Glynrhondda
Glynrhondda , also Glyn Rhondda , was a medieval commote in South Wales . Despite the Norman conquest of southeast Wales in the late 11th century, Glynrhondda was a semi-autonomous Welsh rule in the 12th and 13th centuries that stretched around the Rhondda Valley in the Glamorgan hill country. In the west it bordered on Afan , in the east on Meisgyn .
In the early Middle Ages, the Commote belonged to the Welsh Cantref Penychen and the southeast Welsh kingdom of Morgannwg . After the Norman conquest, it was part of the rule of Caradog ap Iestyn , who as Lord of Afan was only under loose Norman supremacy. Around 1147, Caradog's sons divided the rule among themselves, Glynrhondda fell to Cadwallon ap Caradog. Glynrhonda remained under the rule of the Norman lord of Glamorgan, in addition, the lord of Afan, as a descendant of the eldest son of Caradog ap Iestyn, claimed supremacy over Meisgyn and Glynrhondda. Cadwallon ap Caradog was killed by his brother Owain in 1183, followed by his son Morgan ap Cadwallon. When in 1228 Morgan Gam , the Lord of Afan, was captured by the Lord of Glamorgan, Hywel ap Maredudd , the Lord of Meisgyn, took advantage of the situation, occupied Glynrhondda and drove his cousin Morgan ap Cadwallon away. Hywel ap Maredudd was able to maintain his rule until the 1240s, before he had to flee in 1246 after a war against Richard de Clare , the Lord of Glamorgan. Richard de Clare gave a part of Glynrhondda as a fief to two sons of Morgan ap Cadwallon before 1249, they could hold their rule until at least 1262, before Gilbert de Clare conquered the Welsh rule in Glamorgan and finally ended their autonomy.
Individual evidence
- ^ David Walker: Medieval Wales. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1990, ISBN 0-521-32317-7 , p. 31
- ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 59
- ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 74