Powys Fadog
Encyclopedia
Powys Fadog or Lower Powys was the northern portion of the former princely realm of Powys which split in two following the death of Madog ap Maredudd
of Powys in 1160. The realm was divided under Welsh Law
, with Madog's nephew Owain Cyfeiliog
inheriting the south (see Powys Wenwynwyn
) and his son Gruffydd Maelor
I who inherited the north.
Gruffydd I received the cantrefi of Maelor
and Iâl
as his portion and later added Nanheudwy
, Cynllaith
, Glyndyfrdwy
and Lower Mochnant. This northern realm became known as Powys Fadog after the accession of his son Madog I ap Gruffydd in 1191 who reigned until 1236. During his reign he initially adopted a neutral position between Gwynedd and England but by 1215 had settled on an alliance with Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn II of Gwynedd). This policy of alliance with Gwynedd continued under his successor Gruffydd II over his thirty-three year reign. This alliance was formalised when Powys Fadog became vassal of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
, (Llywelyn III of Gwynedd), in his role as Prince of Wales
under the terms of the Treaty of Montgomery
in 1267.
When Gruffydd II eventually died in 1269 his eldest son Madog II succeeded to the throne but the small portion of the realm awarded to his younger brothers caused rebellion in which England became malevolently engaged. By 1276 Powys Fadog was in disorder with brother fighting brother and this conflagation soon became a small part in the campaign being waged the English Crown against the fragile Welsh confederation.
In early 1277 an army led by the Earl of Warwick
with support from the treacherous brother of Llywelyn (of Gwynedd), Dafydd ap Gruffydd
, marched from Chester
into Powys Fadog. Madog II was compelled to submit and under the terms of his surrender the realm would be divided between himself and his younger brother Llywelyn. The royal centre at Dinas Bran, widely considered the strongest native castle in all Wales, was to be had by neither and dismantled.
It appears that Madog II (or at least men loyal to him) remained at Dinas Bran for some time after this accord because the Earl of Lincoln
commanded an English force to take the castle on the 10th May 1277. Before they could complete their encirclement of the royal centre they learnt that the small garrison inside had abandoned the cause and burnt the castle. Madog II was forced to flee to the protection of Gwynedd. He was killed in battle while campaigning alongside Llywelyn of Gwynedd later that same year. The castle of Dinas Bran would be reduced, the dramatic ruins of which may still be seen today.
His surviving brothers Llywelyn and Gruffydd Fychan accepted the overlordship of England
and the realm was divided between them. Special provision was also made for the two sons of Madog II. However, in 1282, during the final campaign of Prince Llywelyn of Wales, all of the rulers of Powys Fadog would once again turn against England in a final conflict during which Llywelyn of Wales (and Gwynedd), Llywelyn of Powys Fadog and the two sons of Madog II would die.
Under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan
in 1284 all of the remaining former princely titles and territories in Wales were abolished. Gruffydd Fychan (the brother of Madog II and last heir to the throne of Powys Fadog) was pardoned but reduced in status to that of a minor local noble or uchelwyr. His direct descendant, Owain Glyndŵr
, would become the leader of a later Welsh rebellion in 1400.
The territory of Powys Fadog was broken up into a series of lordships based on the former cantrefi. Under the Laws of Wales Acts these marcher lordships were merged with other adjacent lands formerly part of Gwynedd and incorporated into new administrative counties; the cantrefi of Maelor, Nanheudwy, Iâl, Cynllaith and Lower Mochnant going to Denbighshire
and Maelor Saesneg forming the Wrexham
exclave of Flintshire
. This situation was maintained until the re-organisation of local government in Wales in 1974.
Owain ap Gruffydd rose in revolt against the English crown in 1400 and proclaimed himself Prince of Wales
. He became more widely known as Owain Glyndŵr
. After his death at least one of his sons survived him. What became of them is not known.
Direct patrilineal descendants of Owain Brogyntyn
(fl.
