Editing Gruffudd ap Cynan (section)

=== First bid for the throne ===
Gruffudd first attempted to take over the rule of Gwynedd in 1075, following the death of [[Bleddyn ap Cynfyn]]. [[Trahaearn ap Caradog]] had seized control of Gwynedd but had not yet firmly established himself. Gruffudd landed on [[Abermenai Point]], [[Anglesey]] with an Irish force, and with the assistance of troops provided by the [[Normans|Norman]] [[Robert of Rhuddlan]] first defeated and killed [[Cynwrig ap Rhiwallon]], an ally of Trahaearn who held [[Llŷn Peninsula|Llŷn]], then defeated Trahaearn himself in the [[Battle of Gwaed Erw]] in [[Meirionnydd]] and gained control of Gwynedd.<ref name="DWB"/><ref name=bio/> Gruffudd then led his forces eastwards to reclaim territories taken over by the Normans, and despite the assistance previously given by Robert of Rhuddlan attacked and destroyed [[Rhuddlan Castle]]. However tension between Gruffudd's Danish-Irish bodyguard and the local Welsh led to a rebellion in Llŷn, and Trahaearn took the opportunity to counterattack, defeating Gruffudd at the [[Battle of Bron yr Erw]] above [[Clynnog Fawr]] the same year.<ref name="DWB" /><ref name="bio" />