Owain Gwynedd d.1170
Who was Owain Gwynedd?...
Maybe the name of Owain Gwynedd is not a familiar one within Wales today. But his influence was significant on the country.
Owain Gruffudd inherited his principality from his father Gruffudd ap Cynan. This is the only occasion where the principality of Gwynedd transferred easily from father to son without too much family feuding (which was common at the time).
Owain understood that he must look further field than his father. The grip of the Vikings, which was important to his father, had weakened and Owain approached the French for their help to capture the English throne. In the Vatican library, there is a series of letters that Owain wrote to king Louis of France. These letters demonstrate that Owain understood that Wales was a part of a developing and changing Europe, and also the importance of keeping Wales as a part of this new Europe.
Owain built a castle “Tomen y Rhodwydd” far from Gwynedd near the village of Llandegla, Wrexham. The intention of which was to keep a close eye on his rivals, the Earl of Chester and the Powys Princes.