The Molucca Sea (Indonesian: ''Laut Maluku'') is located in the western Pacific Ocean, within the country of Indonesia. The region is rich in coral and has many diving sites.

Location

The Molucca Sea borders the Banda Sea to the south and the Celebes Sea to the north.

The islands bordering the Molucca Sea include Halmahera to the north east, Buru and Ceram in the centre, and Sulawesi to the west. The Talaud Islands to the north are the general limit of the sea, though the Molucca Sea Plate, the tectonic plate named after the sea, extends further north.

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the "Molukka Sea" as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:

''On the North.'' By a line from the Northeast extreme of Celebes [Sulawesi] through the Siau Islands to the South point of Sangi () thence to the Southern extreme of the Talaud Group, through these islands to their Northeastern extreme () and thence a line to Tanjong Sopi, the Northern point of Morotai Island.

''On the East.'' By the West coast of Morotai from Tanjong Sopi as far South as Wajaboela (), thence a line to the Northern point of Halmahera and down its West coast to Tanjong Libolo, its Southern extreme.

''On the South.'' A line from the Southern extreme of Halmahera to the North point of Bisa (Setile) Island, thence to the Northern extreme of Obi Major, through this island to Tanjong Ake Lamo, its Southwestern point, thence to Tanjong Dehekolano, the Eastern extremity of the Soela [Sula] Islands, along their Northern coasts to Tanjong Marikasoe, the Western extreme, thence a line to the Southeast point of Banggai Island ().

''On the West.'' The East coasts of Banggai and Peleng Islands to North Bangkalan () thence a line to Tg. Botok (Celebes) () round the coast to Tg. Pasir Pandjang () and across to Tg. Tombalilatoe (123°21'E) on the opposite coast, thence up the East coast to Tg. Poeisan, the Northeastern extreme of Celebes.

History

The Molucca sea was an active area for spice trade, and was controlled by 4 sultanates.

Earthquakes

The sea is a very seismically active area due to the Molucca Sea Plate.

See also

Strait of Malacca, which is west of Singapore.

Notes

Category:Seas of Indonesia Category:Molucca Sea

be:Малукскае мора be-x-old:Малуцкае мора ca:Mar de les Moluques da:Molukkerhavet de:Molukkensee et:Maluku meri es:Mar de Molucas eu:Moluka uharteetako itsasoa fa:دریای ملوک fr:Mer des Moluques fy:Molukske See ko:말루쿠 해 hr:Molučko more id:Laut Maluku it:Mare delle Molucche jv:Segara Maluku ka:მოლუკის ზღვა lv:Moluku jūra lt:Molukų jūra ms:Laut Maluku nl:Molukse Zee ja:モルッカ海 no:Molukksjøen mhr:Молукк теҥыз pl:Morze Moluckie pt:Mar das Molucas ro:Marea Molucelor ru:Молуккское море sah:Молукка байҕала sv:Molucksjön th:ทะเลโมลุกกะ uk:Молуккське море vi:Biển Molucca war:Dagat Molucca zh:馬魯古海

Image name	Map of Maluku Islands-en.svg
Image caption	Maluku Island within Indonesia yellow : North Maluku province red : Maluku province
Locator map	IndonesiaMalukuIslands.png
Location	South East Asia
Coordinates
Total islands	~1000
Major islands	Halmahera, Seram, Buru, Ambon, Ternate, Tidore, Aru Islands, Kai Islands
area km2	74505
Highest mount	Binaiya
elevation m	3027
Country	Indonesia
Country admin divisions title	Provinces
Country admin divisions	Maluku, North Maluku
Population	1,895,000
Population as of	2000
Ethnic groups	Nuaulu, Manusela }}

The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Moluccan Islands, the Spice Islands) are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located east of Sulawesi (Celebes), west of New Guinea, and north and east of Timor. The islands were also historically known as the ''"Spice Islands"'' by the Chinese and Europeans, but this term has also been applied to other islands outside Indonesia.

Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes, and enjoy a wet climate. The vegetation of the small and narrow islands, encompassed by the sea, is very luxuriant; including rainforests, sago, rice and the famous spices - nutmeg, cloves and mace, among others. Though originally Melanesian, many island populations, especially in the Banda Islands, were killed off in the 17th century during the Spice wars. A second influx of Austronesian immigrants began in the early 20th century under the Dutch and continues in the Indonesian era.

