(New and updated timeline) 450 years of conflict WELSH Vs SAXON (wip)
Before the 200 years of constant Norman/Welsh wars, the Welsh were either fighting each other or the Saxons .
There are hundreds of encounters between the Welsh and the Saxons but not all have been documented for one reason or another.
Here are the Encounters I could find that have been recorded.
616
The Battle of Chester where the Anglo Saxons beat native Britons near the city of Chester,. Æthelfrith of Northumbria annihilated a combined force from the Welsh kingdoms of Powys, Rhôs, and Mercia. It resulted in the deaths of Welsh leaders Selyf Sarffgadau of Powys and Cadwal Crysban of Rhôs. Evidence suggests that King Iago of Gwynedd may have also been killed.
According to Bede, a large number of monks from the monastery at Bangor on Dee who had come to witness the fight were killed on the orders of Æthelfrith before the battle. He told his warriors to massacre the clerics because although they bore no arms, they were praying for a Northumbria defeat.
620
The Northumbrians invade Gwynedd and drive Cadwallon ap Cadfan into exile.
629
Cadwallon was besieged at Glannauc (now Puffin Island, a small island off eastern Anglesey
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St Tewdric's Church |
The battle ended the Northumbrian domination of Gwynedd, and preceded a Welsh campaign into Northumbria, which led to Edwin's death at the Battle of Hatfield Chase."
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| Long Mountain today |
633
The Battle of Hatfield Chase on 12 October 633 ended in the defeat and death of Edwin and his son Osfrith. After this, the Kingdom of Northumbria fell into disarray, divided between its sub-kingdoms of Deira and Bernicia, but the war continued: according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, "Cadwallon and Penda went and did for the whole land of Northumbria". Bede says that Cadwallon was besieged by the new king of Deira, Osric, "in a strong town"; Cadwallon, however, "sallied out on a sudden with all his forces, by surprise, and destroyed him [Osric] and all his army.
After this, according to Bede, Cadwallon ruled over the "provinces of the Northumbrians" for a year, "not like a victorious king, but like a rapacious and bloody tyrant. Furthermore, Bede tells us that Cadwallon, "though he bore the name and professed himself a Christian, was so barbarous in his disposition and behaviour, that he neither spared the female sex, nor the innocent age of children, but with savage cruelty put them to tormenting deaths, ravaging all their country for a long time, and resolving to cut off all the race of the English within the borders of Britain.
The new king of Bernicia, Eanfrith, was also killed by Cadwallon when the former went to him in an attempt to negotiate peace.
633
Battle of Heavenfield
Cadwallon was defeated by an army under Eanfrith's brother, Oswald
'An alliance between Cadwallon of Gwynedd and King Penda of Mercia had led to an invasion of Northumbria. This was an odd alliance between a Christian king of Brythonic descent and a pagan king of Anglian descent. At the Battle of Hatfield Chase on 12 October 633, the invading Welsh and Mercians had killed Northumbrian king Edwin and Northumbria was split between its two sub-kingdoms, Bernicia and Deira. Cadwallon's army laid waste to Northumbria.
Eanfrith, who had been exiled under Edwin, became king of Bernicia, whilst Deira was ruled by Osric, a cousin of Edwin. Eanfrith's reign was short, as he was killed by Cadwallon whilst trying to negotiate peace. According to Bede, Osric was killed by Cadwallon whilst trying to besiege him. Eanfrith's brother, Oswald, then returned from seventeen years exile in Dál Riata to claim the crown of Northumbria. However the threat of Cadwallon lingered and Oswald had to raise an army as soon as possible to deal with his invading force.'
"though he had most numerous forces, which he boasted nothing could withstand". Cadwallon was killed at a place called "Denis's-brook"
Heavenfield: cross and battlefield
642
Battle of Maes Cogwy near Oswestry where the Welsh alongside their Mercian allies were defeated by the Northumbrians.
655
Battle of the Winwaed in which King Oswiu of Bernicia defeated and killed King Penda of Mercia. King Cadafael ap Cynfeddw of Gwynedd was allied with Penda but stayed out of the battle.
