Maredydd ap Bleddyn

  General Notes:

~Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales, Vol. II, Pedigree Chart on p. 792, show two sons, Madog ap Meredydd died 1160 married to Susan, daughter of Prince Gruffydd ap Cynan
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  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ⁷⁶⁹
When Meredydd, son of Bleddyn ap Cynfryn, died, Powys was divided between his son Madog and his grandson Owen Cyfeiliog. Madog recieved the territory that was later called "Powys Fadog," which means "Lower Powys." Owen Cyfeiliog, whose son Gwenwynwyn gave his name to the territory he rules. This land became the county of Montgomery.

~Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales, Vol. II, pg. 792

• Background Information. ⁹²⁶
Maredudd Ab Bleddyn, had been imprisoned by Henry I for four years, but in 1105, he escaped from confinement and regained possession of Powys. In the summer of 1118, King Henry came to Powys with a large and strong army to fight against Prince Maredudd ab Bleddyn and others who were causing disruptance in Powys. Maredudd ab Bleddyn sent young archers to greet King Henry. The archers killed and wounded many of King Henry's army. One of the archers happened to pierce the king's armour against his heart. Henry ordered the army to encamp, and set about finding out when had been so daring as to wound him. This lead to Henry and Maredudd ab Bleddyn to come to terms of peace, and Henry gave ten thousand cattle as tribute to Powys.

Prince Maredudd ab Bleddyn married, as his first wife, Hunydd, daughter of Euydd ab Gwernwy, Lord of Dyffryn Clwdy. With this lady, he had three sons, Madog; Gruffudd, ancestor of the Princes of Upper Powys; and Hywel, who was slain by his own men in 1140, yet left a daughter and heiress, Angharad, who married ab Iorwerth ab Llywarch ab Bran, Lord of Cwmmwd Menai. Maredudd and Hunydd, also had a daughter named Dyddgu, who married to Cadwallawn ab Gruffydd ab Cynan, who was slain in Nanheudwy in 1129.

Maredudd married, as his second wife, Eva or Christian, daughter and heiress of Bledrws ab Ednowain Bendew, and they had two sons. One was Iorwerth Goch, of Cae Hywel, in the parish of Kinnersley and married Maude, daughter of Sir Richard de Manley, of Cheshire, by whom he was the ancestor of the Kynastons, Parrys of Main, Matthewses of Tref Nannau, Maurices of Bryn y Gwaliau and Bodynfol, and the Pryses of Cyfronydd. the second son was David ab Maredudd ab Bleddyn, who married Arddun, daughter of Cynwrig ab Rhiwallawn, Lord of Maelor Gymraeg, who was slain in Lleyn by Gruffudd ab Cynan in 1074.

Maredudd ab Bleddyn had three illegimate sons as well. they were Hywel ab Maredudd, Cadwgan ab Maredudd and Abba ab Maredudd. Maredudd ab Bleddyn, before he died in 1130, divided his principality of Powys into two parts. The upper part, later called Powys Genwynwyn, he gave to his grandson, Owain Cyfeiliawg, the son of his second son Gruffudd. The remaining porttion of Powys, Maredudd gave to his eldest son Madog, which from him was called Powys Fadog.

~The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, Vol. I, pp. 100-108

Maredydd married Hunydd verch Einudd, daughter of Eunydd ap Gwernwy Lord of Dyffryn Clwyd and Unknown.⁹²⁶ (Hunydd verch Einudd was born in Wales and died Wales.)