Administratively, the Maluku Islands formed a single province from 1950 until 1999. A new province of North Maluku was created in late 1999 and incorporates the area between Morotai and Sula and its capital is Ternate. It is predominantly Muslim, although it has Christian enclaves including in northern Halmahera. Maluku Province includes the arc from Buru and Seram to Wetar with its capital in Ambon. Between 1999 and 2002 conflict between Muslims and Christians killed thousands and displaced 1/2 million.

Spice Islands most commonly refers to the Maluku Islands and often also to the small volcanic Banda Islands, once the only source of mace and nutmeg. This nickname should not be confused with Grenada, which is commonly known as the ''Island of Spice''. The term has also been used less commonly in reference to other islands known for their spice production, notably the Zanzibar Archipelago off East Africa consisting of Unguja, Mafia and Pemba. These islands were formerly the independent state of Zanzibar but now form a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania.

Etymology

The name ''Maluku'' is thought to have been derived from the Arab trader's term for the region, ''Jazirat al-Muluk'' ('the island of the kings').

Administrative divisions

The Maluku Islands were a single province since Indonesian independence, until they were split into North Maluku and Maluku in 1999.

North Maluku province

Ternate, the site of the provincial capital

Tidore

Bacan

Halmahera, at 20,000 km² the largest of the Maluku Islands

Morotai

Obi Islands

Sula Islands

Maluku province

Ambon, the site of the provincial capital

Aru Islands

Babar Islands

Banda Islands

Buru

Kai Islands

Kisar

Leti Islands

Seram, and adjacent islands

Sermata Islands

Tanimbar Islands

Wetar

Demographics

Maluku's population is about 2 million, less than 1 % of Indonesia's population.

Over 130 languages were once spoken across the islands however many have now mixed to form local pidgin dialects of Ternatean and Ambonese, the lingua franca of northern and southern Maluku respectively.

A long history of trade and seafaring has resulted in a high degree of mixed blood ancestry in Malukans. Austronesian peoples added to the native Melanesian population around 2000 BCE. Melanesian features are strongest in the islands of Kei and Aru and amongst the interior people of Seram and Buru islands. Later added to this Austronesian-Melanesian mix were Indian, Arab, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch genes. More recent arrivals include Bugis trader settlers from Sulawesi and Javanese transmigrants.

History

Background

The native Bandanese people traded spices with other Asian nations, such as China, since at least the time of the Roman Empire. With the rise of Islam, the trade became dominated by Muslim traders, one ancient Arabic source appears to know the location of the islands, describing them as fifteen days' sail East from the 'island of Jaba' - presumably Java — but direct evidence of Islam in the archipelago occurs only in the late 14th century, as China's interest in regional maritime dominance waned. With Muslim traders came not just Islam, but a new technique of social organisation, the sultanate, which replaced local councils of rich men (''orang kaya'') on the more important islands, and proved more effective in dealing with outsiders. (See Ternate & Tidore).

By trading with Muslim states, Venice came to monopolise the spice trade in Europe between 1200 and 1500, through its dominance over Mediterranean seaways to ports such as Alexandria, after traditional overland connections were disrupted by Mongols and Turks. The financial incentive to discover an alternative to Venice's monopoly control of this lucrative business was perhaps the single most important factor precipitating Europe's Age of Exploration. Portugal took an early lead charting the route around the southern tip of Africa, securing bases and outposts en route, even discovering the coast of Brazil in the search for favourable southerly currents. Portugal's eventual success and the establishment of its own empire provoked the other maritime powers in Europe—Spain (see Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan), France, England and the Netherlands—to challenge and eventually overcome the Portuguese position.

Because of the high value that spices had in Europe and the large profits rendered, the Dutch and British soon joined in the conflicts to try to gain a monopoly over the trade and expel Portugal. The fighting for control over these small islands became very intense in the 17th and 18th centuries with the Dutch even giving the island of Manhattan to the British in exchange for, among other things, the tiny island of Run which gave the Dutch full control over the Banda archipelago's nutmeg production. The Bandanese people lost the most in the fighting with most of them being either slaughtered or enslaved by the European interlopers. Over 16,000 were killed during the height of the Spice wars.

