Edward - North Wales

• Conquest of Wales

  Story of how Wales was conquered by King Edward I
• Collections explored in this book

  • National Museum Wales
  • National Library Wales
  • Cadw
  • Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
• Three levels of fighting men

  • Knight
  • Professional soldier (spearman, crossbowman, archer)
  • Foot soldier (farm worker)
• Reasons it took over 200 years to conquer Wales

  • Wales had lots of small kingdoms, the English could only conquer small parts at a time
  • The Welsh used guerrilla warfare tactics
  • Mountainous and forested lands made it difficult for the English to travel quickly through Wales
• Llywelyn Fawr

  Prince of North Wales in the early 13th century
• Llywelyn ap Gruffudd

  Recognised as Prince of Wales by Henry III in 1267, also known as 'our last leader'
• When Edward I became king in 1274

  Llywelyn ap Gruffudd expected to be recognised as Prince of Wales, but Edward refused until Llywelyn paid homage
• Invasion begins

  1. English army attacks from Chester, Montgomery and Carmarthen

  2. Edward's army advances across north Wales, building new castles

  3. Llywelyn surrenders in November 1277
• Welsh revolt in 1282

  Led by Dafydd ap Gruffudd, joined by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
• Battle of Orewin Bridge, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd killed

  11 December 1282
• Llywelyn's head was cut off and sent to the Tower of London to be put on display above the gates
• After Llywelyn's death

  1. Edward advances across north Wales

  2. Dafydd ap Gruffudd caught and sentenced to death

  3. Wales completely conquered for the first time
• The Age of the Princes had ended
• In 1301 Edward's son Edward of Caernarfon was declared the new Prince of Wales, starting a new tradition
• Statute of Wales

  Law issued in 1284 that replaced Welsh criminal law with English criminal law, introduced a new system of counties, and replaced Welsh positions with English ones
• Castles built by Edward I

  • Flint Castle
  • Rhuddlan Castle
  • Beaumaris Castle

  
• Reasons for Edward I's castles

  • To house soldiers to fight any revolts
  • To try to scare Welsh people into submission
• Boroughs were towns built around castles, where English settlers lived with special privileges, while Welsh people were officially not able to live in most boroughs
• English settlement also occurred in rural areas, where Welsh farmers were forced to live elsewhere and their land given to English settlers
• Welsh revolt in 1287

  Led by Rhys ap Maredudd, a Welsh lord disappointed with lack of reward for supporting Edward, defeated by a royal army
• Welsh revolt in 1294-1295

  Affected the whole of Wales, led by Madog ap Llywelyn, Morgan ap Maredudd, and Maelgwn ap Rhys, defeated by the English
• Llys Llywelyn at St Fagans offers a workshop to find out more about life in the Court of Llywelyn Fawr
• The museum's digital collection can be used to create digital projects and develop digital competencies
• Classroom projects can be uploaded to the People's Collection Wales website to add to the history of Wales