658
Battle of Peonnum in Somerset where an allied force of the West Welsh and Cadwaladr of Gwynedd are defeated. The West Saxons move to conquer western Somerset.
658
A Northumbrian raiding party led by Oswiu of Northumbria overran Cynddylan's palace at Llys Pengwern in a surprise attack. Caught completely off guard and without defence, the royal family, including the king, were slaughtered. . Princess Heledd was the only survivor and fled to western Powys. After this the region associated with Pengwern seems to have been shared between Mercia and Powys; part of it remained in Welsh hands until the reign of Offa of Mercia and the construction of his dyke. Part of it consisted of the Anglian sub-kingdom of the Magonsæte.
682
[ASC 16] This year also, Centwine chased the Britons into the sea.
720
In or about 722, the Welsh won a victory against the Mercians in south Wales, at a Pencon or Pencoed, a place not yet identified. Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, 1954, vol.1, p.197.
brut
'And then, a year after that, Beli, son of Elfin, died. And the battle of Heilin, with Rhodri Molwynog, took place in Cornwall; and the action of Garthmaelog, and the fight of Pencoed in South Wales. And in those three battles the Britons were victorious.'
722
"In or about 722 the Welsh won two victories in South Wales . . . one at Garth Maelog, which was probably the place of that name near Llanbister in Radnorshire." and the battle of Garthmaelog . and in those battles the Welsh prevailed."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.5.
"Battle Field, Banc y Sidi. A field on Lower Cae Faelog, just west of the farm-house. The tradition handed down to the present owner is to the effect that it owes its name to a heavy battle fought here. No object is known to have been recovered from it.
Visited, 15 June, 1911."
Source: RCAHMW Radnorshire Inventory, 1913, no.269; latitude and longitude co-ordinates given in the Inventory account provide a National Grid Reference (SO 1058 7411) which places the site several fields away and 340m northwest of the farmhouse.
The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust records suggest two battles in this area, one in 722 (no.1106) and one in 772 (no.1984), but these may both refer to the battle above.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 06 November 2006.
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
743
An allied army of Mercians and West Saxons fight the Welsh.
753
This year Cuthred, king of the West-Saxons, fought
against the Welsh.
760
The second 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.
769
Mercians invade Wales.
776
And then, the next year to that, the destruction of the South Wales men by king Offa took place.
seven hundred and eighty was the year of Christ, when king Offa spoiled the Britons in summer time.
780
The construction of Offa's Dyke begins. It appears this frontier ditch delineated an agreed frontier between Powys and Mercia.
784
seven hundred and eighty was the year of Christ, when king Offa spoiled the Britons in summertime.
784
it is presumed that Exeter was captured by Cynewulf of Wessex following a siege. The Welsh invade Mercia again causing havoc.
796
In 796, the year of the death of Offa, a battle was fought at Rhuddlan, between the Mercians and the Welsh in which it may be conjectured the English sought to defend their new frontier in Tegeingl.Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol I, 1912, p.201.
796: "And king Offa and Maredydd, king of Dyfed, died. And there was a battle at Rhuddlan."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes,
798
the Mercians led by Coenwulf of Mercia invade Wales but withdraw after killing Caradog ap Meirion.
815
And then, three years after that, there was a great thunderstorm, which caused many conflagrations; and Tryffin, son of Rein, died; and Griffri, son of Cyngen, son of Cadell, was slain, through the treachery of his brother Elisse; and Howel subdued the isle of Mona; and expelled his brother Cynan from Mona, killing many of his army.
816
Mercians invade Powys. .. Saxons invaded the mountains of Eryri and the kingdom of Rhufoniog
818
And, a year after that, a fight took place in Mona, called the action of Llanvaes.
818
Cenwulf devastated the Dyfed region
820
In 820 the castle of Degannwy was destroyed by the Saxons, who then took over rulership of Powys.
Source: The Chronicle of the Princes,
"the citadel of Deganwy was destroyed by the [Anglo-]Saxons and they took the region of Powys into their power."
