Rhys Gethin was a key figure in the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr

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...

. He was his standard bearer and a leading general. His name means "swarthy Rhys".

Litle is known of his life. He had a brother, Hywel Coetmor

Hywel Coetmor

Hywel Coetmor was a Welsh knight who took part in Owain Glyndŵr's rising. He had earlier fought under the Black Prince at the Battle of Poitiers .His brother was Rhys Gethin, who was one of Glyndŵr's leading generals....

, who also played a significant role in the rising. It is claimed that they were the grandsons of an illegitimate son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd

Dafydd ap Gruffydd

Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 by King Edward I of England...

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He took part in the crucial Welsh victory at the Battle of Bryn Glas

Battle of Bryn Glas

The Battle of Bryn Glas, was fought on 22 June 1402, near the towns of Knighton and Presteigne in Powys...

 in 1402. He led an army which captured several castles in South Wales. He appears to have been killed at either the Battle of Pwll Melyn

Battle of Pwll Melyn

The Battle of Pwll Melyn, also known as the Battle of Usk, was part of the Welsh War of Independence against English rule that lasted from 1400 to 1415. This key battle in the Glyndŵr Rising occurred in the spring of 1405. The defeat of the Welsh rebels here was devastating and included the loss of...

 or the Battle of Grosmont in 1405.

In the 20th century, his name was used as a pseudonym in statements by Meibion Glyndŵr

Meibion Glyndwr

Meibion Glyndŵr was a Welsh nationalist movement violently opposed to the loss of Welsh culture and language. They were formed in response to the housing crisis precipitated by large numbers of houses being bought by wealthy English people for use as holiday homes, pushing up house prices beyond...

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