The goal of reaching the Spice Islands, eventually to be enveloped by the Dutch East Indies Empire, led to the accidental discovery of the West Indies, and lit the fuse of centuries of rivalry between European maritime powers for control of lucrative global markets and resources. The tattered mystique of the Spice Islands finally vanished when France and Britain successfully smuggled seeds and plants to their own colonial dominions on Mauritius, Grenada and elsewhere, making spices the commonplace affordable commodity of today.

Early history

The earliest archaeological evidence of human occupation of the region is about thirty-two thousand years old, but evidence of even older settlements in Australia may mean that Maluku had earlier visitors. Evidence of increasingly long-distance trading relationships and of more frequent occupation of many islands, begins about ten to fifteen thousand years later. Onyx beads and segments of silver plate used as currency on the Indian subcontinent around 200BC have been unearthed on some of the islands. In addition, local dialects employ derivations of the Malay word then in use for 'silver', in contrast to the term used in wider Melanesian society, which has etymological roots in Chinese, a consequence of the regional trade with China that was developed in the 6th and 7th centuries.

Maluku was a cosmopolitan society where spice traders from across the region took residence in settlements, or in nearby enclaves, including Arab and Chinese traders who visited or lived in the region. Social organization was usually local, and relatively flat - a general populace guided by a council of elders or rich men, or Orang kaya.

Arabic merchants began to arrive in the 14th century, bringing Islam. Peaceful conversion to Islam occurred in many islands, especially in the centres of trade, while aboriginal animism persisted in the hinterlands and more isolated islands. Archaeological evidence here relies largely on the occurrence of pigs' teeth, as evidence of pork eating or abstinence therefrom.

The Portuguese

Apart from some relatively minor cultural influences, the most significant lasting effects of the Portuguese presence was the disruption and reorganisation of the Southeast Asian trade, and in eastern Indonesia—including Maluku—the introduction of Christianity. The Portuguese had conquered the city state of Malacca in the early 16th century and their influence was most strongly felt in Maluku and other parts of eastern Indonesia. After the Portuguese annexed Malacca in August 1511, one Portuguese diary noted 'it is thirty years since they became Moors' - giving a sense of the competition then taking place between Islamic and European influences in the region. Afonso de Albuquerque learned of the route to the Banda Islands and other 'Spice Islands', and sent an exploratory expedition of three vessels under the command of António de Abreu, Simão Afonso Bisigudo and Francisco Serrão. On the return trip, Francisco Serrão was shipwrecked at Hitu island (northern Ambon) in 1512. There he established ties with the local ruler who was impressed with his martial skills. The rulers of the competing island states of Ternate and Tidore also sought Portuguese assistance and the newcomers were welcomed in the area as buyers of supplies and spices during a lull in the regional trade due to the temporary disruption of Javanese and Malay sailings to the area following the 1511 conflict in Malacca. The spice trade soon revived but the Portuguese would not be able to fully monopolize nor disrupt this trade.

Allying himself with Ternate's ruler, Serrão constructed a fortress on that tiny island and served as the head of a mercenary band of Portuguese seamen under the service of one of the two local feuding sultans who controlled most of the spice trade. Such an outpost far from Europe generally only attracted the most desperate and avaricious, and as such the feeble attempts at Christianisation only strained relations with Ternate's Muslim ruler. Serrão urged Ferdinand Magellan to join him in Maluku, and sent the explorer information about the Spice Islands. Both Serrão and Magellan, however, perished before they could meet one another. In 1535 Sultan Tabariji was deposed and sent to Goa in chains, where he converted to Christianity and changed his name to Dom Manuel. After being declared innocent of the charges against him he was sent back to reassume his throne, but died en route at Malacca in 1545. He had however, already bequeathed the island of Ambon to his Portuguese godfather Jordão de Freitas. Following the murder of Sultan Hairun at the hands of the Europeans, the Ternateans expelled the hated foreigners in 1575 after a five-year siege.

