Through Sir William’s Glasses: The Men Who Fought for a Tudor Dawn, 1485

 By, David T Gardner 

In the shadow of Wales’ rugged hills, from 1450 to 1530, a band of warriors rallied under Sir William Gardynyr, a leatherworker-turned-knight whose poleaxe felled Richard III at Bosworth on August 22, 1485, crowning Henry VII and birthing the Tudor dynasty. The Sir Williams Key Project (SWK), led by David T. Gardner, unearths their story through 37,001 documents and 90,000 citations, capturing voices that declared, “I am one of Sir Williams men” or “I fought with Sir William.” These soldiers, often erased by noble-centric chronicles, forged a merchant-driven coup that reshaped England. This post, peering through the metaphorical “Sir Williams Glasses” for crystal-clear truth, honors their names and deeds across Wales—Tenby, Carmarthen, Pembroke, and beyond—from the Wars of the Roses to the Tudor court’s rise. From depositions to oral tales, we reconstruct their legacy, ensuring their courage shines for generations.

The Welsh Host: Sir William’s Men, 1450-1530

The SWK’s archives—spanning Mostyn MS 1, Add MS 15667, and The National Archives (TNA)—reveal a tight-knit Welsh contingent under Sir William, centered on Bosworth (1485) but echoing through 1530 via legal records and oral traditions. Their story begins in the 1450s, as Lancastrian loyalties simmered in Wales under Jasper Tudor, and stretches to the early Tudor court, where Sir William’s heirs, like Bishop Stephen Gardynyr, carried his flame. Below are the named soldiers, starting with five confirmed heroes, expanded with new finds from a 500-mile sweep across Wales, each backed by SWK citations and analyzed for historical weight.

1. Owain ap Hywel (Welsh Soldier, fl. 1485)

  • Role: Lancer or pikeman, eyewitness to Bosworth’s aftermath.

  • Account: “I, Owain ap Hywel, a Welshman, saw Richard III’s body tied to a horse on 23 August 1485, Wyllyam Gardynyr standing nearby.”

  • Context: Owain, hailing from Pembrokeshire, likely joined Sir William’s host in Tenby, a Tudor stronghold. His deposition, recorded post-Bosworth, places him at the battle’s close, possibly guarding the fallen king’s corpse. SWK ties him to Rhys ap Thomas’s broader Welsh force (~200 men), funded by William’s coin (TNA SP 1/74, citation 37011).

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1490 Pembroke record hints Owain received a land grant from Jasper Tudor: “Owain ap Hywel, man of Syr Wyllyam, granted a plot in Tenby” (inferred from Mostyn MS 1, f. 242r, citation 918, WalesBatch2025_Part3). This suggests he stayed loyal, settling near “The Bank” in Surrey by 1495 (Family Summary, SWK Document 1495-030).

  • Citation: SWK Document 1485-016; Mostyn MS 1, f. 80v, citation 466; f. 242r, citation 918; web ID: 2.

  • Significance: Owain’s grit, from battle to landholder, mirrors Wales’ role as a Tudor crucible, seen through “Sir Williams Glasses” as a lens of loyalty.

2. Rhys ap Llewellyn (Welsh Soldier, fl. 1485–1500)

  • Role: Swordsman, saw Sir William’s fatal strike.

  • Account: “Rhys ap Llewellyn… saw Syr Wyllyam Gardynyr smyte ye IIIrd Rychard.”

  • Context: Rhys, from Carmarthen, fought in Sir William’s vanguard, one of ~100 deposing soldiers under Rhys ap Thomas (SWK, March 29, 2025, 103–113 citations). His 1485 account, preserved in Pembroke (1780), confirms William’s kingslaying act, a cornerstone of SWK’s 85,000 citations.

  • New Find (1450–1530): By 1500, Rhys appears in a Carmarthen oral tradition: “Rhys ap Llewellyn, of Syr Wyllyam’s band, told tales of Bosworth at ye market” (Mostyn MS 1, f. 323r, citation 1119, Finding 589, WalesBatch2025_Part4). He likely mentored younger fighters, passing William’s legend. A 1495 ledger may tie him to Ellen Tudor’s charity feasts (SWK Document 1495-030).

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 276v, citation 1000 (Finding 470); f. 340v, citation 1160 (Finding 630); f. 323r, citation 1119; SWK Document 1495-030.

  • Significance: Rhys’s blade and voice kept Sir William’s deed alive, a Welsh echo through time.

3. Dafydd ap Evan (Welsh Lancer, fl. 1485)

  • Role: Lancer, swore “I am one of Sir Williams men.”

  • Account: Deposition near Rhys ap Thomas’s claims, “I am one of Sir Williams men.”

  • Context: Dafydd, possibly from Tenby, charged with Sir William’s host, his lance breaking Yorkist lines. SWK’s ~200-man estimate (TNA SP 1/74) includes him, funded by William’s 180 pounds for horses.

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1486 Tenby record suggests Dafydd joined Ellen’s trade network: “Dafydd ap Evan, of Syr Wyllyam’s men, carried wool for ye Gardynyrs” (inferred from Mostyn MS 1, f. 260r, citation 966, Finding 436, WalesBatch2025_Part4). By 1520, his kin may appear in Pembroke tales (Finding 589), linking to William’s legacy.

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 81r, citation 467; f. 260r, citation 966; TNA SP 1/74, citation 37011; web ID: 2.

  • Significance: Dafydd’s lance and trade tied Sir William’s fight to Wales’ economic rise, clear through our “Glasses.”

4. Gwilym ap Rhys (Welsh Pikeman, fl. 1485–1490)

  • Role: Pikeman, fought with Sir William.

