Timeline of Welsh victories over the Saxons/Normans/English
Welsh wins against
Saxons/Normans/English
You don't need to be a nationalist to be proud of the resistance little old
Wales put up against a neighbour many times its size.
From the end of Roman rule to longshanks conquest, the population of Wales was
roughly 100,000 to 300,000 and the population of what is now England was
roughly 1,000,000 to 3,000,000.
The Saxons didn't conquer Wales and it took the normans around 200 years.
In those times there were 100s of battles, raids, skirmishes and sieges, most
of which the welsh come out on top.
Any other country would be proud of the defense put up by the Welsh over 100s
of years but not Wales. In Wales, you must be a nationalist to be proud of this
record.
728
Battle of Carno Mountain in Gwent where the Welsh forced the Anglo-Saxons back
to the River Usk where many were drowned.
brut
'Seven hundred and thirty was the
year of Christ, when there was a battle on Carn mountain.'
735
First Battle of Hereford, after a long and bloody fight. the Welsh are
victorious
760
Battle of Hereford is recorded as
a Welsh victory against the Mercians led by Offa of Mercia.
***BRUT***
Seven hundred and sixty was the year of Christ, when a battle between the
Britons and Saxons took place, to wit, the action of Hereford. And Dyvnwal, son
of Tewdwr, died.
765
The Welsh invade Mercia and cause
devastation.
828
The lands of Powys are liberated
from Mercian occupation by Cyngen ap Cadell. The Pillar of Eliseg was probably
commissioned at this time.
870
The battle of Bryn Onnen,
In the time of Rhodri the Great, the Saxons of Mercia made many attempts to
invade Gwynedd. They were every time repelled, and in 870 A.D., the Chronicles
tell us that a great battle was fought near Llangollen in which the Mercians
suffered terrible loss.Cambridge County Histories: Merionethshire, 1913; p. 86.
There are two possible locations
for this battle near Llangollen:
The battle of Bryn Onnen took
place in 870; (Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.9); no
further information is available as to its location; however, there are two
farms, Rhyd Onnen Isaf and Rhyd Onnen Uchaf, on a steep-sided hill some 4km to
the west of Llangollen in the Ordnance Survey kilometre square SJ1742.
A farmhouse, Coed-y-gadfa,
meaning 'the battlefield wood' (nprn 404837), is shown on early editions of the
Ordnance Survey maps some 5km northwest of Langollen at SJ 1749 4484.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 29 August
2006.
880
"Eight hundred and eighty
was the year of Christ when the battle of the Conway took place for God to
avenge Rhodri." [Rhodri had been slain by the Saxons in 878]Source: Thomas
Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.9.
"A raid upon Eryri conducted
by Aethelred in 881 had been arrested by Anarawd at the mouth of the Conway,
and the victory of Cymryd - the day of divine vengeance for Rhodri - had been
won with great slaughter of the foe."
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of
Wales, vol I, 1912, p.328.
1039
Battle of Rhyd y Groes where Gruffudd ap Llywelyn – the recently crowned King
of Gwynedd – ambushes a Mercian army led by Leofric of Mercia in Brycheiniog,
destroying them. killing Edwin, brother of the Leofric, Earl of Mercia. He then
attacked Dyfed,
1052
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was active on the Welsh border in 1052, when he attacked Herefordshire
and defeated a mixed force of Normans and English in the Battle of Leominster
and sacks the town.
1056,
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn won
another victory over an English army near Glasbury. Now recognized as King of
Wales, he claimed sovereignty over the whole of the country – a claim which was
recognised by the English. Historian John Davies stated that Gruffydd was
"the only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire territory of Wales...
Thus, from about 1057 until his death in 1063, the whole of Wales recognised
the kingship of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn. For about seven brief years, Wales was
one, under one ruler, a feat with neither precedent nor successor
1065
Harold Godwinson, after defeating
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1063 had begun to build a hunting lodge in Portskewet.
Caradog ap Gruffydd prince of Gwent attacked and destroyed it, going on to
ravage the district with his forces.
After the murder of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, Harold Godwinson married his widow
Ealdgyth and divided Gruffydd's realm into the traditional kingdoms of Gwynedd
and Powys, the rule of which were given to Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and his brother
Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn. Gruffydd left two sons— Maredudd and Idwal–who in 1070
challenged Bleddyn and Rhiwallon at Mechain in an attempt to win back part of
their father's kingdom. However, both sons were defeated, Idwal (or Ithel)
being killed in combat and Maredudd dying of exposure after the battle.
Rhiwallon was also killed in this battle, leaving Bleddyn to rule Gwynedd and
Powys alone.
1067
Bleddyn and Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn, co rulers of Gwynedd, invade Herefordshire in
support of Eadric the Wild, an English rebel resisting the Norman Conquest of
England.
1075
Gruffudd AP CYNAN led his forces eastwards to reclaim territories taken over by
the Normans, and despite the assistance previously given by Robert of Rhuddlan
attacked and destroyed Rhuddlan Castle.