The Portuguese first landed in Ambon in 1513, but it only became the new centre for their activities in Maluku following the expulsion from Ternate. European power in the region was weak and Ternate became an expanding, fiercely Islamic and anti-European state under the rule of Sultan Baab Ullah (r. 1570 - 1583) and his son Sultan Said. The Portuguese in Ambon, however, were regularly attacked by native Muslims on the island's northern coast, in particular Hitu which had trading and religious links with major port cities on Java's north coast. Altogether, the Portuguese never had the resources or manpower to control the local trade in spices, and failed in attempts to establish their authority over the crucial Banda Islands, the nearby centre of most nutmeg and mace production.

Following Portuguese missionary work, there have been large Christian communities in eastern Indonesia through to contemporary times, which has contributed to a sense of shared interest with Europeans, particularly among the Ambonese. By the 1560s there were 10,000 Catholics in the area, mostly on Ambon, and by the 1590s there were 50,000 to 60,000, although most of the region surrounding Ambon remained Muslim. The Spaniard missionary Francis Xavier also played an important role in Maluku Christianization (''see next section'').

Other Portuguese influences include a large number of Indonesian words derived from Portuguese which alongside Malay was the ''lingua franca'' up until the early 19th century. Contemporary Indonesian words such as ''pesta'' ('party'), ''sabun'' ('soap'), ''bendera'' ('flag'), ''meja'' ('table'), ''Minggu'' ('Sunday'), all derive from the Portuguese. Many family names in Maluku are derived from the Portuguese including da Lima, da Costa, Dias, da Freitas, Gonsalves, Mendoza, Rodrigues, and da Silva. Also of partly Portuguese origin are the romantic ''keroncong'' ballads sung to guitar music.

The Spanish

The Spanish settled and took control of Tidore in 1603 to trade spices and counter Dutch encroachment in the archipelago. The territory was incorporated into the Spanish East Indies and governed from Manila, in the Philippines. Missionary and Catholic Saint, Francis Xavier had worked in Maluku in 1546–1547 among the peoples of Ambon, Ternate and Morotai (or Moro), and laid the foundations for the Christian religion there. The Spanish presence lasted until 1663, when the settlers and military were moved back to the Philippines. Part of the Ternatean population chose to leave with the Spanish, settling near Manila in what later became Ternate, Cavite.

The Dutch

The Dutch arrived in 1599 and noted the native discontent with Portuguese attempts to monopolise their traditional trade. After the Ambonese helped the Dutch to construct a fort at Hitu Larna, the Portuguese began a campaign of retribution against which the Ambonese invited Dutch aid. After 1605 Frederik Houtman became the first Dutch governor of Ambon.

The Dutch East India Company was a mercantile corporation with three obstacles in its way: the Portuguese, the aboriginal populations, and the English. In time the Dutch would overcome all three and achieve almost complete control of the islands down to modern times, leaving smuggling as the only native alternative to the European monopoly. Among other events of the 17th century, the Bandanese attempted independent trade with the English, and the East-India Company's response was to decimate the native population of the Banda Islands sending the survivors fleeing to other islands and then installing slave labour.

Though other groups resettled the Banda Islands, the rest of Maluku remained uneasy under foreign control and after the Portuguese had a new trading station at Macassar there were native revolts in 1636 and 1646. Under East-India Company's rule northern Maluku was administered by the Dutch residency at Ternate, and the southern half by "Amboyna" (Ambon). During the Japanese occupation in World War II, the Moluccans fled to the mountains but began a campaign of resistance also known as the South Moluccan Brigade. After the war's end the island's political leaders had successful discussions with the Netherlands about independence. Complicated by Indonesian demands, the Round Table Conference Agreements were signed in 1949 transferring Maluku to Indonesia with mechanisms for the islands to choose or opt out of the new Indonesia. The Agreements granted Moluccans the right to determine their ultimate sovereignty.

After Indonesian independence

With the declaration of a single republic of Indonesia in 1950 to replace the federal state, a Republic of South Maluku (Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS) was declared and attempted to secede. The RMS was centred around Seram, Ambon, and Buru and led by Chris Soumokil (former Supreme Prosecutor of the Eastern Indonesia state) and supported by the Moluccan members of the Netherlands special troops. This movement was defeated by the Indonesian army and by special agreement with the Netherlands the troops were transferred to the Netherlands. The commencement of Indonesian transmigration of (mainly Javanese) populations to the outer islands (including Maluku) during the 1960s is thought to have aggravated independence and issues of religious / ethnic politics. There has been occasional ethnic and nationalist violence on the islands.

