Sir Gruffydd Llwyd facts for kids

Sir Gruffydd Llwyd (pronounced Griffith Lloyd) was an important Welsh nobleman who lived a long time ago. He was also known by a longer name: Gruffydd ap Rhyd ap Gruffydd ap Ednyfed. He died in the year 1335.

Gruffydd Llwyd is famous for helping King Edward II. He stopped a big rebellion in 1322 led by Roger Mortimer. Throughout his life, Gruffydd Llwyd held many important jobs in Wales. He was a lord in places like Tregarnedd and Dinorwig. He also worked as a Sheriff in Caernarfonshire, Anglesey, and Merionethshire.

His father, Rhys ap Gruffydd, was loyal to the English kings. Gruffydd Llwyd followed in his father's footsteps. He supported King Edward I and King Edward II. He helped make sure English rules were followed in the Welsh Marches, which were border areas. Some old stories say Gruffydd Llwyd was a Welsh rebel. However, historians today say this is not true.

Gruffydd Llwyd's Family

Gruffydd Llwyd was born in the late 1200s. His father was Rhys ap Gruffydd. His great-grandfather was a famous person named Ednyfed Fychan.

Gruffydd's father and uncle supported King Edward I. They helped him conquer Wales between 1282 and 1284. It is likely that Gruffydd Llwyd learned to be loyal to the English kings from them.

When his father died in 1284, Gruffydd Llwyd took over the family's land and titles in North Wales. He had one son named Ieuan. Ieuan inherited everything when Gruffydd Llwyd died in 1335. Gruffydd Llwyd and his wife, Gwenllian, also had seven daughters.

Working for the King

Gruffydd Llwyd started working for the royal family when he was young. He joined the household of Queen Eleanor. He continued to support the English kings for the rest of his life.

He owned many lands in Wales. These included the Lordships of Tregarnedd in Anglesey and Dinorwig in Caernarfon. He also inherited land in the Rhos region from his father.

Gruffydd Llwyd also served as the High Sheriff for Caernarfonshire, Anglesey, and Merionethshire. He held these important jobs at different times between 1301 and 1327. He was made a knight, probably in 1301.

Between 1297 and 1314, Gruffydd Llwyd had a very important job. The King trusted him to gather soldiers in North Wales for the army.

Interestingly, he was put in prison twice. King Edward I imprisoned him in 1295, but we don't know why. Later, King Edward III imprisoned him in 1327. This was probably because Gruffydd Llwyd was very close to the previous king, Edward II, who had recently died.

Stopping the 1322 Revolt

Gruffydd Llwyd played a key role in stopping the 1322 revolt. This rebellion was led by Roger Mortimer against King Edward II.

The King ordered Gruffydd Llwyd to gather loyal soldiers. These soldiers were needed because some powerful lords were rebelling along the border areas. Gruffydd Llwyd used these soldiers to take back several castles. These included Holt Castle and Chirk Castle. He successfully defeated the group that was fighting against the King.

The Myth of the Rebel

Sometimes, old stories about Gruffydd Llwyd can be confusing. Some myths and older books incorrectly say he was a Welsh rebel. They claim he fought against King Edward II.

In these stories, people believed Gruffydd Llwyd was upset with English rule. They said he joined the 1322 revolt against the King. They even claimed he was locked up in Rhuddlan Castle.

However, a historian named J. G. Edwards has studied this carefully. He says that these traditional stories are wrong. He explains that the mistake might have come from a book called History of Cambria. This book was edited by William Wynne in 1584. Wynne added some of the old folklore about Gruffydd Llwyd.

J. G. Edwards strongly believes this traditional story is false. He says there is a lot of proof that Gruffydd Llwyd remained a trusted supporter of the King.