Page "Llywelyn the Great" Paragraph 18

John planned another invasion of Gwynedd in August 1212.

According to one account, he had just commenced by hanging some of the Welsh hostages given the previous year when he received two letters.

One was from his daughter Joan, Llywelyn's wife, the other from William I of Scotland, and both warned him in similar terms that if he invaded Wales his magnates would seize the opportunity to kill him or hand him over to his enemies.

The invasion was abandoned, and in 1213 Llywelyn took the castles of Deganwy and Rhuddlan.

Llywelyn made an alliance with Philip II Augustus of France, then allied himself with the barons who were in rebellion against John, marching on Shrewsbury and capturing it without resistance in 1215.

When John was forced to sign Magna Carta, Llywelyn was rewarded with several favourable provisions relating to Wales, including the release of his son Gruffydd who had been a hostage since 1211.

The same year Ednyfed Fychan was appointed seneschal of Gwynedd and was to work closely with Llywelyn for the remainder of his reign.