Powys and FitzEmpress (6)

In 1171, after a decade of war, there was another war. Owain Cyfeiliog’s foundation of the abbey of Strata Marcella was regarded as a direct challenge by his father-in-law Lord Rhys of Deheubarth, who had himself refounded Strata Florida in the 1160s.

While King Henry was busy in Ireland, Rhys invaded Cyfeiliog to attack Owain. The main result of the conflict was the death of Iorwerth Goch, whom the poet Cynddelw describes as slain in the fighting. This is confirmed by the Exchequer subsidy payments to Iorwerth, which suddenly cease after 47 weeks of the financial year for 1170-1. The killing of Iorwerth, one of the mainstays of Henry’s Welsh policy, seems to have caused a change of attitude in the king.

Owain Cyfeiliog lost the war and had to give over seven hostages to Rhys. When the king returned from Ireland, he summoned to Rhys to what must have been an awkward interview in the Forest of Dean. Instead of being punished, Rhys ‘entered into friendship’ with Henry, and gave over horses and oxen to the king as well as hostages. As a result of royal favour, Rhys never again interfered in the politics of Cyfeiliog.

Henry’s handling of the Welsh princes was thus more adroit than is sometimes acknowledged. When it became clear that Rhys and Owain could no longer be played off against each other, the king cultivated personal friendships with them. He became so close to Owain Cyfeiliog the Welshman was not afraid to mock Henry to his face, as in the following anecdote from Gerald of Wales:

‘One day when he [Owain] was sitting at table with the King in Shrewsbury, Henry passed to him one of his own loaves, to do him honour, as the custom is, and to show a mark of his affection. With the King’s eyes on him, Owain immediately broke the loaf into portions, as if it were Communion bread. He spread the pieces out in a row, again as if he were at Holy Communion, picked them up one at a time and went on eating until they were all finished. Henry asked him what he thought he was doing. ‘I am imitating you, my lord’, answered Owain. In this subtle and witty way, he was alluding to the well-known avariciousness of the King, who had the habit of keeping church benefices vacant for as long as possible so that he could enjoy the revenues’.