Editing Gruffudd ap Cynan (section)

=== Second bid for the throne and capture by the Normans ===
[[File:Gryffydd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd.svg|thumb|right|Coat of Arms [[Attributed arms|retroactively attributed]] to Gruffudd ap Cynan]]

Gruffudd fled to Ireland but, in 1081, returned and made an alliance with [[Rhys ap Tewdwr]], prince of [[Deheubarth]].<ref name="DWB"/> Rhys had been attacked by [[Caradog ap Gruffudd]] of [[Kingdom of Gwent|Gwent]] and [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]], and had been forced to flee to [[St Davids Cathedral]]. Gruffudd this time embarked from [[Waterford]] with a force composed of [[Danes]] and [[Irish people|Irish]] and landed near St Davids, presumably by prior arrangement with Rhys. He was joined here by a force of his supporters from Gwynedd, and he and Rhys marched north to seek Trahaearn ap Caradog and Caradog ap Gruffudd who had themselves made an alliance and been joined by Meilyr ap Rhiwallon of [[Kingdom of Powys|Powys]]. The armies of the two confederacies met at the [[Battle of Mynydd Carn]], with Gruffudd and Rhys victorious and Trahaearn,<ref name="DWB"/> Caradog and Meilyr all being killed. Gruffudd was thus able to seize power in Gwynedd for the second time.<ref name=bio/>

He was soon faced with a new enemy, as the Normans were now encroaching on Gwynedd. Gruffudd had not been king very long when he was enticed to a meeting with [[Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester]] and [[Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury]] at [[Rhug]], near [[Corwen]]. At the meeting, Gruffudd was seized and taken prisoner. According to his biographer, this was by the treachery of one of his own men, Meirion Goch. Gruffudd was imprisoned in Earl Hugh's castle at [[Chester]] for many years while Earl Hugh and [[Robert of Rhuddlan]] went on to take possession of Gwynedd, building castles at [[Bangor, Gwynedd|Bangor]], [[Caernarfon]] and [[Aberlleiniog]].<ref name="DWB"/><ref name=bio/>