Welsh/ Saxon conflicts timeline part 2

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 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.

721: The Britons prevailed in the battle of Pen-coed in Deheubarth [Carmarthenshire].
Source: Thomas Jones, The Chronicle of the Princes, 1955, p.5.

"Castell Pen-y-coed hillfort near Llanddowror in Carmarthenshire] has been suggested as the possible scene of the battle of Pencon or Pencoed, said (Annales Cambriae and Brut y Tywysogion) to have been fought in the sixth century." 

Source: RCAHMW Carmarthenshire Inventory, 1917, p.38, no.130.
B.A.Malaws, RCAHMW, 05 July 2006.


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
The Battle of Hereford was fought in 760 at Hereford (in what is now Herefordshire, England). The conflict followed decades of hostility between the Welsh Kingdoms of Brycheiniog, Gwent and Powys by Æthelbald of Mercia and Coenred of Wessex, and involved the armies of Mercia and the Welsh. The Welsh were said to have defeated the Mercian army, and freed themselves from the influence of the Anglo-Saxons


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.

778. 

Offa of Mercia raids Dyfed in Wales

This raid is recorded only in the Annales Cambriae, which note "The devastation of the Southern Britons [i.e. Dyfed in South Wales] by Offa".

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.

795

Offa of Mercia raids Wales again (Brycheiniog)

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.

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 


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