Editing Owain Gwynedd (section)

== Disputes with the church and succession ==
The last years of Owain's life were spent in disputes with the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Thomas Becket]], over the appointment of a new [[Bishop of Bangor]]. When the see became vacant Owain had his nominee, Arthur of Bardsey, elected. The archbishop refused to accept this, so Owain had Arthur consecrated in [[Ireland]]. The dispute continued, and the see remained officially vacant until well after Owain's death. He was also put under pressure by the Archbishop and the [[Pope Alexander III]] to put aside his second wife, [[Cristin verch Goronwy]], who was his first cousin, this relationship making the marriage invalid under church law. Despite being [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] for his defiance, Owain steadfastly refused to put Cristin aside. Owain died in 1170, and despite having been excommunicated was buried in [[Bangor Cathedral]] by the local clergy. The annalist writing [[Brut y Tywysogion]] recorded his death "after innumerable victories and unconquered from his youth".

He is believed to have commissioned ''The Life of Gruffydd ap Cynan'',<ref>{{cite book |author=Arthur Jones |title=The history of Gruffydd ap Cynan |publisher=Manchester University Press |year=1910 |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924028052482/page/n11/mode/2up}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/gruffydd.html |website=maryjones.us |title=Gruffydd}}</ref> an account of his father's life. Following his death, civil war broke out between his sons. Owain was married twice, first to Gwladus ferch Llywarch ap Trahaearn, by whom he had two sons, [[Maelgwn ab Owain Gwynedd]] and [[Iorwerth Drwyndwn]], the father of [[Llywelyn ab Iorwerth]] (Llywelyn the Great), then to Cristin, by whom he had three sons including [[Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd]] and [[Rhodri ab Owain Gwynedd]]. He also had a number of illegitimate sons, who by [[Welsh law]] had an equal claim on the inheritance if acknowledged by their father.