AmeriCymru:   Was there a special reason for you to write this book?

Gruffydd:   I was brought up in Glyndyfrdwy in the old county of Merioneth, the area which gave Owain Glyndŵr his name and where he was proclaimed Prince of Wales in September 1400.  During my academic career lecturing in Welsh in universities—at Dublin, Bangor, and Aberystwyth—I specialized in the medieval Welsh poetry of the gentry ( c. 1350-1600) and became interested in the poetry addressed to Owain Glyndŵr, publishing a number of items relating to it.  I delivered the British Academy’s John Rhŷs Memorial Lecture on the Glyndŵr poetry in 2010, and in 2013 I contributed two chapters to Owain Glyndŵr:  A Casebook , a volume edited by two American scholars, Michael Livingston and John K. Bollard.   Being conscious that 2015 marked the sexcentenary of the death of Owain Glyndŵr—there is very good evidence, on which I elaborate in the book, that he died on 21 September 1415—I was keen to ensure that the event be commemorated.  Although some of the relevant material was already familiar to me, I engaged in new research on certain aspects during the two years when the volume was in preparation.  Much of the research was concentrated on unpublished manuscripts and documentary sources, and I also did some field-work in Herefordshire, an area highly relevant to the topic in question. 

AmeriCymru:  Why, I wonder, did Owain disappear without a trace?

Gruffydd:  This was a matter of necessity.  After Harlech castle fell to the English in 1409 and as support for the revolt waned his situation was desperate.  He was regarded by the English authorities as a traitor and essentially he was a fugitive with a price on his head.  When Henry IV declared a general pardon for all his enemies in 1411 only two were excepted, Owain and Thomas Trumpington, a pretender who claimed that he was the deposed Richard II.  In the words of the chronicler Adam of Usk Owain had to hide’ from the face of the king and the kingdom’. 

AmeriCymru:  Where did Owain Glyndŵr spend his very last days?

Gruffydd:  That is the big question!  We simply do not know for certain.  But it is striking that many of the traditions about his last days are centred on Herefordshire where two of his daughters, Alice and Jonet, were married to local gentry, Sir John Skydmore (Scudamore) and Sir Richard Monington.  In ‘The History of Owen Glendower’, a seventeenth-century work attributed to the antiquary Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt and his friend Dr Thomas Ellis, it is claimed that ‘some say he dyed at his daughter Scudamores, others, at his daughter Moningtons house.  they had both harboured him in his low, forlorne condition.’  But it is worth remembering too that he had an illegitimate daughter called Gwenllian who lived in St Harmon in latter-day Radnorshire.  In the book I refer to bardic evidence which obliquely locates Owain’s burial in Maelienydd (north Radnorshire).  But, of course, he may have found refuge in more than one place and also with supporters who were not his kindred.  As he had to keep out of the sight of the authorities his movements had to be kept secret and no definite evidence about them is available.

AmeriCymru:  What did the Welsh think about Owain straight after the revolt?

Gruffydd:  This is a question which defies a definite answer.  There must have been much popular sympathy for him, for during his years as a fugitive he was not betrayed.  But like every political figure he would inevitably have divided opinion. A sizeable number of his former supporters in south Wales enlisted in Henry V’s army which embarked on the Agincourt campaign in 1415, but some of them, it is certain, were motivated by the desire to be pardoned for their participation in the revolt.  Later on in the fifteenth century there are positive references to Owain in the canu darogan , poems of political prophecy, where he is depicted as a potent military leader of the Welsh who would lead them to victory over the English.  But there may also have been less positive attitudes towards him, such as those which sometimes surfaced in Tudor Wales.

AmeriCymru: Has any new evidence surfaced recently?

