The tragedy of Dafydd (2)

Henry III’s order to Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Owain Goch to restore to Dafydd an equal share of his patrimony was a deliberate royal strategy: the king meant to ensure that Gwynedd would be a partitioned state, of no further threat to the English crown. He applied the same principle to Powys Fadog, where the royal council insisted that Gruffudd ap Madog should, according to the custom of Wales, share his land with his co-heirs. It was no coincidence that Gruffudd was Llywelyn’s most loyal ally.

In early 1254 Llywelyn and Dafydd were informed that Henry was sending a commission to hear the disputes between the brothers. The king was subtle: the commission consisted of Alan la Zouche, John Lestrange, Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn and Gruffudd ap Madog. By appointing two Welsh lords to the enquiry, Henry could not be accused of anti-Welsh prejudice. His choice of Gruffudd ap Madog as one of the four commissioners was an effort to split the alliance of Gwynedd and Powys Fadog.

The arguments rumbled on. At last it came to civil war, and in June 1255 Llywelyn met his brothers in open battle on the slopes of Bryn Derwin. It seems Owain and Dafydd attacked uphill and were defeated in less than an hour, after which Llywelyn ‘fed lavishly upon their lands without difficulty’.

Owain and Dafydd were both captured. Llywelyn’s ancestors, men such as Gruffydd ap Llywelyn or Owain Gwynedd, would most likely have blinded and castrated the prisoners. Llywelyn chose to imprison Owain at Dolbadarn and give Dafydd another chance. The prince’s merciful attitude did little to resolve the tensions in Gwynedd; a Welsh poet, Hywel Foel ap Griffri, bewailed his personal loss at Owain’s confinement. He was left an exile in his own country, a lordless man, without gifts, without the chief of warriors:

‘Difro wyf heb rwyf, hed roddion/Heb Owain, hebawg cynreinion’.

The very earth was left barren by Owain’s loss: ‘Diffrwythws daear o’i fod yng ngharchar’.

Despite his lucky escape, Dafydd continued to intrigue with the English. On 8 August 1257, as he prepared to invade Gwynedd, King Henry issued an order of safe-conduct for Dafydd to join him at Chester. The document was witnessed by the baronial core of the royal army, including the Lord Edward, on his first expedition into Wales.

Dafydd thought better of it. He declined to come, so the king had the document torn up. After the failure of Henry’s campaign Dafydd chose to stay loyal to his brother for a time, and accompanied Llywelyn on his march south to punish Maredudd ap Rhys Gryg, lord of Ystrad Tywi, who had given his homage to the king. 

On 8 September 1258 Dafydd enjoyed perhaps his greatest moment. Wearing ‘his most splendid armour’, he advanced with his cavalry to attack Maredudd and his ally, Patrick Chaworth, at Cilgerran. Shortly after noon the two armies engaged and Dafydd won a splendid victory, killing Chaworth and Walter Malifant, an English knight, and forcing Maredudd to flee into the castle.