One Badass Couple - William and Maud (nee St Valery) de Braose.
William de Braose was a substantial and powerful landowner along the Welsh Marches in the late 12th/early 13th century. Life along the Welsh Marches in this period was tumultous at best. Jockeying for land was the norm between the Welsh lords and their English counterparts. Political upheaval, bickering, backstabbing, etc., was the order of the day. And the de Braose was not one to turn down a chance to capitalize from all of this. He held lands along the southern and mid-Welsh marches, along with lands in Ireland and Normandy. His Welsh holdings often put him in contention with the local Welsh lords. And even more so after his badass act number 1!
(1) Badass Act Number One - In 1175 William de Braose lured three Welsh princes and other notable Welsh leaders to a dinner at his home of Abergavenny Castle. Why did they come? In Wales at that time hospitality was held sacrosant. And de Braose was about to violate that tenant big-time. Among the attendees to de Braose's great Christmas feast was Seisyll ap Dyfnwal, Lord of Gwent Uwchcoed, a man who de Braose blamed for his uncle Henry FitzMiles. Seisyll and other lords were assured of de Braose's peaceful intent and as Christmas was also a traditional time for setting aside differences and looking forward to starting things over in the new year. Seisyll ap Dyfnwal and his men set aside their arms and entered the castle, looking doubtless forward to a wnderful feast and a chance to peacefully work out their differences. Instead they were slaughtered wholesale by armed men once inside the castle. No one was spared. And to complete the complete annhilation of Seisyll ap Dyfnwal lineage, de Braose and his men rode off to Seisyll ap Dyfnwal's home and murdered his younger son, Cadwalladr, a boy of seven (his elder brother Geoffrey had been with his father at Abergavenny and killed with him), and made off with his wife, whose fate was unknown. De Braose's Christmas massacre earned him the moniker, "The Ogre of Abergavenny" and effectively removed all the senior Welsh leadership in the area and severely destabilised the region. It also earned him and his family the enduring enmity of the Welsh and the family name became a byword for dishonour and double-dealing.
(2) Badass Act Number Two - William de Braose became a close associate of King John's. When King John captured his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, a rival claimnant for the the throne of England (and his younger sister, Eleanor, effectively ending any potential threat from that quarter), he gave custody of the fifteen-year-old Duke of Brittany to William de Braose. He was held at Rouen castle, under de Braose's charge, but would suddenly disappear a few months later. It has been conjectured that De Braose not only knew, but may have played a hand in Arthur's disappearance. And this knowledge may have led to his eventual falling out with King John.
William de Braose married a lady who was every bit as pragmatic and ruthless as he was, Maud de St Valery. William entrusted Hay Castle to her amongst other things.
(1) Badass Act Number One - In the abscence of her husband, Maud held Pains Castle against a massive siege led by Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys. She was able to hold the castle against this all-out assault for three weeks until reinforcements arrived. Three thousand Welshmen died during the attempted taking of Pains Castle.
(2) Badass Act Number Two - This alleged act would turn the full-force of King John's enmity on her. After her husband's quarrel and falling-out with King John, heavy fines were levied against William de Braose with the additional stipulation that their eldest son and heir, another William, be delivered into the king's custody as surety for his loyalty. Maud admantly refused, stating that, "she would not deliver her children to a king who had murdered his own nephew". Unfortunately she said this loudly and publicy and was overheard by officers of the king (and doubtless enemies of the de Braose's!) who rushed to tell King John. John's full wrath would soon be unleashed on the family. All of their castles and lands were confiscated, the family fleeing to different points of refuge. Maud and her eldest son William fled to Ireland, but were eventually captured and imprisoned in Corfe Castle where they were walled alive into a dungeon there and left to starve to death. William de Braose the Senior eventually made it to France where he died in exile a year later.
(3) Badass Act Number Three - Lady of Legends. Several local legends sprung up around Maud de Braose. In one she is alleged to have built Hay Castle single-handedly in one night, carrying the stones in her apron. She was also said to be extremely tall and often donned a man's armour while leading troops into battle.
On an interesting side note, William and Maud's grandson, another William de Braose, would find himself entangled in the family legacy with King John. Almost twenty years after his grandfather died in exile and his grandmother and uncle at Corfe Castle, this younger de Braose would find himself with a noose around his neck, ready to be hung for the crime of adultery. But who did he commit adultery with that would cost him life. None other than Joanna, wife of Llewellyn 'Fawr' ap Iowerth, Prince of Wales - and illegitimate daughter of King John! He was hung on 2 May 1230 : "In this year William de Breos the Younger, lord of Brycheiniog, was hanged by the Lord Llywelyn in Gwynedd, after he had been caught in Llywelyn's chamber with the king of England's daughter, Llywelyn's wife." (Chronicle of Ystrad Fflur). Joanna herself was banished for at least a year until her husband welcomed her back to his court and home. But Joanna and Llewellyn's romance is well-deserving of its own write up and will be told in another edition of this blog!