Annales Cambriae
822
Coelwulf of Mercia invaded north Wales and captures Deganwy from Gwynedd and occupies the whole of Powys.
828
The lands of Powys are liberated from Mercian occupation by Cyngen ap Cadell. The Pillar of Eliseg was probably commissioned at this time.
830
Egbert of Wessex invades Powys and forces Cyngen ap Cadell to submit. Egbert then withdraws his forces.
849
Eight hundred and fifty was the year of Christ, when Meurug was killed by the Saxons.
850
Welsh Annals record that one Cyngen died on the swords of "the Heathen," meaning Viking raiders.
The southern Welsh districts of Gwent, Glamorgan and Dyfedd also suffered Norse attacks.
853
Burgred of Mercia overruns Powys. Cyngan ap Cadell abdicates and retires to Rome and his kingdom is annexed by Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd.
865
Burgred of Mercia leads his forces against Rhodri Mawr and captures Anglesey, briefly, from Gwynedd. Burgred is later forced to withdraw as his realm is invaded by the Vikings.
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.
871
The Irish Annals record that Óláfr Cuaran and Ívarr Beinlausi returned to Dublin after their raids against the Strathclyde Welsh, Albans, and Saxons with two hundred ships and English, Welsh, and Pictish captives to be sold into slavery.
872
Rhodri the great won two battles this year, the first at a place given variously as Bangolau, Bann Guolou,or Bannoleu, where he defeated the Vikings on Anglesey "in a hard battle" and the second at Manegiu or Enegydwhere the Vikings "were destroyed".
873
Battle of Rhiw-saeson Fought A.D. 873" within the enclosure of Caerau hillfort
''The action of Rhiw Saeson, in Glamorgan, took place, in which the Welsh conquered the Saxons, and slaughtered them dreadfully
(Owen, 15).''
876
The Norse attack in the famous Sunday Battle of Anglesea (Gweith Duw Sul)
Rhodri Mawr . . . is still found fighting the 'black gentiles' at the close of his life; the 'gwaith dyw Sul' or 'Sunday's fight' fought in Anglesey in 877 must have been an encounter with a heathen foe, and its issue is shown by the statement in the Irish Chronicles that Rhodri, king of the Welsh, in this year sought safety in Ireland from the attacks of the 'black gentiles'."
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol I, 1912, p. 326.
877: And the Sunday Battle took place in Anglesey.
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.9
The location of the battle is not known; other, unverified, sources suggest a date of 876.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 20 June 2006.
876
The Western Host, the naval force supporting the Danish attack upon King Alfred of Mercia and led by Ivarr Beinlausi and Hubba, the sons of Ragnarr Loðbrokk, is off the Welsh coastline, indulging in the occasional raiding of the Welsh as well as maintaining the campaign against Alfred. The fleet wintered in South Wales.
877
Rhodri Mawr and his son Gwriad were killed by Mercian forces.
878
Norse mercenaries in the employ of Hywel ab Ieuaf ab Idwal the Bald destroy the Church of Clynnog Fawr and attack the Lleyn territory in Gwynedd. Hywel had hired the Norsemen to assist in his fight for the throne of Gwynedd.
879
The gentiles or Norsemen captured Iago ab Idwal the Bald, leaving the way clear for Hywel to become king of Gwynedd.
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.
890
Y Normanyeit Duon or black Northmen attack Castell Baldwin in Powys.
890
at least some of the "men of Strathclyde" are forced to relocate to Gwynedd after their kingdom, much weakened by the Vikings, is overrun by Angles and Scots'
893:
A combined force containing men from Mercia, Wessex, and Wales besieged the Vikings at Buttington for several weeks, starving them out until finally the Vikings had to emerge and they were defeated there by the English and the Welsh: the surviving Vikings fled back to Essex
893
The Danes, led by a man named Haesten, marched up beside the Thames, crossed over and ravaged the Severn Valley. Welshmen from Gwent and Glynwysing, as well as some of Anarawd's men from Gwynedd, cooperated with Alfred the Great to battle and defeat the raiders at Buttingtune on the Severn shore.
