Chronicling Gruffudd ap Llywelyn In the Eleventh Century

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English chronicles paid significant attention to the Welsh in the eleventh century. Gruffudd ap Llywelyn was at the centre of most Anglo-Welsh interaction, and the annals of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles are particularly interested in his activities. However, the different chronicles containing eleventh-century annals – Chronicle C, Chronicle D, Chronicle E – show varying degrees of interest in the Welsh king and diverge in their recording of his relationship with the English. This article investigates these divergences and illustrates how access to different sources and the agendas of the compilers impacted on the recording of relations with the Welsh. As well as shedding light on the compilation of the chronicles themselves and English attitudes towards the Welsh in the eleventh century, this article also offers a re-interpretation of certain key episodes in the history of Anglo-Welsh relations.