Llywelyn Bren
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c. 1267
Llywelyn Bren | |
|---|---|
| Born | Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys c. 1267 Wales |
| Died | c. 1317 Cardiff Castle, Wales |
Cause of death | Execution |
| Spouse | Lleucu |
| Children | 7+ |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Wales |
| Conflicts | Revolt against the English in Wales |
Llywelyn Bren (c. 1267 – c. 1317),[1] or Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys / Llywelyn ap Rhys (also Llewelyn) or in English: Llywelyn of the Woods.[2][3] He was a nobleman who led a 1316 revolt in Wales in the reign of King Edward II of England. It marked the last serious challenge to English rule in Wales until the attempts of Owain Lawgoch to invade with French support in the 1370s. Hugh Despenser the Younger's reputedly unlawful execution of Llywelyn Bren helped to lead to the eventual overthrow of both Edward II and Hugh.[4]
Llywelyn Bren was a Welsh nobleman of the minor royal house of the cantref of Senghenydd, (previously Cantref Breiniol) and Miscin,[3] and was also a descendant of Ifor Bach, his great-grandfather.[5] His father was Gruffudd ap Rhys.[2] Llywelyn is thought to have been born before 1267,[1] as Gruffudd was dispossessed of the lordship of Senghenydd in that year by Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester and then imprisoned in Ireland. There is no record of him returning to Wales. Llywelyn married Lleucu (died 1349). They produced at least seven sons, who also took part in the revolt.[citation needed]
Background of the revolt
Before the outbreak of Llywelyn's revolt in 1316, there had already been violence in the Welsh Marcher lands of south-east Wales. The Battle of Bannockburn in June 1314 marked the death of Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester the Lord of Glamorgan.[3] He had been the most prominent landowner in the south and his death left a regional power vacuum. There was a heavy-handed response from the English Crown to overseeing De Clare's lands. That combined with the death of several hundred men of Glamorgan at Bannockburn caused a revolt in the lordship in late summer that year. Llywelyn seems not to have taken part. The revolt appears to have ended when King Edward II of England appointed Bartholomew de Badlesmere, as royal custodian in Glamorgan.[citation needed]
Revolt and siege of Caerphilly Castle
In 1315, Edward II, as guardian of the three sisters and heiresses of the estate of Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester,[3] replaced de Badlesmere with a new English administrator. [citation needed] Payn de Turberville of Coity Castle was appointed as replacement (Latin: custos) to Earl de Clare. Bren had previously had office under the Earl whom he considered a friend.[2][3] Payn persecuted the Glamorgan people, who were then, like many in northern Europe at the time, in the throes of a serious famine.[citation needed]
Llywelyn denounced the new administration of de Turberville, however he was accused of sedition.[3] Llywelyn then appealed to King Edward II to call off or control his self-interested agent. But Edward ordered Llywelyn to appear before Parliament to face the treason charge. The king stated that if the charges were found true, Llywelyn would be hanged.[citation needed] Bren was called "Son of death" by the King of England, and summoned to Lincoln for 27 January 1316, but secretly fled home, and had no problems starting a revolt with the general discontent throughout Wales.[2][3]
After returning to Wales, Llywelyn's revolt begun on 28 January 1316 with a surprise attack on Caerphilly Castle.[2][3] With 10,000 Welshmen and his six sons, Bren went against Turberville and the English administration. He captured the Constable outside the castle and he and his men captured the outer ward, but could not break into the inner defences of the castle.[3] They burned the town, killed some of its townsfolk and started a siege. The revolt quickly spread through Glamorgan and Gwent. Kenfig Castle was sacked, as was that of Llantrisant, and several others were attacked, including St Georges-super-Ely, Tregrug Castle at Llangibby and Dinefwr Castle. Towns including Cardiff were raided and buildings burned.[citation needed] Edward ordered the revolt to be crushed by Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and lord of neighbouring Brecon, who gathered overwhelming forces supported by men of the chief Marcher Lords like Henry of Lancaster and Roger Mortimer of Chirk Castle.[3] Troops came from Cheshire and north Wales, and some Welsh soldiers from west Wales. In March, forces advanced from Cardiff and in a brief battle at Castell Morgraig forced Llywelyn and his men to break off the Caerphilly siege after six weeks. The Welsh retreated higher up the north Glamorgan plateau, while Hereford and his men were moving south from Brecon.