894
Northmen came and they ravaged Lloegyr, Brycheiniog, Gwent, and Gwynllywiog
(Dumville, 14).
902
Irish capture the fortress of Dublin in Ireland, driving the Dublin Vikings across the sea to North Wales. They were opposed by Welsh forces under the command of either Hywel ap Cadell ap Rhodri Mawr or his younger brother Clydog, driving the Norsemen into the vicinty of Chester.
903
A party of Danes referred to as Dub Gint or black pagans under the command of Ingimundr attacked the Welsh in pitched battle at Ros Meilon or Osmeliavn, perhaps near Holyhead.
904
AD The Danes kill Mervyn ap Rhodri Mawr in a retaliatory raid.
905 to 910
AD Eiríkr bloðøx, son of King Haraldr hárfagri of Norway, raids Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany.
915
A large Viking fleet based on the Continent under the command of Óttarr and Hróaldr ravaged Gwent as far inland as Archenfield, capturing a bishop named Cyfeiliog ("Cameleac" in the chronicle), who was later ransomed by the Saxon king Edward the Elder for a sum of forty pounds.
918
A renewed Norse force re-takes Dublin, establishing Sihtric as king. In 918 Dublin Norse raiders attack Anglesey.
922
"And the battle of Dinasnewydd took place."Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.13.
937
Welsh forces join with Scandinavian and Scottish troops to fight against the English in the Battle of Brunanburh.
940
Idwal Foel of Gwynedd invaded England and was driven back and later deprived of his lands.
942
Hywel Dda's cousin Idwal Foel, King of Gwynedd, determined to cast off English overlordship took up arms against the new English king, Edmund. Idwal and his brother Elisedd were both killed in battle against Edwin's forces. By normal custom, Idwal's crown should have passed to his sons, but Hywel intervened. He sent Iago and Ieuaf into exile and established himself as ruler over Gwynedd, which also likely placed him in control of the Kingdom of Powys, which was under the authority of Gwynedd. As such Hywel dda became king of nearly all of Wales except for Morgannwg and Gwent in the south.
945
following an English invasion of the Kingdom of the Cumbrians, ruled by Dyfnwal ab Owain, the English king is recorded to have granted or given it or a portion of it to the Scottish king. How much authority the Scots had over the Cumbrians is uncertain.
949
"King Hywel the Good died . . . then the battle of Carno took place between the sons of Hywel and the sons of Idwal."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.13.
949 or 950: The men of Gwynedd marched to meet the sons of the dead king [Hywel Dda] under the leadership of their own princes, Iago or Jacob and Idwal or Ieuaf, the sons of Idwal the Bald. The battle was fought at Nant Carno, in the region of Arwystli, on the border of North and South Wales, and was a victory for the sons of Idwal.
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol I, 1912, p.344.
"It is well known that these mountains of Carno were the scenes of the bloody battles fought some time after the death of Hywel Dda, A.D. 949. The contending parties were the men of North Wales, led on by Ieuaf and Iago, sons of Idwal Foel, on the one hand, and the men of South Wales, by Owen Rhun, Roderic and Edwin, their cousins, when the Northwallians became masters of the field."
Source: Archaeologia Cambrensis, III, 3rd series, 1857, p.302.
"Twr Gwyn Mawr. Welsh historians and antiquaries of two or three generations ago were wont to associate the carneddau on the high land between the parishes of Carno and Llanbrynmair, and especially the carnedd known as Twr Gwyn Mawr [nprn 304912], with the conflicts mentioned in the Welsh chronicle called Brut y Tywysogion under the years 948 and 1080 [nprn 405052] A.D."
Source: RCAHMW Montgomeryshire Inventory, 1911, no.43.
952,
Iago and Ieuaf, the two exiled sons of Idwal Foel, King of Gwynedd, invaded Dyfed. But they were defeated in a decisive battle near Carno by the sons of Hywel Dda, King of Deheubarth. The victory secured the sovereignty of North Wales
952
Brut y Tywysogion records that Hirmawr and Anarawd ap Gwriad (possibly the sons of King Now ap Gwriad of Glamorgan) died at the hands of the paganaid Vikings.
