Maredudd ab Owain

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Maredudd ap Owain (died 999) was a King of Gwynedd and of Deheubarth.

Maredydd was the grandson of Hywel Dda. His father, Owain ap Hywel Dda, was king of Deheubarth. As Owain grew too old to lead in battle his son Maredydd took his place, and in 986 captured Gwynedd from Cadwallon ab Ieuaf. On Owain's death in 988 Maredydd also became ruler of Deheubarth. He may have controlled all Wales apart from Gwent and Morgannwg.

He is recorded as raiding Mercian settlements on the borders of Radnor and as paying a ransom of one penny a head to rescue some of his subjects who had been taken captive in Viking raids. Danish raids were a constant problem during Maredudd's reign. In 987 Godfrey Haroldson raided Anglesey, killing one thousand and carrying away two thousand as captives. Maredudd died in 999 and was described by the annalists as "the most famous king of the Britons". Following his death, the throne of Gwynedd was recovered for the line of Idwal Foel by Cynan ap Hywel.

[edit] References

• John Edward Lloyd (1911). A history of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest. Longmans, Green & Co.

Dinefwr Dynasty Born: Unknown; Died: 999
Preceded by Cadwallon ab Ieuaf	King of Gwynedd 986-999	Succeeded by Cynan ap Hywel
Preceded by Owain ap Hywel	King of Deheubarth 988-999