Cadwgan ap Bleddyn

A Welsh chieftain, was a son of Bleddyn, who had risen to be king of Gwynedd through alliance with Harold Godwinson. Though the Saxon alliance did not last very long, Bleddyn retained to his death possession of a great part of Gwynedd, and handed his territories down to his sons, of whom, besides Cadwgan, included four others, Madog, Rhirid, Maredudd, and Iorwerth. Cadwgan first rose to prominence in 1087, when, in conjunction with his brothers Madog and Rhirid, he led a North Welsh army against Rhys, son of Tewdwr, king of South Wales. The victory fell to Cadwgan and his brothers. Rhys retreated to Ireland, but he soon returned with a Danish fleet, and turned the tables on his foes in the battle of Llechryd. Cadwgan escaped with his life, but his two brothers were slain. Six years later Rhys was slain by the Normans during the invasion of Brecheiniog. Cadwgan availed himself of the confusion to renew his attacks on Deheubarth. Unfortunately, his actions gained little for himself and much for the Normans, who took the whole of south Wales

In 1094 the northern Welsh rose in resistance against the Normans. Cadwgan won a great victory, defeating a Norman force at the battle of Coed Yspwys. His victory won him great influence, and in the following year, he was able to gather a goodly number of the northern Welsh lords under his banner and Montgomery Castle was sacked. When the Normans invaded in reprisal, Cadwgan retreated into the hills rather than face them. He followed this strategy in the subsequent seasons, raiding England and falling back rather than meet the Norman armies in open battle.