ap Bleddyn, Maredydd 1a

Birth Name ap Bleddyn, Maredydd
Gender male
Age at Death 78 years

Narrative

Meredith adopted the "black lion of Powys" argent a lion rampant sable in substitution for his father's arms: or a lion rampant gules. He married 1st Efa, daughter of Blettrus ap Ednowain Bendew, married 2nd Hunnydd.
(Kin of Mellcene Thurman Smith, page 309)

Maredudd ap Bleddyn (died 1132) was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales.
Maredydd was the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between his three of his sons, Iorwerth, Cadwgan and Maredudd.
Maredydd initially appears to have been the least powerful and the least mentioned in the chronicles. The three brothers held their lands as vassals of Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl 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 Pantulf to detatch 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.

Maredydd 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 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, 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 Gruffydd was in no mood to defy the king on Maredudd's behalf, and Maredudd had to purchase peace at a 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 the same year, remembered by the annalist of Brut y Tywysogion as the beauty and safety of all Powys and her defender. He was succeeded by his son, Madog ap Maredudd.
(Wikipedia)

 

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth 1047 Montgomeryshire, Wales   2
Event Note

B: ~1047
P: Trefaldwyn, Cymru

Death 1125     2
Event Note

D: Bet. 1124 and 1129

Age: 78y

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father ap Cynfyn, Bleddyn Tywysog Deheubarth10251075
Mother verch Cillin, Haer1025
    Sister     ferch Bleddyn, Eva 1030
    Brother     ap Bleddyn, Iorwerth Tywysog Powys 1045
         ap Bleddyn, Maredydd 1047 1125
    Brother     ap Bleddyn, Cadwgon Nannau Brenin Powys 1047
    Brother     ap Bleddyn, Rhirid 1048
    Brother     ap Bleddyn, Madog 1050
    Sister     verch Bleddyn, Gwenllian 1056
    Brother     ap Bleddyn, Mael 1065
    Sister     verch Bleddyn, Hunydd 1067

Families

Family of ap Bleddyn, Maredydd and verch Einydd, Hunydd
Unknown Partner verch Einydd, Hunydd ( * 1063 + ... )
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
ap Maredydd, Gruffydd10901128
ap Maredydd, Madog10911160

Source References

  1. RCKarnes: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=arciek&id=I11036 Carrie's Family Tree
      • Source text:

        ID: I11036
        Name: *Maredudd Ap BLEDDYN
        Sex: M
        Birth: ABT 1047 in Montgomeryshire, Wales
        Death: 1132 1
        Occupation: BET 1116 AND 1132 King of Powys 2
        Note:
        Meredith adopted the "black lion of Powys" argent a lion rampant sable in substitution for his father's arms: or a lion rampant gules. He married 1st Efa, daughter of Blettrus ap Ednowain Bendew, married 2nd Hunnydd.
        (Kin of Mellcene Thurman Smith, page 309)

        Maredudd ap Bleddyn (died 1132) was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales.
        Maredydd was the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between his three of his sons, Iorwerth, Cadwgan and Maredudd.
        Maredydd initially appears to have been the least powerful and the least mentioned in the chronicles. The three brothers held their lands as vassals of Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl 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 Pantulf to detatch 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.

        Maredydd 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 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, 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 Gruffydd was in no mood to defy the king on Maredudd's behalf, and Maredudd had to purchase peace at a 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 the same year, remembered by the annalist of Brut y Tywysogion as the beauty and safety of all Powys and her defender. He was succeeded by his son, Madog ap Maredudd.
        (Wikipedia)

         

        Father: *Bleddyn Ap CYNFYN b: ABT 1025 in Montgomeryshire, Wales
        Mother: *Haer Verch CILLIN b: ABT 1025 in Gest, Dolbenmaen, Caernarvonshire, Wales

        Marriage 1 Hunydd Verch EINUDD b: ABT 1063 in Dyffryn, Clwyd, Dendighshire, Wales
        Children
        *Gryffydd ap MAREDUDD
        *Madog Ap MAREDYDD b: ABT 1091 in Montgomeryshire, Wales

        Marriage 2 Efa verch BLETTRUS

        Sources:
        Title: Wikipedia
        Title: 1Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

         

      • Citation:

        As everyone says, this is a work in progress. I add new info as I find it, and verify with sources as I have time. Please email me with any errors/corrections.

        arciek@juno.com

  2. http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=tjglad&id=I68192&style=TABLE