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Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, Prince of Powys
Son of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, Princeps Walliae and Heire verch Cillin, father of Iowerth ap Mareddud and husband of Eua verch Beti ap Endowen Bendow
Maredudd, born c.1047, was the founder of the last native dynasty of Powys. During his early years he played only a subordinate part in Welsh affairs, being overshadowed by his Brothers Iowerth and Cadwgan ; he joined them in the support which they gave to their overlord, Earl Robert of Shrewsbury, in his rebellion against Henry I in 1102. Ioweth soon went over to the King and, while making his peace with Cadwgan, consigned Maredudd to a royal prison.
In 1107 Maredudd escaped and returned to Powys. He remained, however, without territory for several years. Even when Iowerth and Cadwgan were slain in succession in 1112, he did not improve his position.
According to Brut y Tywysogion, he was in 1113 “penteula” or Captain of the Guard to Owain ap Cadwgan – an office particularly reserved for landless members of the Royal Family. In that same year, however, Owain divided with him the forfeited domains of Madog ap Rhiryd. On Owain’s death in 1116 Maredudd regularly appears among the Princes of Powys.
In 1118, he took part in the feud between Hywwel of Rhos and Rhufoniog and the sons of Owain ap Edwin.
In 1121, he was leader of the resistance offered by Powys to the invasion of Henry I. During the few remaining years of his life his power grew apace and in 1124, his nephew Einon ap Cadwgan bequeathed him his territory.
In 1124 a second son of Cadwgan, Maredudd, was murdered and a third, Morgan, died on pilgrimage.
Maredudd removed two other enemies to his progress – his nephew, Ithel ap Rhiryd by murder and his great nephew Llywelyn ap Owian by mutilation. Thus by the time of his death in 1132, he was master of all Powys.
He married, firstly, Hunedd de Allington, daughter of Eunuthe (Eunydd) de Allington. They had four recorded children:
Dyddgu verch Mareddud ap Bleddyn born c.1093
Howel ap Maredudd ap Bleddyn
Maredudd married, secondly, Eua ap Endowen Bendow, daughter of Beti ap Endowen Bendow. They had three recorded children:
Iowerth ap Mareddud ap Bleddyn born c.1109
Jane verch Maredudd ap Bleddyn
Maredudd was Prince of Powys and was killed in battle in 1132 in South Wales.
The above data comes principally from the Dictionary of National Biography and from the 1623 Visitation to Shropshire, recorded by John Kynaston, eldest son of Edward Kynaston and Katherine Lloyd
Other sources
Burke, B. "Cherleton - Baron Cherleton of Powys" in "Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire" pp.113-116.
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