Background
Born in 1231, Roger was the son of Ralph de Mortimer and his Welsh wife, Princess Gwladys Ddu, daughter of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth and Joan Plantagenet, daughter of John "Lackland", King of England.
Born in 1231, Roger was the son of Ralph de Mortimer and his Welsh wife, Princess Gwladys Ddu, daughter of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth and Joan Plantagenet, daughter of John "Lackland", King of England.
In 1256 Roger went to war with Llywelyn ap Gruffudd when the latter invaded his lordship of Gwrtheyrnion or Rhayader. This war would continue intermittently until the deaths of both Roger and Llywelyn in 1282. They were both grandsons of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth.
Mortimer fought for the King against the rebel Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and almost lost his life in 1264 at the Battle of Lewes fighting Montfort"s mentor
In 1265 Mortimer"s wife, Maud de Braose helped rescue Prince Edward. And Mortimer and the Prince made an alliance against de Montfort.
In August 1265, de Montfort"s army was surrounded by the River Avon on three sides, and Prince Edward"s army on the fourth. Mortimer had sent his men to block the only possible escape route, at the Bengeworth bridge.
The Battle of Evesham began in earnest.
A storm roared above the battle field Montfort"s Welsh soldiers broke and ran for the bridge, where they were slaughtered by Mortimer"s mentor Mortimer himself killed Hugh Despencer and Montfort, and crushed Montfort"s army.
Mortimer took part in Edward I"s 1282 campaign against Llewelyn the Last, and was put in charge of operations in mid-Wales.
lieutenant was a major setback for Edward when Mortimer died in October 1282. Roger Mortimer died on 30 October 1282, and was buried at Wigmore Abbey, where his tombstone read: Here lies buried, glittering with praise, Roger the pure, Roger Mortimer the second, called Lord of Wigmore by those who held him dear.
While he lived all Wales feared his power, and given as a gift to him all Wales remained his. lieutenant knew his campaigns, he subjected it to torment.
He was a loyal ally of King Henry III of England.
