| Notes |
- Prince of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170, took advantage of
the troubled reign of King Stephen of England and seized some
neigbouring territories. In 1157, Henry II led an army into Wales and
Owain acknowledged Henry II as overlord. Owain kept all the territory
he had gained with the exception of Tegeingl in the extreme north
east.
Bangor Cathedral, situated on the south side of the Menia Straits
which separates the isle of Anglesey from the mainland of north Wales,
may be the only Cathedral in the United Kingdom to have been in
continuous use since its conception. It is one of the earliest
monastic settlements in all of the UK. being founded by St. Deiniol in
the year 525; when Deiniol was consecrated Bishop in 546 his church
became a Cathedral.
Owain is said to have had a large number of children by assorted
mistresses.
Among these children is reputed to have been:
Prince Madoc who, according to legend, is said to have sailed to North
America in the late 12th century. Click on Prince Madoc for details
of this story.
Riryd who accompanied Madoc.
Gwynedd had been severely tested in the 1090`s by determined Norman
attacks. Their intention was to secure a total conquest of the
principality, But the Welsh fought back and Gwynedd became a strong
base under the dynamic leadership of Owain Gwynedd, son of Gruffydd ap
Cynan. In 1170, at the close of that year, in the month of November,
died Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd ap Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd, a man of
great renown and of infinite prudence and nobility, the bulwark and
the strength of Wales, unconquered from his youth, after victories
beyond number".
As well as strengthening Gwynedd, Owain also extended his power to
other parts of Wales and his kingdom reached as far as the outskirts
of Chester. Henry II was keenly aware of Owain`s power and sought to
extinguish it but although Owain was forced to yield to the king and
obliged to pay homage to him in 1157 he succeeded in retaining his
hold on most of the land he had consolidated. Henry again tried to
weaken Owain`s power and influence in 1165 but his onslaught proved a
failure and he was forced to return to England empty handed.
Owain built on his success during the following years and by the time
of his death in 1170 he controlled all of North Wales, and most of the
west and south. He called himself "Rex", King of Wales, during his
leadership but during his final years referred to himself as "prince
Wallensium", prince of the Welsh people, a title that suggests he
considered himself leader of the country as a whole. Owain Gwynedd
paved the way for the thirteenth century Princes of Gwynedd who were
able to build on the solid foundation he laid. They were to go on to
develop and maintain a large measure of independence from England.
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- 1170