Henry Dwnn († 1416)

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Kidwelly Castle, besieged to no avail by Henry Dwnn in 1403

Henry Dwnn (also Henry Don ; Henry Dunn ) (* around 1340 - † November 1416 ) was a Welsh nobleman, military man and rebel.

origin

Dwnn belonged to the ancient Welsh Dwnn family who were among the most powerful and wealthy Welsh gentry families in South West Wales during the 14th century . Dwnn's father, Gruffudd Dwnn , had commanded Welsh troops for the Earl of Lancaster , who was also Lord of Kidwelly , in the 1340s .

Follower of the Dukes of Lancaster

Dwnn himself served in Picardy and Normandy in 1369 during the Hundred Years War under John of Gaunt . From 1388 to 1389 Dwnn was steward of Kidwelly, the center of the Duchy of Lancaster's holdings in South West Wales. He was considered a ruthless administrator and landowner who treated his tenants strictly and sometimes on the edge of legality. From 1394 to 1395 Dwnn took part in the campaign of King Richard II in Ireland.

Involved in the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr

Despite his close ties to the House of Lancaster , he had joined the Owain Glyndŵr rebellion no later than 1403 and became one of the leaders of the rebellion in South West Wales. After initially besieging Dinefwr Castle in 1403 , he and his grandson Gruffudd were able to take the town of Kidwelly in August . The subsequent siege of Kidwelly Castle failed, despite the support of a French fleet. After the rebels had initially withdrawn in winter, an attack on the castle failed the next year. He then attacked Caernarfon Castle , also in vain . Dwnn was ostracized and expropriated in 1407, and his possessions were given to John Scudamore , the English steward of Kidwelly. As the rebellion continued, Dwnn was captured and incarcerated in Kidwelly Castle and later Gloucester .

Pardon and death

After the failure of the rebellion, Dwnn was pardoned in May 1413 on payment of a fine of £ 200 and his possessions returned. He could not raise the large sum, but managed to take his leading position in Kidwelly again. He imposed sentences on 200 Welsh people who did not support him during the rebellion, and in October 1413 tried unsuccessfully to assassinate John Scudamore in an ambush near Carmarthen .

Family and offspring

His son Maredudd (* around 1370) probably died after 1401, but his daughter Mabli, who married Gruffudd ap Nicolas , and his sons Gruffudd and Owain were among the leading Welsh nobles in South West Wales.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Williams, Gwyn A .: When was Wales? A history of the Welsh . Black Raven, London 1985. ISBN 0-85159-003-9 , p. 108
  2. ^ RR Davies: The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1995, ISBN 0-19-820508-2 , p. 200
  3. ↑ John Kenyon: Kidwelly Castle . Cadw, Cardiff 2007. ISBN 978-1-85760-256-2 . P. 17
  4. ^ RR Davies: The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1995, ISBN 0-19-820508-2 , p. 192
  5. ^ RR Davies: The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dŵr . Oxford University Press, Oxford 1995, ISBN 0-19-820508-2 , p. 192
  6. ↑ Charles Kightly: SKYDEMORE, John (d.1434 / 5), of Kent Church, Herefs. (History of Parliament online). Retrieved February 24, 2015 .
personal data
SURNAME Henry Dwnn
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Henry Don; Henry Dunn
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Welsh nobleman, military and rebel
DATE OF BIRTH around 1340
DATE OF DEATH November 1416