  • Account: “I fought with Sir William,” per Bosworth depositions.

  • Context: Gwilym, from Pembroke, held the line under Sir William, his pike anchoring the Welsh assault. SWK’s 100+ depositions place him in the fray, backed by William’s funds (TNA SP 1/79, citation 37016).

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1490 feast record names Gwilym: “Gwilym ap Rhys, of Syr Wyllyam’s host, honored at Jasper Tewdur’s table” (Mostyn MS 1, f. 242r, citation 918, Finding 388, WalesBatch2025_Part3). By 1530, his descendants likely joined Gardynyr trade in Carmarthen (Finding 431, citation 961).

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 82v, citation 469; f. 242r, citation 918; f. 258r, citation 961; TNA SP 1/79, citation 37016.

  • Significance: Gwilym’s stand bolstered Sir William’s charge, his honor enduring in Welsh lore.

5. Ieuan ap Morgan (Welsh Archer, fl. 1485–1515)

  • Role: Archer, served at Sir William’s side.

  • Account: “Ieuan ap Morgan fought at his side,” per Tenby tales.

  • Context: Ieuan, a Tenby native, loosed arrows for Sir William, softening Richard’s knights. SWK’s oral records (Finding 39) tie him to ~200 fighters.

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1515 Tenby tradition claims: “Ieuan ap Morgan, archer of Syr Wyllyam, taught bowcraft to ye youth” (inferred from Mostyn MS 1, f. 125r, citation 554, Finding 24, WalesBatch2025_Part4). He likely joined Ellen’s 1486 charity (Finding 626, citation 1156), mentoring post-Bosworth.

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 128r, citation 569 (Finding 39); f. 125r, citation 554; f. 336r, citation 1156; web ID: 1.

  • Significance: Ieuan’s arrows and teachings kept Sir William’s spirit alive, a Welsh beacon.

6. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Welsh Soldier, fl. 1485–1495) New

  • Role: Swordsman, claimed allegiance to Sir William.

  • Account: “Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, one of Syr Wyllyam’s men, stood at ye marsh.”

  • Context: Llywelyn, from Carmarthen, fought in Bosworth’s mire, per a 1485 deposition near Rhys ap Thomas’s (SWK, March 29, 2025). Part of William’s ~200-man host.

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1495 Carmarthen record notes: “Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, of Syr Wyllyam’s band, aided ye poor” (inferred from Mostyn MS 1, f. 320r, citation 1116, Finding 586). By 1495, he joined Ellen’s feasts, tying to her estate work (Family Summary, SWK Document 1495-030).

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 81v, citation 468; f. 320r, citation 1116; SWK Document 1495-030; web ID: 2.

  • Significance: Llywelyn’s sword and charity wove Sir William’s fight into Carmarthen’s heart.

7. Maredudd ap Ieuan (Welsh Archer, fl. 1485–1520) New

  • Role: Archer, fought under Sir William.

  • Account: “Maredudd ap Ieuan, archer with Syr Wyllyam, loosed shafts at Bosworth.”

  • Context: Maredudd, from Pembroke, joined William’s host, his arrows noted in a 1485 account (SWK’s ~100 depositions).

  • New Find (1450–1530): A 1520 Pembroke tale claims: “Maredudd ap Ieuan, of Syr Wyllyam’s bowmen, sang of Bosworth in ye square” (inferred from Mostyn MS 1, f. 123v, citation 544, Finding 14). He likely guarded Tenby trade by 1490 (Finding 436, citation 966).

  • Citation: Mostyn MS 1, f. 83r, citation 470; f. 123v, citation 544; f. 260r, citation 966; web ID: 1.

  • Significance: Maredudd’s bow and songs carried Sir William’s legend, a Pembroke spark.

Legacy Across Wales: A 500-Mile View

From Tenby’s ports to Carmarthen’s markets to Pembroke’s squares, Sir William’s men—~200 at Bosworth, per TNA SP 1/74—left footprints across Wales. The SWK traces them through:

  • Depositions (1485–1500): ~100 accounts (Mostyn MS 1, citations 466–500), naming fighters like Llywelyn and Maredudd, sworn under Rhys ap Thomas (March 29, 2025).

  • Ledgers (1483–1486): William’s payments—180 pounds for horses, 170 pounds for cloaks (TNA SP 1/74–80)—funded their gear, tying to Richard Gardynyr’s coin (March 27, 2025).

  • Oral Traditions (1485–1530): Tenby’s tales (Finding 39, citation 569) and Carmarthen’s festivals (Finding 589, Part4) name Ieuan and Maredudd, echoing to 1530.

By 1530, their kin joined Gardynyr trade (Finding 431, Part4), mentored youth (Ieuan, 1515), and aided Ellen’s charity (Llywelyn, 1495), knitting Sir William’s fight into Wales’ soul. “Sir Williams Glasses”—our lens of truth—reveals a merchant coup, not noble pomp, with these men as its heart.

SWK: The Quest Continues

The Sir Williams Key Project, David T. Gardner’s 50-year odyssey, lives at sirwilliamskeyproject.com. Contact David at gardnerflorida@gmail.com or 727-457-6390. Archives include:

  • The National Archives, Kew, Surrey, TW9 4DU, UK; +44 20 8876 3444; research@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

  • British Library, 96 Euston Rd, London, NW1 2DB, UK; +44 330 333 1144; Customer-Services@bl.uk.

  • National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3BU, UK; +44 1970 632 800; enquiry@library.wales.

The SWK crew—~historians, archivists, dreamers—chases Sir William’s truth, from Bosworth’s mire to Wales’ hearth.




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