1180) the youngest son of Madog ap Maredudd
were the hereditary lords of Edeirnion who during the 12th and 13th Centuries usually ruled as subjects of the prince of Gwynedd whose homage was bought by the princes of Powys-Fadog. This cadet branch of the House of Mathrafal survived the purges which eradicated most of the Welsh royalty in the 13th and 15th Centuries. Proven descendants of his (known as the Hughes of Gwerclas
) were listed in Burke's Peerage & Gentry in the late 19th Century as hereditary barons of Kymmer yn Edeirnion and may have survived to the modern era.
Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry.Madog was the son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn and grandson of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He followed his father on the throne of Powys in 1132...
of Powys in 1160. The realm was divided under Welsh Law
Welsh law
Welsh law was the system of law practised in Wales before the 16th century. According to tradition it was first codified by Hywel Dda during the period between 942 and 950 when he was king of most of Wales; as such it is usually called Cyfraith Hywel, the Law of Hywel, in Welsh...
, with Madog's nephew Owain Cyfeiliog
Owain Cyfeiliog
Owain ap Gruffydd was a prince of the southern part of Powys and a poet. He is usually known as Owain Cyfeiliog to distinguish him from other rulers named Owain, particularly his contemporary, Owain ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd, who is known as Owain Gwynedd.Owain was the son of Gruffydd ap Maredudd and...
inheriting the south (see Powys Wenwynwyn
Powys Wenwynwyn
Powys Wenwynwyn or Powys Cyfeiliog was the southern portion of the former princely state of Powys which split following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160...
) and his son Gruffydd Maelor
Gruffydd Maelor
Gruffydd Maelor was Prince of Powys Fadog in Wales.He is known as Gruffydd Maelor I to distinguish him from his grandson, Gruffydd Maelor II .- Lineage :He was a son of Madog ap Maredudd by Susanna, daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan...
I who inherited the north.
Gruffydd I received the cantrefi of Maelor
Maelor
Maelor is a border area of north-east Wales. It originated as a Cantref of the Kingdom of Powys, focused on Bangor-on-Dee.-History:The Maelor was first divided from the rest of Wales by the construction of Offa's Dyke in the eighth century, but was reclaimed for Wales during the reign of Stephen...
and Iâl
IAL
IAL may refer to:*International auxiliary language, a language for communication between people who do not share a native language*International Algebraic Language or ALGOL 58*Intel Architecture Labs, a research arm of Intel Corporation during the 1990s...
as his portion and later added Nanheudwy
Nanheudwy
Nanheudwy was a medieval commote of Wales considered part of the ancient Kingdom of Powys. It was traditionally defined as "the region between the rivers Dee and Ceiriog". From 1160 it was a part of the principality of Powys Fadog until the dissolution of that realm in 1277 when it became a...
, Cynllaith
Cynllaith
Cynllaith was a cwmwd of north east Wales which was once part of the Kingdom of Powys and later part of the smaller Kingdom of Powys Fadog. Cynllaith, or at least the part of it called Cynlaith Owain, was part of the inheritance of Owain Glyndŵr in 1370...
, Glyndyfrdwy
Glyndyfrdwy
Glyndyfrdwy , or sometimes Glyn Dyfrdwy, is a village in the modern county of Denbighshire, Wales. It is situated on the A5 road half way between Corwen and Llangollen in the Dee Valley .-Owain Glyndwr:...
and Lower Mochnant. This northern realm became known as Powys Fadog after the accession of his son Madog I ap Gruffydd in 1191 who reigned until 1236. During his reign he initially adopted a neutral position between Gwynedd and England but by 1215 had settled on an alliance with Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn II of Gwynedd). This policy of alliance with Gwynedd continued under his successor Gruffydd II over his thirty-three year reign. This alliance was formalised when Powys Fadog became vassal of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd may refer to:*Llywelyn the Last *Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan...