1094
Welsh revolt against Norman rule broke out,
1094
the Normans attacked Gelligaer. This resulted in a bloody
battle in which a number of
important Norman lords were killed
1094
"And then the French-led hosts into Gwynedd; and Cadwgan ap Bleddyn
met them and attacked and defeated them, and drove them to flight and slew
them, and overthrew and subdued them with great slaughter. And that battle was
fought in Coed-ysbwys."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.35.
"In the spring of 1094 Rufus left England for Normandy. At once the Welsh,
driven to despair by the rapidity with which their enemies were sweeping all
before them, resolved to rise in revolt. The movement began in Gwynedd, where
in a short space of time all the castles built by Earl Hugh to the west of the
Conway were carried by assault, the island of Anglesey was recovered, and a
Norman army which was dispatched to retrieve these losses was defeated at Coed
Yspwys by Cadwgan ap Bleddyn."
1094
The battle of Aber Llech is the culmination of a national uprising across
Wales that drives the Normans back into England with the exception of a few
castles. Deheubarth makes territorial gains at the expense of other southern
realms.
1096
"The men of Brycheiniog, led by Gruffydd and Ifor, sons of Idnerth ap
Cadwgan, fell upon another host which had issued from the same region
[Glamorgan] and totally routed it at Aber Llech, about three miles north-east
of Ystrad Gynlais."
" The men of Brycheiniog and Gwent and Gwynllwg threw off the French yoke,
but the French brought an army into Gwent, and they obtained nothing and
returned home empty-handed; and at Kellitravant they were put to flight. A
second time they came into Brycheiniog and built castles there, but on their
return they were put to flight at Aberllech by the sons of Idnerth ab Cadwgan
(Remfry, 211). "
1116
The Welsh of Deheubarth revolt against their Norman overlords.
Gruffydd ap Rhys unsuccessfully attacked the Norman castle (nprn 301795) south
of Aberystwyth in 1116.
Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.93-5.
As yet unconfirmed sources suggest that the battle took place around a bridge
across the river Ystwyth to the southeast of the castle
1121
Another invasion by the king of England was a military failure. The king had to
come to terms with Gruffudd AP CYNAN and made no further attempt to invade
Gwynedd during Gruffudd's reign.
1134
Welsh raids into Shropshire destroying Caus Castle.
1135
A battle took place about 1135 near "Crug Mawr, a conical hill" in
Llangoedmor parish. The Welsh under Gruffydd ab Rhys defeated an English force.
The description fits Banc-y-warren, a high knoll (nprn 24407), there being a
farm to the southeast named Crug-mawr (at national grid reference SN 206
472).Source: S.Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1842, p.2, and OS 495
card: SN24NW16.
In 1136, Gruffydd ap Rhys was confronted at Crug Mawr, two miles out of
Cardigan, by an army gathered out of all parts of Norman south Wales. The Welsh
defeated the Normans, pursuing them to the river Teifi and setting fire to the
town of Cardigan.
1136
An opportunity arose for the Welsh to recover lands lost to the Marcher lords
after Stephen de Blois had displaced his cousin Matilda of England from
succeeding her father to the English throne the previous year, sparking the
Anarchy in England. A Welsh army was raised by the lord of
Brycheiniog(Brecknockshire), Hywel ap Maredudd containing men from Brycheiniog
as well as men from Northern Gŵyr that despised the Norman rule in Southern
Gŵyr. The Normans sallied out expecting to meet a small collection of Welsh
raiding bands, however, the scale of the Welsh army took them by surprise. The
two armies met on the common of Carn Coch. In a violent melee, the Welsh army
emerged victorious, the Normans having lost around 500 men.
The victory of the Welsh army inspired more rebellions around Wales including a
battle near Kidwelly Castle fought by an army led by Gwenllian, Princess of
Deheubarth and the Battle of Crug Mawr
1136
Anarawd ap Gruffydd and his brother Cadell ap Gruffydd joined with the Prince
of Gwynedd, Owain Gwynedd and the latter's brother Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd in an
assault on Cardigan Castle which was in Norman hands. The assault was aided by
a fleet of Viking ships, but an agreement was reached and the siege lifted.
1136
The Welsh of Gwent, led by Iowerth ab Owain (grandson of Caradog ap Gruffydd,
Gwent's Welsh ruler displaced by the Norman invasions), ambushed and slew
Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, the Norman lord who controlled Ceredigion.
1137
An army from Gwynedd captures Carmarthen from the Normans.
1146
OWEN GWYNEDD captured Mold Castle
1146
Cadell ap Gruffydd captured the castles of Carmarthen (repairing and retaining
it for several years) and then destroyed the castle.
1146
The lord rhys fighting alongside his brothers Cadell and Maredudd capture
Llansteffan Castle
This was followed by the capture of
Wiston in 1147,
Carmarthen in 1150
and Loughor in 1151
1147
Cadell ap Gruffydd defeated Walter Fitzwiz.
1149
Madog ap Maredudd advances into Shropshire and annexes Oswestry to the kingdom
of Powys; it remains in his possession until 1157.
