Military Campaigns In Wales And Scotland Flashcards
What weapons would ordinary people have for the ‘Hue and Cry’?
White tunic, knives or swords, bows or spears
What weapons would knights have for the ‘Hue and Cry’?
War horse, armour, sword or lance
What were the cavalry?
Men on horseback who were well armed and highly trained
Their job was to charge and destroy the infantry (men on foot)
They were in groups of 100s rather than 1000s.
They were chosen with care as they were expensive and difficult to replace
What was the most expensive part of a knights equipment?
The horse
Edward once spent £66 for a special war horse
They would typically cost £10
Horses are still ridiculously expensive to buy and keep today
What did armour depend upon?
Wealth
Knights - wear chainmail (only some could afford hardened leather)
Protection was increased by adding extra layers
Helmets were essential
Weapons were usually a sword or an axe/mace
What would each member of the cavalry carry and why was it used to be identified on this?
A wooden shield which displayed a knights coat of arms, identifying him
Identification could heighten your status for brave deeds of shame if you ran away
It could also save your life if an opponent identified you and held you for ransom instead of killing you?
How many infantry would Edward call up and who would be apart of it?
They would be called up in the 1000s sometimes even 20,000
Most people in villages were expected to provide a quote
Criminals would fight in order to be pardoned
Some men volunteered for 2d a day (often welsh and Irishmen)
Some people would desert (as pay became unreliable)
What were Archers?
They were expected to stop cavalry charge with arrows and to kill as many of opposing infantry as possible
What did foot soldiers do?
Would be armed with swords/shields and would advancemon the enemy in a tight mass and force them from the field
However they were vuknebake to cavalry charged so it was important to protect them e,g, hedges or boggy ground
Also used wooden spikes driven into ground at an angle to protect against cavalry charge
Many infantry would make circles and be tightly packed so cavalry were held at bay (although being on outside made you prey for cavalry)
Why did Edward need woodcutters?
To chop down trees and make roads for his army
Who else did Edward need?
Carpenters (paid 2x that of infantry men) , smiths, engineers and miners
What did he need them for?
In 1303, Edward ordered a wooden bridge to be built to King’s Lynn and brought up to Scotland by sea
It was assembles and used to cross the Firth of Forth which allowed Edward’s army into neither Scotland without having to sue Stirling bridge
(In end it wasn’t even used)
Who were the most important specialists?
The supply people
Why were they important?
Supplies were brought from river or sea as it was cheaper than bringing them by land
Huge quantities of bread, ale, wine (and oats for horses) were required so Edward hired 3,000 people to harvest grain when they captured Anglesey in 1277
This was to feed and supply his army which he became quite skilled at (unless there was a bad harvest)
How were seized costly?
At carrlaverock, a force of 60 Scots help up the whole English army for several weeks so it was long and costly
What happened during siege warfare?
The attacking army would approach a castle or town and demand surrender within a given time of up to 40days.
This was to give those in charge, a chance to receive instruction from their king or lord
Meanwhile, all routed would be blocked by the attackers, hoping to starve the defenders
Aim was to capture a town/castle without fighting a long/costly battle
What were ways to break into a castle?
Direct assault using ladders
Defending garrisons could be small, so you might break in if you spread your assault
You might try to break down walls using siege engines or undermining to collapse a wall or tower
What were some popular siege technology?
Battering Rams - used to force entry via main gate
Trebuchets (giant catapults) used to destroy castle walls e.t.c
Siege towers - troops to get inside and attack defenders
In 1304, sulphur and saltpetre were brought from England and hurled inside the castle, trying to burn down the buildings inside
What was the Warwolf?
The largest siege engine built and it took 50 workers, 3months to build it
It weighed 300 pounds
It was so powerful, when defenders so it they wanted to surrender but Edward reused and wanted to see it work
One missile from it brought down a whole part of a castle (then surrender was accepted)
Why were tournaments popular/great events?
Knights travelled hundreds of miles to take part
Tournaments were usually mock battles between two sides, often over an area several miles wide
Injury and death was common but you could get fame and fortune (especially in front of women)
This is where knights learnt the art of war
What happened when contests became too savage?