Gruffydd:  Yes, I refer to several pieces of new evidence in my book.  The most important piece of new evidence is a note which I found in one of the manuscripts of Robert Vaughan of Hengwrt.  Vaughan records a piece of information he obtained from Edmwnd Prys (1543/4-1623), archdeacon of Merioneth and author of the famous Welsh Metrical Psalms, namely that Glyndŵr had been buried at ‘Cappel Kimbell’ in Herefordshire.  ‘Cappel Kimbell’ was the church of Kimbolton, a tiny village some three miles from Leominster, formerly a chapelry of Leominster Priory.  Edmwnd Prys was Rector of Ludlow, less than 10 miles from Kimbolton, during the 1570s, and he may well have heard some local tradition about Glyndŵr’s burial there.  It is striking that that the homes of two of Glyndŵr’s daughters, Alice Skydmore and Jonet Monington, were very near (less than 10 miles) from Kimbolton.  (Kentchurch Court in southern Herefordshire is usually thought of as the home of Alice and Sir John Skydmore, but I have found documentary evidence which shows that they had another home at La Verne near Bodenham in which they lived during the years of the revolt.)

AmeriCymru: Was the revolt good or bad for Wales?

Gruffydd:  This is a redundant question, as the revolt did take place!  It is true that the revolt would have caused suffering to many Welsh people and much economic destruction.  But it was perhaps inevitable that the revolt would have happened as a reaction to the English conquest of 1282 and the civil disabilities and the psychological subjection that the Welsh suffered in its wake.  There are sure signs that there were tensions in Welsh society during the fourteenth century which needed to be resolved.  In the final analysis it is hardly beneficial—in any period—for a nation to be ruled by another nation!

AmeriCymru:  Why is Owain Glyndŵr so important to the Welsh today?

Gruffydd:  It was he who led the only significant national Welsh revolt after the English conquest.

Apart from being a brave and able military leader he had a vision for Wales as an independent state with its own institutions, its Parliament, its Church, and its universities.  The memory of Owain has maintained Welsh national consciousness, thereby sustaining the continued existence of Wales as a meaningful entity.  Owain continues to inspire and to sustain Welsh dreams!

AmeriCymru:  Any messages for the members of AmeriCYmru?

Gruffydd:  As one who can claim to be half-American—my mother was a Welshwoman who was born in Russell Gulch in Gilpin County, Colorado, where my grandfather worked in a gold mine—it is delightful to be invited to contribute to the AmeriCymru website.  I wish your venture every success.

AmeriCymru: Oedd yna reswm arbennig ichi ysgrifennu’r llyfr hwn?

Gruffydd:  Cefais fy magu yng Nglyndyfrdwy yn yr hen Sir Feirionnydd, yr ardal a roddodd ei enw i Owain Glyndŵr a lle cyhoeddwyd ef yn Dywysog Cymru ym Medi 1400.  Yn ystod fy ngyrfa academaidd yn darlithio yn y Gymraeg mewn prifysgolion—yn Nulyn, Bangor, ac Aberystwyth—arbenigais ar ganu beirdd yr uchelwyr ( c . 1350-1600) ac ymddiddorais yn y farddoniaeth a ganwyd i Owain Glyndŵr a chyhoeddi cryn dipyn arno.  Traddodais Ddarlith Goffa Syr John Rhŷs yr Academi Brydeinig yn 2010 ar y farddoniaeth i Lyndŵr, ac yn 2013 cyfrenais ddwy bennod i’r gyfrol Owain Glyndŵr:  A Casebook a olygwyd gan ddau ysgolhaig Americanaidd, Michael Livingston a John K. Bollard.  Gan fy mod yn ymwybodol fod 2015 yn chwechanmlwyddiant marw Owain Glyndŵr—mae tystiolaeth dda iawn iddo farw ar 21 Medi 1415, tystiolaeth yr wyf yn ymhelaethu arni yn y gyfrol—yr oeddwn yn awyddus i’r achlysur gael ei nodi.  Er bod peth o’r deunydd perthnasol yn hysbys imi eisoes, fe euthum ati i ymchwilio rhai pethau o’r newydd yn ystod y ddwy flynedd pan fûm yn paratoi’r gyfrol. Canolbwyntiais lawer o’r ymchwil ar lawysgrifau a dogfennau heb eu cyhoeddi, a gwneuthum hefyd beth ymchwil yn y maes, yn enwedig yn Swydd Henffordd, ardal berthnasol iawn i bwnc y llyfr.

