Tudur ap Rhys Sais ab Ednyfed
Morris (pp. 284-285) states “it is recorded that, in the year 1070, [Rhys Sais] divided his possessions among his sons. Tudyr, the eldest son, had his father’s lands in Whittington and the district of Maelor; but he clearly held them under Roger de Montgomery, for he is recorded in Domesday as a tenant to the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, to whom he paid a chief rent of four pounds five shillings. The entry, which follows the statement as to “Wititone” (Whittington) in that record, is in these words: “Tvder q’da Walensis teñ de comite 1 finē t’ræ Walens’ & inde redd IIII lib & V solid.”” [A digital image of the page from Domesday]
J.E.Lloyd in his History of Wales (2:389) states that the identification of Tuder Wallensis with Tudur ap Rhys Sais is “on good grounds”, since most of the old Welsh families of the Chirk district traced their descent from Tudur ap Rhys Sais. Lloyd states that the “finem terrae Walensis” probably refers to Nanheudwy.
Presumably, Tudur participated in the murder of Gwrgeneu, Prince of Powys, which happened in 1079 or 1080. The Brut y Tywysogion, under the year 1079, records it as having been committed by the sons of Rhys Sais.
Mostyn (p. 9) states that Tudur lost his lordship of Naneudwy around the year 1101, while retaining certain vills, for example Pengwern, which passed by inheritance to his descendants. The loss was possibly due to Tudur supporting Robert de Bellême in the 1101 revolt against Henry I.
Events
(supposed) Date of Birth: about 1060.
The estimated date is given by Mostyn (p. 8): “It is supposed that Tudor was born close to 1060.”
(supposed) Date of Death: after 1101.
Mostyn (p. 8) states that “it is believed” that Tudur was still living in 1101.
Relationships
Father: Rhys Sais ab Ednyfed ap Llywarch.
This relationship is shown in Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 1), and given by Mostyn (p. 7), Dwnn (2:307), Lloyd (1:311), Palmer (p. 41, p. 44), Carr (p. 6), and Suppe.
Mother: uncertain.
Bartrum shows Rhys Sais’s wife as Efa ferch Gruffudd Hir. Dwnn (2:307) gives Efa daughter of Griffith hir ap Griffith ap yr Arglwydd Rys. Lloyd (1:311) states that it is impossible that Dwnn is correct about this. Mostyn (p. 7) states that Rhys Sais’s wife is uncertain since the name Efa daughter of Gruffydd Hîr, given in some pedigrees, has created confusion with a person of the same name who lived later.
Spouse: unknown.
Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 2) shows no wife. Dwnn (2:307) gives Sian daughter of Rys vychan ap Rys ap Mredith. Mostyn (p. 9) notes that “Tudur is stated to have espoused Sioned, daughter of a certain Rhys Fychan (not satisfactorily identified).”
Concubine: Dyddgu ferch Adda ap Ieuan ap Gronwy.
This relationship is shown by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 2).
Children (by his wife):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. These children are given by Bartrum (Tudur Trefor 2). Mostyn doesn’t mention Dyddgu, makes Cuhelyn the son of Sioned, doesn’t mention Meurig, and gives Tudur an additional son by Sioned named Iorwerth.)
Gronwy (Wrenoc) (died before 1156). His sons recovered Whittington.
Bleddyn married Annes ferch Llywelyn ab Idnerth.
Children (by Dyddgu):
Cuhelyn.
Meurig.
References
Bartrum, Peter C., “Tudur Trefor 1”, “Tudur Trefor 2”, and “Elystan Glodrydd 1” in An Electronic Version of Welsh Genealogies AD 300-1500. [The sources Bartrum cites for Tudor are: Peniarth 131 (124, 126, 179) -- a MS written about 1480 by Gutun Owain; Peniarth 129 (54) -- a copy made about 1500 of a MS written about 1497 by Gutun Owain; Peniarth 137 (21) -- a MS written in the early 1500s by ‘Syr’ Thomas ap Ieuan ap Deiews.]
Brut Y Tywysogion; or, The Chronicle of the Princes (John Williams ab Ithel, ed.), part of the Rerum Britannicarum Medii Ævi Scriptores series (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1860).
Carr, Antony David. The Mostyn Family and Estate, 1200-1643 (PhD thesis, University of Wales, 1975).
Dwnn, Lewys, and Samuel Rush Meyrick. Heraldic visitations of Wales and part of the marches between the years 1586 and 1613 by Lewys Dwnn. (Llandovery: William Rees, 1846).
Lloyd, Jacob Youde William. The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fodog and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen and Meirionydd. (London: T. Richards, 1881-1887).
Lloyd, John Edward. A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1912)
Morris, Joseph. “The Family of Fitz-Warine” in Archaeologia Cambrensis New Series Volume 3, pages 282 - 291 (1852).
Mostyn, the Right Hon. Lord, and T. A. Glenn. History of the Family of Mostyn of Mostyn (London: Harrison and Sons, Ltd., 1925).
Oman, Sandra. “Tudur ap Rhys “Sais”” in Tree: Wales. Welsh Medieval Database Primarily of Nobility and Gentry.
“Shropshire, Page 4” at Open Domesday (accessed 5 May 2014).
Palmer, Alfred Neobard, “Welsh Settlements, East of Offa’s Dyke, during the Eleventh Century” in Y Cymmrodor Volume 10 (1889).
Suppe, Frederick. “Interpreter Families and Anglo-Welsh Relations in the Shropshire-Powys Marches in the Twelfth Century” in Anglo-Norman Studies XXX (2007) pp. 196-212.