Editing Iestyn ap Gwrgant

{{short description|Last independent ruler of Morgannwg (1014–1093)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = '''Iestyn ap Gwrgant<br/> King of Morgannwg'''
| image        = 
| image_size   = 
| caption      = 
| reign        = 1081–1093
| coronation   = 1081
| native_lang1 = Welsh
| native_lang1_name1 = Brythonic Branch
| native_lang2 = English
| native_lang2_name1 = 
| birth_date   = 1014
| birth_place  = [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]], [[Wales]]
| death_date   = 1093
| death_place  = [[Rhiwbina]], [[Glamorgan]], [[Wales]]
| burial_place = 
| predecessor  = [[Caradog ap Gruffydd]]
| suc-type     = Hereditary
| successor    = '''Extinct'''
| queen        = Constance ferch Cadwgon
| spouse       = 
| spouse 1     = Denis ferch Bleddyn
| spouse 2     = 
| issue        = Catrin ferch Iestyn<br/>Madog ap Iestyn<br/>Caradog ap Iestyn<br/>Rhys ap Iestyn<br/>Nest ferch Iestyn<br/>Gwenllian ferch Iestyn
| royal house  = Morgannwg
| dynasty      = 
| father       = Gwrgant ab Ithel
| mother       = MissVerch Gwerystan
| signature    = 
}}
'''Iestyn ap Gwrgant''' {{IPA|cy|ˈjɛstɪn ap ˈgʊrgant|}} (or '''Jestyn ap Gwrgant''') ({{langx|en|Iestyn, son of Gwrgant}}) (1014–1093) was the last ruler of the [[Wales|Welsh]] kingdom of [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]], which encompassed the [[historic counties of Wales|counties]] of [[Glamorgan]] and [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]].<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=48293 'The winning of Glamorgan: Introduction', Cardiff Records: volume 4 (1903), pp. 1–5. Date accessed: 08 August 2012]</ref><ref name="Anonymous2004">{{cite book|author=Anonymous|title=The Genealogy Of Iestyn The Son Of Gwrgan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6_0YXFstmRoC&pg=PA539|accessdate=8 August 2012|date=31 March 2004|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|isbn=978-0-7661-8411-4|pages=539–}}</ref>

== Lineage ==
Iestyn ap Gwrgant was the last ruler of the [[monarchy|royal]] house of [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]], which had a lineage stretching back over five centuries to [[Tewdrig]] (c. 500–520). The members of this royal house had links to the other royal houses of Wales through marriage, and were descendants of the celebrated [[Rhodri Mawr]]. Iestyn ap Gwrgant's base is believed to have been at [[Dinas Powys]], south west of Cardiff.

== Norman invasion ==
Iestyn probably ruled Morgannwg for a little less than a decade (c. 1081–1090) and is believed to have built castles in the regions of Cardiff and Kenfig. The popular version of historical events is that Iestyn, following a dispute with his rival [[Einion ap Collwyn]], invited Robert Fitzhamon and his twelve knights into the region to settle the matter. Once invited in, they refused to leave. He was deposed c. 1090 by [[Normans|Norman]] ruler [[Robert Fitzhamon]], lord of [[Gloucester]], who established a lordship based in [[Cardiff]] and subsequently conquered the lowlands of Glamorgan (the [[Vale of Glamorgan]]), which was parcelled out to his followers. The mountainous parts of Glamorgan were left in Welsh control. [[Caradog ap Iestyn]], the eldest son of Iestyn ap Gwrgant, was the only Welsh lord to retain lands in the Glamorgan lowlands after Fitzhamon had conquered them. He retained the land between the [[River Neath]] and the [[River Afan]], and he and his descendants were known as the "[[The Lords of Afan|lords of Afan]]." His descendants are thought to include the Williams family of [[Aberpergwm]] and the Powell Wilkins family of Carreg Cennen, Carmarthenshire.

== Modern interpretation ==
[[File:Flag of Cardiff.svg|thumb|left|Flag of Cardiff]]Iestyn ap Gwrgant's arms can be seen today in a modern context as a banner of the arms forms the [[Flag of Glamorgan]] which itself forms a charge on the flag of Cardiff. Additionally the arms are found within the crest of [[Pontypridd RFC|Pontypridd Rugby Football Club]], a Rugby Union team from Pontypridd within the ancient boundaries of Morgannwg.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ponty.net/a-quick-guide |title = Our History – Pontypridd-RFC}}</ref> [[Richard Williams Morgan]] claimed that a reference to a son of [[Caratacus]] called [[Saint Cyllin]] was found in the family records of Iestyn ab Gwrgant and used this as evidence of early entry of [[Christianity]] to [[United Kingdom|Britain]]  "Cyllin ab Caradog, a wise and just king. In his days many of the Cymry embraced the faith in Christ through the teaching of the saints of Cor-Eurgain, and many godly men from the  countries of Greece and Rome were in Cambria. He first of the Cymry gave infants names; for before, names were not given except to adults, and then from something characteristic in their bodies, minds, or manners."<ref name="Morgan1861">{{cite book|author=Richard Williams Morgan|title=St. Paul in Britain; or, The origin of British as opposed to papal Christianity|url=https://archive.org/details/stpaulinbritain01morggoog|accessdate=8 August 2012|year=1861|pages=[https://archive.org/details/stpaulinbritain01morggoog/page/n173 161]–}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*{{cite DNB|wstitle=Iestin ab Gwrgant}}
* [https://biography.wales/article/s-IEST-APG-1045?query=Iestyn&field=content National Library of Wales Dictionary of Welsh Biography]

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{{succession box|before=[[Caradog ap Gruffydd]]|title=[[Kingdom of Morgannwg|King of Morgannwg]]|years=1081 – c. 1090|after=Abolished}}
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[[Category:1040s births]]
[[Category:1093 deaths]]
[[Category:11th-century Welsh monarchs]]
[[Category:Monarchs of Gwent]]
[[Category:Monarchs of Morgannwg]]
[[Category:Monarchs of Glywysing]]