Gwladys ferch Dafydd Gam facts for kids
Gwladys ferch Dafydd Gam (died 1454) was an important Welsh lady from a powerful family. She was the daughter of Dafydd Gam, a famous Welsh warrior who died at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
A Welsh poet named Lewys Glyn Cothi called Gwladys "the star of Abergavenny" (Seren-y-fenni). He described her as "Gwladys the happy and the faultless." When she married for the second time, she became the lady of Raglan Castle. The poet said she was a brilliant person, "like the sun—the pavilion of light." People have even compared her to the wise and influential Queen Marcia from legends.
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Early Life and Family
Gwladys's father, Dafydd, was a wealthy gentleman and a well-known soldier. His family came from the original Welsh rulers of Brycheiniog. He was a strong opponent of Owain Glyndŵr, a Welsh leader who rebelled against English rule.
In 1400, Owain Glyndŵr started the Welsh Revolt against Henry IV of England. Dafydd supported the English king for many years, even though it meant fighting against other Welsh people.
During this time, Owain Glyndŵr's forces attacked Dafydd's lands near Brecon. They even attacked the family's main home, Petyn Gwyn. Owain captured Gwladys's mother, Lady Gwenllian, and burned their house to the ground.
After losing their home, Gwladys, her father, her grandfather, and her two brothers found safety at King Henry IV's court. There, Gwladys worked as a Maid of Honour. She first served Mary de Bohun, King Henry IV's first wife, and then Queen Joan, his second wife.
First Marriage: Sir Roger Vaughan
Gwladys married her first husband, Sir Roger Vaughan of Bredwardine, after her family returned to Wales. Roger was a wealthy and respected gentleman, and a close friend of her father. He would later fight alongside her father at the Battle of Agincourt.
After her marriage, Gwladys stayed in Wales. She was a big supporter of Welsh culture, especially the bards (poets) and minstrels (musicians) of her time. A poet described Gwladys as "the strength and support of Gwentland and the land of Brychan." These areas later became the counties of Monmouth and Brecon, which she helped a lot.
The Battle of Agincourt
Gwladys's father, Dafydd, and her husband, Roger, were part of the Welsh soldiers who fought with Henry V of England. Both of them died at the Battle of Agincourt in France in 1415. Later stories claimed that they saved King Henry V's life and were knighted on the battlefield just before they died. However, there is no proof from that time that these stories are true.
Children from Her First Marriage
Gwladys and Roger had three sons who became important figures. Unlike their parents, who supported the House of Lancaster, their sons strongly supported the Yorkist side during the Wars of the Roses. These brothers later fought with their half-brothers (Gwladys's children from her second marriage) at the Battle of Edgecote Moor in 1469. They also supported Welsh poets. They lived in the main family homes at Bredwardine, Hergest, and Tretower.
- Watkin (Walter) Vaughan (died 1456) of Bredwardine.
- Thomas Vaughan (around 1400–1469) of Hergest. He died at the Battle of Edgecote and was buried in Kington church.
- Sir Roger Vaughan (died 1471) of Tretower Court. He fought at the Battle of Agincourt with his father and grandfather. He was knighted for supporting the Yorkist side. In 1471, he was captured and executed.
- Elizabeth Vaughan married Griffith ab Eineon.
- Blanch Vaughan married John Milwater.
There are other children who might have been born to Gwladys and Roger, but it's not certain.
Second Marriage: Sir William ap Thomas
Gwladys's second marriage was to Sir William ap Thomas of Raglan Castle. He also fought at the Battle of Agincourt. William was knighted in 1426 and was known as "The Blue Knight of Gwent" because of the color of his armor.
As the Lady of Raglan Castle, Gwladys was able to host many guests and help people in need even more than when she lived at Bredwardine Castle.
Gwladys and William's children grew up alongside her children from her first marriage.
Children from Her Second Marriage
The children of Gwladys and William were:
- William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1423–1469). He took the surname Herbert. He was the first full-blooded Welshman to become an English nobleman and was knighted in 1452.
- Sir Richard Herbert of Coldbrook, who died on the battlefield of Danesmoor.
- Elizabeth married Sir Henry Stradling (1423–1476). Henry went on a religious trip to the Holy Land in 1476 and died on his way back to England.
- Margaret married Sir Henry Wogan. Their son, Sir John Wogan, was killed at the battle of Banbury in 1469, fighting with his uncle, William Herbert.
Other children sometimes linked to Gwladys and William include Maud, Olivia, Elizabeth, and Thomas Herbert.
The Thomas family from Cornwall are believed to be descendants of William ap Thomas and therefore of Gwladys.
Records from 1620 state that this family claimed to be descended from Sir William ap Thomas.
Descendants of this family include members of Parliament and clergy.
Lady Gwladys was very sad when William died in 1445.
Death and Legacy
Gwladys died in 1454. She and her husband, William ap Thomas, were supporters of Abergavenny Priory. They were both buried there. Their beautiful alabaster tomb and statues can still be seen in St Mary's church today.
Gwladys was so loved by her people that, according to stories, 3,000 knights, nobles, and common people followed her body from Coldbrook House (her son Richard's home) to the Herbert Chapel of St. Mary's Priory Church for her burial.
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