When Henry II of England nearly lost his life to the Welsh
Forces of Henry II of England Vs an alliance of Welsh princes led by Owain Gwynedd.
Henry II, who planned to conquer Wales and so expand the Angevin Empire, raised an army at Oswestry to march to the Berwyn mountains, via the Ceiriog Valley, in the summer of 1165
King Owain Gwynedd hearing of the invasion, raised an army at Corwen in response, comprising forces from all over Wales. Including his own forces of Gwynedd, led by himself and his brother Cadwaladr, the alliance of princes was made up of men from Deheubarth, under the leadership of Rhys ap Gruffudd, and troops from Powys
Henry's army had the advantage of greater numbers, so Owain's tactics were to raid and ambush.
When Henry's army advanced into the densely wooded Ceiriog Valley, the Welsh defenders assailed them repeatedly from their positions of cover.
Realising the vulnerability of his army, Henry II ordered 2000 woodsmen to clear trees and widen the passage, allowing his forces to move more freely and quickly through the pass.
The woodsmen were protected by the best of Henry's army and a powerful vanguard of pikemen, but their resistance was only effective for a short period.
While the woodsmen cut the trees – his forces were ambushed at the point of Offa's Dyke (which then straddled the valley floor) at the point where "The Great Oak of the Gate of the Dead" now stands. – a strong force of Owain's troops emerged and assaulted Henry's vanguard, inflicting severe losses.
This engagement was later known as the Battle of Crogen.
Henry came within a whisker of losing his life, if not for the brave action of Hugh de St Clare, the Constable of Oakwood Castle, who sacrificed his own life when he threw himself in front of a shaft meant for his King. The English forces disengaged and did indeed reach the Berwyn mountains but, hit hard by the Welsh armies, were forced to retreat from Wales altogether when Owain's forces succeeded in cutting off their supplies
His attempt at suppression of the Welsh and gaining control of Wales a failure, Henry II ordered Welsh hostages to be brought to him at Shrewsbury, and there oversaw the mutilation of twenty-two prisoners, two of whom were Owain's sons.Forced to abandon the conquest of Wales, Henry returned to his court at Anjou, while retaliation for the twenty-two tortured hostages was carried out on Normans throughout the Welsh lands.
Henry II, who planned to conquer Wales and so expand the Angevin Empire, raised an army at Oswestry to march to the Berwyn mountains, via the Ceiriog Valley, in the summer of 1165
King Owain Gwynedd hearing of the invasion, raised an army at Corwen in response, comprising forces from all over Wales. Including his own forces of Gwynedd, led by himself and his brother Cadwaladr, the alliance of princes was made up of men from Deheubarth, under the leadership of Rhys ap Gruffudd, and troops from Powys
Henry's army had the advantage of greater numbers, so Owain's tactics were to raid and ambush.
When Henry's army advanced into the densely wooded Ceiriog Valley, the Welsh defenders assailed them repeatedly from their positions of cover.
Realising the vulnerability of his army, Henry II ordered 2000 woodsmen to clear trees and widen the passage, allowing his forces to move more freely and quickly through the pass.
The woodsmen were protected by the best of Henry's army and a powerful vanguard of pikemen, but their resistance was only effective for a short period.
While the woodsmen cut the trees – his forces were ambushed at the point of Offa's Dyke (which then straddled the valley floor) at the point where "The Great Oak of the Gate of the Dead" now stands. – a strong force of Owain's troops emerged and assaulted Henry's vanguard, inflicting severe losses.
This engagement was later known as the Battle of Crogen.
Henry came within a whisker of losing his life, if not for the brave action of Hugh de St Clare, the Constable of Oakwood Castle, who sacrificed his own life when he threw himself in front of a shaft meant for his King. The English forces disengaged and did indeed reach the Berwyn mountains but, hit hard by the Welsh armies, were forced to retreat from Wales altogether when Owain's forces succeeded in cutting off their supplies
His attempt at suppression of the Welsh and gaining control of Wales a failure, Henry II ordered Welsh hostages to be brought to him at Shrewsbury, and there oversaw the mutilation of twenty-two prisoners, two of whom were Owain's sons.Forced to abandon the conquest of Wales, Henry returned to his court at Anjou, while retaliation for the twenty-two tortured hostages was carried out on Normans throughout the Welsh lands.
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