Rhys ap Maredudd facts for kids

Drysllwyn Castle, which Rhys ap Maredudd made his main home.

Rhys ap Maredudd (born around 1250 – died June 2, 1292) was an important leader from a royal family in Deheubarth, a Welsh kingdom in medieval Wales. He was the great-grandson of The Lord Rhys, a powerful prince who ruled south Wales. Rhys ap Maredudd is famous for leading a big rebellion in south Wales between 1287 and 1288.

Early Life and Family Connections

Rhys ap Maredudd's family, the rulers of Deheubarth, had lost some of their land after his great-grandfather, The Lord Rhys, died in 1197. In 1271, Rhys took over from his father as the lord of a region called the Cantref Mawr. He also saw himself as the rightful owner of Dinefwr Castle, which was the main castle of Deheubarth.

Rhys ruled the Cantref Mawr from 1271. However, he did not follow the lead of the prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, unlike his father. This meant that Rhys and Llywelyn did not get along well.

Choosing Sides: The English King

During the war between England and Wales in 1276–1277, Rhys ap Maredudd was one of the first Welsh noblemen to support the English king. He hoped that by doing so, King Edward I of England would help him get back lands he believed were his. These lands included Maenordeilo, Mallaen, Caeo, Mabelfyw, and Dinefwr Castle. All these areas were part of Deheubarth and had been ruled by his great-grandfather. Some historians believe Rhys hoped to bring Deheubarth back together as one strong kingdom under the English king.

Life After Llywelyn's Death

Rhys continued to be powerful in the Cantref Mawr even after Llywelyn ap Gruffudd died in 1282. The last native Welsh prince, Dafydd ap Gruffudd, was put to death the next year. Rhys was the only nobleman in Deheubarth who did not support Llywelyn and Dafydd during the war of 1282–1283. Because of his loyalty to the English king, Edward I gave Rhys more land.

However, King Edward I still refused to give Rhys the important Dinefwr Castle, which Rhys wanted very much. Because of this, Rhys made Dryslwyn castle his main home. It seems he spent a lot of time and money building up Dryslwyn Castle in the late 1270s and early 1280s.

The Great Rebellion

Rhys tried to stay loyal to the English king, hoping to get back more of his family's lands. But King Edward I did not offer him anything more. Instead, in October 1283, Edward forced Rhys to give up his claim to Dinefwr Castle.

This made Rhys very angry, and in 1287, he started a rebellion. He led his forces to capture most of Ystrad Tywi, which was the heart of Deheubarth. This included taking over Dinefwr Castle and Carreg Cennen Castle.

The rebellion was stopped by the autumn of 1287, but it started again in November. The fighting finally ended in January 1288, after a ten-day attack on Rhys's last strong castle, Newcastle Emlyn.

Capture and Legacy

After Newcastle Emlyn Castle fell, Rhys went into hiding. Some stories say he fled to Ireland, but this is not certain. He was finally caught in 1291 and was put to death in York in 1292.

His son, also named Rhys, was arrested after his father's death. He was held in Bristol Castle and later in Norwich. He was still alive in 1340. Rhys ap Maredudd also had a daughter named Morfudd.

The next Welsh leader to rebel against the English king was Madog ap Llywelyn in Gwynedd.