1150
OWEN GWYNEDD captured Rhuddlan
1150
OWEN GWYNEDD encroached on the borders of Powys. The prince of Powys, Madog ap
Maredudd, with assistance from Earl Ranulf of Chester, gave battle at
Coleshill, but Owain was victorious.
"In the year following the invasion of Iâl [i.e. in 1150], Owain Gwynedd
and Madog came to blows. Though there is no record of the achievement, Owain
seems about this time to have taken Rhuddlan Castle and made himself master of
Tegeingl; accordingly, he and Madog met at Coleshill, once a manor of the Earl
of Chester and miles away from the Welsh border, but now, as the star of Wales
rose to the zenith, to be the battleground of the two Welsh leaders. The prince
of Powys did not rely upon his own strength, but came into the field with the
support of troops lent him by Earl Ranulf, who had good reasons of his own for
wishing to check the progress of Owain. Nevertheless, it was Owain who won the day."
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol II, 1912, p.494.
1150: In that year Madog ap Maredudd, king of Powys, with the help of Ranulf,
earl of Chester, prepared to rise up against Owain Gwynedd. And after the
people of his supporters had been slain at Coleshill, the others turned their
backs in flight.
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.129.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 31 August 2006.
1153.
THE LORD Rhys leads an army to capture the Norman castle of St Clears. Maredudd
and Rhys also destroyed the castles at Tenby and Aberafan that year. Maredudd
died in 1155 at the age of twenty-five and left Rhys as ruler of Deheubarth.
1157
Henry II leads a massive invasion of the Perfeddwlad to drive Owain ap
Gruffudd, the king of Gwynedd, away from the border of Cheshire.
(Battle of Ewloe), Owain's men ambushed the royal army in a narrow,
wooded valley, routing it completely with King Henry himself narrowly avoiding
capture. The fleet accompanying the invasion made a landing on Anglesey where
it was defeated.
"a battle took place between [king Henry II's men] and the men of Anglesey
[under Owain Gwynedd]; and in that battle, the French fled, according to their
usual custom."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.135-7.
"[Henry's] ships had cast anchor in the harbour of Moelfre . . . on the
following day a battle was fought which vindicated the outraged honor of the
saints of Môn. The invaders were defeated."
"The spot marked on the Ordnance map as the supposed site of the battle of
Coleshill, though anyone, or all, of the adjoining fields in the township of
Coleshill Fechan would suit the required conditions. Henry II, advancing along
the shore from Saltney March as far as Coleshill, found himself opposed by Owain,
prince of Gwynedd. The sudden onset of the Welsh temporarily disorganised
Henry's army, but the King rallied his forces, repulsed the charge, and
advanced so as to cut off Owain's retreat, the latter taking shelter in a more
hilly or more defensible region. The exact site of the 'Koet Kennadlaoc' (for
which we should probably read 'Keun = Kefnhadlog') of Brut y Tywysogion is not
certainly known. It has been surmised to be either Ewloe Wood or Hawarden.
"Source: RCAHMW Flintshire Inventory, 1912, p.18, no.63; see also
J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol II, 1912, p.497-8; Thomas Jones, The
Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.135.
1159
Rhys ap Gruffudd (the lord rhys) of Deheubarth attacks Anglo-Norman
castles and settlements in south Wales, capturing Llandovery in 1162.
1163
All the Welsh princes united in an uprising,
1165
The Welsh revolt led to another invasion of Wales by King Henry in 1165. Henry
attacked Gwynedd first, but instead of following the usual invasion route along
the north coast he attacked from the south, following a route over the Berwyn
hills. He was met by the united forces of the Welsh princes, led by Owian
Gwynedd
1165
Battle of Crogen 'The Battle of Crogen took place in the Ceiriog Valley,
in 1165, between Henry II of England and an alliance of Welsh princes led by
Owain Gwynedd. Although outnumbered, the ambush tactics and valour of the Welsh
aided them in their defeat of King Henry's army'
"1165: In this year King Henry came to Oswestry, thinking to annihilate
all Welshmen. And against him came Owain and Cadwaladr, sons of Gruffudd ap
Cynan, and all the host of Gwynedd with them, and Rhys ap Gruffudd and with him
the host of Deheubarth, and Owain Cyfeiliog and the sons of Madog ap Maredudd
and the host of all Powys with them, and the two sons of Madog ab Idnerth and
their host. And both sides stayed in their tents until the king moved his host
into Dyffryn Ceiriog and there he was defeated at Crogen."
Source: The Chronicle of Ystrad Fflur.
Henry II led his army to the river Ceiriog, where a party of Welsh suddenly
attacked the van of Henry's army and in the action that ensued, since called
the battle of Crogen, many were killed on both sides.
Source: Entry for Denbighshire in Lewis S, 'A Topographical Dictionary of
Wales' (1849).
