Descent
Born at Castell Hen Blas, Coleshill, Bagillt in Flintshire, he was the only son of Llywelyn the Great by his wife, Joan (daughter of King John). A clause in the agreement signed by Llywelyn and King John in August 1211 implied that Llywelyn had not sired an heir by his wife Joan at that time; the date of Dafydd's birth is now believed to be between this date and early 1215. In his last years, Llywelyn went to great lengths to have Dafydd accepted as his sole heir. By Welsh law, Dafydd's older half brother, Gruffydd had a claim to consideration as Llywelyn's successor. Llywelyn had Dafydd recognised as his named heir by his uncle King Henry III of England in 1220, and also had Dafydd's mother Joan declared legitimate by the Pope to strengthen Dafydd's position.
Read more about this topic: Dafydd Ap Llywelyn
Famous quotes containing the word descent:
“When power becomes gracious and descends into the visible—such descent I call beauty.”
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