Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor

Madog ap Gruffudd or Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, was Prince of Powys Fadog 1191-1236 in north-east Wales.

Lineage

He was elder son of Gruffydd Maelor and his wife, Angharad a daughter of Owain Gwynedd.

Sole Ruler

He succeeded his father jointly with his brother, Owen in 1191 and on Owen's death in 1197 became the sole ruler of Powys north of River Rhaeadr and the River Tanat or Afan Tanat.

Consolidation

Madog consolidated the possessions of his father, Gruffudd Maelor, and the territory he ruled became known as "Powys Fadog" in his honour. ("Fadog" is a gender mutation of his name, "Madog"). Under his son, later, Gruffydd II ap Madog, this area comprising Welsh and English Maelor, Ial, Cynllaith, Nanheudwy and part of Mochnant formed Powys Fadog, as opposed to Powys Wenwynwyn and was still referred to as Powys Fadog although it was divided up between his five sons.

Stance

Madog was close to his cousin, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, initially, but gradually distanced himself and also kept aloof from 1212 when his cousin had managed to reform the Welsh Confederacy and looked instead to King John of England, in whose pay he was, as an official ally of the English King.

By 1215 he decided to ally with his cousin and remained so.

Marriage & Issue

He had married Esyllt (Isota). He had issue:

* Gruffudd Maelor II, who succeeded his father,
* Gruffudd Iâl, died 1238.
* Maredudd, died 1256.
* Hywel, died 1268.
* Madog Fychan, died 1269.
* Angharad.

Buried at Valle Crucis Abbey

Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor died in 1236 and is buried at Valle Crucis Abbey, his own foundation, and the last Cistercian monastery to be founded in Wales.

In 1956 his heraldic slab was excavated at the Abbey.

He is either a great grandfather or great-great-great grandfather of Owain Glyndŵr.

External references

* [http://www.mimas.ac.uk/~zzalsaw2/genealogies/powys.html Kings and Lords of Powys mimas.ac.uk]

References

*Prof. T Jones Pierce, "The History of Wales" (1953)