| History |
Maredudd was born about 1047, the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, king of both Powys and Gwynedd, and Haer ferch Cillin. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between three of his sons, Iorwerth, Cadwgan and Maredudd.
Maredudd married Hunyedd ferch Einydd, daughter of Einydd of Dyffrin Clwyd, who bore him two sons, Madog ap Maredudd and Gruffydd ap Maredudd, who would both have progeny. He later had a relationship with Cristin ferch Bledrus, who gave him the natural sons Hywel ap Maredudd and Iowerth Goch ap Maredudd.
Maredudd initially appears to have been the least powerful and the least mentioned of the three brothers in the chronicles. The brothers held their lands as vassals of Robert de Bellême, 3rd earl of Shropshire and of Shrewsbury. In 1102 the earl was summoned to answer charges at the court of King Henry I of England and responded by rising in rebellion against the king. All three brothers initially supported Robert and took up arms on his behalf, pillaging Staffordshire. The king deputed William Pantolf to detach Iorwerth, who was considered to be the most powerful of the three brothers, from his alliance with Robert and his own brothers by the promise of large gifts of land. William succeeded in this, and Iorwerth, after leading a large Welsh force to help the king defeat and banish earl Robert, then captured his brother Maredudd and handed him over to the king.
Maredudd escaped from captivity in 1107 but did not gain any real power. In 1113 he was apparently acting as _penteulu_ or captain of the guard to his nephew Owain ap Cadwgan, son of his brother Cadwgan, who had taken over as prince of Powys. In this capacity in 1113 Maredudd was able to capture Madog ap Rhiryd, who had killed two of his brothers, Iorwerth and Cadwgan, in 1111. Maredudd sent him to Owain, who took vengeance for the killing of his father by blinding Madog.
In 1114 when King Henry I of England invaded Wales, Maredudd quickly made his peace with him, while Owain allied himself with Gruffydd ap Cynan of Gwynedd to oppose the invasion. It was not until Owain was killed in 1116 that Maredudd began to strengthen his position and became ruler of Powys. In 1116 he is recorded as sending 400 men to help Hywel ab Ithel, who ruled Rhos and Rhufoniog under the protection of Powys, against his neighbours, the sons of Owain ab Edwin of Dyffryn Clwyd. Hywel won a victory at the Battle of Maes Maen Cymro in 1118, near Ruthin, but received wounds of which he died six weeks later. This enabled the sons of Gruffydd ap Cynan to annex these lands for Gwynedd, with Maredudd unable to prevent them.
In 1121 Maredudd carried out raids on Cheshire which provoked King Henry into invading Powys. Maredudd retreated into Snowdonia and asked Gruffydd ap Cynan for assistance. However Gruffudd was in no mood to defy the king on Maredudd\'s behalf, and Maredudd had to purchase peace at the cost of a fine of 10,000 head of cattle. Gwynedd continued to put pressure on Powys, with the sons of Gruffydd ap Cynan, Cadwallon and Owain Gwynedd, annexing more territory in 1124. Cadwallon was killed in a battle with the men of Powys near Llangollen in 1132 which put a halt to further encroachment for the time being. Maredudd did not take part in this battle and died that year, remembered by the annalist of _Brut y Tywsogion_ as the beauty and safety of all Powys and her defender. He was succeeded by his son Madog ap Maredudd. [1] |
Ellie Wood Keith Genealogy
Abt 1047 - 1132 (~ 85 years)
(Age ~ 75 years)