Editing Gruffudd ap Llywelyn (section)

== Ruler of all Wales (1055–1063) ==
[[File:Wales 1039-63 (Gruffudd ap Llywelyn).svg|thumb|right|200px|Map of the extent of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn's Conquest{{legend|#87de87|Gwynedd, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn's kingdom}}]]

According to ''[[Brut y Tywysogion]]'', [[Sweyn Godwinson]] was called in to help Gruffudd's brother Rhys against [[Gruffudd ap Rhydderch]] in 1045 to keep hold of Deheubarth. Gruffudd raided Leominster in 1052, resulting in the [[Leominster|Battle of Llanllieni]], the Welsh fighting against Normans and Anglo-Saxons.<ref name="DWB"/>

In 1055 Gruffudd ap Llywelyn killed his rival Gruffudd ap Rhydderch in battle and recaptured Deheubarth. Gruffudd allied himself with [[Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia|Ælfgar]], son of [[Leofric, Earl of Mercia]], who had been deprived of his earldom of [[East Anglia]] by [[Harold Godwinson]] and his brothers. They marched on [[Hereford]] and were opposed by a force led by the [[Earl of Hereford]], [[Ralph the Timid]], then set Hereford on fire.<ref name="DWB"/> This force was mounted and armed in the Norman fashion, but on 24 October 1055 Gruffudd and Ælfgar defeated it. They then sacked the city and destroyed its [[motte-and-bailey castle]].<ref name=Lee/> Earl Harold was given the task of counter-attacking, but Gruffudd and Ælfgar had retreated to 
[[South Wales]] whilst Harold ventured no further than Hereford.<ref name=Lee/> He seems here to have built a fortification at [[Longtown, Herefordshire|Longtown]] in [[Herefordshire]] before refortifying Hereford. Shortly afterwards, Ælfgar was restored to his earldom and a peace treaty concluded.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Around this time Gruffudd was also able to seize [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]] and [[Kingdom of Gwent|Gwent]], along with extensive territories along the border with [[England]].

The historian [[John Davies (historian)|John Davies]] stated that Gruffudd was

:"The only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire territory of Wales... Thus, from about 1057 until his death in 1063, the whole of Wales recognised the kingship of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn. For about seven brief years, Wales was one, under one ruler, a feat with neither precedent nor successor".<ref name=Davies/>

During this time, between 1053 and 1063, Wales lacked any internal strife and was at peace.<ref name="Maund1991"/> The later ''[[Brut y Tywysogion]]'' described him as being "the head and shield of the Britons".<ref name="Maund1991">{{harv|Maund|1991|pp=64–67}}</ref> [[John of Worcester]] referred to him, several decades later, as ''Rex Walensium'', '[[King of Wales|King of the Welsh]]'.<ref name="Maund1991"/>