Gwilym ap Griffith facts for kids

Gwilym ap Griffith (died 1431) was an important Welsh landowner. He was also known as Gwilym ap Gruffydd. For a short time, he supported Owain Glyndŵr during the Glyndŵr Rising. This was a big rebellion against the King of England.

Later, Gwilym changed his mind and supported the King again. Because of this, he was given lands that belonged to people who had supported Owain Glyndŵr. By the end of his life, Gwilym owned most of the lands that used to belong to the famous Tudors of Penmynydd family.

Who Was Gwilym ap Griffith?

Gwilym ap Griffith was the oldest son of Griffith ap Gwilym and Generys ferch Madog. His family was very old and important in Wales. They were related to Ednyfed Fychan, a powerful Welsh leader from the 1200s.

His Family and Marriages

Gwilym ap Gruffydd married into the Tudor family. His first wife was Morfudd ferch Goronwy. She was the daughter of Goronwy ap Tudur, who was the head of the Tudors of Penmynydd family. This family was distantly related to Gwilym's own family.

In 1405, Gwilym married again. His second wife was Joan, whose father was Sir William Stanley from Hooton, Cheshire in England.

Gwilym and the Glyndŵr Rebellion

Many people in Gwilym's family joined Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion against King Henry IV of England. At first, Gwilym tried to stay out of the fight. But in 1402, he decided to support Owain Glyndŵr for a short time.

By November 1407, Gwilym had stopped supporting the rebellion. The King gave back his lands that had been taken away. Gwilym was even given more land! This new land came from his first wife's uncles, Rhys ap Tudur and Gwilym ap Tudur. They had supported Owain Glyndŵr, so their lands were taken by the King and given to Gwilym. However, he did not get the lands of a third brother, Maredudd ap Tudur.

How Gwilym Gained More Land

Gwilym ap Gruffydd received lands from 25 other landowners who had supported the rebellion. He also got the lands of his brother-in-law, Tudur ap Goronwy.

For a little while, Gwilym and his family lived at the old Tudor family home in Penmynydd, Anglesey. But later, they moved their main home to Penrhyn Bay.

By the end of his life, Gwilym ap Gruffydd was a very rich man. His lands in Anglesey and Caernarfonshire made him a lot of money, more than £112 each year. These lands included areas around the Menai Strait on Anglesey and the region called Dindaethwy. He owned most of the lands that had once belonged to different members of the Tudor family.

What Happened to His Descendants?

Gwilym ap Gruffydd's children and grandchildren served in the royal households of the Tudor Kings, Henry VII and Henry VIII of England. These kings were very famous.

However, Gwilym's descendants did not become as powerful in their local areas as the original Tudor landowners had been. They became known as the Anglesey Tudors, or sometimes as the Theodores. They did not live on Anglesey, and famous poets of their time did not write about them much.