What would daily life have been like for Queen Angharad of Gwynedd in 1100?

At the beginning of the twelfth century, Wales was in a time of great change. The influence of the Normans who had taken over much of Wales was having an enormous effect yet, in Gwynedd, the Royal House of Aberffraw was able to govern without too much interference. As King Gruffydd’s wife, Queen Angharad’s main duty was to produce heirs for the throne. She also had to be a visible hostess at feasts and royal occasions but there was much more to being a queen than that.

Many of the processes and policies which surrounded life in the royal llys or castle were based laws codified by Hywel Dda over a hundred and fifty years before but they would have applied to Angharad’s life at that time. The Queen was treated with respect and was entitled to a share of all the profits which King Gruffydd received from his lands. Of the twenty-four officers of the llys, eight were singled out for duties pertaining to the queen. The queen’s staff would include her own priest, a maid of the chamber, her own groom as well as a chamberlain who looked after her coffers as well as managing her communication between her chamber and the hall.

It would have been Angharad’s duty to ensure smooth running of the household. This was not just about making sure feasts were well catered for but about making sure every aspect of the llys was covered. As part of this duty she would also have wanted to adhere to a budget. To help with spreading the burden of administration the royal household would also go on circuit . There was another reason for this being that the king needed to be visible and to show he cared about all parts of his realm. Angharad’s role, just as it was in the llys, would have been to endear herself to the subjects of Gwynedd, understand their issues and ensure their loyalty. Most of the time, the king and queen would go together on circuit but if the king was outside Gwynedd she might have gone on circuit anyway.

It was not only King Gruffydd who was able to dispense justice. Queen Angharad would also have found that within her remit she was able to protect her subjects from prosecution. She would certainly have had subjects approach with requests and concerns.

It was not all work and no play. The queen had her own bard although he was only allowed to sing quietly not to disturb other members of the court. She would have gone hunting and hawking, would have led dances, played instruments, produced tapestries and created fine embroidery. Angharad would have been involved in the education of her children and would have been the one responsible for passing on of family history. Queen Angharad would have trained her children in the etiquette of the day and as a main part of her role was to be seen and admired, they would have learnt that naturally from watching her in action.

If you would like to peek into Queen Angharad’s life perhaps you would like to read the historical fiction, ‘The Welsh Traitor’s Daughter’.