Elen ferch Llywelyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elen ferch Llywelyn |
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| Countess of Huntingdon and Chester | |
The arms of the Aberffraw House of Gwynedd were traditionally first used by Elen's grandfather, Iorwerth Drwyndwn.
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| Born | c. 1207 |
| Died | 1253 (aged 46–47) |
| Spouse | John of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon Sir Robert de Quincy |
| Issue | Hawise de Quincy |
| House | Aberffraw |
| Father | Llywelyn the Great |
| Mother | Joan, Lady of Wales |
Elen ferch Llywelyn (born around 1207, died 1253) was an important princess from Wales. She was the daughter of Llywelyn the Great, a powerful ruler of Gwynedd in North Wales. Her mother was Joan, Lady of Wales, who was the daughter of King John of England. This made Elen a granddaughter of an English king!
Elen married John of Scotland, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, around 1222. He was a Scottish nobleman. Sadly, John died when he was only 30 years old, in 1237.
After John's death, Elen was asked to marry again. King Henry III of England (who was her mother's half-brother) arranged for her to marry Sir Robert de Quincy. Sir Robert was the son of Saer de Quincy.
Elen and Robert had a daughter named Hawise. Hawise later married a lord named Baldwin Wake. Their granddaughter, Margaret Wake, became the mother of Joan of Kent. Joan of Kent was a very famous person. She was the first English Princess of Wales. This shows how Elen's family line continued to be important in history.
Elen ferch Llywelyn in Fiction
Elen's story has inspired writers! She appears as a character in these historical novels:
- Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine
- Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman
- Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman: In this book, the author imagines Elen and Robert de Quincy as lovers. She also writes that Elen married him right after John's death, even though her father did not approve.
