Owain ab Edwin of Tegeingl facts for kids

Owain ab Edwin of Tegeingl or Owain the Traitor (Welsh: Owain Fradwr) was an important lord in north-east Wales around the end of the 11th century. He was the ruler of a region called Tegeingl. Owain was the son of Edwin ap Gronw, who was a descendant of the famous Welsh king Hywel Dda. Owain is known for joining forces with the Normans when they tried to take over North Wales. He also tried to become the ruler of Gwynedd in the 1090s. He died in 1105.

Biography

Lordship of Tegeingl

Owain was the Lord or Prince of Tegeingl. This area was a "cantref," which was a type of land division in old Wales. Tegeingl was located on the northern coast of Wales. It was between the River Clwyd and the area near Deeside.

This land had a long history of changing hands. Sometimes it was controlled by the Welsh, and sometimes by the Anglo-Saxons. Owain's father, Edwin, became the lord of Tegeingl around the time Gruffydd ap Llywelyn ruled most of Wales. When Edwin died in 1073, Owain took over as the new lord.

Owain's Claim to Kingship

It seems that Owain wanted to become the king of Gwynedd. He might have even ruled it for a short time in the 1090s. In those days, having family connections to past rulers was very important for claiming a throne. Owain had a link to Bleddyn ap Cynfyn through his mother. This connection would have helped his claim to be a ruler.

Role in the Norman Invasion

In the late 1000s, the Normans were trying to conquer North Wales. They were led by powerful figures like Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. Owain ap Edwin decided to switch his loyalty to the Normans. This happened after his ally, Trahaearn ap Caradog, lost a big battle in 1081. Because Owain joined the Normans, the Welsh people called him "Fradwr," which means "traitor."

In 1098, Owain helped Hugh d’Avranches and Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury in a huge invasion of North Wales. This forced Gruffydd ap Cynan, the Prince of Gwynedd, to escape to Anglesey. However, a Norwegian army, led by Magnus Barelegs, arrived and defeated the Normans. This made most of the Norman forces go back to England.

After the Normans left, Owain was put in charge of a small group of soldiers to control upper Gwynedd. But over the next three years, Gruffydd ap Cynan regained control of Gwynedd. He also made peace with the Normans. Owain then left the Normans and started his own rebellion. He died soon after, in 1105, from an illness that was likely consumption (tuberculosis).

Descendants

Owain Fradwr married a woman named Morfudd. She was the daughter of Goronwy.

Owain's daughter, Angharad, married Gruffudd ap Cynan, who was the Prince of Gwynedd. They had three sons: Cadwallon, Owain Gwynedd, and Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd. Owain Gwynedd was very important because he was the first Welsh prince to use the title "Prince of the Welsh."

Owain Fradwr also had sons named Goronwy, Meilir, Llywelyn, Aldud, and Rhirid. Goronwy's daughter, Cristin, became the second wife of Owain Gwynedd. Sadly, in 1125, one of Gruffudd ap Cynan's sons killed all of Owain's male heirs. This meant that the direct male line of Owain's family came to an end.