~ Gruffydd ap Rhys and Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd ~
The Norman invasion of Wales reached the borders of the kingdom of Deheubarth (modern day Pembrokeshire) in 1093 with the conquest of the king, Rhys ap Tewdr, leader of the House of Dinefwr. After he was defeated in battle his wife took their oldest son, Gruffydd, and fled north to the kingdom of Gwynedd, to spare his life.
Gwenllian, the youngest daughter of the king of Gwynedd, leader of the House of Gwynedd, was about 13 years old when she first met the love of her life, Gruffydd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth. He and his mother had received a warm welcome from Gwenllian’s father after they’d fled the Norman conquest of their lands.
As he grew older, Gruffydd’s fire to regain his occupied kingdom grew. Gruffydd and Gwenllian moved south to Gruffydd’s castled home of Dinefwr in the Tywi Valley. They had four sons there, and orchestrated gorilla campaigns against the remaining Norman strong holds across the souther lands.
In 1136, after the death of the Norman king Henri I, a power struggle ensued in England and the Norman occupiers were weakened. Gruffydd moved most of his forces north to meet up with the forces of Gwenllian’s father’s kingdom in an effort to roust the Normans from their ancient lands once and for all.
Hearing Gwenllian and her sons were temporarily left alone while these forces were rallied, the Normans seized their opportunity.
rebecca nanney 
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