Llywelyn The Great

In case you can’t tell from the lack of vowels, this is a Welsh king who reigned for around 45 years from 1195 to 1240. The length of his reign is disputable not just because it was so long ago, but also because Wales was not a united kingdom at the time. Llywelyn was a prince of Gwynedd and he had to fight for control of that territory before he could extend his reach any further. He was established as the leader of Gwynedd by 1200 and next annexed Powys in 1208. By the time of his death in 1240, much of Wales was under his control either directly or through a ruler who recognised Llywelyn’s power. But his position as leader of Wales was never formalised, and historians debate just how “great” he really was.