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AP WENWYNWYN Gruffydd
Birth:          ABT 1210 
Death:          1286 

Notes
Chart of the Lords of the Manor of Deytheur, in "Collections Historical and 
Archaeological Relating to Montgomeryshire, vol 28"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruffydd_ap_Gwenwynwyn
Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn (died c. 1286) was a Welsh prince who was lord of the part 
of Powys known as Powys Wenwynwyn and sided with Edward I in his conquest of 
Wales of 1277 to 1283.

Gruffydd was the son of Gwenwynwyn ab Owain and Margaret Corbet. He was still a 
child when his father, who had been driven out of his princedom by Llywelyn the 
Great, died in exile in 1216. He spent his youth in England, maintained by the king, 
and did not return to Wales until after Llywelyn's death. When Dafydd ap Llywelyn was 
forced to come to terms with King Henry III of England in 1241, Gruffydd was given 
most of the lands formerly held by his father, paying homage to Henry for them. Around 
this time he married Hawise, daughter of John Lestrange of Knockin.

When Llywelyn ap Gruffudd increased his power in Wales after 1255, Gruffydd 
continued to support the crown, and in 1257 he was again driven into exile. In 1263 
he agreed to transfer his allegiance to Llywelyn under threat of being stripped of his 
lands, and this was confirmed at the Treaty of Montgomery in 1267. In 1274 Gruffydd, 
his wife Hawise and his son Owain were all involved with Llywelyn's brother Dafydd ap 
Gruffydd in a plot to assassinate Llywelyn. Dafydd was with Llywelyn at the time, and 
it was arranged that Owain would come with armed men on 2 February to carry out the 
assassination; however he was prevented by a snowstorm. Llywelyn did not discover 
the full details of the plot until later that year, when Owain confessed to the Bishop of 
Bangor. He said that the intention had been to make Dafydd Prince of Gwynedd, and 
that Dafydd would then reward Gruffydd with lands. When Llywelyn discovered the 
details of the plot he sent envoys to Welshpool to summon Gruffydd to appear before 
him, but Gruffydd fled to England. He settled in Shrewsbury and used it as a base for 
raids on Llywelyn's lands, probably encouraged by the king. After the war of 1277, 
when Llywelyn was forced to cede his lands outside Gwynedd, Gruffydd was again 
given his lands back. He became embroiled in an increasingly bitter dispute with 
Llywelyn over lands in Arwystli. Llywelyn wanted the issue resolved by Welsh law 
while Gruffydd wanted English law used and was supported by King Edward I of 
England.

Gruffydd supported King Edward in the final war of 1282 although by now he was an 
old man. There have been suggestions that his eldest son Owain may have been 
involved in the killing of Llywelyn at Cilmeri in December that year.

At the end of the Welsh War of 1282-1283 the principality of Powys-Wenwynwyn was 
abolished and the family - now Marcher Lords - adopted the surname de la Pole 
meaning "of Poole" referring to their family seat in Poole (modern Welshpool). For his 
loyalty to Edward I, the king permitted Baron de la Pole to begin building Powis Castle. 
After 1283 his estate became increasingly controlled by his son Owain and he died 
some time between February 1286 and the end of 1287.

Owain divided the lands he inherited with his brothers, by arrangements later recorded 
in detail in the Calendar of Patent Rolls for 1342, pages 496-7

Parents
AP OWAIN CYFEILIOC Wenwynwyn (1190 - 1218)
DE CORBET Margaret (ABT 1188 - ABT 1250)

Siblings
AP WENWYNWYN Gruffydd (ABT 1210 - 1286)
OF POWIS Constance (ABT 1216 - )

Marriage To LE STRANGE Hawise (ABT 1232 - 1310) m. ABT 1245 Notes Parents LE STRANGE John (ABT 1194 - ABT 1269) DE TREGOZ Lucy (ABT 1210 - 1294) Children by LE STRANGE Hawise ABT 1232 - 1310
VERCH GRUFFYDD Gwladus ()
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