952
Hirmawr and Anarawd ap Gwriad died at the hands of the paganaid Vikings.
954
The sons of Hywel in 954 [led] a march into the Conway valley, where their progress was checked not far from Llanrwst and a defeat inflicted upon them which emboldened the men of Gwynedd to pursue them into Ceredigion."Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol I, 1912, p.344.
954: "And then there was a great slaughter between the sons of Idwal and the sons of Hywel in the battle of the Conway at Llan-rwst. And Hirfawr and Anarawed were slain by the gentiles: those were sons of Gwriad."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.13.
"In the year 952 was the scene of an important battle in the contests maintained at that period, for the sovereignty of Wales, between the sons of Hywel Dda and those of Edwal Voel. The former, assembling their forces in South Wales, laid waste the territory of North Wales as far as the river Conway, but were opposed by the latter at the town of Llanrwst, where, after an obstinate conflict, in which many of considerable rank were slain on both sides, the sons of Edwal Voel were victorious. These, pursuing their enemies into South Wales, retaliated upon their territories for the ravages which had been inflicted on their own."
Source: Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales,1849.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 29 August 2006.
961
The annals record that "the sons of Abloec ravaged Caer Gybi and Lleyn." Abloec (from the Irish Amhlaoibh) meaning Óláfr Cuaran, ruler of the Dublin Norse. Ólaf's sons included Gluniarain ("Iron-Knee"), Sitric Silkenbeard, Ragnall, Aralt, Amancus, and possibly Gillapatraic. Caer Gybi is modern Holyhead, Anglesey. It is interesting to note that Óláfr Cuaran professed Christianity in 943, and his son Sitric's cross-imprinted coinage shows that he likewise accepted the Christian faith, yet this did not seem to affect their decision to attack churches and monastic institutions outside their own domains.
962
King Edgar the Peaceful invades Gwynedd.
963
The monastic establishment at Towyn or Tywyn raided by Vikings. Aberffraw in Anglesea, royal seat of the kings of Gwynedd, was attacked by paganaid.
963
Aberffraw, royal seat of the kings of Gwynedd, was attacked by vikings
968
Ívarr of Limerick is driven out of Ireland by King Mathgamhain of Munster. Ívarr's response was to sail west to Wales to try and carve a new kingdom there. The Limerick Norse were apparently repulsed by "the king of Britain" and the next year Ívarr sailed back to Limerick, slew Beolan Littill and his son, and re-established his rule on the larger islands of the Shannon.
968
the Brutiau for the year 968 note:
Ac y llas Rodri vab idwal. Ac y diffeithwyt Aberffraw(Jones, 14).
And Rhodri ab Idwal was slain. And Aberffraw was
ravaged
(Jones, 15).
971
King Magnús Haraldsson, ruler of Man and Limerick, leads an attack on the monastic house of Penmon in Anglesey.
972
Goðfriðr Haraldsson, brother of King Magnús of Man and Limerick, attacks and conquers Anglesey. The Welsh annalists record that a King Edgar gave "the men of Gotfrid sanction to remain in Mona."
980
AD Goðfriðr Haraldsson allies with King Cystennin ab Iago of Gwynedd to support Cystennin against Hywel ab Ieuaf, who was attempting to capture the Gwenedd throne for himself. The combined Welsh-Danish force devastated Anglesey from where they crossed to Lleyn and continued ravaging the peninsula until Hywel's troops faced them in the Battle of Hirbarth, where Cysteinn was killed.
981
LLANWENOG . . . is distinguished as the scene of a memorable battle, which was fought in 981, between the Danes, under their famous leader Godfrid, and the native Welsh under Eineon ab Owain (in which the former were totally defeated), or, according to Dr. Meyrick, between Eineon and his countryman Hywel ab Ievav; and a square intrenchment in a field called Cae'r Vaes, or 'the field of battle,' on the farm of Ty cam [farm at SN 4944 4487], in this parish, is still pointed out as the spot where the engagement took place"
Source: Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833.
981: "Godfrey, son of Harold, ravaged Dyfed and Menevia. And the battle of Llanwenog took place."
