RHYS GRYG (‘Rhys the Hoarse,’ d. 1234), prince; he is also called ‘Rhys Fychan ’,
and both names are given him in the panegyric addressed to him by ‘Prydydd y Moch’ (Llywarch ap Llywelyn, q.v.), and printed in Myv. Arch., i, 292-4. He was the fourth son of the ‘lord’ Rhys ap Gruffydd (1132-1197) (q.v.), by Gwenllian, daughter of Madog ap Maredudd (q.v.) of Powys. He was an unreliable man, who rebelled against his father, played off one of his brothers against another, and played off king John against Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. Physical bravery he certainly had, but no consistency can be discovered in his actions — other than self-seeking; for his career, see Lloyd, History of Wales (consult index). From 1215, he was tolerably loyal to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, who at the Aberdovey council of 1216 confirmed him in the possession of the greater part of Cantref Mawr and Cantref Bychan, and of the commotes of Cydweli and Carnwyllion. Under Llywelyn's banner, he joyfully stormed Norman castles in South Wales, but in one such onset (the attack on Carmarthen castle, in 1234), he was mortally wounded — he d. at Llandeilo-fawr, and was buried at S. Davids. There is an elegy upon him in Myv. Arch., i, 543, attributed there to Dewi Mynyw or to ‘Prydydd y Moch’ — but on p. 384 of the volume, the same poem is attributed to Prydydd Bychan (q.v.).
Author:
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, C.B.E., D.Litt., Ll.D., F.S.A., (1881-1969), Bangor.
