Tudur ap Gruffudd facts for kids
Tudur ap Gruffudd (1365–1405) was a Welsh lord. He was also known as Tudor de Glendore or Tudor Glendower. Tudur was the Lord of Gwyddelwern, a title connected to the Princely house of Powys Fadog. He was the younger brother of Owain Glyndŵr, a famous Welsh rebel leader. Owain was crowned Prince of Wales and is known in plays as 'Owen Glendower'.
Tudur's father was Gruffydd Fychan II, who was also a Prince of Powys Fadog. Both Tudur and his brother Owain belonged to the Royal House of Mathrafal.
Contents
Fighting for Wales' Freedom
Tudur was a commander and leader in the army. He joined the Glyndŵr Rising, which was his brother's rebellion. They fought together for Wales to be independent. They also wanted to conquer England.
Many important people joined them. These included their nephews and other family members. The Tudors of Penmynydd family also fought with them. Sir Edmund Mortimer and Sir Henry 'Hotspur' Percy were also allies.
A Plan to Divide Kingdoms
Owain, Edmund Mortimer, and Henry Percy signed an agreement. It was called the Tripartite Indenture. This plan was to split England and Wales into three separate kingdoms. They wanted to remove King Henry IV from power first.
The Battle and Tudur's End
A few months later, Tudur led an army with his nephew. They fought against Prince Henry. Prince Henry later became King Henry V of England. He was known as Prince Hal in plays.
Tudur's army suffered a big defeat at the Battle of Pwll Melyn in Wales. Tudur was killed in this battle. His nephew was captured and sent to the Tower of London. He became a prisoner there with the young King James I of Scotland. Tudur's head was shown publicly in London. Other nephews and cousins were also killed or captured by the House of Lancaster.
The Tudor Family Connection
Among Tudur's cousins were Gwilym ap Tudur and Rhys ap Tudur. They famously took over Conway Castle. Another cousin was Maredudd ap Tudur. Maredudd was the father of Sir Owen Tudor. Sir Owen belonged to the Royal House of Tudor.
Maredudd lost the war but was not killed. His son, Sir Owen, left Wales for England. He changed his name from Tudur to Tudor. Sir Owen was a first cousin to Lord Tudur ap Gruffudd.
Sir Owen Tudor later became the father of Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford. He was also the father of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond. This made Sir Owen the grandfather of King Henry VII of England. King Henry VII started the Tudor Dynasty.
Sir Owen Tudor married Queen Catherine de Valois. She was the daughter of King Charles VI of France. Queen Catherine had been married to King Henry V of England. This was the king Tudur and Owain had fought against. So, Sir Owen became the stepfather of King Henry VI of England. His own sons, Jasper and Edmund, became half-brothers to the King. This connection helped the remaining Tudors of Penmynydd gain power in Wales. Their cousins were now on the throne of England.
Tudur de Glendore's Role
Tudur was also present at an important legal case in 1389. It was called the Scrope v Grosvenor trial. He was there as a witness, using the name Tudor de Glendore. His brother Owain Glyndŵr was also there. Prince John of Gaunt was also a witness. The trial was led by Prince Thomas of Woodstock.
Tudur's Lasting Impact
Even though the Welsh war of independence was lost, the Glyndŵr Rising had a big impact. It led to the Royal House of Tudor. These were the first Welsh Kings of England.
This historical time was later shown in plays by William Shakespeare. His plays Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 feature Tudur's brother, Owen Glendower. Also, the red dragon used by Owain Glyndŵr and King Henry Tudor is now on the Flag of Wales. Many poems and books were written about the Glendowers. They became symbols of Welsh pride.
Tudur's Family Line
Lord Tudur ap Gruffudd married a woman named Maud. She was the daughter and only heir of Ieuav ab Adda. They had one daughter and heir, named Lowry.
Lowry first married Robin ab Gruffydd. They had a son named David. Later, she married Gruffydd ab Einion. They had another son named Elissau ap Gruffudd (Ellis ap Griffith), born in 1440. Elissau became Baron of Gwyddelwern. He married Margaret, who was a cousin of Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford and Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond. They were members of the House of Tudor.
Some of Elissau's family members served the Tudors. Roger Puleston held Denbigh Castle for Jasper Tudor during the War of the Roses. Roger Lloyd Yale worked as a secretary for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Thomas Wolsey was a chief minister for King Henry VIII. Thomas Yale was a chancellor for Archbishop Edmund Grindal. He was the head of the Church of England for Queen Elizabeth I. Chancellor Thomas Yale was a great-great-granduncle of Governor Elihu Yale. Elihu Yale gave his name to Yale University. Tudur's great-grandfather, Prince Gruffudd Fychan I, was the Lord of Yale. He was an ancestor of the Yale family.
