encyclopedia-amazonica:Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd - Welsh warrior princessGwenllian ferch Gruffydd (11
encyclopedia-amazonica:Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd - Welsh warrior princessGwenllian ferch Gruffydd (1100-1136) was the youngest child of Gruffudd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd, and his wife Angharad. She was said to have been a great beauty, clever and well educated. Gwenllian lived in troubled times as conflicts eructed between the different Welsh princes. Welsh lords also lost many of their possessions to the Normans in the wake of William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066.Gwenllian met Gruffydd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth, and eloped with him. The pair later got married. Deheubarth had, however, to deal with Normand incursions. Since she had received military training, Gwenllian fought alongside her husband. She and Gruffydd led guerrilla attacks on foreign settlements. They took goods and money and redistributed them among the Welsh population. Gwenllian fought even while pregnant or taking care of her young children.The political situation in England deteriorated in 1135 after a civil war broke out between Henri I’s daughter Matilda and Stephen of Blois. Some Welsh lords decided to revolt. Gruffydd decided to visit Gwenllian’s father to enlist his help. Gwenllian was left vulnerable without her husband and the majority of her troops. She soon received news that the Normans were gathering at Cydweli Castle. Enlisting the support of local people, she made sure her two youngest sons were safe before going to battle. Gwenllian was outnumbered and her troops mostly included farmers without proper equipment. She first tried to use guerrilla tactics, but was betrayed by one of her countrymen. Gwenllian then decided to led a surprise attack, but was defeated. During the battle, one of her sons was killed while trying to protect her and she was captured. Though Gwenllian was a noblewoman, her captor decided that she should be executed. Since she had fought well, she wasn’t burned at the stake, but was instead beheaded. Gwenllian was seen as a martyr and the Welsh swore revenge, shouting in battle “Ddail Achos Gwenllian”(“revenge for Gwenllian”). A memorial to her has been erected at Cydweli castle.According to legend a spring welled up on the spot where Gwenllian died, now known as Maes Gwenllian. There are also tales of her headless ghost haunting the site. References:Brookes Geoff, 50 Gems of South West Wales: The History & Heritage of the Most Iconic PlacesBurges Ginny, Remarkable Women: The Life and Times of Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, (Warrior Princess of Wales)“Did the Welsh Revolt of Gwenllian in 1136 contribute to the Evolution of the Arthurian Legend?”“Gwenllian Ferch Gruffyd”, Naked HistoryKoch John C., Celtic culture a historical encyclopediaLewis Anna, “The untold story of Wales’ Joan of Arc - the sword-wielding heroine you’ve probably never heard of”Rockefeller Laura A., Gwenllian Ferch Gruffydd: The Warrior Princess of Deheubarth -- source link