Rhys Gryg

Gryg Rhys (Welsh Rhys the Hoarse ), actually Rhys ap Rhys, also called Rhys Fychan († 1234) was a Lord of the Welsh principality of Deheubarth. He was one of the driving figures in the civil war by his father Lord Rhys, which led to the end of the kingdom of Deheubarth heritage.

Origin and Youth

He was the fourth son of Rhys ap Gruffydd, the Lord Rhys and his wife Gwenllian, daughter of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys. 1195 he rebelled along with his brother Maredudd against his father and took possession of Dinefwr Castle and Llandovery. The two brothers, however, were defeated by her father and imprisoned in Ystrad Meurig Castle.

Life

Rhys Gryg is first mentioned in 1204 again when he, his sons Rhys and Owain Ieuanc supported after the death of his father and his brother Gruffydd against his brother Maelgwn and expelled them from Ystrad Tywi. As a reward he received the cantref Mawr. However, in September 1211 he conquered with the help of British troops Llandovery Castle by his nephew, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth supported by Gwynedd. Then he conquered with his brother Maelgwn and Falkes de Breauté, a mercenary captain in the service of King John Ceredigion, where his nephew need arise. However, when the king had built many new castles to secure his power, changed Rhys Gryg and Maelgwn on the side of Llywelyn and besieged, conquered and destroyed the new castle of Aberystwyth. 1212 attacked Rhys Gryg to the city of Swansea and destroyed it. In January 1213 he was defeated by Falkes de Breauté at Llandeilo and was forced to flee to Maelgwn by Ceredigion. There he was taken towards the end of the year by British troops and imprisoned in Carmarthen Castle. In the spring of 1215 Llywelyn successfully took action against the Anglo-Normans, Rhys Gryg was released in the hope that he 's going up against the Prince of Gwynedd. However, he now realized its sovereignty and conquered and destroyed his behalf Kidwelly Castle. The agreement of Aberdyfi that the family feuds of the Dinefwr dynasty ended, he was given dominion over the greater part of cantref Mawr and cantref Bychan. 1217 Llywelyn gave him dominion over Gower after his son Reginald de Braose had become treacherous in July 1217 and had a balance with the English king closed. Rhys Gryg destroyed all the Anglo-Norman castles in Gower as Swansea, Oystermouth and Penrice Castle and drove the English settlers. Shortly after Llywelyn made ​​peace with the English. Llywelyn transferred control of Gower to John de Braose another of his sons, but he had in 1220 Rhys Gryg necessary by force, to give control of Gower.

In the following years, Rhys Gryg behaved fairly loyal to Llywelyn. He built his castle of Dinefwr and built 8 km west Dryslwyn Castle, presumably to his two sons ever be able to leave a castle. In the renewed outbreak of fighting with the English king in 1231, he supported his nephew Maelgwn, son of Rhys ap Maelgwn, in the siege and conquest of Cardigan Castle. During the rebellion of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke against the king, he was one of the Welsh princes who supported Marshal in 1234 in several months, but unsuccessful siege of Carmarthen Castle. In the battle for the castle Rhys Gryg was mortally wounded, he died in Llandeilo - fawr. He was buried in the Cathedral of St Davids.

Rhys Gryg was an unpredictable man who rebelled against his father, his brothers against each other and even King John against Llywelyn ap Iorwerth played out. He undoubtedly was personally brave, but his reign was fickle and changeable. In addition to his military actions, little is known about his life, this includes the promotion of the physician Rhiwallon Feddyg in the nearby village Myddfai. Rhiwallon established a dynasty of doctors, which became extinct only in 1739 with the physician John Jones. From Rhiwallon Feddyg parts of the Red Book of Hergest should come.

Family and descendants

He married in 1219 a daughter of Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford. It is unclear whether his wife Joan de Clare was or Maud de Clare, of the 1210 who died in the prison of King John William de Braose the widow

He had two sons, who divided his lands among themselves:

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