The church eventually forbid the burial of those killed in tournaments
What did The Statute of Arms for Tournaments do?
It was in 1292
It states that no pointed weapons were to be used
Had to be properly organised
Only authorised combatants were allowed to carry arms
They became more regulated and less dangerous
What was the background between wales and Henry 111?
In 1264, Llywelyn supported Simon De Montfort against Henry 111 and he was rewarded with the title ‘Prince of Wales’
Henry had no choice be to accept the situation when he was restored as King
Llywelyn paid homage to Henry as overlord
What did the Treaty of Montgomery state?
In 1267
Acknowledged that Llywelyn had the right to rule wales, although many marcher lords had lost land to Llywelyn
When did tensions spark between Edward and Llywelyn ?
He refused to attend Edward’s Coronation in 1274
He repeatedly refused to swear an oath of allegiance or pay dues to Edward as his overlord
When did Edward start a war with Wales and why?
Edward gave Llywelyn several opportunities to swear loyalty and pay dues
In November 1276, Parliament decreed that Llywelyn was a ‘rebel and disturbed of peace’
Edward made preparations for war
How many supplies was Edward given?
Supplies were ordered from all his lands (inc. Ireland and Gascony)
Edward assembled s huge army: 1,000 knights and 15,000 infantry along with wood-cutters, smiths and carpenters
How did he first start the invasion?
The Marcher Lords invaded from South and mid-Wales
Edward and his army headed for Chester
Where did Edward then advance to?
Flint, Rhuddlan and Conwy , clearing woodland to create a road for his army as he went
What was happening at the same time ?
A fleet isolated Anglesey
Edward sent a force to occupy Anglesey which deprived the welsh of grain which stopped them from harvesting it and using it to feed the welsh army
Llywelyn was increasingly isolated as many welsh had surrendered to Edward or changed sided
What did Llywelyn do in 1277?
He signed the Treaty of Aberconwy which acknowledged Edward as his overlord and surrendering all his recent grains
This left him only in charge of Gwynedd
Who was Dafydd ap Gruffydd?
Llywelyn’s brother who was given some of Llywelyn’s land as a reward for supporting Edward
What happened to Llywelyn afterwards?
He was taken to Westminster where he had to do homage in front of parliament
Edward also paid for and organised Llywelyn’s wedding to the daughter of Simon De Montfort
What happened to the Welsh people afterwards?
English officials acted like they were more important than those in Wales
Many, like Edward, thought the Welsh were uncivilised and inferior
Welsh messengers were arrested without reason
Marcher Lords killed Welshmen, often without trials
Tensions rose
What did Edward do to emphasise his English power?
He built a string of castles Wales
E.g. Builth, Aberystwyth, Flint, Rhuddlan, Ruthin and Hawarden
Why were castles important?
.
Many royal castles were strengthened
They were expensive so they demonstrated wealth with many taking 20 years to complete
They became the centre of royal power, administration and courts with many English laws being introduced for criminal cases
The castle were a visual reminder to every Welsh of English presence and power
Who revolted against Edward again?
In 1282
Dafydd ap Gruffyd attacked and destroyed the unfinished castle at Hawarden
At the same time, others attacked royal castles across wales
This was because the Welsh had enough of English Laws and being treated as inferior
Llewelyn knew nothing of the rebellion at first but was forced to join in
Edward was furious at this rebellion
What supplies did Edward order?
He ordered supplies to be sent to Chester and Worcester
He ordered War Hirses from France, crossbowmen from Gascony
Food and troops from Ireland and Scotland, ships from Clinque ports
All were paid for with money borrowed from Riccardi
He also ordered diggers, carpenters, smiths and masons, timber, oats, grain, ale and wine
Where did Edward attack and why wasn’t it successful at the start?
He had armies attacking Wales from the south, mid-Wales and the North
At first things went well for the Welsh - their army in the south defeated English army
In mid-wales, the English advanced slowly when Mortimer (leader) died
In north, an attack by English across a bridge of boats was defeated by Welsh
What happened to Llywelyn in 1282?
Llywelyn led his army out of Snowdonia but was killed in battle
His head was chopped off and sent to Edward
Edward had it displayed on a spike at Tower Of London
His brother Dafydd became the new Prince of Wales
What did the Archbishop of Canterbury try and do?
