Iorwerth ap Bleddyn
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Iorwerth ap Bleddyn was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales
.
Iorwerth was the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd
. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between his three of his sons, Iorwerth, Cadwgan
and Maredudd
.
Iorwerth, Cadwgan and Maredudd held their lands as vassals of Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
. In 1102 the Earl was summoned to answer charges at the court of King Henry I of England
and responded by rising in rebellion against the king. All three brothers initially supported Robert and took up arms on his behalf, pillaging Staffordshire
. The king deputed William Pantulf to detach Iorwerth, who was considered to be the most powerful of the three brothers, from his alliance with Robert and his own brothers by the promise of large gifts of land. William succeeded in this, and Iorwerth led a large Welsh force to ravage Shropshire
on behalf of the king. Robert was forced to surrender and was banished from the realm. Iorwerth also captured his brother Maredudd and handed him over to the king.
Iorwerth's support for the king did not last long however. Many of the lands which he had been promised were given to others, and in 1103 Iorwerth was arraigned before a royal tribunal at Shrewsbury
, convicted and imprisoned. He was not released until 1110 after Owain ap Cadwgan
, son of Iorwerth's brother Cadwgan, had abducted Nest
wife of Gerald of Pembroke resulting in an outbreak of hostilities. Iorwerth was able to drive Owain out of Powys and briefly regained his position as ruler. However in 1111 Owain's ally, Madog ap Rhiryd, attacked Iorwerth at a house in which he was staying in the commote of Caereinion. Iorwerth's bodyguard was put to flight, the house set afire and Iorwerth was forced back at spearpoint into the burning building where he died. He left no heir, and when Cadwgan was also killed by Madog shortly afterwards, Owain ap Cadwgan took over the kingdom
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...
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Iorwerth was the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn
Bleddyn ap Cynfyn was a Prince of the Welsh Kingdoms of Gwynedd and of Powys.- Lineage :Bleddyn was the son of Princess Angharad ferch Maredudd with her second husband Cynfyn ap Gwerstan, a Powys Lord, about whom little is now known...
who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between his three of his sons, Iorwerth, Cadwgan
Cadwgan ap Bleddyn
Cadwgan ap Bleddyn was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales.Cadwgan was the second son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd. When Bleddyn was killed in 1075, Powys was divided between three of his sons, Cadwgan, Iorwerth and Maredudd. Cadwgan is first heard of in 1088 when he...
and Maredudd
Maredudd ap Bleddyn
Maredudd ap Bleddyn was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales.Maredudd was the son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn who was king of both Powys and Gwynedd...
.
Iorwerth, Cadwgan and Maredudd held their lands as vassals of Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
Robert de Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury , also spelled Belleme or Belesme, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, and one of the most prominent figures in the competition for the succession to England and Normandy between the sons of William the Conqueror...
. In 1102 the Earl was summoned to answer charges at the court of King Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
and responded by rising in rebellion against the king. All three brothers initially supported Robert and took up arms on his behalf, pillaging Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. The king deputed William Pantulf to detach Iorwerth, who was considered to be the most powerful of the three brothers, from his alliance with Robert and his own brothers by the promise of large gifts of land. William succeeded in this, and Iorwerth led a large Welsh force to ravage Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
on behalf of the king. Robert was forced to surrender and was banished from the realm. Iorwerth also captured his brother Maredudd and handed him over to the king.
Iorwerth's support for the king did not last long however. Many of the lands which he had been promised were given to others, and in 1103 Iorwerth was arraigned before a royal tribunal at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, convicted and imprisoned. He was not released until 1110 after Owain ap Cadwgan
Owain ap Cadwgan
Owain ap Cadwgan was a prince of Powys in eastern Wales. He is best known for his abduction of Nest, wife of Gerald of Windsor.Owain was the eldest son of Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, prince of part of Powys. He is first recorded in 1106, when he killed Meurig and Griffri, the sons of Trahaearn ap Caradog,...
, son of Iorwerth's brother Cadwgan, had abducted Nest
Nest verch Rhys
Nest ferch Rhys was a daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, last King of Deheubarth , by his wife, Gwladys ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn of Powys. She is also known as "Nesta" or "Princess Nesta"....
wife of Gerald of Pembroke resulting in an outbreak of hostilities. Iorwerth was able to drive Owain out of Powys and briefly regained his position as ruler. However in 1111 Owain's ally, Madog ap Rhiryd, attacked Iorwerth at a house in which he was staying in the commote of Caereinion. Iorwerth's bodyguard was put to flight, the house set afire and Iorwerth was forced back at spearpoint into the burning building where he died. He left no heir, and when Cadwgan was also killed by Madog shortly afterwards, Owain ap Cadwgan took over the kingdom