Life of Owain ap Cadwgan

 Wales has an extremely eventful history for such a small country, its such a shame its been neglected by the likes of the BBC, Netflix and all the others. 

You will find 100s of dramas, movies, documentaries, docudramas covering Scottish, English and even Irish medieval history, but Wales needs to make do with one rubbish documentary by Huw Edwards. 

There is nothing about medieval Wales, but they are still making new programs about 1066 and Robert the Bruce, as if they don't have enough already.

Iv decided to do a series of posts about people from medieval Wales who have let particularly eventful lives, people who i they were Scottish or English they would be household names. 

You will find that most of them are linked and together make an incredible story.

My first one is Owain ap Cadwgan

Owain ap Cadwgan (died 1116)

He is best known for his abduction of Nest, wife of Gerald of Windsor.

Owain was the eldest son of Cadwgan ap Bleddyn

Killed kings sons

He is first recorded in 1106, when he killed Meurig and Griffri, the sons of Trahaearn ap Caradog (part of this list) who was the king of Gwynedd

feast

In 1109 Owain's father Cadwgan gave a feast at his court, and at this feast Owain was told of the beauty of his second cousin Nest, whose husband Gerald of windsor held the castle of Cenarth Bychan.  

Visits to see nest

He decided to visit Cenarth Bychan to see for himself, and having done so fell in love with Nest and determined to have her.

 It was also enticing that Nest was the daughter of the last King of Deheubarth rhys ap tewdwr. 

Abduction of nest

One night at Christmas 1109 Owain and fifteen companions burrowed underneath the gate to get into the castle then rushed in to abduct Nest and her children and set fire to the castle. 

Her husband, Gerald, fled through a garderobe. 

Owain took Nest and her children to a hunting lodge by the Eglwyseg Rocks north of the Vale of Llangollen.

Dad was mad

Owain's father tried to persuade him to return Nest, but to no avail. According to Caradoc, Nest told Owain, "If you would have me stay with you and be faithful to you, then send my children home to their father." 

Nest returns home

She secured the return of the children

English threats

Owain's actions led to his father being confronted with an invasion,

Runs to Ireland dad surenderd

Owain fled to Ireland while Cadwgan surrendered to King Henry I of England and lost all his lands. Ceredigion was later returned to Cadwgan, under the condition of paying a fine of £100 and promising to have nothing more to do with Owain.

Returns from ireland

Owain returned to Powys from Ireland and made an alliance with Madog ap Rhiryd. 

English games

The english king responded by releasing Owain's uncle, Iorwerth ap Bleddyn from captivity in 1110 and returning the rule of Powys to him. 

driven out

Owain was driven out of Powys by Iorwerth and retreated to Ceredigion, from where he made raids on Dyfed, selling his captives in the Irish slave markets.

Kills William of Brabant.

He also killed a prominent member of the Flemish colony, William of Brabant. 

Henry took his dads lands off him

Owain run to  Ireland again

King Henry responded by stripping Cadwgan of all his lands and forcing him to live as an exile in England, while Owain again fled to Ireland. 

King of powys killed

Dad returned to rule

Invited son back

However Iorwerth was killed by Owain's ally Madog ap Rhiryd in 1111 and the rule of Powys was returned to Cadwgan, who was allowed to recall Owain. 

Dad was killed by same man that killed Iorwerth

Owain rules

When Cadwgan was also killed by Madog the same year, Owain became ruler of much of Powys. 

Captured killer

He employed his uncle Maredudd ap Bleddyn as penteulu (captain of the guard), and in 1113 Maredudd was able to capture Madog ap Rhiryd and sent him to Owain. 

Blinded killer for killing dad

Owain took vengeance for the killing of his father by blinding Madog.

Henry invades

Allied with gruffudd ap cynan

In 1114 King Henry invaded Wales, an attack mainly aimed against Gruffudd ap Cynan of Gwynedd. Owain allied himself with Gruffudd, and retreated with him to Gwynedd. 

Knighted by English king

After peace terms had been agreed, Henry took Owain with him when he visited Normandy later that year and knighted him. 

Allied with English vs welsh

Owain returned with the king in 1115 and in 1116 took to arms to assist King Henry in putting down the rebellion of Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth. 

Killed by gerald

Gerald of Windsor, husband of Nest, was fighting on the same side, and took the opportunity for vengeance, attacking Owain when he had only ninety men with him and killing him. Most of Powys now passed to his uncle, Maredudd.