Wales and its History

The poem was written by Hywel ap Owain Gwynedd, the great-great Grandfather of Llewellyn ap Iorworth, Llewellyn the Last. Hywel was killed in battle in 1170, which fits entirely with his poetry. It tells us a bit about what Wales …not really sure why it’s relevant but it’s rather lovely isn’t it? A foaming white wave rushes over a grave, the tomb of Rhufawn Pebyr, regal chieftan. I love today what the English hate, the open land of the North, and the varied growth that borders the Lliw. I love those who gave me my fill of mead where the seas reach in long contention. I love its household and its strong buildings and at its lord’s wish to go to war. I love its strand and mountains, its castle near the woods and its fine lands, its water meadows and its valleys, its white gulls and its lovely women. I love its soldiers, its trained stallions, its woods, its brave men and its homes. I love its fields under the little clover, where honour was granted a secure joy. I love its regions, to

  Although there are few visible remains today of the Cistercian abbey of Ystrad Marchell near Welshpool, the evidence of the charters reveals it to have been a religious house of some wealth and importance within medieval Powys. Following its foundation in the late twelfth century by Owain Cyfeiliog (d. 1197), prince of southern Powys, it acquired many gifts of land and grants of privilege. Original charters and copies of charters now missing, by which such benefactions were made, are found in various archives held by a number of repositories, the most important being a group of some thirty-five charters from Gwenwynwyn and other princely benefactors among the Wynnstay Estate Archives at the National Library of Wales. The abbey's foundation The  Register and Chronicle of the Abbey of Aberconway  records that Owain ap Gruffudd (ca. 1100-1170), prince of southern Powys and lord of Cyfeiliog, founded the abbey of Ystrad Marchell of the Cistercian Order in 1170. The site which he gran

The image below is of King Alexander III of Scotland on the left with Llywelyn, ruler of Wales on the right, as guests to King Edward I of England at the sitting of an English parliament. Over 100 years earlier, Alexander the 1st helped English king Henry in a massive invasion of Wales. Henry sent three armies into Wales. Gilbert Fitz Richard lead a force from the south, Alexander, King of Scotland, pressing from the north and Henry himself advanced into Mid-Wales

Marcher lordships were set up just after the Norman conquest of England to try and keep the Welsh under control. Given to the English king's most trusted nobles , the lords who ruled these areas were given special powers that were usually reserved for the king. The marcher lordships were among the heaviest fortified areas in all of Europe, and also among the most brutal. In the 200 years, it took the Normans to subdue the Welsh these Marcher Lords committed some brutal acts which alone caused many rebellions and many of these lords being detested and killed. One example of the Brutality of the Marches was the so-called Abergavenny massacre. Seisyll ap Dyfnwal Lord of Gwent Uwchcoed along with all the other Welsh princes and leaders from the area was invited to Abergavenny Castle at Christmas by William De Braose. Some Welsh leaders stayed away, mistrusting de Braose but Seisyll attended along with his eldest son Geoffrey. Most other leaders followed suit and attended, assured of p