981
The norse start 20 years of savage attacks on st davids
985
Hywel ap Ieuaf of Gwynedd is killed fighting Ælfhere, Ealdorman of Mercia.
987
"Godfrey, son of Harold, and the Black Host along with him, ravaged the island of Anglesey. And two thousand men were captured; and the remainder of them Maredudd ab Owain took
with him to Ceredigion and Dyfed."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.17.
"In 978 he [Godfrey, son of Harold] and his Danish host, in a third irruption into Anglesey, won a victory over the Welsh, the fame of which - for a thousand of the enemy were left dead on the field and two thousand carried into captivity - penetrated to Ireland and was thought worthy to be preserved in the annals of that country."
Footnote: The 'Cath Manand', won by 'Mac Aralt' and the Danes.
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol I, 1912, pp.351, 352.
Various other sources, as yet unverified, suggest that Godfrey Haroldson or Haraldsson won an overwhelming victory over Maredudd ab Owain at the "Battle of Mannan" (location unknown), on Anglesey in 987 AD.
988
The Norse raid Church of St. David at Menevia, as well as the monastic houses of Llanbadarn Fawr near Aberystwyrth, Llandudoch (modern St. Dogmaels) near Cardigan, Llancarfan near Glamorgan, and Llanilltrud, also near Glamorgan.
992
Church of St. David at Menevia destroyed for the third time by the Norse raiders. Maredudd ab Owain, king of Dyfed, hired Norse mercenaries for his retaliatory campaign against Edwin ab Einion, king of Glamorgan.
993
Anglesey was raided again by the "black pagans."
995
"Mannaw," probably Anglesey, was raided by King Sveinn Forkbeard of Denmark.
999
Church of St. David at Menevia destroyed and Bishop Morgeneu slain by Vikings.
1000
Aeddan ap Blegywryd wrested control of the whole of North Wales and Idwal's son, Iago, fled to Ireland.
1002
AD Norse raiders attack Dyfed, but this time spare the Church of St. David at Menevia.
1005
Ard-Righ Brian Boru sends a fleet composed of Norsemen from Dublin, Waterford, Wexford and Munster to "levy royal tribute" (i.e., plunder) in Wales. The haul from this expedition was to be divided in three parts, with a third going to the King of Dublin, another third going to the warriors of Leinester and Munster, and the remainder to professors of sciences and arts and the needful. This may have been a clever tactic on Brian's part to keep his fractious people from warring on one another.
1012
Earl Eodwin Streona of Mercia led an English attack against the Church
of St. David at Menevia making use of the Danish ships which King
Ethelred took into his service that year
1018
Llywelyn ap Seisyll defeated and killed Aeddan ap Blegywryd along with four of his sons and obtained Gwynedd and Powys.
1022,
A man named Rhain the Irishman was made king of Deheubarth, he claimed to be a son of Maredudd ab Owain, whose daughter Angharad had married Llywelyn. Llywelyn ap Seisyll made war against Rhain, they fought a battle at Abergwili, and after a “slaughter on both sides” Rhain was killed allowing Llywelyn take control of Deheubarth.
1022
Eileifr, a Dane in the service of King Cnut, raided Dyfed and the Church of St. David at Menevia.
1031
Scene of a desperate battle between the invading Saxons and the ancient Britons under Conan ab Sytsylt, in the year 1031, in which that chieftain and all his sons were slain."
Source: Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, 1833.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 01 September 2006.
1032
Rhydderch ap Iestyn the king of Gwent and Morgannwg seized Deheubarth,
1033
Rhydderch ap Iestyn is recorded by as having been slain by the Irish, but with no explanation of the circumstances.
1034
Hywel ab Edwin became king of Deheubarth, sharing the realm with his brother Maredudd. Hywel and Maredudd's rule did not go unchallenged as the sons of Rhydderch fought in the battle against them at Irathwy, though sources do not name the victors it seems as though Hywel and Maredudd were victorious as they remained in power.
1035
Caradog ap Rhydderch was killed by the "Saxons".
