Heirs to the Princes (2)

Following on from yesterday, and the latest study on post-conquest Wales. This is a huge subject, full of details and nuance, which can be difficult to convey on social media. I have chosen to start with the aftermath of the major Welsh revolt of 1294-5, which threatened to unravel Edward I’s conquest. This ties in with some of my own research from a few years ago. 

David Stephenson has now established there were five major risings in Wales in 1294-5: not four, as traditionally supposed. They were led by Madog ap Llywelyn in north Wales; Maelgwn ap Rhys in Ceredigion; Morgan ap Maredudd in Glamorgan; Meurig ap Dafydd in Abergavenny, and Cynan ap Maredudd in Brecon and adjacent lordships. 

Edward’s response to these men was notably less savage than the previous revolt in 1282-3, when he had Dafydd ap Gruffudd brutally executed at Shrewsbury. Madog and Maelgwn were imprisoned, Morgan was pardoned, while Meurig appears to have been recruited into the army in Flanders. Only Cynan was executed, after he tried to fool the king by pretending to have leprosy. 

On 24 December 1296 Edward sent a letter to John de Havering, his officer in North Wales. He informed Havering that the men of Snowdon and Anglesey had reported a rumour to the king, in which certain things ‘had been suggested’ whereby the king ought to hold them suspect. In response, Edward assured the North Welsh that he had every confidence in their loyalty. He then ordered Havering to deal with those spreading rumours: 

“…the king orders John to so chastise any liars as shall be found henceforth in his bailiwick that the punishment shall strike terror into others saying the like things.” 

That was not all. Edward was engaged upon a ‘charm offensive’, as Stephenson puts it, aimed at winning over the Welsh. His letter to Havering was followed by a subsequent order, on 3 December, in which the king assured certain Welshmen that he held them in no suspicion, but regarded them as his ‘faithful and devoted servants’. 

These men were the abbot of Aberconwy, Thomas Danvers, Tudur ap Goronwy, and Hywel ap Cynwrig. Edward’s willingness to pardon Tudur in particular was remarkable, given the Welshman’s role in the recent revolt. We shall look at that next. 

Note: Apologies if these Wales posts are a bit long-winded, but the devil really is in the detail. Besides, there is enough glib rubbish on the internet. We’re supposed to get history out of books, not AI and memes and Chatgpt.