Editing Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (section)

== Treaty of Aberconwy ==
[[File:Gwynedd 1277 Map.jpg|left|thumb|Gwynedd c. 1277.{{refn|The division of Gwynedd following the [[Treaty of Aberconwy]] in 1277. Llywelyn continued to rule west of the [[River Conwy]] (indicated in green). The [[Perfeddwlad]], east of the Conwy, was divided between [[Dafydd ap Gruffydd]] (shown in gold) and areas ceded forever to the English Crown (shown in red).|group=note}}]]

In 1276, Edward declared Llywelyn a rebel and in 1277, gathered an enormous army to march against him.<ref name=Tout18/> Edward's intention was to disinherit Llywelyn completely and take over Gwynedd Is Conwy himself. He was considering two options for Gwynedd Uwch Conwy: either to divide it between Llywelyn's brothers, Dafydd and Owain or to annex [[Anglesey]] and divide only the mainland between the two brothers. Edward was supported by [[Dafydd ap Gruffydd]] and [[Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn]]. Many of the lesser Welsh princes who had supported Llywelyn had hastened to make peace with Edward. By the summer of 1277, Edward's forces had left from Chester to reach the [[River Conwy]] and encamped at [[Deganwy]],{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} while another force had captured Anglesey and took possession of the harvest there. This deprived Llywelyn and his men of food, forcing them to seek terms. The attack came from all directions from east of the border, [[Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln|Henry de Lacy]] attacked from [[Shrewsbury]] and [[Montgomeryshire]], Roger Mortimer to Builth and Gwenwynwyn returned to take back [[Cyfeiliog]] and other parts of Powys. The lack of provisions forced Llywelyn into hiding, but the Welsh did see minor successes against the English.<ref name=Pierce/>{{sfn|Tout|1893|pages=18–19}}

Following the battles, the result was the [[Treaty of Aberconwy]], signed by Llywelyn on 9 November 1277. The outcome and peace accord guaranteed the return of lands to Llywelyn, however at a price. He regained Anglesey and parts of Snowdonia as his Kingdom of Gwynedd ruled as the Prince of Wales with the homage of five lords. He would have to pay a fine of 50,000 marks for the incident and would forgo his share of the rent of Anglesey to the crown. Whilst, the [[Llyn Peninsula]] was given to his brother Owain who was released from jail in 1254. Then the Perfeddwlad in Gwynedd was given to Dafydd ap Gruffydd,{{sfn|Turvey|2010|page=103}}<ref name=Tout19/> with a promise that if Llywelyn died without an heir, he would be given a share of Gwynedd Uwch Conwy instead.

[[File:Alexander III,Llywelyn ab Gruffydd with Edward I.jpg|thumb|English parliament; left to right:- [[Alexander III of Scotland]], [[Edward I of England]], Llywelyn II Prince of Wales.<ref name=Tout19/>]]

With the peace accord in place, Llywelyn went to London and Parliament for the Christmas of 1277 and paid homage to the King of England. Llywelyn met Edward, and his partner Eleanor with the royal family at [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], they would marry the next year.

Llywelyn exacted peace for several years, however, the English continued to pursue an [[Anglicisation]] policy in Wales. In the North East of Wales, the four [[cantref]]s of the Court of Chester were brought under power violently. Whilst in the South West in Cardiganshire ([[Kingdom of Ceredigion|Ceredigion]]) and [[Carmarthenshire]] the same policy was enacted by local sheriffs. The rough policy forced the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[John Peckham]] to attempt to bring harmony between the [[Church of England]] and the [[Church in Wales]]. In 1280, Peckham met with Llywelyn to make an agreement on the changes. However, Llywelyn's intentions were distracted and claimed the truce was broken by his fellow kin, Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn. The archbishop reminded Llywelyn that his grievance would not be heard, as Llywelyn's terms of [[Cyfraith Hywel]] (Welsh law code) were unreasonable in a contemporary setting. However, Llywelyn reconciled with his brother, Dafydd III, and they listened to the grievances of the cantrefs in Chester and once more secretly plotted a revolt together, this time, the forces of Wales were united against the English.<ref name=Tout20/>