Rhys ap Thomas
Rhys ap Thomas (* 1448/9; † 1525 in Carmarthen ), also known as Rhys ap Thomas FitzUrian, was a Welsh nobleman, military and statesman. He was a close confidant of King Henry VII, allegedly he had Heinrichs opponent Richard III. killed. For nearly 40 years, from 1485 to 1525 he was principal lieutenant, deputy of the king, in South Wales.
Life
He was the youngest legitimate son of Thomas ap Gruffudd ap Nicolas ( † around 1474 ), the son of Gruffudd ap Nicolas, a powerful landowner of Newton House, Carmarthenshire, and his wife Elizabeth († 1471 ), daughter of John Gruffudd from Abermarlais in Carmarthenshire. After the defeat of Towton his father was besieged in Carreg Cennen Castle, where he had to surrender in 1462. He then went into exile in Burgundy, where Rhys accompanied him. Presumably, they turned back to Wales in 1467. After the death of his two older brothers and his father's death in 1474 Rhys inherited the family estates. To get his possessions, put Rhys on a militia in support of Edward IV, although his family was traditionally supporters of the House of Lancaster. He did not participate in 1483 also in the rebellion of the Duke of Buckingham, because their families were together in battle. Supposedly demanded Richard III. , That Rhys his only legitimate son Gruffydd turned hostage to prove his loyalty, but at the same time the king tried to win his support, he granted by him an annual pension of 40 marks. Although Richard III. had assured his loyalty with an oath, Rhys joined with the living in exile in Brittany Henry Tudor in touch and promised him his support for the planned invasion.
After landing, Henry Tudor in Pembrokeshire on August 7, 1485 Rhys joined him on August 16th in Welshpool with an army of about 2,000 men on. This support contributed greatly to the victory of the Lancastrians at the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485 at, and a poem by the Welsh poet Glyn Rhys Guto'r himself Richard III. killed in battle with the battle-ax. The new king struck Rhys on the battlefield knighted and appointed him in November 1485 royal deputy and Chamberlain in South Wales and the Brecon and Builth of Vogt. Rhys was elected 1488-1516 four times mayor of Carmarthen, then the largest city of Wales and was considered to Jasper Tudor, uncle of the king, as the second most powerful landowners in Wales. He belonged to the close entourage of the king and served him as a military leader during the uprising in Brecon in 1486, during the rebellion under Simnel and the Battle of Stoke in 1487, during the expedition to France in October 1492 at the Battle of Deptford Bridge during the uprising in Cornwall in 1497 and the subsequent rebellion Perkin Warbeck. After the death of Jasper Tudor Rhys received further offices as in January 1496 that the Justiciars of South Wales and in April 1502 the office of constable of Aberystwyth Castle. 1505 took him king of the Garter on the anniversary of the shooting, he celebrated in 1506 in Carew Castle with a magnificent tournament, which will be the last big tournament in England.
Also, Henry's son and successor Henry VIII appreciated his loyalty and military experience, and confirmed him in his offices. In 1509 he appointed him governor of Pembroke, and during the campaign in northern France in 1513 was Rhys commander of about 3000 infantry and light cavalry, with which he successfully at the Battle of Guinegate and during sieges of Tournai Therouanne and fought. He then retired to his Welsh estates. He died in the spring of 1525 and was buried in the Franciscan church of Carmarthen. After the dissolution of the monastery of his tomb in St Peter's Church was transferred from Carmarthen.
Rhys had large landholdings in Carmathenshire, but also in Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire. Instead of Newton House and Dinefwr Castle, the residences of his father and grandfather, he built the acquired in the 1490s Carew Castle in Pembrokeshire to his main residence from. In addition, he still had other castles such as used as a hunting lodge Newcastle Emlyn Castle and Weobley Castle on the Gower Peninsula, which he built in 1500.
Family
Rhys was married twice:
From his first marriage he had a son, Gruffydd ap Rhys (around 1478-1521 ), who was married to Catherine St John. Since his son had died in 1521, his grandson inherited his son Rhys ap Gruffydd (c. 1508-1531 ), his goods. In addition, Rhys ap Thomas had several lovers, with whom he had at least 12 children.