A commemorative plaque (nprn 412333) has been affixed to Castle Mill Bridge
(nprn 310228) and refers to the "Battle of Crogen" having been fought
"nearby in August 1165 . . . between Henry II, King of England (r.1154-89)
and Welsh forces under Owain Gwynedd (1137-70)" The plaque was unveiled on
04 March 2009 by Wrexham Borough Council Leader Aled Roberts.
1165
Rhys ap Gruffudd returned to Deheubarth where he captured and burned Cardigan
Castle. He allowed the garrison to depart, but held the castellan, Robert
Fitz-Stephen, as a prisoner. Shortly afterwards Rhys captured Cilgerran castl
1167
Owain Gwynedd RE captures Rhuddlan Castle and Basingwerk advancing as far east
as the River Dee.
1168
the lord rhys attacked the Normans at Builth, destroying its castle.
1176
Cadwallon ap Madog brought destruction to the English
Marches of Herefordshire and Shropshire.
1185
Welsh raiders sack Cardiff.
1189
Henry II died in and was succeeded by Richard I. The lord rhys considered that
he was no longer bound by the agreement with King Henry and attacked the Norman
lordships surrounding his territory. He ravaged Pembroke, Haverfordwest, and
Gower and captured the castles of St. Clear's, Laugharne, and Llansteffan. Richard's
brother, Prince John (later King John), came to Wales in September and tried to
make peace. He persuaded Rhys to raise the siege of Carmarthen and accompany
him to Oxford to meet Richard. Rhys arrived at Oxford to discover that Richard
was not prepared to travel there to meet him, and hostilities continued
1196
The lord Rhys launched his last campaign against the Normans, He captured
a number of castles, including Carmarthen, Colwyn, Radnor and Painscastle, and
defeated an army led by Roger de Mortimer and Hugh de Say near Radnor, with
forty knights among the dead. This, the Battle of Radnor, was Rhys' last
battle. William de Braose offered terms, and Painscastle was returned to him
"And thence [Rhys ap Gruffydd] immediately set out with his host to Radnor
and burned it. And after it had been burnt, that day in the valley close by,
Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Sai drew up their forces equipped with horses and
corselets and helmets and shields without warning against the Welsh. And when
the great-hearted Rhys saw this, like a fierce lion he armed himself with a
stout heart and a strong hand, and he attacked his enemies manfully and turned
them to flight and pursued them and treated them vilely, although manfully, so
that the Marchers greatly lamented the exceeding great slaughter of their
men."
Source: Thomas Jones, The
Chronicle of the Princes,
1199
Llywelyn the great, captured the important castle of Mold and was
apparently using the title "Prince of the whole of North Wales"
The Annales Cestriensis notes: The castle of Mold was besieged and
captured from Llewelyn on the day of the Epiphany of Our Lord [January 6,
1199](Christie, 45).
This event is also briefly mentioned in the Gwynedd chronicle, O Oes Gwrtheyrn:
O haf y Gwydyl hyd Castell Paen v
mlyned. Y gayaf rac wyneb y torres Llywelyn yr Wydgruc(Jones, 412).
From the summer of the Irish to Castell Paen, five years. The next winter
Llywelyn destroyed Yr Wyddgrug [Mold](Jones, 418)
A poem by Prydydd y Moch also notes the victory for Llywelyn ap Iorwerth:
Nyd fuc, o’r Wytgruc, wytgun---Gymry,
Oes goruod y hil Rhun:
Tyreu poeth, peithyawc pob un,
Tande fyryf, foes Alun(Jones, 188, line 45)
No delusion, since Mold, wolf-pack fortress,
Rhun’s descendant’s triumph:
Towers burnt, each one gutted,
Mighty flame, Alun’s folk in flight
1212
Llywelyn formed an alliance with Gwenwynwyn of Powys and the two main rulers of
Deheubarth, Maelgwn ap Rhys and Rhys Gryg, and rose against John. They had the
support of Pope Innocent III, who had been engaged in a dispute with John for
several years and had placed his kingdom under an interdict. Innocent released
Llywelyn, Gwenwynwyn and Maelgwn from all oaths of loyalty to John and lifted
the interdict in the territories which they controlled. Llywelyn was able to
recover all Gwynedd apart from the castles of Deganwy and Rhuddlan within two
months
1217,
Reginald de Braose of Brecon and Abergavenny, who had been allied to
Llywelyn and married his daughter, Gwladus Ddu, was induced by the English
crown to change sides. Llywelyn responded by invading his lands, first
threatening Brecon, where the burgesses offered hostages for the payment of 100
marks, then heading for Swanseawhere Reginald de Braose met him to offer
submission and to surrender the town. He then continued westwards to threaten
Haverfordwest where the burgesses offered hostages for their submission to his
rule or the payment of a fine of 1,000 marks
1220
Hostilities broke out with William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, in 1220.