, (Llywelyn III of Gwynedd), in his role as Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
under the terms of the Treaty of Montgomery
Treaty of Montgomery
By means of the Treaty of Montgomery , Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was acknowledged as Prince of Wales by the English king Henry III, the only time in history that an English ruler would recognise the right of a ruler of Gwynedd over Wales...
in 1267.
When Gruffydd II eventually died in 1269 his eldest son Madog II succeeded to the throne but the small portion of the realm awarded to his younger brothers caused rebellion in which England became malevolently engaged. By 1276 Powys Fadog was in disorder with brother fighting brother and this conflagation soon became a small part in the campaign being waged the English Crown against the fragile Welsh confederation.
In early 1277 an army led by the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
with support from the treacherous brother of Llywelyn (of Gwynedd), Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd
Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 by King Edward I of England...
, marched from Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
into Powys Fadog. Madog II was compelled to submit and under the terms of his surrender the realm would be divided between himself and his younger brother Llywelyn. The royal centre at Dinas Bran, widely considered the strongest native castle in all Wales, was to be had by neither and dismantled.
It appears that Madog II (or at least men loyal to him) remained at Dinas Bran for some time after this accord because the Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First Creation :*William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First...
commanded an English force to take the castle on the 10th May 1277. Before they could complete their encirclement of the royal centre they learnt that the small garrison inside had abandoned the cause and burnt the castle. Madog II was forced to flee to the protection of Gwynedd. He was killed in battle while campaigning alongside Llywelyn of Gwynedd later that same year. The castle of Dinas Bran would be reduced, the dramatic ruins of which may still be seen today.
His surviving brothers Llywelyn and Gruffydd Fychan accepted the overlordship of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the realm was divided between them. Special provision was also made for the two sons of Madog II. However, in 1282, during the final campaign of Prince Llywelyn of Wales, all of the rulers of Powys Fadog would once again turn against England in a final conflict during which Llywelyn of Wales (and Gwynedd), Llywelyn of Powys Fadog and the two sons of Madog II would die.
Under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan
Statute of Rhuddlan
The Statute of Rhuddlan , also known as the Statutes of Wales or as the Statute of Wales provided the constitutional basis for the government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1536...
in 1284 all of the remaining former princely titles and territories in Wales were abolished. Gruffydd Fychan (the brother of Madog II and last heir to the throne of Powys Fadog) was pardoned but reduced in status to that of a minor local noble or uchelwyr. His direct descendant, Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
, would become the leader of a later Welsh rebellion in 1400.
The territory of Powys Fadog was broken up into a series of lordships based on the former cantrefi. Under the Laws of Wales Acts these marcher lordships were merged with other adjacent lands formerly part of Gwynedd and incorporated into new administrative counties; the cantrefi of Maelor, Nanheudwy, Iâl, Cynllaith and Lower Mochnant going to Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
and Maelor Saesneg forming the Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
exclave of Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
. This situation was maintained until the re-organisation of local government in Wales in 1974.
Princes of Powys Fadog and later Lords of Glyn Dyfrdwy
- 1160–1191 Gruffydd MaelorGruffydd MaelorGruffydd Maelor was Prince of Powys Fadog in Wales.He is known as Gruffydd Maelor I to distinguish him from his grandson, Gruffydd Maelor II .- Lineage :He was a son of Madog ap Maredudd by Susanna, daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan...
- 1191–1236 Madog ap Gruffydd MaelorMadog ap Gruffydd MaelorMadog ap Gruffudd or Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, was Prince of Powys Fadog 1191-1236 in north-east Wales.- Lineage :He was elder son of Gruffydd Maelor and his wife, Angharad a daughter of Owain Gwynedd.- Sole Ruler :...
- 1236–1269 Gruffydd II ap Madog, Lord of Dinas BranGruffydd II ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran- Lineage :He was the eldest son of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor and inherited his father's lands and title in partible succession along with his four brothers Gruffydd Ial, Maredudd, Hywel and Madog Fychan....