AmeriCymru: Pam, tybed, y diflannodd Owain heb adael unrhyw ôl?

Gruffydd:  Mater o reidrwydd oedd hyn.  Ar ôl cwymp castell Harlech i’r Saeson yn 1409 ac i’r gefnogaeth i’r gwrthryfel edwino yr oedd ei sefyllfa yn bur enbyd.  Fe’i hystyrid gan yr awdurdodau Seisnig fel un a oedd yn euog o deyrnfradwriaeth ac yn ei hanfod yr oedd yn ffoadur a phris ar ei ben.  Pan gyhoeddodd Harri IV bardwn cyffredinol i’w holl elynion yn 1411 dim ond Owain a Thomas Trumpington—ymhonnwr a hawliai mai ef oedd Rhisiart II—a eithriwyd.  Yng ngeiriau’r croniclydd Adda o Frynbuga bu’n rhaid i Owain guddio ‘rhag wyneb y brenin a’r deyrnas’.

AmeriCymru: Ymhle y treuliodd Owain Glyndŵr ei ddyddiau olaf?

Gruffydd:  Dyma’r cwestiwn mawr!  Yn syml, ni wyddom i sicrwydd.  Ond mae’n drawiadol fod llawer o’r traddodiadau ynghylch ei ddiwedd wedi eu canoli ar Swydd Henffordd, lle’r oedd dwy o’i ferched, Alys a Sioned, wedi priodi uchelwyr lleol, Syr John Skydmore (Scudamore) a Syr Richard Monington.  Yn yr ‘History of Owen Glendower’, gwaith a luniwyd yn yr ail ganrif ar bymtheg ac a briodolir i Robert Vaughan o’r Hengwrt, yr hynafiaethydd enwog a’i gyfaill Dr Thomas Ellis, fe ddywedir ‘some say he dyed at his daughter Scudamores, others, at his daughter Moningtons house.  they had both harboured him in his low, forlorne condition.’ Ond mae’n werth cofio hefyd am ei ferch arall—merch anghyfreithlon—o’r enw Gwenllian a oedd yn byw yn Saint Harmon yn yr hyn a ddaeth wedyn yn Sir Faesyfed.  Yn y llyfr yr wyf yn cyfeirio at dystiolaeth farddol sydd fel pe bai’n awgrymu i Owain gael ei gladdu ym Maelienydd (gogledd Sir Faesyfed).  Fe allai, wrth gwrs, fod wedi llochesu mewn mwy nag un lle a chyda chefnogwyr nad oeddynt yn geraint iddo.  Gan fod yn rhaid iddo gadw o olwg yr awdurdodau yr oedd ei symudiadau yn gyfrinach ac nid oes unrhyw dystiolaeth bendant ar gael.

AmeriCymru:  Beth feddyliai’r Cymry am Owain yn syth ar ôl y gwrthryfel?

Gruffydd:  Mae hwn yn gwestiwn amhosib ei ateb yn bendant.  Rhaid bod cryn gydymdeimlad poblogaidd ag ef, oherwydd ni chafodd ei fradychu yn ystod ei gyfnod ar ffo.  Ond fel pob ffigur gwleidyddol diau fod mwy nag un farn yn ei gylch.  Fe ymunodd cryn nifer o rai o’i hen gefnogwyr yn ne Cymru â byddin y brenin Harri V yng nghyrch Agincourt yn 1415, ond cymhellion rhai ohonynt, yn sicr, fyddai derbyn pardynau am eu rhan yn y gwrthryfel.  Yn ddiweddarach yn y bymthegfed ganrif mae cyfeiriadau clodforus at Owain yn y canu darogan, lle darlunnir ef fel arweinydd milwrol ar y Cymry a fyddai’n eu harwain i fuddugoliaeth ar y Saeson. Mewn rhannau o’r gymdeithas Gymreig diau fod cof cynnes a chadarnhaol amdano fel y Cymro a arweiniodd ei genedl mewn gwrthryfel cenedlaethol yn erbyn y Saeson.  Ond gall fod agwedd eraill yn llai cefnogol, fel y dengys y math o sylwadau negyddol amdano sy’n brigo i’r wyneb weithiau yng Nghymru’r unfed ganrif ar bymtheg.