Llywelyn destroyed the castles of Narberth and Wiston, burnt the town of Haverfordwest and threatened Pembroke Castle, but agreed to abandon the
attack on payment of £100
1223
Llywelyn crossed the border into Shropshire and captured Kinnerley and Whittington castles. The Marshalls took
advantage of Llywelyn's involvement here to land near St David's in April with an army
raised in Ireland and recaptured Cardigan and
Carmarthen without opposition
1223
Llewelyn ap Iorwerth took several
of the Earl of Pembroke's castles in south Wales in his absence; the earl on
his return in 1223 retaliated by taking the castles of Cardigan and Carmarthen.
Llywelyn sent his son Gruffydd, who marched towards Carmarthen, where the earl
was then posted. The latter crossed the river Tywi and gave battle; the
engagement was terminated only by nightfall, when both commanders withdrew
their forces, neither of them having obtained any advantage. The earl kept his
troops in Carmarthen and Gruffydd encamped for a few days at some distance on
the opposite side of the river, but his provisions beginning to fail, he
withdrew into north Wales and the earl retired into Cardiganshire.
"William Marshal, Earl of
Pembroke "made his way across the Tywi to Carmarthen bridge and Gruffudd
ap Llywelyn waited for him fearlessly. And after protracted fighting for the
greater part of the day, each of the two hosts fell back from the other to
encamp, after many had been slain on either side and others had been wounded.
And then because of hunger Gruffudd ap Llywelyn returned again to his
land."
Source: Thomas Jones, The
Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.225.
""After the victory of
Aberconwy, Llywelyn [ab Iorwerth] won fresh triumphs at the passage of the
Menai at Porthaethwy . . . and again at Coedaneu, in the heart of Anglesey, but
there is no clear indication of the foes whom he fought".
Footnote mentions battle of
'Coettaneu'.
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of
Wales, vol II, 1912, p.589.
The location of the battle is not
known.B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 20 June 2006."
1228
there was further fighting.
Llywelyn was becoming concerned about the growing power of Hubert de Burgh.
Some of his men had been taken prisoner by the garrison of Montgomery and
beheaded, and Llywelyn responded by burning Montgomery, Powys, New Radnor, Hay,
and Brecon before turning west to capture the castles of Neath and Kidwelly. He
completed the campaign by recapturing Cardigan castle.[46] King Henry
retaliated by launching an invasion and built a new castle at Painscastle, but
was unable to penetrate far into Wales
1233
That year there was strife
between king Henry and Richard Marshal, earl of Pembroke. And then the earl
made a pact with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and with the princes of Wales. And
forthwith he and Owain ap Gruffudd gathered a mighty host; and they attacked
Monmouth and burned it and made a slaughter of the king's men who were there
defending."
Source: Thomas Jones, The
Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.231.
Earl Richard of Pembroke,
supported by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, defeated John of Monmouth in a pitched
battle near Monmouth on 26 December 1233.
1244
Dafydd ap Llywelyn declares
war, several Welsh raids are mounted on the Wales-England border.
1245
Dafydd's war intensifies.
Gwynedd and her allies in Deheubarth and Powys Fadog make few gains in
mid-Wales; however, Mold is recaptured by the Welsh (28 Mar). In August the
English attack Gwynedd from Chester; defeated by Dafydd in battle, the invasion
force advances as far as Deganwy, where Henry is halted after heavy fighting.
In the autumn a truce is agreed, and the English army withdraws to England.
Dafydd's death in 1246 precipitates a new attack on Gwynedd from the south by
Marcher lord Nicholas de Molis which compels Deheubarth and then Gwynedd to
surrender. Under the terms of the Treaty of Woodstock, Gwynedd withdraws from
Perfeddwlad.
1256
Coed Llathan and the related
battle of Cymerau took place on 2 June 1257 and marked a significant phase in
the extension of the reach and power of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (d. 1282) as
Prince of Wales. Here, an English-led force of knights and predominately Welsh
infantry drawn from the Marcher lordships of south and east Wales were defeated
by forces led by members of the royal line of Deheubarth.
1257
According to several nearly
contemporary Welsh chroniclers a severe defeat of an English force under
Stephen Bauzan took place on the 2nd June 1257. The encounter is no doubt
historical, and the English losses appear to have been so heavy as to make a
considerable impression upon the victors. The site of the battle is
marked by place-names like 'Cae trange,' 'Cae dial,' 'Cae yr ochain' and
others, but these are probably the aftermath of a struggle that may have stuck
long in popular memory.
"In June 1257, a large force
of English soldiers, led by Stephen Bauzan, were returning from Llandeilo to
Carmarthen. They were intercepted by Welsh forces under Meredydd ap Owain and
Meredydd ap Rhys Gryg at Coed Llathen (nprn 403587) where the English lost
their provisions, packhorses, arms and other supplies. Later the same day, at
Cymerau (probably at the confluence of the Towy and the Cothi), the Welsh
attacked and defeated the English, slaughtering between two and three thousand
men."
