Maredudd (Welsh History Post Glyndwr)

Maredudd ab Owain ap Gruffydd - Maredudd Glyndwr; king of the Welsh 1419-1462
Maredudd was Owain Glyndwr's only surviving son and as such succeeded him in the August of 1419 to the title of Prince of Wales. Under the terms of the Treaty of London, which had ended the 1st War of Independance, Maredudd was the vassal Prince of Wales, under the King of England (at this time Henry V). By the end of his reign he had become both king of the Welsh and finally King of Wales.

Background
Maredudd was born in 1390 in Sycharth Manor to Owain and his wife Marged Hanmer. As such he was the latest in a line of descent from Madog ap Maredudd the last Prince of Powys (died 1160) and he was therefore part of the dynasty of princes of Powys Fadog (northern Powys)

1st War of Independance
When war first broke out Maredudd was too young to take part and spent most of it with his mother, now the Princess Marged of Wales in Harlech Castle, however he soon joined his father on campaign. In 1404, as part of his father's treaties, Maredudd was betrothed to the granddaughter of the Earl of Northumberland, the Lady Margaret Percy, though the marriage would not be completed for some years. In 1405 Maredudd accompanied his father and the Franco-Welsh army on its campaigns through South Wales, leading to the Battle of Worcester. This battle turned the war around. Owain and his allies routed the army of Henry IV securing Welsh control of western Herefordshire and much of the March. From there on Owain was able to negoitiate from a relative position of strength with the English king, an important element when Charles VI of France withdrew his support for an armed campaign and instead pushed for both sides to make peace.

In 1406 Maredudd's life changed completly. Whilst Gruffydd Young and his uncle John Hanmer were conducting a peace treaty with the English his elder brother and heir to the throne, Gruffydd died in battle with the future Henry V. Suddenly Maredudd was elevated to the position of Heir. In 1408 the Treaty of London was signed, formally ending the war. Owain had secured most of Wales under his control and some of the Marches. The treaty saw him recognise the English Crown as his feudal lord, and in return it recognised his control over Wales (apart from Pembrokeshire). It also recognised his control over the March extending to the River Severn.

Another condition of the treaty was that the heir, Maredudd, move to the English court as a hostage, to ensure Owain's compliance. As such from 1408 till the death of Henry IV Maredudd resided at the English Court. With the accession of Henry V, Maredudd was given leave to return to Wales and the Welsh Court in Harlech.

In 1415 Maredudd led the Welsh soldiers to France under Henry V. This was a difficult period for both Owain and Welsh politics. Just five years earlier, French support and men at arms had helped secure Wales' independance, but under the terms of the Treaty of London (brokered by Charles VI of France) Owain was now obliged to send men to France at the behest of his feudal overlord, the English king. Maredudd served in France until the spring of 1419 when he returned to Wales as his father was about to engage in battle against those within his realm that disputed his right to rule. In battle in the Marches Owain fell to his death in the summer of 1419 and suddenly Maredudd was Prince of Wales

Prince of Wales
On the 1st October 1419 in Bangor Cathedral, Maredudd was crowned Prince of Wales infront of the assembled Welsh Nobles and representatives of Scotland, England, France and the Holy Roman Empire. Following the coronation, Maredudd was obliged to offer his oath to be a faithfull vassal of Henry V.

Part of his coronation gift to Maredudd, Henry also gave control of Caernarfon Castle to the young Welsh monarch. Caernarfon had been one of the exceptions to the Treaty of London, along with Kidwelly, Carmarthen Castles and Pembrokeshire in that they remained English Crown possessions. With Caernarfon now his Maredudd moved the court there, retaining Harlech alongside his holdings in Sycharth as personal posessions.

With the death of both his overlord and his friend, Henry V, the political landscape of Wales changed again. On the 28 September 1423 Maredudd along with the other English nobles swore loyalty to the nine month old Henry VI, however, events were already shifting. The previous year, Maredudd had finally married Margaret Percy (20th June 1422) and was planning for what would become the Pembrokeshire War.

War with the Crown
In 1425, Maredudd led his armies south from Cardigan Castle into Pembrokeshire. The English, attention focused on France were still not easy opponents to defeat, and at the Battle of Newport, Maredudd suffered a serious defeat at the hands of the English Lord. Maredudd however rallied his troops and continued fighting a low level war for the next two years, finally capturing his goal, St Davids in the April of 1427. 1427 also saw his formal breaking of his Oaths to Henry VI when he declined to send troops to France.

On the 1st March 1428, Maredudd was crowned for the second time, this time as Maredudd, king of the Welsh. However, in a bid to hedge his bets, Maredudd still offers an oath of loyalty to Henry, though without the clauses identifying Henry as a feudal overlord.

King of the Welsh
Maredudd spent the next 24 years consolidating both his power and rule within Wales. Following English practice, Parliament was called once a year in Machynlleth to air grievances and to approve taxes. He also spent a great deal of time encouraging trade with Scotland, Brittany and France, building up the ports of Milford Haven and Pembroke. Henry VI still had control over Carmarthen, Kidwelly and Ludlow Castles, but Maredudd was scheming to gain control of all three. Two for the crown, and one for his cousin, Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March (the most powerful man in Wales behind the king). Maredudd also spent time grooming his eventual heir, Owain, for the role as king of Wales.

In 1431, a marriage treaty was arranged with the Earl of Shrewsbury, whose lands fell within Wales, but whose town did not. Under the terms of the marriage, Owain would become Earl of Shrewsbury on the old mans death. The marriage was completed in 1438 with the 8 year old Owain marrying his 12 year old bride, Mary of Shrewsbury. With the marriage and death of the old Earl, the town of Shrewsbury fell to the Welsh crown.

Wars of the Roses
In 1455 with England falling into anarcy and war, Maredudd sided with the son of his old friend, Henry VI. This was the first major disagreement between father and son, with Maredudd siding both because of politics and loyalty. With Henry VI Maredudd had someone he could profit from, Richard of York was not a man who liked or loved Maredudd. In 1459 Owain is sent by Maredudd with troops to the Battle of Bloreheath and the Battle of Northampton (1460). Maredudd by now was approaching 70 and political control rested more with Daffydd Young (the nephew of Gruffydd Young) the new Chancellor and Prince Owain and whilst Owain took part in the Battle of Wakefield he sends out peace feelers to the young Edward. Returning to Wales, Owain sets out to capture Lancastrian Chester as a sign of goodwill to the now Edward IV. Maredudd, in a final act of control takes command of the siege, but dies from an infected arrow wound on the 30th August 1462.

Legacy
During his long reign, Maredudd completed the freeing of Wales from English control and extended his power and influence up to the western banks of the Severn. Towns and commerce grew, especially in the 24 years of relative peace the reign enjoyed. By the time of his death, England was a country in turmoil and Wales was increasingly secure.