Gruffydd Young
Encyclopedia
Gruffydd Young (c. 1370 – c. 1435) was a cleric and a close supporter of Owain Glyndwr
during his Welsh
rebellion against the English
King Henry IV
between 1400 and 1412.
Anne of Bohemia
, the first wife of King Richard II of England.
at Llanynys between Denbigh
and Ruthin
and Llanbadarn Fawr
and then prebends at Garthbrengy near Brecon
, Boughrood
near Hay-on-Wye
, Lampeter
and Bangor
itself.
He rose to be vicar-general at St. Davids and then Archdeacon of Merioneth.
, with Glyndwr's brother-in-law John Hanmer and John Trevor
the Bishop
of St. Asaph negotiating a treaty of alliance with the French
King
Charles VI of France
, or at least with his representative James II, Count of La Marche
.
He was closely involved in Owain's strategy and formulated the Pennal Policy in which Owain stated that he would transfer the allegiance of the Welsh church away from Rome
to Pope Benedict XIII
in Avignon
.
In 1407 he managed to gain the role of Bishop of Bangor
after intrigues against the incumbent Bishop
Llywelyn Byford and within a few months ensured his own transfer to St. Davids where if the Pennal Policy had come into effect he would have become the primate of the Church in Wales.
which soon brought the schism of two competing Popes to an end with the election of Pope Martin V
. The Pennal Policy was to become redundant. Young instead was appointed as Bishop of Ross
by Pope Martin V but he was never really in firm control of his diocese and was transferred to become Bishop of Hippo in North Africa
along with two livings in Rheims and Tours
in France
.
He was appointed abbot of the abbey of Le Thoronet, in the south of France, by Pope Martin V
in 1430.
He was still referring to himself as Bishop of Ross in 1430 and certainly lived beyond 1432. His exact end is not known.
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
during his Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rebellion against the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
between 1400 and 1412.
Winning favour
He was of illegitimate birth and won the favour of QueenQueen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia was Queen of England as the first wife of King Richard II. A member of the House of Luxembourg, she was the eldest daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elizabeth of Pomerania....
, the first wife of King Richard II of England.
Church career
Between 1391 and 1403 he held various positions within the dioceses of St. Davids and Bangor, GwyneddBangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
at Llanynys between Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
and Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
and Llanbadarn Fawr
Llanbadarn Fawr
Llanbadarn Fawr is an urbanised village and community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is located on the outskirts of Aberystwyth situated next to Penparcau and Southgate. It forms the eastern part of the continually built-up area of Aberystwyth...
and then prebends at Garthbrengy near Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, Boughrood
Boughrood
Boughrood is a village in Powys, Wales.Historically in Radnorshire, the village is situated near the River Wye between Hay-on-Wye and Builth Wells....
near Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye , often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the Black Mountains...
, Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
and Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
itself.
He rose to be vicar-general at St. Davids and then Archdeacon of Merioneth.
Glyndwr's Chancellor & Envoy in France
He allied himself to Glyndwr in 1403 becoming Owain's Chancellor and by 1404 was in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, with Glyndwr's brother-in-law John Hanmer and John Trevor
John Trevor II
John Trevor , or John Trevaur, was Bishop of St. Asaph in Wales before becoming nominal Bishop of St Andrews in Scotland. He was provided to the see of St Asaph on October 21, 1394. He was translated to St Andrews in 1408. As Bishop of St. Andrews, he was an anti-Bishop and never took possession...
the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of St. Asaph negotiating a treaty of alliance with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
Charles VI of France
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, or at least with his representative James II, Count of La Marche
James II, Count of La Marche
James II of Bourbon-La Marche was the son of John I, Count of La Marche and Catherine of Vendôme.-Early life:...
.
He was closely involved in Owain's strategy and formulated the Pennal Policy in which Owain stated that he would transfer the allegiance of the Welsh church away from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
.
In 1407 he managed to gain the role of Bishop of Bangor
Bishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
after intrigues against the incumbent Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Llywelyn Byford and within a few months ensured his own transfer to St. Davids where if the Pennal Policy had come into effect he would have become the primate of the Church in Wales.
Setbacks
By 1408 as the rebellion was experiencing setbacks he made his own future plans. Outside events were leading towards the Council of ConstanceCouncil of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
which soon brought the schism of two competing Popes to an end with the election of Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
. The Pennal Policy was to become redundant. Young instead was appointed as Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
by Pope Martin V but he was never really in firm control of his diocese and was transferred to become Bishop of Hippo in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
along with two livings in Rheims and Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
He was appointed abbot of the abbey of Le Thoronet, in the south of France, by Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
in 1430.
He was still referring to himself as Bishop of Ross in 1430 and certainly lived beyond 1432. His exact end is not known.
Sources
- JE LloydJohn Edward LloydSir John Edward Lloyd , was a Welsh historian, the author of the first serious history of the country's formative years, A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, 2 vols...
: 'Owen Glendower' - Chris Barber : 'In Search of Owain Glyndwr'
- Archives départementales du Var : Bulla Papae Martini V, 2H19