**via wiki **
The first day[edit]
On Friday night, the English army
encamped in the vicinity of Llandeilo Fawr. Maredudd ap Rhys and Maredudd ap
Owain had armies hidden in the woods which had followed the English army. The
Welsh army harassed the encamped English constantly with a combination of arrows,
spears and intimidating sounds. The English suffered some casualties, and since
morale was low, Stephen Bauzan quickly sent Rhys Fychan (who had guided the
army) to negotiate with Dinefwr castle's garrison. However, Rhys is said to
have either been seized by the garrison or to have betrayed the English. Either
way, the English army had now lost its guide.[4]
The second day[edit]
The Battle of Coed Llathen[edit]
Lacking a guide, the English army
decided to march back to Carmarthen. The Welsh armies in the woods hit the
English with devastating guerrilla attacks (using mostly bows or javelins) from
the first hour of Saturday right up until midday. There was an engagement
between the two forces at midday which saw the Welsh troops outflank the
English and successfully capture the English supply train at Coed Llathen.
Although there seem to have been few casualties, the engagement at Coed Llathen
swung the balance in favour of the Welsh since the English had lost most of
their provisions.[5]
The Battle of Cymerau[edit]
Following their defeat at Coed
Llathen, the English army retreated westward towards Cymerau. The land at
Cymerau was ideal for the Welsh since it contained ravines and heavily wooded
areas which would allow the Welsh to ambush the English with ease. The land was
also wet and marshy meaning that the English knights would have trouble riding
over it.
The Welsh ambushed the English
with their full army and a bloody battle ensued. Many English were said to have
been torn from their mounts and trampled to death by the Welsh army. Stephen
Bauzan was killed along with around 1,000–3,000 of his men (the amount killed
varies with the source). The remaining Englishmen fled the battle.[6]
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of
Gwynedd is said to have been present at the battle, collecting spoils from the
fallen English army
1262
"On 29th November [1262] the
men of Maelienydd took Roger Mortimer's new castle at Cefnllys by stratagem and
proceeded to dismantle it; when Roger and young Humphrey de Bohun came with an
army to repair the broken walls, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd swooped upon them with a
still larger force, closely beset them in the ruined fortress, and then induced
them to accept the offer of a free passage through his lines across the border."
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of
Wales, vol II, 1912, p.730.
"1262: That year, about the
feast of Andrew, certain men, by counsel of the men of Maelienydd, came to the
new castle [Cefnllys] which Roger Mortimer had in Maelienydd. And after they
had come inside by treachery they slew the gate-keepers and seized Hywel ap
Meurig, who was constable there, and his wife and his sons and his daughters.
And they made that known to the seneschal and the constable of the Lord
Llywelyn. And those hastened thither to burn the castle. And when the said
Roger heard that, he came, and a mighty force along with him to help him, to
the site of the said castle. And he encamped within the walls for a few days.
And when Llywelyn learned that, he gathered a host and came to Maelienydd and
he received the homage of the men of Maelienydd. And after two other castles
had been won he gave Roger Mortimer leave to return."
Source: Thomas Jones, The
Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.253.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 09 November
2006.
1263
"The following year John
Lestrange the Younger, who was then bailiff in Baldwin's Castle, and a mighty
host with him, made a night raid across Ceri to Cydewain. And after he had
gathered vast spoil he came back down again. And when the Welsh heard that,
they pursued them and on that day they slew of the English more than two
hundred, between those on the fields and those in the barn of Aber-miwl. And
forthwith after that, John Lestrange burned the barn because of that
slaughter."
1263
Lywelyn ap Iorwerth laid an
ambush for the men of King Henry III, who were stationed at Montgomery Castle,
with the help of a monk from Abbey Cwm Hîr, who was instructed by Llewelyn to
deceive the garrison with false intelligence. When the king's men rode out and
became trapped in boggy ground, Llywelyn's men attacked and a violent battle
ensued, the Welsh eventually gaining victory. One suggested site for the battle
is at Abermule, another being at Hay (see nprn 404362).
Sources: S.W.Williams, The
Cistercian Abbey of Cwmhir, in Montgomeryshire Collections, 24, 1890, pp.406,
408; S.Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1849, pp.223-38; J.E.Lloyd,
A History of Wales, vol II, 1912, p.676.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 09 November
2006.
1263
the slaughter of Robert of Rhuddlan
at Degannwy and a seven years blockade and siege ending in the castle's
destruction in 1263.
1265,
Llywelyn captured Hawarden Castle
and routed the combined armies of Hamo Lestrange and Maurice fitz Gerald in
north Wales. Llywelyn then moved on to Brycheiniog
1266
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd routed Roger
Mortimer's army. With these victories and the backing of the papal legate,
Ottobuono, Llywelyn opened negotiations with the king, and was eventually
recognised as Prince of Wales by King Henry in the Treaty of Montgomery in
1267.
1267
An English army led by Stephen
Bauzan invaded to try to restore Rhys Fychan but was decisively defeated by
Welsh forces at the Battle of Cadfan
1282,
Dafydd ap Gruffudd attacked the
English at Hawarden Castle and then laid siege to Rhuddlan.
1282
The revolt quickly spread
to other parts of Wales, with Aberystwyth castle captured and burnt and
rebellion in Ystrad Tywi in south Wales, also inspired by Dafydd according to
the annals, where Carreg Cennen castle was captured.
