Morgan Gam

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Morgan Gam († February 1241 ) was a Welsh lord of Afan , a small Welsh dominion in Glamorgan .

origin

Morgan Gam was a younger son of Morgan ap Caradog and presumably Gwenllian, daughter of Ifor Bach . After the death of his older brother Leison, he became lord of Afan in 1213, which stretched across the hill country between River Afan and River Neath . As head of the oldest line of the descendants of Iestyn ap Gwrgan , he claimed supremacy over the neighboring Welsh lords of Meisgyn and Glynrhondda .

Life

Both Morgan's father and brother had been loyal supporters of the English King John Ohneland after he had handed Newcastle Castle over to Morgan ap Caradog in 1189 . After Leison's death, Johann did not transfer the castle to his brother Morgan Gam, but gave it to his first wife, Isabel von Gloucester , who was divorced from him . Morgan Gam tried to regain possession of the castle throughout his life. In the fight against Gilbert de Clare , who had inherited Isabel of Gloucester in 1217 and thus came into the possession of Newcastle as Lord of Glamorgan, he was supported by his relatives Morgan ab Owain from Glynrhondda, who attacked Margam Abbey in 1224. Over the next few years, Morgan Gam raided other English settlements, including Laleston , St Nicholas and Newcastle in 1226 . Nevertheless, he could not enforce his claims, but he received increasing support from Lord Llywelyn from Iorwerth of Gwynedd, who wanted to expand his influence in Glamorgan. In 1228 Gilbert de Clare therefore undertook a campaign in the highlands of Glamorgan, during which he was able to capture Morgan Gam. He took him to Clare Castle in eastern England and did not release him until 1229 against the holding of hostages. After his release, Morgan Gam allied again with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and destroyed Neath Castle in the ensuing Anglo-Welsh War in 1231 . The following year he attacked the castle and settlement of Kenfig , but failed in the capture of the keep of the castle. In 1233 he supported together with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth the futile rebellion of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke against the English King Henry III. With the support of the Anglo-Norman lords of Glamorgan, Richard Marshal had occupied Glamorgan during this rebellion, leading to the unusual situation that Morgan Gam and the other Welsh lords of Glamorgan became allies of the Anglo-Norman. Marshal promised the Welsh parts of Glamorgan as a reward. When the rebellion failed, Richard Siward , the new administrator of Glamorgan, reclaimed these areas. Morgan Gam refused to return these areas until Llywelyn from Iorwerth himself asked Morgan Gam to return the areas.

Family and offspring

Morgan Gam was married twice, first to Janes ferch Elidyr Ddu and second to Ellen, daughter of Gronw ap Einion. He had at least three sons, including

He was buried in Margam Abbey . His heir was first his son Lleision, after his death his younger son Morgan Fychan.

Web links

  • Thomas Jones Pierce: Morgan Gam (Dictionary of Welsh Biography, National Library of Wales)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 58
  2. ^ Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales: An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan , Vol. III - Part I: The early castles. RCAHMW, 1991, ISBN 978-0-11-300035-7 , p. 329
  3. ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 58
  4. ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 59
  5. ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 65
  6. ↑ RF Walker: The supporters of Richard Marshal, earl of Pembroke, in the rebellion of 1233-1234 in: Welsh History Review / Cylchgrawn Hanes Cymru , 17 (1994-95), p. 63
personal data
SURNAME Morgan Gam
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Lord of Afan (South Wales)
DATE OF BIRTH 12th century or 13th century
DATE OF DEATH February 1241