Maluku is one of the first provinces of Indonesia, proclaimed in 1945 until 1999, when the Maluku Utara and Halmahera Tengah Regencies were split off as a separate province of North Maluku. Its capital is Ternate, on a small island to the west of the large island of Halmahera. The capital of the remaining part of Maluku province remains at Ambon.

The 1999-2003 inter-communal conflict

Religious conflict erupted across the islands in January 1999. The subsequent 18 months were characterized by fighting between largely local groups of Muslims and Christians, the destruction of thousands of houses, the displacement of approximately 500,000 people, the loss of thousands of lives, and the segregation of Muslims and Christians. The following 12 months saw periodic eruptions of violence. Minor disturbances continued through 2003 but Maluku had returned to general peacefulness by 2004. To date, many communities have not returned to their home mostly due to security reasons. Some of these communities have decided to relocate themselves to areas that shared same faith..

Geology & geography

The Maluku Islands have a total area of 850,000  km², 90% of which is sea. There are an estimated 1027 islands. The largest two islands, Halmahera and Seram are sparsely populated, while the most developed, Ambon and Ternate are small.

The majority of the islands are forested and mountainous. The Tanimbar Islands are dry and hilly, while the Aru Islands are flat and swampy. Mount Binaya (3027m) on Seram is the highest mountain. A number of islands, such as Ternate (1721 m), are volcanoes emerging from the sea with villages sited around their coasts. There have been over 70 serious volcanic eruptions in the last 500 years and earthquakes common.

The geology of the Maluku Islands share much similar history, characteristics and processes with the neighbouring Nusa Tenggara region. There is a long history of geological study of these regions since Indonesian colonial times; however, the geological formation and progression is not fully understood, and theories of the island's geological evolution have changed extensively in recent decades. The Maluku Islands comprise some of the most geologically complex and active regions in the world, resulting from its position at the meeting point of four geological plates and two continental blocks.

Biota and environment

Biogeographically, all of the islands apart from the Aru group lie in Wallacea, the region between the Sunda Shelf (part of the Asia block), and the Arafura Shelf (part of the Australian block). More specifically, they lie between Weber's Line and Lydekker's Line, and thus have a fauna that is rather more Australasian than Asian. Malukan biodiversity and its distribution are affected by various tectonic activities; most of the islands are geologically young, being from 1 million to 15 million years old, and have never been attached to the larger landmasses. The Maluku islands differ from other areas in Indonesia; they contain some of the country's smallest islands, coral island reefs scattered through some of the deepest seas in the world, and no large islands such as Java or Sumatra. Flora and fauna immigration between islands is thus restricted, leading to a high rate of endemic biota evolving.

Rainforest covered most of northern and central Maluku, which, on the smaller islands has been replaced by plantations, including the region's endemic cloves and nutmeg. The Tanimbar Islands and other southeastern islands are arid and sparsely vegetated, much like nearby Timor. In 1997 the Manusela National Park, and in 2004 the Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park have been established, for the protection of endangered species.

Nocturnal marsupials, such as cuscus and bandicoots, make up the majority of the mammal species, and introduced mammals include civets and wild pigs. Bird species include approximately 100 endemics with the greatest variety on the large islands of Halmahera and Seram. North Maluku has two species of endemic birds of paradise. Uniquely among the Maluku Islands, the Aru Islands have a purely Papuan fauna including kangaroos, cassowaries, and birds of paradise.

While many ecological problems affect both small islands and large landmasses, small islands suffer their particular problems. Development pressures on small islands are increasing, although their effects are not always anticipated. Although Indonesia is richly endowed with natural resources, the resources of the small islands of Maluku are limited and specialised; furthermore, human resources in particular are limited.

General observations about small islands that can be applied to the Maluku Islands include:

a higher proportion of the landmass will be affected by volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslips, and cyclone damage;

Climates are more likely to be maritime influenced;

Catchment areas are smaller and degree of erosion higher;

A higher proportion of the landmass is made up of coastal areas;

A higher degree of environmental specialisation, including a higher proportion of endemic species in an overall depauperate community;

Societies may retain a strong sense of culture having developed in relative isolation;

Small island populations are more likely to be affected by economic migration.

