The Raven Boys Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Owain Glyn Dŵr (c. 1359 – c. 1416), anglicised as Owen Glendower, was a Welsh king who instigated a fierce and long-running yet ultimately unsuccessful war of independence from English rule. He is the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales.

Glendower is being sought after by the Raven Boys, especially by Gansey, although everyone is seeking him for their own reasons.

History[]

Glyndŵr was the son of Gruffudd Fychan II and Elen ferch Tomas ap Llywellyn. On September 16, 1400, Glyndŵr instigated the Welsh Revolt against the rule of King Henry IV of England. Although it was initially successful and rapidly gained control of large areas of Wales, the uprising suffered from key weaknesses, particularly a lack of artillery and of ships. The lack of artillery made capturing defended fortresses difficult, while the lack of ships made rebel-controlled coastlands vulnerable. The uprising was eventually suppressed by the superior resources of the English.

Glyndŵr was driven from his last strongholds in 1409, but he avoided capture. The last documented sighting of him was in 1412. Twice he ignored offers of a pardon, and despite the large rewards offered Glyndŵr was never betrayed to the English. His death was recorded by a former follower in the year 1415. With his death, Glyndŵr acquired a mythical status as a folk hero awaiting the call to return and liberate his people.[1]

Legacy[]

Glyndŵr is a notable figure in the popular culture of both Wales and England. He was portrayed in William Shakespeare's play Henry IV, Part 1 as Owen Glendower, a wild and exotic man ruled by magic and emotion.

In the late 19th century, Glyndŵr's reputation was revived by the Cymru Fydd, or Young Wales, movement. They recreated him as the father of Welsh nationalism. Folk memory in Wales has always held him in high regard and almost every parish has some landmark or story about Glyndŵr.

He is now remembered as a national hero and many small groups have adopted his symbolism to advocate independence or nationalism for Wales. He has also been featured in a number of works of modern fiction.[1]

The Raven Cycle[]

Glendower is a sleeping Welsh King who grants a wish to whoever awakens him. He allegedly saved Gansey's life when he was ten. The Raven Boys are engaged in a quest to find his sleeping body in order to wake him up because they believe doing so will grant them a favor. Gansey and his friends finally find Glendower, only to discover that he's clearly been dead for centuries. It is implied that Artemus or one of his other companions conducted the ritual to put him in stasis incorrectly. Although it is also possible that Glendower was already dead and really had only been brought over to hide his body from the English.

Trivia[]

  • Some have speculated that Owain had the power of invisibility because of his impossible victories against larger armies. In folklore, it was supposed that he had a magical stone that allowed him this invisibility.
  • Some theories include that Owain was crowned with a second crown, but the location of this crown is unknown if it existed at all.
  • According to Henry IV (Part I), Glendower has the power to call spirits from the Abyss (like Gansey has the power to command spirits), he can supposedly teach his cousin to 'command the Devil'. Also in the same play by Shakespeare, Glendower himself states that "I say the earth did shake when I was born" which can be related to the scene in the series where Ronan's birth is spoken about.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owain_Glyndŵr#Disappearance_and_death
Advertisement