Order of Medieval Women
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PictureLocation of Gwenllian’s death, Kidwelly Castle, Carmarthen, Wales, Castle, 1890 CE, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Photochrom Collection, repro # ppmsc.05566.
Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, d 1136
Order of Medieval Women Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix K


Gwenllian often depicted with sword in hand or riding a chariot into battle in the style of Boudicca was the daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan, consort to Gruffydd ap Rhys, Prince of Deheuarth, parents of Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as “The Lord Rhys” one of the most successful rulers of Deheubarth during this period. 

In 1113, Gruffydd visited Gruffudd ap Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd who owed a debt to Gryffydd’s father for his help in 1081 reclaiming  Gwynedd from rivals.  During Gryffydd’s visit he met Gwenllian, Gruffudd’s strikingly beautiful youngest daughter.  After a brief courtship the couple eloped returning to his family seat at Dinefwr in Deheubarth.  Deheubarth was an area struggling against the Norman invasion in South Wales.  While the conflict between the Normans and the Welsh continued, the princely family were often displaced, with Gwenllian joining her husband in mountainous and forested strongholds, participating on his military campaigns including the retaliatory strikes, aka "lightning raids" against Norman-held positions.

Henry I’s death in 1135 presented an opportunity for the Welsh to recover lands that were being held by the Anglo-Norman lords who were unable to dedicate resources to counter their efforts because of the ensuring civil war in England between Stephen of Blois and Matilda.  In 1136, Gryffdd joined  in a rebellion against the Normans settlers supported by the native nobility of the so-called middle March (lands along the central midland border between England and Wales), invading Ceredigion, burning and destroying Norman settlements and castles.   Later that same year Gruffydd again participated in a second invasion on the Norman stronghold at Cardigan culminating in a Welsh victory.   While Gruffydd was away from home a rebellion erupted around Cydweli (Kidwelly) castle which was under the control of Maurice de Londres Gwenellian summoning additional forces, including her young sons Maelgyn and Morgan, launched an attack where her army was routed and she and her son Morgan were captured in battle and beheaded.  Gwenllian’s “patriotic revolt” and subsequent death contributed to the Great Revolt of 1136. 

12th century Gerald of Wales, a Cambro-Norman archdeacon and historian wrote how Gwenllian rode forth at the head of an army ’like some second Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons’.  Gwenllian is the sole Welsh woman known from surviving records to have entered the martial area.   A spring where she died was  named after her and for centuries to follow Welshmen cried-out “Revenge for Gwenllian “ going into battle.  She was 3 times great granddaughter to Brian Bouruma mac Cennetig, High King of Ireland. 

Map of Wales
​References and Further Reading
  • Davies, John.  A History of Wales.  The Penguin Press, 1993.
  • “Gwenllian.”  Foundation for Genealogy.   Wales, Kings and Princes, Chapter 5,  B.  KINGS of GWYNEDD, descendants of GWRIAD, IDWAL, CYNAN ap lago, d) GWENLLIAN.  Web.  27 January 2016.  //fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/WALES.htm.
  • Maund, Kari.  The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes.  The History Press, 2006.
  • Rockefeller, Laurel A.  Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd: The Warrior Princess of Deheubarth.  CreateSpace Publishing, 2015.
  • Warner, Philip.  Famous Welsh Battles.  Barnes & Noble Publishing,  1997.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • Membership >
      • Genealogical Sources
  • Women of Consequence
    • Early Middle Ages (500-1000) >
      • St. Adelaide of Burgundy
      • St. Bathilde
      • St. Bertha of Kent
      • St. Clothilde
      • St. Olga of Kiev
      • St. Theophana
    • High Middle Ages (1000-1300) >
      • Adelaide of Turin and Susa
      • St. Adela of Normandy & England
      • Anne of Kiev
      • Berengaria of Castile
      • Blanche of Castile
      • Ela, Countess of Salisbury
      • Eleanor of Aquitaine
      • Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
      • Margaret de Quincy
      • Matilda, the Empress
      • Matilda (Eadgyth) of Scotland
      • Nicholaa de la Haye
      • Sikelgaita, heiress of Salerno
    • Late Middle Ages (1300-1500) >
      • Caterina Sforza
      • Dorothea of Brandenburg
      • Elizabeth de Clare, 11th Lady of Clare
      • Isabella d’Este
      • Isabella I of Castile
      • Isabella of France
      • Jeanne de Belleville
      • Joanna of Flanders
      • Lucrezia Tornabuoni
      • Margaret Beaufort
      • Philippa of Hainault
  • Roll of Honor
    • Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians
    • Anna Comnena, Princess of Byzantium
    • Beatriz Gallindo, La Latina
    • Christine de Pizan
    • Emma of Normandy
    • St. Hildegard von Bingen
    • Hrotsvit von Gandersheim
    • Jacqueline Felice de Almania
    • St. Joan of Arc
    • Matilda of Tuscany
    • St. Rodegunda (Radegund)
    • St. Theodora, Byzantine Empress
    • Trota of Salerno
  • Connections
  • Genealogical Charts
    • House of Sforza
    • Welsh Ancestry of English Royalty
    • Descendants of Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd
    • Houses of della Rovere and Gonzaga
    • House of Este
    • House of Trastamara
    • Lords of Clisson
    • Descendants of Jeanne la Flamme
    • House of Medici
    • Genealogy of Nicholaa de la Haye
    • Welsh Kings
  • Maps
    • Early Middle Ages >
      • Kingdom of Burgundy
      • Merovingian Kingdoms
      • Kent England
      • Principality of Kiev, Drevlyans
      • Thuringi & Franci, 6th century Europe
      • Quedlinburg, Germany, circa 962 AD
    • High Middle Ages >
      • Turin & Susa, Italy circa 1050 AD
      • Europe circa 1000 AD
      • Spanish Kingdoms 1210 AD
      • France & Burgundy circa 1032 AD
      • England & France 1152-1327 AD
      • Salisbury, England
      • England & France in the Reign of Henry I
      • Wales
      • Lincoln, England
      • Norman Lands in Italy & Sicily
    • Late Middle Ages >
      • Forli, Italy
      • Sweden circa 1658
      • Usk, Wales and Cambridge, England
      • Ferrera & Mantuga, Italy
      • Iberian Peninsula 1257-1492
      • England & France 1152-1327
      • Clisson, Anjou, France
      • Brittany, France
      • Florence, Italy
      • England & Wales circa 1399
      • Hainault
    • Roll of Honor >
      • Kingdom of Mercia and Surrounding Kingdoms
      • Byzantine Empire 1000-1100
      • Iberian Peninsula 1257-1492
      • Paris, France
      • Dominions of Cnut
      • Bingen, Germany circa 962 AD
      • Gandersheim, Germany circa 962 AD
      • Military Campaign of Joan of Arc
      • Canossa & Tuscany, Italy
      • Eastern Roman Empire circa 565 AD
      • Duchy of Salerno
  • Members Only
    • The Board
    • Bylaws
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