Climate

Central and southern Maluku Islands experience the dry monsoon between October to March and the wet monsoon from May to August, which is the reverse of the rest of Indonesia. The dry monsoon's average maximum temperature is 30°C while the wet's average maximum is 23°C. Northern Maluku has its wet monsoon from December to March in line with the rest of Indonesia. Each island group have their own climatic variations, and the larger islands tend to have drier coastal lowlands and their mountainous hinterlands are wetter.

Economy

Cloves and nutmeg are still cultivated, as are cocoa, coffee and fruit. Fishing is a big industry across the islands but particularly around Halmahera and Bacan. The Aru Islands produce pearls, and Seram exports lobsters. Logging is a significant industry on the larger islands with Seram producing ironwood and teak and ebony are produced on Buru.

Further reading

George Miller (editor), ''To The Spice Islands And Beyond: Travels in Eastern Indonesia'', Oxford University Press, 1996, Paperback, 310 pages, ISBN 967-65-3099-9

Severin, Tim ''The Spice Island Voyage: In Search of Wallace'', Abacus, 1997, paperback, 302 pages, ISBN 0-349-11040-9

Bergreen, Laurence ''Over the Edge of the World'', Morrow, 2003, paperback, 480 pages

References

General

Bellwood, Peter (1997). ''Prehistory of the Indo-Malaysian archipelago''. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-1883-0.

Andaya, Leonard Y. (1993). ''The World of Maluku: Eastern Indonesia in the Early Modern Period''. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-1490-8.

Donkin, R. A. (1997). ''Between East and West: The Moluccas and the Traffic in Spices Up to the Arrival of Europeans''. American Philosophical Society. ISBN 0-87169-248-1.

Milton, Giles (1999). "Nathaniel's Nutmeg". London: Sceptre. ISBN 978-0-340-69676-7.

Monk, Kathryn A., Yance De Fretes, Gayatri Reksodiharjo-Lilley (1997). ''The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku''. Singapore: Periplus Press. ISBN 962-593-076-0.

Van Oosterzee, Penny (1997). ''Where Worlds Collide: The Wallace Line''. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-8497-9.

Wallace, Alfred Russel (2000; originally published 1869). ''The Malay Archipelago''. Singapore: Periplus Press. ISBN 962-593-645-9.

Notes

External links

Deforestation in the Moluccas

The Spanish presence in the Moluccas: Ternate and Tidore

An interesting article linking British possession of Run, a Banda Island, with the history of New York

The First Social Entrepreneur Organization in Maluku that focuses on Community-Welfare Building

Jeremy Seabrook on the same theme

Maluku Tourist Board site

Category:Archipelagoes of Indonesia Category:Former Portuguese colonies Category:The Portuguese in Indonesia Category:Dutch East India Company Category:Former Spanish colonies Category:Spanish East Indies Category:Molucca Sea

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name	Ioan Gruffudd
birth date	October 06, 1973
birth place	Llwydcoed, Aberdare, Cynon Valley, Wales
years active	1986–present
occupation	Actor
spouse	Alice Evans (2007–present) }}

Ioan Gruffudd (; born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor.

Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language film productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film ''Titanic'' (1997), and as Lt. John Beales in ''Black Hawk Down'' (2001). However, he is probably best known for playing the role of Horatio Hornblower in ''Hornblower'', the British made-for-TV films (1998–2003) based on C. S. Forester's novels.

Gruffudd's recent notable film roles include Lancelot in ''King Arthur'' (2004), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in ''Fantastic Four'' (2005) and the sequel ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'' (2007), and British slavery abolitionist William Wilberforce in ''Amazing Grace'' (2006). He played Tony Blair in ''W.'' (2008).

Family, early life and education

Gruffudd was born on 6 October 1973 in the village of Llwydcoed, near the town of Aberdare, Cynon Valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Tâf, southern Wales. Gruffudd's parents, Peter and Gillian (née James) Griffiths, were teachers. His father was headmaster at two Welsh comprehensive schools in South Wales, first at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari then later at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. He has two siblings; a brother, Alun, who is two years younger, and a sister, Siwan, who is seven years younger than he is. Gruffudd was raised in a Protestant non-conformist household.

