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Historical person

Owain Gwynedd

c. 1100–1170

Owain ap Gruffudd, usually known as Owain Gwynedd, ruled Gwynedd from 1137 until 1170 and was the strongest Welsh ruler of his generation. Before succeeding his father Gruffudd ap Cynan, he had already helped expand Gwynedd’s authority across north Wales. The political disorder in England during Stephen’s reign gave Owain opportunities to consolidate territory, and he increasingly used titles that asserted a status extending beyond that of a regional king.

After Henry II restored stronger English royal government, Owain resisted repeated attempts to impose English supremacy. Henry’s campaigns of 1157 and 1165 failed to destroy Gwynedd’s independence, and Owain joined other Welsh rulers in opposition to the invasion of 1165. His reign also involved a prolonged dispute with the church over his marriage to his cousin Cristin and over ecclesiastical authority. At his death in 1170, succession among his many sons produced renewed internal competition.

Ellis Peters uses Owain and the politics of twelfth-century Wales in A Morbid Taste for Bones, Dead Man’s Ransom and The Summer of the Danes, where Gwynedd’s rulers and English border communities intersect with the Cadfael narratives. Bernard Knight’s Madoc also draws on Owain’s dynasty and the contested traditions surrounding his sons, placing Welsh princely politics at the centre of its historical setting.

Series

Historical novels and book series featuring Owain Gwynedd (1 series)

Chronicles of Brother Cadfael in Order

by Ellis Peters 19 books 4.5(42,288)

The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael follow a former soldier and crusader who has become the herbalist of Shrewsbury Abbey. Between 1137 and 1145, Cadfael investigates deaths, disappearances and disputed identities while working within the rhythms of Benedictine life and the law of medieval England. The twenty novels unfold…

All books in this series

Standalone books

Standalone books featuring Owain Gwynedd (1 book)