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Birth:          1055 of Caernarvonshire, Wales
Death:          1137 Caernarvonshire, Wales
Burial:         Bangor Caethedral, Is Gwyrfai, Caernarvonshire, Wales

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruffudd_ap_Cynan
Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1055 – 1137), sometimes written as Gruffydd ap Cynan, was 
King of Gwynedd from 1081 until his death in 1137. In the course of a long and 
eventful life, he became a key figure in Welsh resistance to Norman rule, and was 
remembered as King of all Wales. As a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, Gruffudd ap 
Cynan was a senior member of the princely House of Aberffraw.[1]

Through his mother, Gruffudd had close family connections with the Norse settlement 
around Dublin and he frequently used Ireland as a refuge and as a source of troops. 
He three times gained the throne of Gwynedd and then lost it again, before regaining 
it once more in 1099 and this time keeping power until his death. Gruffudd laid the 
foundations which were built upon by his son Owain Gwynedd and his great-grandson 
Llywelyn the Great.
Life[edit]

Unusually for a Welsh king or prince, a near-contemporary biography of Gruffudd, The 
history of Gruffudd ap Cynan, has survived. Much of our knowledge of Gruffudd comes 
from this source. The traditional view among scholars was that it was written during 
the third quarter of the 12th century during the reign of Gruffudd's son, Owain 
Gwynedd, but it has recently been suggested that it may date from the early reign of 
Llywelyn the Great, around 1200. The author is not known.

Most of the existing manuscripts of the history are in Welsh but these are clearly 
translations of a Latin original. It is usually considered that the original Latin version 
has been lost, and that existing Latin versions are re-translations from the Welsh. 
However Russell (2006) has suggested that the Latin version in Peniarth MS 434E 
incorporates the original Latin version, later amended to bring it into line with the 
Welsh text.

Ancestry[edit]

According to the Life of Gruffudd ap Cynan, Gruffudd was born in Dublin and reared 
near Swords, County Dublin in Ireland. He was the son of a Welsh Prince, Cynan ap 
Iago, who was a claimant to the Kingship of Gwynedd but was probably never king of 
Gwynedd, though his father, Gruffudd's grandfather, Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig had 
ruled Gwynedd from 1023 to 1039. When Gruffudd first appeared on the scene in 
Wales the Welsh annals several times refer to him as "grandson of Iago" rather than 
the more usual "son of Cynan", indicating that his father was little known in Wales. 
Cynan ap Iago seems to have died while Gruffudd was still young, since the History 
describes his mother telling him who his father was.

According to Historia Gruffud vab Kenan, Gruffudd's mother was Ragnailt ingen 
Amlaíb, a granddaughter of King Sigtrygg Silkbeard and a member of the Hiberno-
Norse Uí Ímair dynasty.[2] The latter had two sons named Amlaíb: one died in 1013, 
whilst another died in 1034. Either man could have been Ragnailt's father.

During his many struggles to gain the kingship of Gwynedd, Gruffudd received 
considerable aid from Ireland, from the Hiberno-Norse at Dublin, the Isles and Wexford 
and from Muircheartach Ua Briain.
Death and succession[edit]

Gruffudd died in his bed, old and blind, in 1137 and was mourned by the annalist of 
Brut y Tywysogion as the "head and king and defender and pacifier of all Wales". He 
was buried by the high altar in Bangor Cathedral which he had been involved in 
rebuilding. He also made bequests to many other churches, including one to Christ 
Church Cathedral, Dublin where he had worshipped as a boy. He was succeeded as 
king of Gwynedd by his son Owain Gwynedd. His daughter Gwenllian, who married 
Gruffudd ap Rhys of Deheubarth, son of his old ally Rhys ap Tewdwr, is also notable 
for her resistance to English rule.

Children[edit]

The family line of Cynan shows he had many children by several different women.[3] 
With wife Angharad (daughter of Owain ab Edwin) he had:[4]
Owain Gwynedd (Owain ap Gruffudd),[1] married (1) Gwladus (Gladys) ferch Llywarch, 
daughter of Llywarch ap Trahaearn (2) Cristin ferch Goronwy, daughter of Goronwy ab 
Owain
Cadwaladr ap Gruffudd, married Alice de Clare, daughter of Richard Fitz Gilbert de 
Clare
Cadwallon ap Gruffudd[5]
Mareda
Susanna, married Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys
Ranulht
Agnes
Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, married Gruffudd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth

Parents
AP IAGO Cynan (ABT 1014 - ABT 1063)
____ Ragnhilda (ABT 1031 - )

Siblings
AP CYNAN Gruffydd (1055 - 1137)

Marriage To VERCH OWAIN Angharad (ABT 1065 - 1162)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
AP EDWIN Owain (ABT 1044 - 1105)
VERCH EDNYWAIN Morwyl (ABT 1048 - )

Children by VERCH OWAIN Angharad ABT 1065 - 1162
AP GRUFFYDD Owain "Gwynedd" (1087 - 23 Nov 1170)
VERCH GRUFFYDD Susanna (1095 - )
VERCH GRUFFYDD Gwenllian II (ABT 1100 - 1136)

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