Last week in the story of Welsh royalty we finished where Henry III had confirmed Llywelyn the Last and his heirs the title of Prince of Wales. Today we conclude the facts about Wales and next week we will continue with the royals of England and Scotland.
Edward I succeeded to the English throne in 1272, and was content to wait for internal Welsh disunity to topple Llywelyn. His policy was sound. Welsh lords - accustomed by their ancient laws to titular independence - would not maintain the loyalty of feudal vassalage to a Welsh Prince of Wales, and Llywelyn the Last could not frame a centralised administration which would hold the principality together. There were even Welsh conspiracies to assassinate him. Llywelyn, losing his touch on statesmanship, allowed himself to be manouvered into a further military struggle against King Edward I. When Edward moved against him half of Wales supported the English overlord, and by 1277 the so-called Prince of Wales could control only Gwynedd. Edward then intensified a systematic destruction of Welsh liberties, and provoked a wide revolt in 1282.
By this time Llywelyn could not organise the Welsh even when they were fighting for their existence as a separate people. He himself was killed by an English scout during s skirmish in the south. His head was taken for display in Anglesey and later in London. Wales had lost more than a titular head. Her independence was gone forever. Apart from the feudal estates of the Marches - which constitute a part of modern, but not old, Wales - she was annexed to the English crown. It was in Pembrokeshire, a traditionally crown-dominated region, that Henry Tudor was born in 1457, and landed 28 years later to march up the steps of the English throne. However, since he had been born and brought up in wales, Henry was passionate in his constant assertion of his Welsh heritage
Please excuse any typing errors....the ring finger of my left hand is having difficulty in keeping up with the other fingers....I put it down to old age and not inaccurate typing. 😋
Not one typing error did I see. I get annoyed when my finger or thumb joints seize up too. So far it's only thumbs and middle fingers.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Henry Tudor was born in Wales, I thought all the Henry's were English born.
Actually I just spotted one in the first line but I'd put 'he' instead of 'the' so it would be one you wouldn't notice. lol
DeletePhil and I over the years have watched a lot of documentaries (and I of course have my book) about England and yes, I did know Henry VII was Welsh born.
I don't think I would recognize typos in Welsh! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHistory is just fascinating to me. It is always changing and look where we are now. What will the future say about today?
I enjoyed that little joke!! I must admit I did have problems typing out the Welsh names.
DeleteI didn't enjoy history at school but have tried to make up for it in my old age. :)
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteThat was a neat little round-up of the demise of independence in Wales and its secondment to England - a step in the direction of 'uniting kingdoms'... YAM xx
Yes, that was it in a nutshell.....and then there's the story of the two queens and how Scotland and England became united to make Great Britain. There are always changes even in this modern age. xx
DeleteThat is an interesting note about Henry VIII and his assertion of his Welsh heritage.
ReplyDeleteHenry VII was actually born in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is an historical fact. Henry VIII was born in Greenwich, London.
Delete