Editing Rhys ap Gruffydd (section)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{for|Welsh noblemen of this name in the 14th and 16th centuries, respectively|Sir Rhys ap Gruffydd|Rhys ap Gruffydd (rebel)}}
{{Welsh name|Rhys|Gruffydd}}
{{Infobox royalty
| image        = RhysapG.png
| caption      = 14th-century effigy of Rhys ap Gruffydd at [[St Davids Cathedral]]<ref name=turvey111>Turvey p. 111</ref>
| native_lang1 = 
| native_lang1_name1 = 
| spouse       = Gwenllian ferch Madog
| issue        = {{Plainlist|
*[[Gruffydd ap Rhys II]]
*[[Maelgwn ap Rhys]]
*[[Rhys Gryg]]}}
| issue-pipe   = among others...
| issue-link   = #Children
| full name    = 
| house        = [[House of Dinefwr|Dinefwr]]
| father       = [[Gruffydd ap Rhys]]
| mother       = [[Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd]]
| succession   = [[Prince of Deheubarth]]
| reign        = 1155–1197
| predecessor  = [[Maredudd ap Gruffydd]]
| successor    = [[Gruffydd ap Rhys II]]
| birth_date   = {{circa|1132}}
| birth_place  = Caeo, [[Cantref Mawr]], [[Deheubarth]]<!-- some sources appear to claim birthplace as Ireland after his father fled there -->
| death_date   = 28 April 1197 (age c. 65)
| death_place  = 
| place of burial = [[St Davids Cathedral]], [[Pembrokeshire]], [[Wales]]
}}

'''Rhys ap Gruffydd''' or '''ap Gruffudd''' (often anglicised to "Griffith"; c. 1132 – 28 April 1197) was the ruler of the kingdom of [[Deheubarth]] in south [[Wales]] from 1155 to 1197. Today, he is commonly known as '''The Lord Rhys''', in [[Welsh language|Welsh]] ''Yr Arglwydd Rhys'', although this title may have not been used in his lifetime.<ref>Turvey pp. 91–92.</ref> He usually used the title "Proprietary Prince of Deheubarth" or "Prince of South Wales", but two documents have been discovered in which he uses the title "[[Prince of Wales]]" or "Prince of the Welsh".<ref>In a charter concerning a grant to Chertsey Abbey he used ''princeps Wall[ie]'' while in another charter dated 1184 concerning Strata Florida Abbey he used ''Walliar[um] princeps''. See Pryce (2005) pp. 96–97, 168–169, 171–174.</ref> 

At the time, the word ''prince'', deriving as it did from the Latin ''princeps'', meant "first person, chief leader; ruler, sovereign."  It wasn't until the 14th century that it came to mean "heir to the throne".<ref>{{cite web |title=prince |url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=prince |website=Etymonline |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> Thus, Rhys, by designating himself [[princeps]], was calling himself the principal ruler of Wales.

Rhys was one of the most successful and powerful [[Wales|Welsh]] rulers, and, after the death of [[Owain Gwynedd]] of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] in 1170, the dominant power in Wales.

Rhys's grandfather, [[Rhys ap Tewdwr]], was king of Deheubarth, and was killed at [[Brecon]] in 1093 by [[Bernard de Neufmarché]]. Following his death, most of Deheubarth was taken over by the [[Normans]]. Rhys's father, [[Gruffydd ap Rhys]], eventually was able to become ruler of a small portion, and more territory was won back by Rhys's older brothers after Gruffydd's death. Rhys became ruler of Deheubarth in 1155. He was forced to submit to King [[Henry II of England]] in 1158. Henry invaded Deheubarth in 1163, stripped Rhys of all his lands and took him prisoner. A few weeks later he was released and given back a small part of his holdings. Rhys made an alliance with Owain Gwynedd and, after the failure of another invasion of Wales by Henry in 1165, was able to win back most of his lands.

In 1171 Rhys made peace with King Henry and was confirmed in possession of his recent conquests as well as being named [[Justiciar of South Wales]]. He maintained good relations with King Henry until the latter's death in 1189. Following Henry's death Rhys revolted against [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] and attacked the Norman lordships surrounding his territory, capturing a number of castles. In his later years Rhys had trouble keeping control of his sons, particularly [[Maelgwn ap Rhys|Maelgwn]] and [[Gruffydd ap Rhys II|Gruffydd]], who maintained a feud with each other. Rhys launched his last campaign against the Normans in 1196 and captured a number of castles. The following year he died unexpectedly and was buried in [[St Davids Cathedral]].