Goronwy ap Tudur Hen

Goronwy ap Tudur Hen (died 1331), also known as Goronwy ap Tudur or Goronwy Fychan, was a Welsh aristocrat and Lord of Penmynydd. He was a member of the Tudor family of Penmynydd, Anglesey, North Wales, and a direct ancestor of Owen Tudor and thereby the Royal House of Tudor. He was a soldier for the English crown, who fought in the First War of Scottish Independence, including in the English invasion which led to the Battle of Bannockburn. He remained loyal to King Edward II of England until the king's death, and was both a yeoman and forester of Snowdon. After his death in 1331, his body was interned in Llanfaes Friary, near Bangor, Gwynedd.

Goronwy ap Tudur Hen
Born	c. early 14th century
Died	11 December 1331
Resting place	Bangor, Gwynedd
Other names	Goronwy ap Tudur Goronwy Fychan
Occupation	Welsh noble
Title	Lord of Penmynydd
Children	Hywel ap Goronwy Tudur ap Goronwy Gruffydd ap Goronwy

Ancestry and family

Goronwy ap Tudur Hen was one of three sons of Welsh noble Tudur Hen (English: Tudur the Elder) and Anghared fil Ithel Fychan,[1][2] alongside Madog ap Tudur Hen and Hywel ap Tudur Hen.[1] Tudor Hen had first been in service to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (also known as Llywelyn the Last), the King of Gwynedd, but retained his titles under the conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England. But during the rebellion of Madog ap Llywelyn, Tudur acted as his steward. After the rebellion failed, Tudur pledged his loyalty to Edward.[3] Utilising the more advantageous property laws of England, Tudur saw to it that his lands were passed seamlessly upon his death in 1311 into the hands of Goronwy.[1][4]

Service to the English crown

Goronwy ap Tudur Hen was Lord of Penmynydd and a soldier in the service of the English crown.[2][5] He joined King Edward II of England for his invasion of Scotland in 1314 as part of the First War of Scottish Independence, which included service at the Battle of Bannockburn in June of that year.[5] In 1316, a rebellion took place in Glamorgan under the leadership of Llywelyn Bren, at the same time Edward was campaigning in Scotland.[6] Despite this there was little concern that it would spread to North Wales, with the royal officials instead concerned with the threat of invasion from Ireland.[7] Some 1,500 troops were summoned from the area to support the King, and among those leading those troops were Iorweth ap Gruffudd, Gruffudd Llwyd and his cousin Goronwy ap Tudur Hen.[8] After these troops, under the command of Gruffudd Llwyd, moved to Chester, they were dismissed on 4 August 1316 to return to North Wales in order to protect the area from the Irish threat.[9]

Goronwy and his troops were again summoned into the King's service to retake Berwick in 1319, after Scottish forces had taken it a year earlier. The majority of the forces from Wales came from the southern Marcher Lords, but Goronwy, Gruffudd Llwyd and Hywel ap Gruffudd ap Geruath led those from the northern part of the country.[10] Around the same time, as a yeoman of the king, Goronwy was made forester of Snowdon. He remained loyal to Edward II, but following the king's death, he resumed service to Edward III.[5]

Goronwy married Gwerful fil Madog, daughter of Madog ap Iorwerth, Baron Hendwr.[2] Goronwy and Gwerful had three sons, Hywel ap Goronwy, Tudur ap Goronwy and Gruffydd ap Goronwy.[3][11] Goronwy was interred after his death in the west wall of the Franciscan Llanfaes Friary near Bangor, Gwynedd on 11 December 1331. His father had overseen the reconstruction efforts of the friary, and in 1311 was the first of the family to be placed there following his death.[1][5] Other members of the family were placed there following death,[12] until some were moved following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the Church of England imposed by King Henry VIII of England, with Goronwy's being moved to St Gredifael's Church, Penmynydd.[13]

Legacy

Goronwy's eldest son Hywel ap Goronwy joined the priesthood, and became a canon of Bangor Cathedral. In 1357, Hywel became the Archdeacon of Anglesey.[5] Gruffydd drowned in 1344.[11] Goronwy ap Tudur Hen was one of the direct ancestors of the Royal House of Tudor.[14] His son Tudur ap Goronwy became a knight in the service of Edward III,[15] and was the grandfather of Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur (through his son Maredudd ap Tudur, grandson to Goronwy ap Tudur Hen).[15] Owain Anglicised his name, becoming Owen Tudor, and was himself the grandfather of King Henry VII of England, the founder of the House of Tudor.[16]