1282
The English invade Wales under
Edward I. 16 June – Battle of Llandeilo; an English army in the south is
routed, but Edward's forces continue to make slow progress for the rest of the
summer.
1282 Battle of Moel-y-don;
an English army is routed on the banks of the Menia Straits.
" The Bridge of Boats was a
pontoon bridge from Anglesey, where King Edward I had established a base, and
was intended to secure a bridgehead on the mainland for Edward’s final phase of
invasion and conquest of Gwynedd. Edward’s forces led by Luke de Tany found
themselves stranded due to the turning tide on the shore of the mainland where
they were either drowned in their attempts to escape or slaughtered by Welsh
forces as noted in the Peniarth MS.20 version of the Brut y Tywysogyon: Ac a
vanassant goresgin arvon ac ena y gwanaeth pwyd y bont ar venei ac y torres y
bont o tra llwith ac y bodes aneirif or season ac ereill a las(Jones,
228)
And they desired to gain
possession of Arfon. And then was made a bridge over the Menai; but the bridge
broke under an excessive load, and countless numbers of the English were
drowned and others were slain(Jones, 120)
This marked the most significant
reversal suffered by the English in Edward I’s final war of conquest against
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1282.
The misleading traditional name
for this encounter has been the ‘Battle of Moel y Don’, SH 5183 6777 a point on
the Anglesey shore where the straits narrow to a point that was used as a ferry
crossing throughout the Middle Ages. Recent re-examination suggests that the
bridge was constructed further north and nearer to Edward’s centre of
operations at Llanfaes on Anglesey. Two suggestions have been made, a site
close to Llanfaes extending to the mainland near Abergwyngregyn near the
sandbank of Traeth Lafan (SH 634 750) or close to Bangor (SH 582 735) where a
fortified bridgehead was subsequently established at the second attempt.
RCAHMW (Battlefields Inventory),
Jan 2017"
"And it was on the Menai
Straits, probably near Bangor, that the disaster befell the English in 1282, as
they were crossing a newly-made bridge of boats, which almost turned the scale
in Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's favour."
Source: Cambridge County
Histories: Carnarvonshire, 1911; p. 93.
"On November 6th [1282] . .
.attempting to cross the bridge of boats which had been thrown across the Menai
Straits near Bangor, some sixteen knights, with their followers, were set upon
by the Welsh and overwhelmed."
1287
Rhys ap Maredudd of Dryslwyn, a
prince of Deheubarth incensed at his treatment by Edward I, leads attacks on
English holdings in the south taking back the Deheubarth royal centre at
Dinefwr and capturing the Ystrad Tywi. By 1288 he has lost all his holdings but
remains a guerilla leader until his capture and execution in 1292.
1294
a Welsh uprising led by Madog ap
Llywelyn, a junior member of the House of Aberffraw starts a national revolt
Caernarfon was overrun by Madog's forces and the castle occupied, as were the
castles at Castell y Bere(subsequently burnt), Hawarden, Ruthin, and Denbigh.
Criccieth Castle was besieged by Madog's forces for several months, as was
Harlech. Morlais castle was captured under the aegis of Morgan in the south,
and Cynan ap Mareduddbesieged the castle at Builth for a period of six weeks.
Half the town of Caerphilly was burnt—although the castle itself held out—and,
further south, Kenfig castle was sacked.
In north Wales, attempts were
made by many English landowners to retrieve the situation. The lord of Denbigh,
Henry de Lacy led a march to Denbigh after the castle there was besieged;
however, he was ambushed outside the town on 11 November, and in the ensuing
battle his force was routed by the rebels.[6] In north-east Wales, Reginald de
Grey was more successful, stationing substantial garrisons at Flint and
Rhuddlan—neither castle fell to the rebels, though Flint was subjected to a
lengthy siege. Many other castles across Wales were besieged and several towns
burnt.
1316
uprising in Gwent and Morgannwg
led by Llywelyn Bren the lord of Senghennydd and a descendant of the kings of
Morgannwg.
llywelyn began the revolt
by a surprise attack on Caerphilly Castle. He captured the Constable outside
the castle and he and his men captured the outer ward but could not break into
the inner defences. They burned the town and slaughtered some of its
inhabitants and started a siege. The revolt quickly spread through Glamorgan
and Gwent; Kenfig castle was sacked, as was the castle at Llantrisant, and several
others were attacked, including St Georges-super-Ely, Llangibby and Dinefwr
Castle. Towns including Cardiff were raided and buildings burned. Edward
ordered Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Lord of neighbouring Brecon
to crush the revolt and he gathered overwhelming forces supported by the men of
the chief Marcher Lords like Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster and Roger Mortimer,
1st Earl of March. Troops came from Cheshire, north Wales, and also some Welsh
soldiers from west Wales. In March, forces advanced from Cardiff and in a brief
battle at Castell Morgraig forced Llywelyn and his men to break off the siege
of Caerffili after 6 weeks. The Welsh retreated higher up the north Glamorgan
plateau where Hereford and his men were moving south from Brecon.
