Praise-spreading Owain

Owain de la Pole (c.1257-93), lord of southern Powys, was one of the handful of Welsh princes to survive the conquest of Wales. The fate of the princes contrasts starkly with the Welsh gentry, many of whom prospered in the aftermath.

His political career was defined by ancestry and heritage. Owain's distant ancestors, King Madog ap Maredudd of Powys and Prince Llywelyn, were assassinated by the rulers of Gwynedd. His grandfather, Gwenwynwyn, had been driven from his lands by Llywelyn the Great. In 1218, via the treaty of Worcester, Llywelyn agreed to provide for Gwenwynwyn's heirs until they came of age and maintain the dower of his widow. Llywelyn fulfilled none of these terms, which meant that Gwenwynwyn's family was thrown onto the mercy of Henry III, who provided for them in England.

As a result, Owain was born in England, probably on the manor of Ashford in Derbyshire, which the king had granted to his father. He would have been raised in the bitterness of exile, and conditioned to regard the princes of Gwynedd as his ancestral enemies. His father, Gruffudd, spent the next forty years striving to recover his lost patrimony by any means. To that end he fought for and against pretty much everyone: the king, the rulers of Gwynedd, other Welsh princes, the lords of the March. Finally he made an awkward alliance with Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, grandson of Llywelyn the Great.

Perhaps inevitably, it didn't last. In spring 1274 Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd started work on a new castle at Dolforwyn above the Severn in Cedewain, just six miles from Gruffudd's castle at Pool. This poisoned the already fragile relations between the rival dynasties, and in 1274 Gruffudd's son Owain entered into a conspiracy with Llywelyn's brother, Dafydd.

Much of the detail we have for this plot comes from Owain's own confession, made to the bishop of Bangor two years later. The plan was for Owain to gather some men and travel in secret to Llywelyn's court on a certain night in February 1274. Dafydd would be with his brother, whose household guard were absent on their customary 'cylch' or circuit of the prince's lands which traditionally took place after Christmas. Dafydd would open a gate to admit Owain and his men and guide them to Llywelyn's bedchamber, where they would murder the prince. Afterwards Dafydd would be proclaimed Prince of Wales, and Owain granted the lands of Cedewain and Ceri. Cedewain, significantly, was the area in which the new castle of Dolforwyn was located. He would also marry one of Dafydd's daughters.

The plot was foiled by a snowstorm. Civil war broke out in North Wales, and Dafydd fled into England, accompanied by his retinue or 'teulu' of 200 cavalry. Owain was seized as hostage, and held in custody when his father Gruffudd also fled into England after a murky trial at Dolforwyn.

In November 1277, via the Treaty of Aberconwy and Llywelyn's humiliating submission to Edward I, Owain was set free. He was made custodian of Dolforwyn by Roger Mortimer, which must have given him a certain satisfaction. He was succeeded as custodian by his son, Llywelyn. In the war of 1282-3 Owain and his father fought for King Edward; over 1300 Powysian footsoldiers were sent to take part at the siege of Castell y Bere.

Owain succeeded as lord of Powys in 1286. In the same year he went to France and served as a royal scutifer or shield-bearer, employed to ride behind the king and carry his banner and shield. The next year, 1287, he led a thousand archers to the siege of Dryslwyn, to help suppress the revolt of Rhys ap Maredudd.

Despite being a crown loyalist for the whole of his career, Owain was praised as 'the dread of the valley floor of London' by his court poet, Bleddyn Fardd. Possibly this was a reference to his ancestors, some of whom had fought the English, but the poem is specifically addressed to Owain. The poet also makes no reference to Owain's feud with Gwynedd, or service for Edward I.

Below is a full English translation of the poem, courtesy of Dr Adrian Price. Note the reference to the battle of Camlann, where Arthur is supposed to have met his Waterloo:

“Praise-spreading Owain, praise-spreading
Defender of fiercely-attacked Dyliffain.
No wound will come to him, no terror will befall him,
A swift, bold upholder, whose gift is gold,
The wealth of Camlan, leader of the lineage of princes,
Like Clydno Eidyn, the chief accomplice of luxury.
A steadfast sword which shatters blades, the dread of the valley floor of London,
A hero lord greatly praised in poetry, the guarantor of Britain.
The leader of the fervent army of the brave men of the east,
Leading a gold-saddled, ready steed.
An emblem which will not be called a fawn’s possession,
Privileged stag of perfect, refined praise.
The strength of a brave, mighty and generous man, defending armies,
You honour him who does not submit at matins.
While seeking provision, gold-bladed monarchs,
Gilt-sworded companion, garnering gore.
The undoubted son of Gruffudd, a fine lord,
I remember that a fine eulogy is not unrecompensed.
The grandson of unyielding Gwenwynwyn who made stiff corpses,
Wolves are his cooks around his lance.
He is Nudd of the unstinted gift, annihilating warriors,
Powerful, skilful king.
His the best laws, exalted nation,
Since when news came of Cichwain’s tribe,
Respected warrior, owner of a graceful stallion,
Proud splendour, swift hawk of corpses.
Authority of the council assembly in the fine man with outstanding gifts,
The privilege of generous wealth, wandering minstrelsy.
Red-speared lord of an exalted encounter,
Stiff, haemorrhaging Bernicians, the gracious portion of ravens,
His brave aftermath is estimated, war-reading sword,
No wonder there is wealth as far as Rome.
The fervent host of a soaring leader,
A steadfast lord, certain to defend Mechain.
A dire warning for people who may become an abundant feast for a flock of seagulls,
As one would go to battle at Rhyd Angain.
May the Lord God rise again;
The great lover of earthen-hued Darowen.
Easy for us to present, the host of Main, - his quality,
The praise-spreading defender of the gate.” 
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