Madog ap Llywelyn, or Prince Madoc, was from a junior branch of the House of Cunedda, and a distant relation of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last recognised native Prince of Wales.

Lineage

It is known that he was the son of Llywelyn ap Maredudd, the last vassal Lord of Meirionydd.

Revolt against King Edward I

In the autumn of 1294, Madog led a national revolt in response to the actions of new royal administrators in north and west Wales and the imposition of taxes such as that levied on one fifteenth of all moveables. The uprising quickly spread to south Wales led by Cynan ap Maredudd, Maelgwn ap Rhys, and Morgan ap Maredudd of Gwynllwg in Glamorgan. During this revolt, Madog proclaimed himself the Prince of Wales in the so-called Penmachno Document.

Edward's fortresses attacked

Caernarfon was overrun by Madog's forces and the castle occupied, as were the castles at Hawarden, Ruthin, and Denbigh. Criccieth Castle was besieged by Madog's forces for several months, as was Harlech. Morlais castle was captured under the aegis of Morgan in the south, and Cynan ap Maredudd besieged the castle at Builth for a period of six weeks. Half the town of Caerphilly was burnt - although the castle itself held out - and, further south, Kenfig castle was sacked. Many other castles across Wales were besieged and many towns put to the flame. Harlech Castle was defended at one point by just 37 men and King Edward I of England himself was besieged at Conwy Castle until he was relieved by his navy in 1295.

Battle of Maes Moydog and defeat

A final battle between Madog's men and those of the English crown occurred at the battle of Maes Moydog in 1295. The Welsh army were defeated tactically when in an attempt to destroy the English cavalry by using the "porcupine" pike men formation, or schiltron, a formation favoured by the Scots armies against English knights, they were showered with arrows and suffered very heavy losses. Madog barely escaped with his life and was a fugitive until his unconditional surrender to John de Havering in late July or early August of 1295. He was subsequently taken to London, and all that is known of his fate is that he did not suffer the supreme penalty; he was still alive in 1312.

Punitive responses

The revolt of Prince Madog elicited a harsh response from King Edward I in the form of humiliating and punitive ordinances further restricting the civil rights and economic and social opportunities of the Welsh.

Seeds of further revolt

However, it was not long before Llywelyn Bren, Lord of Senghenydd, led a second rebellion, aided by some of the more prominent Marcher Lords in 1316.

Issue and succession

Madog was not the last of the House of Cunedda; two sons survived him. Additionally, the children of Rhodri ap Gruffudd, a brother of Llywelyn the Last, survived in exile. A grandson of Rhodri, Owain ap Thomas, or Owain Lawgoch, was later to proclaim himself Prince of Wales. The sons of Dafydd Goch also laid claim to the title, although illegimately.

Madog ap Llywelyn is known to have had the following children:

• Maredudd ap Madoc ap Llywelyn (died c.1334)
• Hywel ap Madoc ap Llywelyn (died c.1352)
• Owain Brogyntyn

References

• John Griffiths, 'The Revolt of Madog ap Llywelyn, 1294-5', Transactions of the Caernarfonshire Historical Society Vol. 16, pp. 12-24 (1955).
• John Edward Lloyd (1911) A history of Wales from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest (Longmans, Green & Co.)
• J. Beverley Smith (1998) Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Tywysog Cymru.