Life of Owain Gwynedd

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Owain Gwynedd 1100 - 1170


Become King of Gwynedd after the death of his dad Gruffudd ap Cynan  in 1137

He became known as Owain Gwynedd to distinguish him from the king of Powys Wenwynwyn, Owain ap Gruffydd ap Maredudd, who became known as Owain Cyfeiliog

Owain is thought to have been born on Anglesey about the year 1100, he was Gruffudd ap Cynan's second child, grandchild of Owain ab Edwin of Tegeingl via his mother Angharad ferch Owain.

By about 1120 Gruffydd had grown too old to lead his forces in battle and Owain and his brothers Cadwallon and later Cadwaladr led the forces of Gwynedd against the Normans with great success


Older brother killed

His elder brother Cadwallon was killed in a battle against the forces of Powys in 1132, leaving Owain as his father's heir

Battle of Crug mawr

Owain and Cadwaladr, in alliance with Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, won a major victory over the Normans at Crug Mawr near Cardigan in 1136 and annexed Ceredigion to their father's realm.

Father dead

On his fathers death in 1137, Owain inherited a portion of a well-established kingdom, but had to share it with Cadwaladr.

Took away brothers lands

In 1143 Cadwaladr was implicated in the murder of Anarawd ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth, and Owain responded by sending his son Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd to strip him of his lands in the north of Ceredigion. 

Brother driven into exile

Though Owain was later reconciled with Cadwaladr, from 1143, Owain ruled alone over most of north Wales. In 1155 Cadwaladr was driven into exile.

Took advantage of anarchy and expanded Gwynedd

Owain took advantage of the Anarchy, a civil war between Stephen, King of England, and the Empress Matilda, to push Gwynedd's boundaries further east than ever before

Castles captured

In 1146 he captured Mold Castle and about 1150 captured Rhuddlan and encroached on the borders of Powys. 

Wins battle at coleshill

The prince of Powys, Madog ap Maredudd, with assistance from Earl Ranulf of Chester, gave battle at Coleshill, but Owain was victorious

Henry invades

Henry invaded Gwynedd in 1157 with the support of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys and Owain's brother Cadwaladr

The invasion met with mixed fortunes. Henry's forces ravaged eastern Gwynedd and destroyed many churches thus enraging the local population


Battle of Elwoe king henry nearly killed welsh win

The two armies met at Ewloe. Owain's men ambushed the royal army in a narrow, wooded valley, routing it completely with King Henry himself narrowly avoiding capture

Henry FitzRoy killed when attacking mon

The fleet accompanying the invasion made a landing on Anglesey where it was defeated.

Ultimately, at the end of the campaign, Owain was forced to come to terms with Henry, being obliged to surrender Rhuddlan and other conquests in the east.

alliance with Rhys ap Gruffydd

Madog ap Maredudd died in 1160, enabling Owain to regain territory in the east. In 1163 he formed an alliance with Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth to challenge English rule.

King Henry invaded again via Berwyn hills

King Henry again invaded Gwynedd in 1165, but instead of taking the usual route along the northern coastal plain, the king's army invaded from Oswestry and took a route over the Berwyn hills

English brutality

It was said that the English had murdered hostages and burned churches and villages across Powys.

Owain's sons had wanted to burn down English churches in reprisal though their father had insisted they needed God on their side.

All Wales unite

The invasion was met by an alliance of all the Welsh princes, with Owain as the undisputed leader.

Battle of Crogen

The Welsh win another battle , the Battle of Crogen, also Welsh weather came to Owain's assistance as torrential rain forced Henry to retreat in disorder. 

Welsh hosteges killed or blinded

King Henry II had taken his anger out on 22 Welsh prisoners, including two sons of Owain Gwynedd who he had blinded, and returned to Anjou humiliated.

siege of three months.


Henry did not invade Gwynedd again and Owain was able to regain his eastern conquests, recapturing Rhuddlan castle in 1167 after a siege of three months.

Religious disputes

The last years of Owain's life were spent in disputes with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, over the appointment of a new Bishop of Bangor. When the see became vacant Owain had his nominee, Arthur of Bardsey, elected. The archbishop refused to accept this, so Owain had Arthur consecrated in Ireland. The dispute continued, and the see remained officially vacant until well after Owain's death. 

He was also put under pressure by the Archbishop and the Pope to put aside his second wife, Cristin, who was his first cousin, this relationship making the marriage invalid under church law. 

Despite being excommunicated for his defiance, Owain steadfastly refused to put Cristin aside. 

Owain died in 1170

despite having been excommunicated was buried in Bangor Cathedral by the local clergy. 

The annalist writing Brut y Tywysogion recorded his death "after innumerable victories, and unconquered from his youth".


He is believed to have commissioned The Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan,  an account of his father's life. 

Owain's grandson was Llywelyn the Great.

in turn.

Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd 1100 – 1136

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