Adultery
John
de Braose was known to the Welsh as "Tadody" or "fatherless
child". He challenged his uncle Reginald in persistent law
suits, demanding the inheritance of his father who was unjustly
starved to death at Windsor.
Llywelyn gave Gower to John as a dowry for his daughter and created
a rival de Braose power in the Welsh marches. The lawsuits were
settled after John came of age and he was able to purchase Bramber
and Tetbury from Reginald. The king gave John charge of Whitecastle,
Grosmont and Skenfrith castles in 1228.
Reginald
improved Totnes
castle, having
lost the family seat of Bramber. From 1218 his only son William
played an increasing role as lord of the Welsh strongholds. The
marriage between Reginald and Gwladus Ddu had been childless.
Reginald died in 1227 and was buried at Saint John's church in Brecon. No trace of the tomb remains.
Reginald's
son was known as "Black William". His wife Eva was
the daughter of the powerful Earl of Pembroke, William Marshal
the elder. William de Braose was an experienced warrior in 1228
when he fought for the king during a campaign in the Welsh district
of Ceri. Llywelyn successfully besieged the unfinished Pen y
castell in Montgomery and destroyed it. As a result William de
Braose became his prisoner.
William was kept in honourable
captivity for a year while Llywelyn negotiated peace terms with
King Henry. The prince paid Henry £2,000 as part of the
deal but recovered his money from the marcher lord's ransom.
William also agreed to give his small child Isabel to Llywelyn's
heir Dafydd but the real attraction was Builth, the dowry negotiated
with the marriage.
An improbable affair developed
between Llywelyn's wife Joan and William de Braose while he was
a captive at her husband's court. Joan was the mother of William's
stepmother Gwladus. The easter after his release, in 1230, William
visited Llywelyn to finalise arrangements for his daughter's
wedding.
The prince found William
and Joan together in his bedchamber. At noon on May 2, eight
hundred men gathered at a place which became known as "Black
William's Field". They witnessed Llywelyn's public hanging
of William de Braose.
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Adultery |
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John de Braose was known to the Welsh as "Tadody" or "fatherless child". He challenged his uncle Reginald in persistent law suits, demanding the inheritance of his father who was unjustly starved to death at Windsor. Llywelyn gave Gower to John as a dowry for his daughter and created a rival de Braose power in the Welsh marches. The lawsuits were settled after John came of age and he was able to purchase Bramber and Tetbury from Reginald. The king gave John charge of Whitecastle, Grosmont and Skenfrith castles in 1228. Reginald improved Totnes castle, having lost the family seat of Bramber. From 1218 his only son William played an increasing role as lord of the Welsh strongholds. The marriage between Reginald and Gwladus Ddu had been childless. Reginald died in 1227 and was buried at Saint John's church in Brecon. No trace of the tomb remains.
William was kept in honourable
captivity for a year while Llywelyn negotiated peace terms with
King Henry. The prince paid Henry £2,000 as part of the
deal but recovered his money from the marcher lord's ransom.
William also agreed to give his small child Isabel to Llywelyn's
heir Dafydd but the real attraction was Builth, the dowry negotiated
with the marriage. An improbable affair developed between Llywelyn's wife Joan and William de Braose while he was a captive at her husband's court. Joan was the mother of William's stepmother Gwladus. The easter after his release, in 1230, William visited Llywelyn to finalise arrangements for his daughter's wedding. The prince found William
and Joan together in his bedchamber. At noon on May 2, eight
hundred men gathered at a place which became known as "Black
William's Field". They witnessed Llywelyn's public hanging
of William de Braose.
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