Lleision (dynasty)

The dynasty of the Lleision (Welsh pronunciation: ['ɬei̯sjɔn], 'descendants of Lles Llawddeog'), sometimes known as the House of Powys or House of Mathrafal, was an important Welsh family in the high Middle Ages in Wales. It came to prominence with the brothers Bleddyn and Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn, uterine brothers of the only man to rule over all Wales, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn. The pair were elevated to rule over the northern half of Gruffudd's former kingdom by Harold and Tostig Godwinson, who intervened in Wales after the killing of Gruffudd by Cynan ab Iago in 1063. After some decades of intense internecine violence and struggle with Gruffudd ap Cynan which forced the family out of Gwynedd, the dynasty was reduced to Maredudd ap Bleddyn, who controlled much of the former Kingdom of Powys, which had been absorbed about 900 AD by the sons of Rhodri Mawr.

Maredudd reestablished the Kingdom of Powys, and left it intact to his heir Madog ap Maredudd, in whose reign the dynasty saw its apogee. Madog was an astute politician, and balanced internal politics with an accommodating position towards the Empress Matilda's camp in the Anarchy and subsequently enjoyed a close relationship with Henry II of England. He was also a great patron of the arts and the Church. However, following Madog's death in 1160, his son and heir Llywelyn was killed, and the dynasty and kingdom of Powys disintegrated owing to renewed internecine violence. Despite Powys' fracturing, various members of the family such as Owain Cyfeiliog and Gwenwynwyn ab Owain were major political figures in Welsh politics until the rise of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in 1215. However, this dynasty was the only family of royal descent in Wales to survive the Edwardian conquest of Wales largely intact, and one branch of it saw its holdings in southern Powys transformed into the Marcher lordship of Powys. However, royal intervention on the part of Edward II saw the lordship transferred to an Englishman, as Edward married the heiress of this dynasty under English law, Hawys Gadarn, to his supporter John Charlton, 1st Baron Charlton. Other branches of the family survived the Conquest, most notably that of northern Powys. This branch would ultimately produce Owain Glyndŵr, the famed rebel and last native Welshman to claim the title of Prince of Wales by virtue of his descent from this dynasty and the dynasty of Deheubarth.