Llywelyn ab Iorwerth

Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Welsh pronunciation: [ɬəˈwɛlɪn ab ˈjɔrwɛrθ]) or Llywelyn Fawr (Welsh pronunciation: [ɬəˈwɛlɪn vaʊ̯r], 'Llywelyn the Great', c. 1173 – 11 April 1240) was Prince of Gwynedd from 1199 to 1240. His reign saw Gwynedd transformed from a territory suffering from thirty years of civil war into a polity which could exercise suzerainty over most other native Welsh rulers. He received official recognition of his status from the English Crown, but experienced difficulty establishing lasting control over his ostensible vassals and struggled to ensure a smooth succession for his chosen heir, Dafydd ap Llywelyn, son of Llywelyn and Joan, a daughter of King John. He suffered a paralytic stroke in 1237, and died on 11 April 1240, leaving Dafydd to succeed him to the precarious principality.

During Llywelyn's childhood, Gwynedd was ruled by two of his uncles, who split the kingdom between them, following the death of Llywelyn's grandfather, Owain Gwynedd, in 1170. Llywelyn began a campaign to win power at an early age, battling his uncles Rhodri and Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd. Rhodri died in 1195, and Gruffudd and Maredudd ap Cynan took over his lands in Gwynedd Uwch Conwy. Dafydd ab Owain was captured by Llywelyn in 1197 and subsequently exiled to England. Llywelyn secured his grip on the throne of Gwynedd when he drove his cousins Gruffudd and Maredudd ap Cynan from Gwynedd Uwch Conwy in the wake of a battle in Arfon on Epiphany 1199. He then made a treaty with King John in 1200. Llywelyn's relations with John remained good for the next ten years. He married John's natural daughter Joan in 1205, and when John arrested Gwenwynwyn of Powys in 1208, Llywelyn took the opportunity to annex southern Powys. In 1210, relations deteriorated, and John invaded Gwynedd in 1211. Llywelyn was forced to seek terms and to give up all lands east of the River Conwy but was able to recover them the following year in alliance with the other Welsh princes. He allied himself with the barons who forced John to sign the Magna Carta in 1215. By 1216, he was the dominant power in Wales, holding a council at Aberdyfi that year to apportion lands to the other princes.

Following King John's death, Llywelyn concluded the Treaty of Worcester with his successor, Henry III, in 1218. During the next fifteen years, Llywelyn was frequently involved in fights with Marcher lords and sometimes with the king, but also made alliances with several major powers in the Marches. The Peace of Middle in 1234 marked the end of Llywelyn's military career, as the agreed truce of two years was extended year by year for the remainder of his reign. He maintained his position in Wales until his death in 1240 and was succeeded by his son Dafydd ap Llywelyn.