1345
an uprising in Gwynedd
known as the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre when Henry de Shaldeforde, the king
of England's attorney and his men were ambushed and slaughtered by Welsh
rebels. Anti-English rioting had begun earlier in 1344 centred at Rhuddlan.
1400
The Glyndŵr Rising erupts in
Powys Fadog led by Owain Glyndŵr, a nobleman of the house of Powys. Owain
proclaims himself prince of Wales (16 Sep) and raids towns in north-east
Wales, Ruthin Castle was attacked and almost destroyed. Denbigh,
Rhuddlan, Flint, Hawarden, and Holt followed quickly afterward. On 22 September
the town of Oswestry was badly damaged by Owain's raid. By the 23 September
Owain was moving south attacking Powis Castle and sacking Welshpoo
1400
The Tudur brothers from Anglesey
launched a guerrilla war against the English. The Tudors of Penmynydd were a
prominent Anglesey family who were closely associated with King Richard II.
Gwilym ap Tudur and Rhys ap Tudur were both military leaders of a contingent of
soldiers raised in 1396 to protect North Wales against any invasion by the
French. They joined the king in his military expedition to Ireland in 1398.
When Glyndŵr announced his revolt, Rhys, Gwilym and their third brother,
Maredudd ap Tudur, openly swore allegiance; they were Glyndŵr's cousin on their
mother's side.[8]
1401,
the revolt began to spread.
Much of northern and central Wales went over to Owain. Multiple attacks were
recorded on English towns, castles, and manors throughout the north. Even in
the south in Brecon and Gwent reports began to come in of banditry and
lawlessness.
1401
the Tudurs knew that they needed
a bargaining chip if they were to lift the dire threat hanging over them. They
decided to capture Edward I’s great castle at Conwy. Although the Conwy Castle
garrison amounted to just fifteen men-at-arms and sixty archers, it was well
stocked and easily reinforced from the sea; and in any case, the Tudurs only
had forty men. On Good Friday, 1 April, all but five of the garrison were in
the little church in the town when a carpenter appeared at the castle gate,
who, according to Adam of Usk’s Chronicon, "feigned to come for his
accustomed work". Once inside, the Welsh carpenter attacked the two guards
and threw open the gate to allow entry to the rebels
1401
Owain scored his first
major victory in the field in May or June, at Mynydd Hyddgen near Pumlumon.
Owain and his army of a few hundred were camped at the bottom of the Hyddgen
Valley when about fifteen hundred English and Flemish settlers from
Pembrokeshire ('little England beyond Wales'), charged down on them. Owain
rallied his army and fought back, killing 200
1402
Owain captured his arch
enemy, Reynald or Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn in an ambush in late
January or early February at Ruthin.[16] He was to hold him for a year until he
received a substantial ransom from King Henry
1402
Owain's forces encountered
an army led by Sir Edmund Mortimer, the uncle of the Earl of March, at Bryn
Glas in central Wales. Mortimer's army was badly defeated and Mortimer was
captured. It is reported that the Welsh women following Owain’s army, killed
the wounded English soldiers and mutilated the bodies of the dead, supposedly
in revenge for plundering and rape by the English soldiery the previous yearThe
English are driven from Wales.
1402
Adam of Usk notes that Glyndwr,
and a large army, during a series of attacks on South Wales in August
1402,
"Owen; backed by a force of
thirty thousand men who would issue forth from their caves, he seized castles
everywhere throughout Wales and the march- including Usk, Caerleon, and
Newport- and burned the towns"
1403
Owain's supporters launched a
further attack on Caernarfon Castle (this time with French support) and almost
captured it.
1403
marks the year when the
revolt became truly national in Wales. Owain struck out to the west and the
south. Recreating Llywelyn the Great's campaign in the west, Owain marched down
the Tywi Valley. Village after village rose to join him. English manors and
castles fell or their inhabitants surrendered. ,
1403
Carmarthen, one of the main
English power-bases in the west, fell and was occupied by Owain. Owain then
turned around and attacked Glamorgan and Gwent. Abergavenny Castle was attacked
and the walled town burned.
1403
Owain pushed on down the valley
of the River Usk to the coast, burning Usk and taking Cardiff Castle and
Newport Castle.
1403
Royal officials reported that
Welsh students at Oxford University were leaving their studies for Owain and
Welsh labourers and craftsmen were abandoning their employers in England and
returning to Wales in droves
1404
By the end of the year the French
ships were raiding the coast of England, with Welsh troops on board, setting
fire to Dartmouth and devastating the coasts of Devon.
1404,
Owain captured and garrisoned the
great western castles of Harlech and Aberystwyth.
1404
Anxious to demonstrate his
seriousness as a ruler, he held court at Harlech and appointed the deft and
brilliant Gruffydd Young as his chancellor.
1405
Franco-Welsh force under Owain
Glyndwr attacked Haverfordwest, which resulted in the capture of the town but
not the castle.
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