Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (nicknamed The Last Prince, tah-tah-tah-taaaaah)
His father Gruffud was the eldest son of Llywelyn the Great, but as this Llywelyn favoured his younger son Dafydd above his eldest, Gruffudd was locked up for half of his life. Dafydd became king but sucked at it, so Gruffud tried to seize power, which he failed to do. Dafydd and the english king locked him up in the Tower of London, where he died at an attempt to escape. (He tied up some sheets and climbed out the window, and fell dead. Pretty pathetic, I know.)
But when Dafydd died childless, the sons of Gruffudd were next in line. Henry III divided parts of Wales under them in the Peace of Woodstock. (That's got nothing to do with hippies.) When Llywelyn, the youngest, defeated his elder brothers and seized control over a big part of Wales, Henry III wasn't amused but let it happen. He didn't see Llywelyn as a threat.
Off course, he couldn't have been more wrong. Llywelyn was a stubborn prince, that never really obeyed Henry. In 1255 he defeats his brother Dafydd (I know, another one) who conspired against him with the lord of Powys. Llywelyn doesn't kill them, but claims Powys as his own. At this point, he's got whole Wales in his hands except for Pembrokeshire and Glamorgan.
In 1265 Llywelyn decides to ally with Simon de Montfort, an english baron, by engaging with his daughter. Henry is pretty pissed about this, and they aren't allowed to marry.
But Llywelyn's power becomes greater and in 1267 he is declared 'Prince of Wales' in the treaty of Montgomery. Woohoo! But then Edward I succeeds Henry III, and Edward is really fixed on defeating Wales. He spends a lot of money on the conquest and Llywelyn's power starts to crumble. But after eleven years of engagement, he is finally allowed to marry Elinor de Montford! Yeah, love rules all! ^^ Pity she dies a year later when giving birth..
In 1282 the Last Battle begins. His brother Dafydd starts a revolt, and Llywelyn decides to join him, but he isn't really happy about it (because Dafydd tried to kill him. So cute they get together in the end!)
But Edward is the least happy about it! The final military conquest of Wales begins and though he loses his fleet and loses the battle of Llandeilo, the revolt starts to crumble and at Builth Castle, Llywelyn is killed by someone who didn't know who he was killing, but well, he's pretty much dead. His head is sent to the king of England, who probably did a little happy dance there.
After Llywelyn's death, Dafydd fights on, but in the end he gets caught and dies a traitor-death (which is nasty. Remember Braveheart?)
So Edward's got Wales, puts all Llywelyn's daughters in monasteries, and thus the royal line of Wales dies out. Darn.
