Emma of Anjou
Princess of Gwynedd from 1174 to 1195
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Emma (Emme, or Agnes[1]) of Anjou (c. 1140 – c. 1214)[2] was an illegitimate daughter of Count Geoffrey V of Anjou and half-sister of King Henry II of England.[3] She was the wife of Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, a Welsh prince who was king of Gwynedd from 1170 to 1195.[4]
Emma of Anjou | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1140 |
| Died | c. 1214 |
| Other names | Emme of Anjou, Agnes of Anjou |
| Spouse(s) | Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, King of Gwynedd |
| Father | Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou |
| Relatives | Henry II of England |
Life
Emma married Dafydd in the summer of 1174, after an unsuccessful rebellion by the queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and her older sons had led her half-brother the king to disperse Eleanor's court in Aquitaine and bring Emma back to England.[5]
Emma had four children by Dafydd:
- Owain
- Einion
- Gwenllian
- Gwenhwyfar, (sometimes called Wennour) who married one Meurig ap Roger,[2] the son of a Powys nobleman who had allied himself with Henry II.[6]
In 1176, after her husband's rule in the Kingdom of Gwynedd had been challenged by his brother, Emma is known to have visited King Henry II and received a gift of manors in Shropshire and Worcestershire.[2] After Henry's death in 1189, she continued to attempt to protect her children's interests by making representations to Henry's heirs.[7]
In 1196, Emma and her husband, at the request of their son, Owain,[2] gave property to Haughmond Abbey.[8] Shortly afterwards, Dafydd was deposed by his nephew, Llywelyn the Great, and was forced into exile in England, where he died in 1203.[3]
Confusion
Emma of Anjou is occasionally confused with Emma de Laval (1200-1264), the daughter of Guy V de Laval.[9]