The popular Welsh name "Ioan" is an equivalent of "John", and "Gruffudd" corresponds to the Anglicised "Griffith". He has been quoted as saying, "I'm determined not to lose my name. It's who I am. It has neither aided my progress nor hampered it. It's just who I am. My character... my make-up. My culture and heritage is a very rich one. So what if it's difficult for people to pronounce? We all learned how to say Schwarzenegger."

During his childhood, his family moved to Cardiff. Gruffudd attended Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdar (Ynyslwyd) (now situated in Cwmdare), Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd, and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, where he sat his GCSEs and A-Levels. A natural musician, he was an accomplished oboist in his teens, attaining a Grade 8 level in the ABRSM music examinations and playing for the South Glamorgan Youth Orchestra for several years, but gave it up once acting took up most of his time. He also won prizes for his high baritone singing while at school, including one at the National Eisteddfod. He has said, "As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor."

Gruffudd's parents are committed Christians, and in his early 20s, he was a member of the controversial London Church of Christ, but his mother later came to London to "sort [his] head out". In June 2007, he said that he "wouldn't describe myself as a deeply religious man".

Career

Gruffudd started his acting career at the age of 13 in a Welsh television film called ''Austin'' (1986) and then later moved on to the Welsh language soap opera ''Pobol y Cwm'' (''People of the Valley'') from 1987 to 1994.He also played football with the ''Pobol y Cwm'' football team ''Cwmderi FC'' alongside co-stars ''Hywel Emrys'', ''Gwyn Elfyn'' and ''Ieuan Rhys''. During this time, he was also active on stage, in school performances, and in the 1991 Urdd Eisteddfod production of ''Cwlwm''. In 1992, at 18, he began attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. However, he was only given small parts in the Academy's productions, and feeling isolated and directionless, almost dropped out several times. However, in 1995 in his final year, he was cast in Ibsen's ''Hedda Gabler'' as George (Jörgen) Tesman, the husband of Hedda, the lead character. This performance led to him being offered the lead role in the 1996 TV remake of ''Poldark''.

After playing Oscar Wilde's lover John Gray in 1997's ''Wilde'' he took his first international role as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the blockbuster film ''Titanic''. He later landed his best-known role as Horatio Hornblower in ''Hornblower'', the Meridian production of the C. S. Forester novels (1998–2003), shown on ITV1 and A&E;. Gruffudd has said: "It was quite something for an unknown actor to get the lead. So I will always be grateful to Hornblower. ... I would love to play this character through every stage of his life. I think it would be unique to have an actor playing him from the very early days as a midshipman, through till he's an Admiral. So, I would love to play this character till he perishes."

Gruffudd's TV work includes playing the character Pip in the BBC TV production of Charles Dickens' ''Great Expectations'' (1999), Lt. John Feeley in BBC One's ''"Warriors"'' (1999) and architect Philip Bosinney in ITV's adaptation of ''The Forsyte Saga'' (2002). He has starred in the films ''102 Dalmatians'' (2000), ''Black Hawk Down'' (2001) and ''King Arthur'' (2004). In 2007, he starred in the historical drama ''Amazing Grace'' as William Wilberforce, the British slavery abolitionist, receiving critical acclaim for the role. Gruffudd has also portrayed characters of both Marvel Comics and DC Comics, having appeared as Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) in Marvel's ''Fantastic Four'' (2005) and ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'' (2007), and provided the voice of Mister Miracle in DC's ''Justice League Unlimited'' (2004–2006). In 2007, he appeared in Stories USA, and in 2008 also appeared in Agent Crush. He starred alongside Julia Roberts and Ryan Reynolds in Fireflies in the Garden. That year, he also starred in The Secret of Moonacre which was a critical and commercial failure. In 2009, he starred alongside Josh Brolin in ''W.'', a biopic about the life of George W Bush. Gruffudd played British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The film was a critical success, with Gruffud praised for his work. In 2011, he played the financier of a cave dive in ''Sanctum''.

Apart from television and film work, he also starred in the music video of Westlife's version of "Uptown Girl" (2001) alongside Claudia Schiffer, and on 7 July 2007 he was a presenter at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London.

