See also

Llywelyn PRINCE OF NORTH WALES The Great (1173-1240)

1. Llywelyn "Mawr" ap Iorwerth PRINCE OF NORTH WALES The Great, son of Iorwerth DRWYNDWN (1145-c. 1174) and Margred Ferch Madog (c. 1129- ), was born in 1173. He had the title 'Prince of North Wales'. He died in 1240. He married Gwenllian. He married Joan PLANTAGENET.

 

Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, Prince of North Wales also went by the nick-name of Llywelyn 'the Great'. He gained the title of Prince Llywelyn of North Wales. He hanged the Anglo-Norman baron, William de la Braose, for having an affair with his wife.

Nothing in the Middle Ages more weakened Wales’s chances of emerging as an independent state than the prevailing rules of inheritance. Instead of land and titles passing to the eldest son, everything was divided up among competing heirs. Although sharing laws, customs and language, seldom were the Welsh united under a single dominant ruler.

This was the situation faced by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth when he inherited one third of the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd. Yet by the age of 27 he was the most powerful figure in northern Wales. He defeated his uncle Dafydd in battle and, benefiting from the death of a cousin, took control of all of Gwynedd.

Llywelyn was as astute a political manipulator as any medieval prince. He befriended King John of England, assisted in his campaign against the Scots and married Joan, his illegitimate daughter. It all strengthened Llywelyn’s hand within Wales and helped him seize control of Powys and Ceredigion.

Known to history as a weak and vacillating ruler, John was not a dependable ally. He turned against Llywelyn and having marched into northeast Wales, defeated him in battle. It was the cue for the Welsh to rise up and unite behind Llywelyn.

John was also under internal pressure from his barons. The treaty of Magna Carta in 1215 led to a period of civil strife in England that yielded considerable dividends for Llywelyn. He regained control of the lands he had lost and marched his army into Shrewsbury.

Over the next three years Llywelyn extended his power base into the south, and circumscribed the authority of the Marcher Lords. He became unquestionably the single most powerful figure in Wales, a status recognised by the Treaty of Worcester in 1218.

More than just an opportunistic warlord, Llywelyn refined Wales’s laws and patronised its bards. On the shifting sands of Welsh medieval power politics, he laid strong foundations on which his grandson, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd would build.

 

Gwenllian was the daughter of Endyfed Fychan ( - ).

 

Joan PLANTAGENET was the daughter of John Lackland KING OF ENGLAND (1167-1216) and Isabelle Tallefer of Angouleme ( - ). She and Llywelyn "Mawr" ap Iorwerth PRINCE OF NORTH WALES had the following children:

 

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Helen ( -aft1294)

Second Generation

2. Helen of Wales, daughter of Llywelyn "Mawr" ap Iorwerth PRINCE OF NORTH WALES The Great and Joan PLANTAGENET, died after [Julian] February 1294. She married Donald MAR.

 

Sir Donald MAR was born before 1252. He had the title '6th Earl of Mar'. He died after [Julian] 25 July 1297. He and Helen had the following children:

 

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Isabella MAR ( -bef1302)

Third Generation

3. Isabella MAR, daughter of Sir Donald MAR and Helen of Wales, had the title 'Lady of Mar'. She appeared in the census. She died before 1302. She married Robert I Bruce KING OF SCOTLAND.

 

Isabella of Mar (modern Scottish Gaelic: Iseabail) (c. 1277 ¨C December 1296) was the first wife of Robert the Bruce and the grandmother of Robert II of Scotland, founder of the royal House of Stuart. She died before Robert was crowned King of Scots, and never became Queen.

She was the daughter of Domhnall I, Earl of Mar and a woman named Helen (or Ellen) (1246¨C1295), who had previously been the wife of Maol Choluim II, Earl of Fife. Her father was one of the seven guardians of Scotland who believed Robert Bruce to be the rightful King of Scotland. Despite the considerable risks, the Earl of Mar could foresee the advantage of the two families joining in marriage and bearing an heir to the throne, and the marriage of Isabella and Robert was arranged. Mar was the first to sign over the estates of his family to the Bruce.

Isabella was married to Robert at the age of 18 and legend has it that they were much in love. Shortly after their marriage Isabella became pregnant. She had a healthy pregnancy but she died soon after giving birth to a daughter, Marjorie Bruce in 1296.

 

Robert I Bruce KING OF SCOTLAND, son of Robert le Brus (1243-bef1304) and Countess Marjorie COUNTESS OF CARRICK (bef1250-bef1292), was born on [Julian] 11 July 1274 in Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex. He had the title 'King of Scotland'. He died on [Julian] 7 June 1329 in Cardross Castle, Cardross, Argyllshire. He and Isabella MAR had the following children:

 

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Margorie Bruce PRINCESS OF SCOTLAND (c. 1297-1316). Margorie was born circa 1297. She had the title 'Princess of Scotland'. She died on [Julian] 2 March 1316.