Parents: Llywelyn II, prince of Wales, and Joan of England
House: Aberffraw
Spouse: Isabella, daughter of William de Braose, lord of Abergavenny, and Eva Marshal
Reign: 1240 – 1246
Predecessor: Llywelyn II
Summary: Dafydd was the only son of Llywelyn the Great and his wife, Joan, daughter of King John of England. Despite disagreements and problems in the line of succession, Llywelyn made certain that Dafydd was to be the only heir of the king. His half-brother, Gruffydd, though, was popular in the family ancestral kingdom of Gwynedd in the north of Wales. Dafydd's strength came from his co-reign with his father from 1237 until he became prince in 1240.
Dafydd was not a lucky prince. When his father died, King Henry III of England forced the prince to return all lands conquered outside of Gwynedd. Dafydd attempted to make an alliance with Louis IX of France but was caught in the act and forced to sign the Treaty of Gwerneigron. One component of this treaty required the prince to hand over Gruffydd to the king of England. This proved convenient despite the initial risk because Gruffydd died while trying to escape the Tower of London in 1244. This made Dafydd's rule uncontested. Still, he had the problem of England to deal with. He allied with the other Welsh rulers and attacked English possessions throughout Wales. But Henry III would not be daunted. He invaded repeatedly, slowly making inroads into the heart of the Welsh countryside. Hoping to curry favor internationally, Dafydd gained recognition of his title from Pope Innocent IV but Henry got the decision reversed the next year. After Henry found his army stranded, he made a truce with Dafydd and returned home. His plans to return the next spring continued even after Dafydd died suddenly at his home in Abergwyngregyn. He left no legitimate heirs behind, so the two sons of Grufydd, Llywelyn III and Owain II, succeeded him with Llywelyn taking the title prince of Wales. The young princes made peace with England the next year by forfeiting much of their ancestral land to England.
Dafydd was not a lucky prince. When his father died, King Henry III of England forced the prince to return all lands conquered outside of Gwynedd. Dafydd attempted to make an alliance with Louis IX of France but was caught in the act and forced to sign the Treaty of Gwerneigron. One component of this treaty required the prince to hand over Gruffydd to the king of England. This proved convenient despite the initial risk because Gruffydd died while trying to escape the Tower of London in 1244. This made Dafydd's rule uncontested. Still, he had the problem of England to deal with. He allied with the other Welsh rulers and attacked English possessions throughout Wales. But Henry III would not be daunted. He invaded repeatedly, slowly making inroads into the heart of the Welsh countryside. Hoping to curry favor internationally, Dafydd gained recognition of his title from Pope Innocent IV but Henry got the decision reversed the next year. After Henry found his army stranded, he made a truce with Dafydd and returned home. His plans to return the next spring continued even after Dafydd died suddenly at his home in Abergwyngregyn. He left no legitimate heirs behind, so the two sons of Grufydd, Llywelyn III and Owain II, succeeded him with Llywelyn taking the title prince of Wales. The young princes made peace with England the next year by forfeiting much of their ancestral land to England.
Date of Death: 25 February 1246
Successor: Llywelyn III
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Frederick I, king of Prussia (1713)
- Daoguang, emperor of China (1850)
- Guillaume IV, grand duke of Luxembourg (1912)
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