Gruffudd is a native Welsh speaker. He was inducted into the Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain (the Bardic Order of Great Britain) at the highest rank of druid in the National Eisteddfod at Meifod, Mid Wales, on 4 August 2003, with the bardic name "Ioan". In July 2008 he featured in a promotional trailer in Welsh for BBC Wales alongside fellow Welshmen Matthew Rhys and Gethin Jones publicising the broadcaster's coverage of the 2008 National Eisteddfod of Wales in Cardiff.

Selected work

Film

Title	Year	Role	Notes
! scope="row"	1997
! scope="row"	1997	''[[Solomon & Gaenor">Harold Lowe
''[[Solomon & Gaenor''	1999	Solomon Levinsky
''102 Dalmatians''	2000	Kevin Shepherd
! scope="row"	2001	Freddy Bywaters
''Very Annie Mary''	2001	Hob
''Happy Now''	2001	Sgt. Max Bracchi
! scope="row"	2001	Lt. John Beales
! scope="row"	2002	Freddy Guns
''''	2002	Dan Blakeley
''This Girl's Life''	2003	Daniel
! scope="row"	2004	Lancelot
! scope="row"	2005
''''	2006	Richard McAllister
! scope="row"	2006	William Wilberforce
''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer''	2007	Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic
''Stories USA''	2007	Simon
''Agent Crush''	2008	Agent Crush	Voice role
''Fireflies in the Garden''	2008	Addison
''''	2008	Sir Benjamin
! scope="row"	2008	Tony Blair
''The Kid (2010 film)''	2010	teacher
''Horrible Bosses''	2011
! scope="row"	2011	Carl Hurley

Television

Title	Year	Role	Notes
''Austin''	1986	Dafydd
''Pobol y Cwm''	1987–94	Gareth Wyn Harries
! scope="row"	1996	Jeremy Poldark
''Hornblower: The Even Chance''	1998	Midshipman Horatio Hornblower
! scope="row"	1998
! scope="row"	1999	Lt. John Feeley
! scope="row"	1999	Acting Lt. Horatio Hornblower
''Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters''	1999	Lt. Horatio Hornblower
! scope="row"	1999	Pip
! scope="row"	2001	3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower
! scope="row"	2001	3rd Lt. Horatio Hornblower
''Man and Boy''	2002	Harry Silver
''''	2002	Phillip Bosinney
! scope="row"	2003
! scope="row"	2003	Commander Horatio Hornblower
! scope="row"	2004	Lukas Gold
''Ben 10: Alien Force''	2010	Devin Levin	Voice role
! scope="row"	2011	Andrew Martin

Some information in this table was obtained from . Retrieved on 15 May 2008.

Theatre

Title	Year	Location	Role
''Hedda Gabler''	1995		George (Jörgen) Tesman
''Trouble Sleeping''	1995		''Unknown''
''The Decameron''	1995	Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, London	''Unknown''
''The Play Wot I Wrote''	2001	Wyndham's Theatre, London	Mystery Guest

Some information in this table was obtained from

Personal life

Gruffudd currently lives with his wife, English actress Alice Evans, in Los Angeles, California. The couple met during the production of ''102 Dalmatians'', and married on 14 September 2007 in Mexico. One of Gruffudd's best men and speechmakers at the wedding was fellow Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, his long-time friend and former flatmate of eight years. On 20 April 2009, Gruffudd and his wife announced they were expecting their first child together. On 6 September 2009, the couple welcomed their first child, a girl, named Ella Betsi Janet Gruffudd. Janet was chosen as a middle name in honour of Evans's mother who died in 1999.

Gruffudd enjoys being in Los Angeles because "it's the easiest place in the world to drive, and it's a real pleasure to do that in my black Jag XK8. I've gone all out." He also admires the physicality and confidence of Americans, and enjoys being around them because he feels these qualities rub off on to him.

Notes

References

External links

Category:1973 births Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Category:Bards of the Gorsedd Category:Living people Category:People educated at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf Category:People from Aberdare Category:Welsh film actors Category:Welsh soap opera actors Category:Welsh-speaking people Category:Welsh television actors Category:Welsh voice actors

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