Lineage

Tudors of Penmynydd
Ednyfed Fychan d. 1246 I[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 3][lower-roman 4] Tudur ab Ednyfed Goronwy ab Ednyfed d.1268 II[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 3][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 5] Tudur Hen (Tudur ap Goronwy) d.1311 III[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 5][lower-roman 6] Goronwy ap Tudur Hen d. 1331 Tomos ap Llewelyn d.1343 IV[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 5][lower-roman 7][lower-roman 8] Hywel ap Goronwy d.ca.1367 Tudur ap Goronwy d.ca.1367 Marged ferch Tomos Elen ferch Tomos (mother of Owain Glyndŵr) V[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 7] Goronwy ap Tudur d.1382 Rhys ap Tudur ex.1412 Ednyfed ap Tudur d. 1382 Gwilym ap Tudur d.1413 Maredudd ap Tudur d.1406 VI[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 7][lower-roman 9][lower-roman 10] Gwilym ap Griffith (Griffiths of Penrhyn) Morfydd ferch Goronwy Tudur ap Goronwy d.ca.1400 Owen Tudor (Owain Tudur) VII[lower-roman 4][lower-roman 9][lower-roman 10][lower-roman 11] Tudur Fychan Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond d.1456 Jasper Tudor d.1495 Owen Tudor monk VIII[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 9][lower-roman 10][lower-roman 11] Owain Tudor d.1504/5 Henry VII of England d.1509 IX[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 11] William Owen ap Tudor Fychan John Owen ap Tudor Fychan Richard Owen Theodor (I) d.1527(?) Arthur d.1502 Henry VIII d.1547 X[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4] Richard Owen Theodor (II) d.1558(?) William Pritchard (William Bold) Edward VI d.1553 Mary I d.1558 Elizabeth I d.1603 XI[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4] Richard Owen Theodor (III) David Owen Theodor d.1624 XII[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4] Richard Owen Theodor (IV) fl.1645 XIII[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 11] Richard Owen Theodor (V) fl.1665 XIV[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 4][lower-roman 11] Richard Owen Theodor (VI) fl.1669
Notes: J. Williams (1869). "Penmynyth and the Tudors". Archaeologia Cambrensis. 15 (3rd ser): 278–294, 379–402. Glyn Roberts (1959). "EDNYFED FYCHAN ( EDNYFED ap CYNWRIG ) and his descendants". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. The National Library of Wales. Peter Bartrum. "Marchudd 11". Prosiect Bartrum/Bartrum Project. Aberystwyth University. Glyn Roberts (1959). "Teulu Penwynydd". Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion: 17–37. Peter Bartrum. "Marchudd 12". Prosiect Bartrum/Bartrum Project. Aberystwyth University. Peter Bartrum. "Bleddyn ap Cynfyn 05". Prosiect Bartrum/Bartrum Project. Aberystwyth University. Peter Bartrum. "Marchudd 13". Prosiect Bartrum/Bartrum Project. Aberystwyth University. Peter Bartrum. "Rhys ap Tewdwr 07". Prosiect Bartrum/Bartrum Project. Aberystwyth University. Glyn Roberts (1959). "GRIFFITH OF PENRHYN (Caerns.)". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. The National Library of Wales. Thomas Jones Pierce (1959). "OWAIN TUDOR ( c. 1400 - 1461 )". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. The National Library of Wales. Thomas Jones Pierce (1959). "TUDOR family of Penmynydd , Anglesey — later members". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. The National Library of Wales.

Notes

1. Jones 1839, p. 29.
2. Paget 1977, p. 146.
3. Griffiths & Thomas 1985, p. 16.
4. Beverley Smith 1976, p. 144.
5. Griffiths & Thomas 1985, p. 17.
6. Griffiths 1994, pp. 84-91.
7. Carr 1984, pp. 16-17.
8. Macpherson, Caley & Illingworth 1814–1819, p. 156.
9. Beverley Smith 1976, p. 152.
10. Palgrave 1827–1834, p. 517-520.
11. Carr 1970, p. 123.
12. Griffiths & Thomas 1985, p. 18.
13. Griffiths & Thomas 1985, p. 19.
14. "Ednyfed Fychan ( Ednyfed ap Cynwrig )". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
15. Nicholas 1872, p. 29.
16. "A royal dynasty". BBC Wales. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2016.

References

• Beverley Smith, J (1976). "Edward II and the Allegiance of Wales". Welsh History Review. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. 8 (1 to 4).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Carr, A.D. (1970). "An Aristocracy in Decline: The Native Welsh Lords after the Edwardian Conquest". Welsh History Review. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. 5 (1 to 4).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Carr, A.D. (1984). "Anglesey and War in the Later Middle Ages". Transactions of the Anglesey Antiquarian Society & Field Club.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Griffiths, Ralph Alan (1994). Conquerors and Conquered in Medieval Wales. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-31212-119-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Griffiths, Ralph Alan; Thomas, Roger S. (1985). The Making of the Tudor Dynasty. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-31250-745-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Jones, W (1839). The Gwyneddion for 1832. London: H. Hughes. OCLC 793725837.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Macpherson, David; Caley, John; Illingworth, William, eds. (1814–1819). Rotuli Scotiae in Turri Londinensi et in Domo Capitulari Westmonasteriensi asservati. London.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) (2 vols)
• Nicholas, Thomas (1872). Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales. 1. London: Genealogical Publishing.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Paget, Gerald (1977). Lineage and Ancestry of HRH Prince Charles. 1. Edinburgh: Skilton.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Palgrave, F, ed. (1827–1834). The Parliamentary Writs and Writs of Military Summons. London: Records Commission.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) (2 vols in 4 parts)