Dafydd Gam
Dafydd Gam ap Llywelyn ap Hywel Fychan (died 1415), a Welsh esquire from a prominent Breconshire family descended from the native rulers of Brycheiniog, was a warrior who opposed Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion against English rule and later served Henry V, dying in combat at the Battle of Agincourt.[1][2] His byname "Gam," denoting a squint or missing eye, reflected a physical trait noted in traditions, though his actions aligned him with Lancastrian forces amid Wales's internal divisions.[1] Gam's early career involved local feuds, including a disputed killing of a relative that prompted his flight, after which he actively resisted Glyndŵr's uprising from around 1400, joining English efforts to suppress it and attempting Glyndŵr's capture in 1405, leading to his brief imprisonment.[1] Released under Henry V, he campaigned in France, commanding three archers at Agincourt on 25 October 1415, where contemporary English chronicles named him among the few specified casualties, underscoring his frontline role in the victory.[1][3] His allegiance divided Welsh opinion, branding him a traitor to national aspirations in some accounts while earning English recognition for loyalty.[1] Through his daughter Gwladus's marriage to William ap Thomas of Raglan, Gam became an ancestor of the Herbert family, influential Tudor nobles.[1] Later legends of personal heroism, such as saving the king or posthumous knighting, emerged in the 16th century but lack support in primary 15th-century records.Early Life and Background
Family Descent and Origins
Dafydd Gam, born around 1351 in Brecon, Brecknockshire (modern Powys, Wales), originated from the Welsh gentry known as the uchelwyr of Brycheiniog. His family held lands in the region, including estates at Aberbrân, Newton near Brecon, Tre-gaer, Buckland, and Penderyn, reflecting their status as prominent local landowners.[1][3] He was the son of Llywelyn ap Hywel Fychan, a Brecknock landowner whose lineage traced to Einion Sais, a warrior who served under Edward III at the battles of Crécy in 1346 and Poitiers in 1356.[1][4] The family seat was at Pen-pont Castle on the River Usk, inherited through this descent, with Dafydd himself as the fourth generation in direct male line from Einion Sais ap Rhys, lord of the castle after 1271.[1][4] This ancestry positioned the family within the Lancastrian-aligned Welsh nobility, patrons of bards and opponents of the Glyndŵr rebellion, emphasizing loyalty to the English crown amid regional tensions.[1][2]