Trahaearn ap Caradog (1044 - 1080)

Born 1044 in Arwistli, Kingdom of Powys

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1080 at about age 36 in Battle of Mynydd Carn

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Biography

Name

• Trahaearn ap Caradog ap Gwyn ap Gollwyn^[1]

• Trahaern ap Caradog, of Arwystli, d. 1081 [AC], king of Gwynedd [ByT; ABT.2a,13,14] ^[2]

Parents

He was the son of Caradog ap Gwyn ap Gollwyn ab Ednywain ap Bleddyn ap Bleddyn ap Cynog Mawr ab Iorwerfth Hirflawdd. ^[1]

Birth

He was born, say 1040; Boyer estimates his father's birth as 1000, and Trahaearn was still participating in battles as late as 1081.

Location

Arwystli was a medieval cantref in mid Wales. It was located in the headland of the River Severn and was chiefly associated with the Kingdom of Powys. However, it was heavily disputed between Powys, Gwynedd, and the Norman Marcher Lords for hundreds of years; it was the scene of many skirmishes between them. It became part of other jurisdictions by the Laws in Wales Acts beginning in 1535. ^[3]

Alleged Marriage

Boyer notes that "It is alleged that he married Nest ferch Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, but there is no proof of this." ^[1]

Baldwin adds, "According to BWG, she was Nest, daughter of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn (d. 1063), the first (and only) native king of all of Wales. Gruffudd did have a daughter named Nest, wife of Osbern Fitz Richard, but there is no evidence that she was also married to Trahaern ap Caradog, and no early source for a second daughter named Nest. The sources given by Bartrum for this link are all very late, the earliest being Lewys Dwnn's visitation of Wales which started in 1586 (LD.ii.107), and the other two cited sources being early 17th century manuscripts. LD.ii.107 has Nest marrying 1st Trahaern, and 2nd, the mythical Fleance son of Banquo (alleged ancestor of the Stewarts), which gives even more cause for doubt, and I am inclined to regard the supposed marriage of Trahaern ap Caradog to a daughter of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn as a very late invention.]" ^[2]

Given these observations, Trahaern is no longer linked to Nest as his wife.

1075 Seizure of Gwynedd

Trahaearn was the rightful ruler of Arwystli, the region around Llanidloes, but in 1075, when Bleddyn ap Cynfyn died, he seized Gwynedd. Gruffudd ap Cynan of the old Venedotian house disputed his claim immediately, and defeated Trahaearn ap Caradox at Dyffryn Glyngin in Meirionydd. However, a subsequent victory by Trahaearn at Bron y Erw forced Gruffudd into exile in Ireland.^[1]

1078 Killed King Rhys

In 1078 Trahaearn killed King Rhys ab Owain of South Wales at Goodwick but this brought Gruffudd ap Cynan and Rhys ap Tewdwr Mawr into an alliance which was succedssful in killing Trahaearn at the battle of Mynydd Carn in 1081.

1081 Death at Battle of Mynydd Carn

Trahaearn was killed in battle in 1081. ^[1]

He was killed in the Battle of Mynydd Carn.

1081
Rhys ap Tewdwr, king of Deheubarth, was forced to take refuge at St. David's. Rhys soon received an unexpected ally in Gruffydd ap Cynan, the deposed ruler of Gwynedd. Gruffydd had sought aid in Ireland and had returned to Wales at the head of a force of Welsh, Irish, and Danish troops, intent on regaining his lost throne. It was only natural for the two to strike an alliance, especially since Traehaearn ap Caradog, the reigning king of Gwynedd, was marching south to join forces with Caradog ap Gruffydd. The two sets of enemies met at Mynedd Carn, and Rhys and Gruffydd were completely victorious. The defeat effectively halted Caradog's (Caradog ap Gruffydd ap Rhydderch) climb to power. Rhys gained in prestige what Caradog lost, and by 1081 had emerged as the paramount ruler of the entire region of southwest Wales.^[4]

Issue

Children, listed by Bartrum:^[1]

1. Llywarch
2. Meurig
3. Griffri
4. Owain
5. Ieuan

Descendants

His descendants continued to rule Arwystli until it was absorbed into Powys by Gwenwynwyn ab Owain Cyfeiliog. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Carl Boyer 3rd. Medieval Welsh Ancestors of Certain Americans. Generally follows Bartrum. By the author: Santa Clarita, California 2004. Trahaearn ap Caradog is #17 on page 346.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Stewart Baldwin. Ancestry of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~medieval/llywelyn.htm llywarch is in Generation 5, #20. Accessed 1/16/2019 jhd
3. ↑ Wikipedia: Arwystli Accessed 5 May 2020 jhd
4. ↑ Lynn H. Nelson, The Normans in South Wales, 1070-1171, (Austin and London: University of Texas Press, 1966), Library of Congress No. 65-21296, Ch. 2, p. 35-36, retrieved 2014-06-06, amb

See also:

• Trahaearn ap Caradog, Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 57. by John Edward Lloyd, sister projects: Wikipedia article.

See Peter Bartrum, http://cadair.aber.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/handle/2160/6516/TABLES%20-%20EARLY%20SERIES_46.png?sequence=9&isAllowed=y (May 31, 2018; Anne Brannen, curator)

See Darrell Wolcott, "Trahaearn ap Caradog," http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id68.html -- for help in untangling these lines (May 26, 2016; Anne Brannen, curator).

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Trahaearn ap Caradog of Arwystli; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id68.html. (Steven Ferry, May 25, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Owain ap Cadwgan and Nest ferch Rhys-an Historic Fiction?; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id160.html. (Steven Ferry, June 12, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: The Shropshire Walcot Family - Chart II: Second Powys Dynasty; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id99.html. (Steven Ferry, July 18, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: The Shropshire Walcot Family- Chart IV: Arwystli Dynasty; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id95.html. (Steven Ferry, July 21, 2017.)

Please see Darrell Wolcott: Ancient Powys; http://www.ancientwalesstudies.org/id79.html. (Steven Ferry, October 8, 2019.)