1039
Meurig ap Hywel, who would later become King of Morgannwg, was captured by the Norse and later ransomed.
1039
Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig was killed by his own men in 1039 and replaced by Llywelyn ap Seisyll's son, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. Iago's grandson Gruffudd ap Cynan later won the throne of Gwynedd, and because of his father, Cynan ab Iago, was little known in Wales, Gruffudd was styled "grandson of Iago" rather than the usual "son of Cynan".
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,
1041
Gruffydd defeated Hywel ab Edwin in the Battle of Pencader (1041) and carried off Hywel's wife. Gruffydd seems to have been able to drive Hywel out of the south.
1042
King Hywel ab Edwin ab Einon ab Owen of Deheubarth defeated Viking marauders who had been raiding Dyfed in a battle at Pwll Dyfach. Another group of Dublin Norsemen captured King Gruffydd ap Llywellyn of Gwynedd and held him for ransom.
1044
"And then Hywel ab Edwin thought to ravage Deheubarth, and a fleet of the folk of Ireland along with him. And Gruffudd ap Llywelyn opposed him; and after there had been a fierce battle and a huge slaughter of Hywel's host and of the Irish at the mouth of the Tywi, Hywel fell and was slain. And then Gruffudd prevailed."
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.25.
In 1044, king Hywel ab Edwin returned to Deheubarth as an exile; on entering the mouth of the river Towy with a Danish fleet, he was killed in the battle with Gruffydd ap Llywelyn and his men defeated.
Source: J.E.Lloyd, A History of Wales, vol II, 1912, p.360-1
1044
Hywel is recorded returning to the mouth of the River Tywi with a Danish fleet to try to reclaim his kingdom. Gruffydd, however, defeated and killed him in a closely fought engagement.
"And then Hywel ab Edwin thought to ravage Deheubarth, and a fleet of the folk of Ireland along with him. And Gruffudd ap Llywelyn opposed him; and after there had been a fierce battle and a huge slaughter of Hywel's host and of the Irish at the mouth of the Tywi, Hywel fell and was slain. And then Gruffudd prevailed."Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes,
1047
Gruffydd ap Rhydderch of Gwent was able to expel Gruffydd ap Llywelyn from Deheubarth and became king of Deheubarth himself after the nobles of Ystrad Tywi had attacked and killed 140 of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn's household guard. He was able to resist several attacks by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in the following years.
1049
The D manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle notes an attack in
1049
" In the same year 36 ships came from Ireland up the Welsh Usk, and did harm thereabout, with the help of Gruffydd, the Welsh king. People were gathered against them; there was also Bishop Aldred with them, but they had too little help, and they came on them by surprise in the very early morning and killed many good men there, and the others escaped along with the bishop. This was done on 29 July"
(Swanton, 170).
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.
1055
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn killed his rival Gruffydd ap Rhydderch in battle and recaptured Deheubarth, he allies with the exiled Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia and They marched on Hereford and were opposed by a force led by the Earl of Hereford, Ralph the Timid. This force was mounted and armed in the Norman fashion, but on 24 October Gruffydd defeated it. He then sacked the city and destroyed its motte-and-bailey castle
1055
Gruffydd was also able to seize Morgannwg and Gwent, along with extensive territories along the border with England.
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
1059
Macht, son of Harold, came to Wales with a great army in his train; and the Prince Gruffudd, and Macht, with combined forces, proceeded against the Saxons, and devastated the country of England a great way towards its centre; and they returned to Wales with great spoil.
1062
Harold Godwinson obtained the king's approval for a surprise attack on Gruffydd's court at Rhuddlan. Gruffydd was nearly captured but was warned in time to escape out to sea in one of his ships, though his other ships were destroyed.
1063
Harold's brother Tostig led an army into north Wales while Harold led the fleet first to south Wales and then north to meet with his brother's army. Gruffydd was forced to take refuge in Snowdonia where he met his death. Gruffydd's head and the figurehead of his ship were sent to Harold. The Ulster Chronicle states that he was killed by Cynan in 1064, whose father Iago had been put to death by Gruffydd in 1039.
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
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