedur ferch Caradog ap Llawrodd.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: a daughter of Dafydd Fras.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: Gwenddyd ferch Cynddelw ab Y Bochawc of Glan Cuch.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Concubine: Isabel ferch Iorwerth Fodrychan of Caerwedros.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3).
Children (by Gwenllian ferch Madog):
(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 Bartrum.)
Gruffudd (died 1201) married Matilda de Briouze.
Rhys Gryg (died 1234) married (1) Ellyw ferch Thomas (or Trahaearn); possibly married (2) Matilda ferch Richard, widow of William de Braose; possibly married (3) Gwenllian ferch Elidir ab Owain.
Margred married Gwenwynwyn.
Maredudd Gethin (died 1201) married Gwenllian ferch Hywel.
Gwenllian (died 1236) married (1) Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd; married (2) Ednyfed Fychan.
Children (by Gwerful ferch Llywelyn):
Maelgwn Hen or Fawr (died 1231) is said to have married his stepmother Gwenllian ferch Madog.
Children (by Nest ferch Caradog):
Morgan (died 1251).
Children (by a daughter of Gruffudd ap Gwyn ap Gwalchmai):
Cynwrig (died 1237).
Children (by Gwenllian ferch Maredudd):
Cadwaladr Lwgr (1173 - 1186?). Brut y Tywysogion records that the birth of a son to Rhys and Gwenllian in 1173 caused widespread death to people and animals (presumably due to heaven’s displeasure at the incest involved). Bartrum (“Plant yr Arglwydd Rhys”) notes that Brenhinedd y Saeson names this son Meurig. Bartrum (Rhys ap Tewdwr 3) puts a question mark after the 1186 death date (recorded in Brut y Tywysogion), perhaps expressing doubt that the Cadwaladr who died in 1186 was the same person as the child born in 1173.
Children (by Ystedur ferch Caradog ap Llawrodd):
Hywel Sais (died 1204).
Children (by a daughter of Dafydd Fras):
Maredudd (died 1227). Archdeacon of Ceredigion.
Children (by Gwenddyd ferch Cyndelw ab Y Bochawc):
Tangwystl married Maredudd ap Rhydderch.
Maredudd Ddall (died 1239).
Children (by Isabel ferch Iorwerth Fadrychan):
Owain Caerwedros (died 1191).
Children (by unknown concubines):
Lleucu married Owain Foel.
Angharad married William Fitz Martin.
Gwiddus married Sir William Cantington.
Children (mother unknown):
Susanna married Ein o’r Porth.
A daughter married Einion ap Rhys of Gwrtheyrnion.
Catin married Cydifor ap Dinewal.
Tanwystl married Einion ap Llywarch.
Rhys Gochyn.
A daughter married Lucas de Hoda.
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”);
Brut y Tywysogion.
Bartrum, Peter C. (ed.), “Plant yr Arglwydd Rhys” in National Library of Wales journal XIV. pp. 97-104.
Bartrum, Peter C., “Rhys ap Tewdwr 1”, “Rhys ap Tewdwr 3”, “Rhys ap Tewdwr 4”, and “Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 3” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500.
The sources Bartrum cites for Rhys 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).
Giraldus 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 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):
30 Gwehelieith Deheubarth:
30.1 Rys ap Gruffud ap Rys ap Tewdwr ap Eynon ap Ewein ap Howel Da ap Kadell ap Rodri <Mawr>.
30.1.1. Gwenlliant ferch Gruffyd ap Kynan oed fam Rys ap Gruffud.
30.1.2. Merch Riwallawn ap Kynfyn oed wraig Rys ap Tewdwr, mam Gruffud ap Rys.
From Guy’s critical edition of the Gutun Owain recension of the Llywelyn ab Iorwerth genealogies:
16.2 Plant yr arglwydd Ris ap Gruffudd ap Ris ap Tewdwr: Gruffudd a Maelgwn a Ris Grig a Mredudd Gethin a Howel <a> Mevrig a Gwenllian gwraig Ednyved Vychan a Morgannt a gwraig Gwenwynwyn ap Owain Keveiliog.
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. “Yr Argllwyd Rhys ap Gruffudd, Brenin of Deheubarth” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.
Pierce, Thomas Jones. “Rhys ap Gruffudd” in Welsh Biography Online.
Pryce, Huw. “Rhys ap Gruffudd” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Pryce, Huw. The Acts of the Welsh Rulers 1120 - 1283 (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2005)
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).