AmeriCymru:  A oes unrhyw dystiolaeth newydd wedi codi i’r wyneb yn ddiweddar?

Gruffydd:  Oes, ac yr wyf yn cyfeirio at sawl peth newydd yn fy llyfr.  Y darn pwysicaf o dystiolaeth newydd yw’r nodyn a ganfûm yn un o lawysgrifau Robert Vaughan o’r Hengwrt.  Cofnoda Vaughan ddarn o wybodaeth a gafodd gan Edmwnd Prys (1543/4-1623), archddiacon Meirionnydd ac awdur y ‘Salmau Cân’ enwog, sef bod Glyndŵr wedi ei gladdu yn ‘Cappel Kimbell’ yn Swydd Henffordd.  ‘Cappel Kimbell’ oedd eglwys Kimbolton, pentref bychan rhyw dair milltir o Lanllieni (Leominster), eglwys a oedd yn ‘gapel’ i Briordy Llanllieni.  Fe fu Edmwnd Prys yn Rheithor Llwydlo, llai na 10 milltir o Kimbolton, yn y 1570au, ac efallai iddo glywed rhyw draddodiad lleol an gladdu Glyndŵr yno.  Mae’n drawiadol fod cartrefi dwy o’i ferched, Alys Skydmore a Sioned Monington, yn agos iawn (llai na 10 milltir) o Kimbolton.  (Arferir meddwl am Gwrt Llan-gain (Kentchurch Court) yn ne Swydd Henffordd fel cartref Alys a Syr John Skydmore, ond cefais hyd i dystiolaeth ddogfennol a ddangosai fod ganddynt gartref arall mewn lle o’r enw La Verne ger Bodenham y buont yn byw ynddo yn ystod cyfnod y gwrthryfel.) 

AmeriCymru:  A oedd y gwrthryfel yn beth da neu’n beth drwg i Gymru?

Gruffydd:  Mae hwn yn gwestiwn ofer, gan fod y gwrthryfel wedi digwydd!  Mae’n wir fod y gwrthryfel wedi achosi ddioddefaint i lawer o Gymry a llawer o ddinistr economaidd.  Ond efallai ei bod yn anorfod y byddai’r gwrthryfel wedi digwydd fel adwaith i’r goncwest Seisnig yn 1282 a’r anfanteision sifil a’r darostyngiad seicolegol a ddioddefodd y Cymry yn sgil hynny.  Mae arwyddion sicr fod tyndra yn y gymdeithas Gymreig yn ystod y bedwaredd ganrif ar ddeg a bod angen rhoi sylw iddo.  Yn y pen draw, prin ei bod yn beth da—mewn unrhyw gyfnod—i genedl gael ei llywodraethu gan genedl arall!

AmeriCymru: Pam yw Owain mor bwysig i’r Cymry heddiw?

Gruffydd:  Ef a arweiniodd yr unig wrthryfel cenedlaethol Cymreig arwyddocaol ar ôl y goncwest Seisnig.  Ar wahân i fod yn arweinydd milwrol dewr a galluog yr oedd ganddo weledigaeth o Gymru fel gwladwriaeth annibynnol a chanddi ei sefydliadau ei hun, ei Senedd, ei Heglwys, a’i phrifysgolion.  Mae’r cof amdano wedi bod yn hwb i’r ymwybyddiaeth genedlaethol Gymreig ac, yn sgil hynny, yn ateg i barhâd cenedl y Cymry fel endid ystyrlon.  Mae Owain yn dal i ysbrydoli ac i gynnal breuddwydion y Cymry!

AmeriCymru:  Unrhyw negeseuon i aelodau AmeriCymru?

Gruffydd:  Fel un a all hawlio fy mod yn hanner Americanwr fy hunan—yr oedd fy mam yn Gymraes a aned yn Russell Gulch yn Gilpin County, Colorado, lle bu fy nhaid yn gweithio mewn pwll aur—mae’n braf iawn cael cyfrannu i wefan AmeriCymru.  Pob llwyddiant i’r fenter.