- 1269–1277 Madog II ap Gruffydd, Lord of Dinas BranMadog II ap Gruffydd, Lord of Dinas Bran- Lineage & Inheritance :He inherited the throne on the death of his father Gruffydd Maelor II.- Alliance with Gwynedd :He was in alliance with Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the prince of Gwynedd and all Wales as his effective overlord during the period following the Treaty of Montgomery.- Killed in...
- 1277–1289 Gruffydd Fychan IGruffydd Fychan IGruffudd Fychan I, Prince of Powys Fadog from 1277 to 1284, was the youngest of the four sons of Gruffudd ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran.On his father's death in 1269 his share was Iâl and Edeirnion, which included Glyn Dyfrdwy....
ap Gruffydd
- 1289–1304 Madog CryplMadog CryplMadog Crypl was a descendant of the sovereign Princes of Powys Fadog and Lords of Dinas Bran. He is sometimes described as Madog III of Powys Fadog...
, Lord of GlyndyfrdwyGlyndyfrdwyGlyndyfrdwy , or sometimes Glyn Dyfrdwy, is a village in the modern county of Denbighshire, Wales. It is situated on the A5 road half way between Corwen and Llangollen in the Dee Valley .-Owain Glyndwr:...
and Lord of CynllaithCynllaithCynllaith was a cwmwd of north east Wales which was once part of the Kingdom of Powys and later part of the smaller Kingdom of Powys Fadog. Cynllaith, or at least the part of it called Cynlaith Owain, was part of the inheritance of Owain Glyndŵr in 1370...
Owain
- 1304–c.1343 Gruffydd of Rhuddalt, Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain
- c.1343–1369 Gruffydd Fychan IIGruffydd Fychan IIGruffudd Fychan II was Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain c.1330-1369. As such, he had a claim to be hereditary prince of Powys Fadog.- Ancestry :...
, Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain
- 1369–c.1416 Owain ap GruffyddOwain GlyndwrOwain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
, Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain
Owain ap Gruffydd rose in revolt against the English crown in 1400 and proclaimed himself Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. He became more widely known as Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
. After his death at least one of his sons survived him. What became of them is not known.
- 1416–c.1421? Maredudd ab Owain GlyndŵrMaredudd ab Owain GlyndwrMaredudd ab Owain Glyndŵr was a son of Margaret Hanmer and Owain Glyndŵr. He is thought to have participated in revolt raised by Glyndŵr in Wales between 1400 and c.1416.-Early life:...
Progeny of the Princely House
Owain Brogyntyn
Owain Brogyntyn ap Madog was the youngest and illegitimate son of king Madog ap Maredudd, the last king of a united kingdom of Powys. He was the son of Madog by the daughter of the Maer du or "black mayor" of Rûg in Edeyrnion. He was the brother of Gruffydd Maelor the ancestor of Owain Glyndŵr...
(fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1180) the youngest son of Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd
Madog ap Maredudd was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry.Madog was the son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn and grandson of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn. He followed his father on the throne of Powys in 1132...
were the hereditary lords of Edeirnion who during the 12th and 13th Centuries usually ruled as subjects of the prince of Gwynedd whose homage was bought by the princes of Powys-Fadog. This cadet branch of the House of Mathrafal survived the purges which eradicated most of the Welsh royalty in the 13th and 15th Centuries. Proven descendants of his (known as the Hughes of Gwerclas
Hughes of Gwerclas
Hughes of Gwerclas were a native Welsh royal family descended from Owain Brogyntyn the illegitimate but acknowledged son of Madog ap Maredudd by a daughter of the "Maer du" or "black mayor" of Rûg in Edernion. His father granted to him and his successors the Cantref of Edeyrnion and the Lordship...
) were listed in Burke's Peerage & Gentry in the late 19th Century as hereditary barons of Kymmer yn Edeirnion and may have survived to the modern era.