Editing Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (section)

=== Consolidation 1200–1209 ===

[[Gruffudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd]] died in 1200 and left Llywelyn the undisputed ruler of Gwynedd. In 1201, he took [[Eifionydd]] and [[Llŷn Peninsula|Llŷn]] from Maredudd ap Cynan on a charge of treachery.<ref name="Moore"/> In July, the same year Llywelyn concluded a treaty with King John of England. This is the earliest surviving written agreement between an English king and a Welsh ruler, and under its terms, Llywelyn was to swear fealty and do homage to the king. In return, it confirmed Llywelyn's possession of his conquests and allowed cases relating to lands claimed by Llywelyn to be heard under [[Welsh law]].{{sfn|Davies|1992|p=294}}

Llywelyn made his first move beyond the borders of Gwynedd in August 1202 when he raised a force to attack [[Gwenwynwyn|Gwenwynwyn ab Owain Cyfeiliog]] of Powys, who was now his main rival in Wales. The clergy intervened to make peace between Llywelyn and Gwenwynwyn and the invasion was called off. Elise ap Madog, lord of Penllyn, had refused to respond to Llywelyn's summons to arms and was stripped of almost all his lands by Llywelyn as punishment.{{sfn|Lloyd|1911|pp=613–614}}

Llywelyn consolidated his position in 1205 by marrying [[Joan, Lady of Wales]], the natural daughter of King John.<ref name=DWB/> He had previously been negotiating with [[Pope Innocent III]] for leave to marry his uncle [[Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd|Rhodri's]] widow, daughter of [[Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson|Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles]]. However, this proposal was dropped.{{sfn|Lloyd|1911|pp=616–617}}{{#tag:ref|One letter from the Pope suggests that Llywelyn may have been married previously, to an unnamed sister of Earl Ranulph of Chester in about 1192, but there appears to be no confirmation of this.|group=ll}}

In 1208, Gwenwynwyn of Powys fell out with King John who summoned him to [[Shrewsbury]] in October and then arrested him and stripped him of his lands. Llywelyn took the opportunity to annex southern Powys and northern [[Ceredigion]] and rebuild [[Aberystwyth Castle]].{{sfn|Davies|1992|pp=229, 241}} In the summer of 1209 he accompanied John on a campaign against King [[William the Lion]], [[Scotland]].{{sfn|Lloyd|1911|pp=622–623}}