Case Study Flashcards
What had been the accepted principles of who owned land in Wales since Norman times
Welsh lords owned land but had to acknowledge the king as the overlord
What was the name of the kingdom within what is now North Wales
Gwynedd
What about Gwynedd made it a natural stronghold for the a Welsh against English kings
- Welsh natural borderlands provided a buffer zone to the east
- deep river Conwy acted as a moat
- large fertile land of Anglesey was isolated from the mainland by Menai Strait
Name of the person who had become the powerful prince of Gwynedd
Llewelyn ap Griffiths
How had Llewelyn interfered in English politics before 1272
- Treaty of Montgomery (1267) -> recognised Llewelyn as the Prince of Wales
- also helped Simon de Montford
How did Llewelyn cause problems for Edward when Edward first became king
Refused to pay homage to+ pay Edward
In what year did Edward first enter Wales to force the Welsh to submit to his authority
1277
What was the population of 13th century Wales
300,000
What was the population of 13th century England
4 million
Which was the larger and wealthier country
England
Name 2 ways the English army were better resourced than the Welsh
More money + soldiers
What tactic did the Welsh use to compensate for the strength of the English army
Used the rugged countryside to escape the English
From what directions did Edward’s forces attack the Welsh
- one group came on ship to Anglesey
- one group came from south on mainland
- one group came from east on mainland
What was the action Edward to took that made the a Welsh struggle during the winter of 1277
Destroyed the crops in Anglesey which were a main food source
When did Llewelyn surrender
Nov 1277
What was the treaty of surrender and what it meant
Treaty of Aberconwy -> had to pay homage to Edward + give up most of his land
What land was Llelweltn allowed to keep
West Gwynedd
Who was given the rest of the kingdom and why
His brother Dafydd for his loyalty to Edward
Why was there a 2nd Welsh war and who led the Welsh
Due to harsh treatment from English officials
-> led by Llewelyn and Dafydd
Give evidence of how Edward was ruthless with the Welsh leaders at the end of the 2nd campaign
Llewelyn was hung + Dafydd was hung drawn and quartered then their heads were paraded and displayed in the Tower of London
What was the collective term given to the castles built in North Wales
Ring of iron
What was significant about the specific siting of these castles
In places associated with Llewelyn
How much did Edward spend on castles over the next 12 years
£80,000
Where were these castles built and who was the architect
Conway, Caernarvon, Beaumaris
James of St George
Name 5 key defensive features of the castles
- moats
- turrets
- tall + big enough (concentric castles) to keep a permanent garrison
- stone
- arrow loop
- ramparts
- sea access
What engineering project did Edward order at Rhuddlan and why
Rerouted the river closer to the castle to stagger attacks + make supplies more accessible
Give an argument that the Welsh could’ve never overcome the castles
Didn’t have siege engines
Give examples of the symbolic importance of Edwards castles in North Wales
- his power + the overlord of Wales
- places associated with Llewelyn
-> Conwy where he had a great hall and Caernarfon which was the centre of Gwynedd and symbolic of his ancestral home - had striped walls in Caernarvon like Constinople (associated himself with an emperor)
- remodelled areas of England (Chester)
Name 2 practical problems with the castles
- couldn’t hold that many people
Name 2 causes of the Welsh rebellion of 1294-5
- English demand for more taxation in 1293
- the expectation the Welsh would produce troops to fight in France
Who led the rebellion of 1294-5
Madog ap Llewelyn
Evidence of Welsh success in the rebellion of 1294-5
Managed to overrun the defences of Caernarvon + kill royal officials
Give evidence of Welsh failures/English success in the rebellion of 1294-5
Castles in Harlech + Conwy remained secure and easily supplied
How did the events of 1294-5 rebellion the true intention for the role of castles in Wales
Checkpoints
Safe spaces
Places to move
What was the last of Edward castles built after the rebellion
Beaumaris
Name given to the fortified towns
Bastide
Who was allowed to live in the towns
The English
Who helped Edward find English colonists to move to Wales
Sheriffs of English counties bordering Wales
What incentives were offered to English people to move there
- Giving them land that would be rent free for at least 3 years
- the right to graze on common land
(Settlers in Caernarvon were given almost 1500 acres total)
From which other place had Edward got the idea of fortified towns
Gascony where Edward was Duke
What English towns were inspiration for Welsh towns
Chester - Flint
Bristol - Aberystwyth
In which locations did Edward start building towns
Flint and Aberystwyth
Which towns were the second group built
Caernarvon, Conwy and Harlech
What was done to ensure trade developed well in the towns in Wales
- invited English merchants to live there
- Welsh weren’t allowed to trade outside of towns
Why did Edward abandon his dads site at Deganwy for Conwy
Had more space for growth and better access to water
In the new towns, who became the mayor
The constable of the castle
What was the responsibility of the colonists who lived in the towns
Help defend the town on ramparts and make sure the castles were supplied
What evidence is there for towns prospering
Were all expanding beyond their walls
How did Edward deal with the population of Anglesey after 1294-5 rebellion
Moved them to the other side of the island
Name 5 ways the towns were important to Edward by the end of his reign
- part of the military settlement of Wales (connected to the castles)
- money -> trade + tax
- provided a permanent English population
- provided administrative castles
- a way of anglicising Wales
Name 3 towns intended to provide the administrative centres for royal control and lasting English colonisation
- flint
- Conwy
- Caernarvon
How did the English colonists expand their dominance of the Welsh economy outside the towns
- bought mills and fisheries -> taking over Wales (anglicising)
- bought more land
What law brought Wales under the English legal system
Statute of Rhuddlan (1284)
What English legal roles and institutions were introduced to Wales
- justiciar Made in charge of courts
- sheriffs
- hue and cry
- county/hundred courts introduced
Name 2 ways Statute of Rhuddlan established the dominance of English rather than Welsh legal traditions
- English criminal law used
- made going against the monarch a serious offence
- got rid of compensation for murder
Name 2 ways it recognised Welsh traditions
- retained the Welsh custom of dividing inheritances between male heirs
- Welsh law was used for dispute over property
Why did Edward feel he was entitled to replace the major Welsh lords
Ever since the Norman conquest they were made to pay homage but they rebelled
Who did Edward replace the old ruling families of Wales with
The middle ranks of society
-> would be thankful and devoted to Edward whilst the top ranks lost power
Why was replacing the old ruling families with middle rank families a smart move
Welsh people were more likely to be tolerant to Welsh leaders rather than if he replaced them with English men
What were the job titles of some of the other English people who helped Edward govern Wales
Justiciar
Chamberlain
Who was the new Archbishop of Canterbury
John Peckham (appointed in 1279)
What was Peckhams opinion of the Welsh
Lazy people who followed ancient and unchristian customs
What did Peckham demand of Edward in Nov 1284
That he pay £1730 to repair Welsh castles that were damaged
How did the archbishop support Edward
- encourages and supports building of towns
- supports bringing English settlers to anglicise the Welsh
- sends in Friars to educate Welsh
- monitored the Welsh church and replaced any members of the clergy who didn’t follow what Edward wanted
How the Bishop Anian of Bangor help Edward and the Archbishop
Where there were Welsh who didn’t want to surrender he helped make negotiations
What happened to the Welsh speaking monks if Talley in 1284
Expelled to make way for English Christians
Name a Welsh cathedral that was rebuilt
St Asaph Cathedral
