Name Angharad Owain | Children Owain Gwynedd | |
Grandchildren Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, Madoc Great grandchildren Llywelyn the Great, Einion Similar People Owain Gwynedd, Gruffudd ap Cynan, Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, Madoc, Rhys ap Gruffydd | ||
Angharad ferch Owain (1065–1162) was the wife of Gruffudd ap Cynan, a king of Gwynedd.
Contents
Biography
Angharad was born in the region of Tegeingl in Flintshire county, Wales. Her father was Owain ab Edwin (1044–1105). Her mother was Morwyl ferch Ednywain (1048–1065), wife of Edwin. She was faithful to her queenly duties. Angharad married Gruffudd ap Cynan in 1082 in the Kingdom of Gwynedd when she was seventeen. She was queen of Gwynedd for forty years with her husband and queen mother for twenty-five years into the time period when her son Owain ap Gruffudd was king of Gwynedd in north Wales.
Personality
Angharad was a tall blonde and labeled "Golden Haired". She was considered attractive and eloquent. Angharad had large eyes, strong limbs, long fingers with well groomed nails, a nice figure and fine feet. She had a queenly personality, was good-natured, and was known as being kindhearted and sympathetic towards the poor.
Siblings
Her siblings were Meilyr ab Owain, Rhiryd ab Owain, Gronw ab Owain and Einion ab Owain.
Children
Angharad and Gruffudd had the following children at Aberffraw Castle, Aberffraw, on Anglesey (now within Isle of Anglesey County), in the Kingdom of Gwynedd in north-west Wales; Rhanullt ferch Gruffydd (b. 1083), Owain Gwynedd (b. 1087), Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd (b. 1085), Elen ferch Gruffydd (b. 1089), Merinedd ferch Gruffydd (b. 1091), Susanna ferch Gruffydd (b. 1095), Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd (b. 1096), Cadwallon ap Gruffydd (b. 1097), Yslani ferch Gruffudd (b. 1104), Membyr "Ddu" ap Gruffydd (b. 1114), Rhael verch Gruffydd (b. 1116), Annes ferch Gruffydd (b. 1118), Margred ferch Gruffydd (b. 1120), and Tudwal ap Gruffydd (b. 1122).
Later life and death
Angharad was 72 years old in 1137 when her hushand died. He left her half of his assets as was customary by Welsh law of the time. In addition she received two shares of land (rhandir). She also received in her inheritance the profits of the ferry service of the time at the port of Abermenai. This ferry is documented in the twelfth-century Welsh reference work Life of Guffudd ap Cynan and believed to be the earliest such service at this strait.
Angharad died in 1162 at the age of 97.