Editing Gruffudd ap Cynan (section)

=== Escape from captivity and third reign ===
Gruffudd reappeared on the scene years later, having escaped from captivity, he was free by 1094.<ref name="DWB"/>{{#tag:Ref|According to his biography he was in fetters in the marketplace at Chester when Cynwrig the Tall, on a visit to the city, saw his opportunity when the burgesses were at dinner. He picked Gruffudd up, fetters and all, and carried him out of the city on his shoulders. There is debate among historians as to the year of Gruffudd's escape. [[Ordericus Vitalis]] mentions a "Grifridus" attacking the Normans in 1088. The ''History'' in one place states that Gruffudd was imprisoned for twelve years, in another that he was imprisoned for sixteen years. Since he was captured in 1081, that would date his release to 1093 or 1097. [[John Edward Lloyd]] favours 1093, considering that Gruffudd was involved at the beginning of the Welsh uprising in 1094. K. L. Maund on the other hand favours 1097, pointing out that there is no reference to Gruffudd in the contemporary annals until 1098. D. Simon Evans inclines to the view that [[Orderic Vitalis|Ordericus Vitalis]]' date of 1088 could be correct, suggesting that an argument based on the silence of the annals is unsafe.|group=cy}} Gruffudd again took refuge in Ireland but returned to Gwynedd to lead the assaults on Norman castles such as [[Castell Aberlleiniog]]. The Welsh revolt had begun in 1094 and by late 1095 had spread to many parts of [[Wales]]. This induced [[William II of England]] (William Rufus) to intervene, invading [[North Wales]] in 1095. However, his army was unable to bring the Welsh to battle and returned to Chester without having achieved very much. King William mounted a second invasion in 1097, but again without much success. The ''History'' only mentions one invasion by Rufus, which could indicate that Gruffudd did not feature in the resistance to the first invasion. At this time [[Cadwgan ap Bleddyn]] of [[Kingdom of Powys|Powys]] led the Welsh resistance.<ref name=bio/>

In the summer of 1098, Earl Hugh of Chester joined with Earl Hugh of Shrewsbury in another attempt to recover his losses in Gwynedd.<ref name="DWB"/><ref name=bio/> Gruffudd and his ally [[Cadwgan ap Bleddyn]] retreated to Anglesey, but were then forced to flee to Ireland in a [[skiff]] when a fleet he had hired from the Danish settlement in Ireland accepted a better offer from the Normans and changed sides.