Gruffudd ap Cynan
Subtitle: A Collaborative Biography (Studies in Celtic History)
Publisher: Boydell Press
Published: January 23, 1997
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 272
ISBN-13: 9780851153896
Subjects: Biography: general; Biography: royalty; British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500; Rank & titles; c 1000 CE to c 1500; History; Wales - History; History - General History; Normans; Biography/Autobiography; Wales; Europe - Great Britain - General; Historical - General; Medieval; Gruffydd ab Cynan; History / Medieval; Civilization; 1055?-1137; Gruffydd ab Cynan,; King of Gwynedd,; Scandinavian influences
Description: The reign of the North Welsh king Gruffudd ap Cynan (1075-1135) marked the culmination of a century of rapid social and political change. A product of three cultures (Welsh, Irish and Scandinavian), Gruffudd faced a Wales divided by Norman incursion and dynastic rivalry, and demonstrated a unique adaptability. His re-creation of his North Welsh kingdom saw him acting on the wider (and often deadly) stage of Anglo-Norman politics, and surviving where more 'traditional' Welsh rulers failed.

His reign encouraged a new growth in Welsh literature and creativity, and is often looked upon as a literary 'golden age'. This collaborative biography analyses key aspects of the career and context of this remarkable king.