Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd

Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd (circa 11201170), Prince of Gwynedd in 1170, was a Welsh poet and military leader. Hywel was the son of Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd, and an Irishwoman named Pyfog. In recognition of this, he was also known as Hywel ap Gwyddeles (Hywel son of the Irishwoman). Hywel is also known as the Poet Prince for his bardic skills. Biography Military campaigns Hywel's father Owain and uncle Cadwaladr came to blows in 1143 when Cadwaladr was implicated in the murder of Prince Anarawd ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth, Owain's ally and future son-in-law, on the eve of Anarawd's wedding to Owain's daughter. Owain followed a diplomatic policy of binding other Welsh rulers to Gwynedd through dynastic marriages, and Cadwaladr's border dispute and murder of Anarawd threatened Owain's efforts and credibility. As ruler of Gwynedd, Owain stripped Cadwaladr of his lands assigning them to Hywel in 1139, and dispatched Hywel to Ceredigion where he burned Cadwaladr's castle at Aberystwyth, Hywel drove his uncle out in 1143. Cadwaladr fled to Ireland and hired a Norse fleet from Dublin, bringing the fleet to Abermenai to compel Owain to reinstate him. Taking advantage of the brotherly strife, and perhaps with the tacit understanding of Cadwaladr, the marcher lords mounted incursions into Wales. Realizing the wider ramifications of the war before him, Owain came to terms and reconciled, with Cadwaladr restored to his lands in 1144. Hywel and Cadell ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth joined forces against the Normans in west Wales, they took Carmarthen, Llanstephan, and Wiston castles. Peace between the brothers held until 1147, when an unrecorded event occurred which led Owain's sons Hywel and Cynan to drive Cadwaladr out of Meirionydd and Ceredigion, with Cadwaladr retreating to Môn. Meanwhile Hywel took Llanrhystud capturing Cadwaladr's son Cadfan in 1150. Again an accord was reached, with Cadwaladr retaining Aberffraw until a more serious breach occurred in 1153, when he was forced into exile in England, where his wife was the sister of Gilbert de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford, and the niece of Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester. In 1157 Hywel is with his father, Owain Gwynedd on a campgaign against Henry II of England in Basingwerk. Then in 1159 Hywel accompanies a Norman force from Carmarthen castle against Lord Rhys of Deheubarth, and then afterwards, Hywel goes into revolt against Henry II.