He tried to negotiate a settlement
But it was too late - he’d called up new troops and Parliament was asked to approve a new tax
What happened at Edward’s winter campaign?
The English army recaptured all the lost ground
Dafydd asked for peace but was turned down
In early March 1283, Edward invaded Gwynedd (last welsh stronghold)
Rebels were hunted down and killed (or made peace with Edward)
What happened at the end?
Dafydd was captured and out in trial for treason in front of parliament
He was found guilty then hanged, drawn and quartered
Edward took hostages to force each town and village to submit to him as their lord
How much had the war cost?
Cost Edward £120,000 (the tax from parliament raise £50,000) the rest was borrowed
What was the Statute of Rhuddlan 1284?
Gwynedd was divided into four English counties - Anglesey, Merionethshire, Caernarvonshire and Flintshire (Each ruled by a royal official)
Sheriffs, coroners e,t,c would collect taxes and administer justice as in any other English county
Money would be sent to Westminster and the English common law applied throughout all Wales
How did Edward build more castles?
Built under supervision of Master James of St George
Castles were the latest in military technology and designed to not be captured and to show off the wealth and power of English king
They were supplied from sea so they were easily supplied in times of trouble also a safe-haven for English officials to rule Wales
Edward spent £80,000 on castle-building in Wales 1277-1304
What were castles near?
Adjacent towns and had ports so things could be easily supplied
Designed as a safe heaven for merchants e.t.c as merchants from England, France, Ireland and Gascony were invited to come to a Wales and help build a cash economy
Cheap rents encouraged settlements (no Welsh allowed in these new towns)
How long would they take to build?
Some took over 20 years
Sometimes even slower when Edward had wars with France and Scotland, which limited his funds
Where was Caernarfon built?
In the center of Gascony
What site was it and why was it important?
It was also the site of the Roman town of Segontium which had associations with Magnus Maximus (father of Roman Ruler Constantine)
The body of Maximus was said to have been discovered in Caernarvon in 1283 and required in the church there on Edward’s orders
Remains of an old motte and bailey castle were incorporated into Edward’s castle
What were the features of caernarvon caste?
The polygonal towers were different as they were based on the walls of Constantinople (both in shape and use of multi-coloured layers of stone)
They were built for strength and to impress
It was a conscious decision of Edward’s to link his power and authority to the Roman Empire
What construction worked was done to build caernarvon castle?
Work started in 1283 and houses were demolished to make way for the bank and ditch
Soil evacuated from the ditch was used to build up the quay by the River where it entered the sea
A timber palisade was put up all around the castle and new town with a new quarry meaning supplies could be shipped in from Liverpool, Dublin, Yarmouth, Swansea, Calais and Boulogne
Where did all the different features come from?
Stone for walls came from Anglesey
Lead for the roofs from Bristol
Many of supplies brought from Rhuddlan
Edward spent £10,000 on caernarvon castle between 1283 and 1292
How was the Edward 11 involved with Caernarvon castle?
Edward’s son (also called Edward and soon King Edward 11) was bien at caernarvon castle in April 1284
An early priority was timber housing for the royal gatherings/entourage
He was the first English prince to be born in Wales
Who attacked Caernarvon castle?
September 1294, Madog ap Llywelyn led a welsh rebellion as Edward had just done a tax of 1/15th on everyone in Wales to pay for his French war so rebels hoped to attack when Edwards troops were in France
How was caernarvon castle attacked?
It was unfinished and so the welsh overrun it, sacked and burned it to the ground
For six months, the Welsh were in control of the castle and the town
They dismantled most of the walls
How did weather stop the Welsh’s plan from succeeding?
Bad weather has prevented Edward’s army from sailing to France so he was able to turn his huge army of 35,000 men around and head to Wales
It was a butter winter campaign where the English gradually gained the upper hand and defeated the Welsh
How was caernarvon reconstructed?
By 1295, over 200 masons were at work in the site
Edward spent a further £10,000 at caernarvon over the next ten years
Work on most of Edward’s other castles was halted after 1296 (war with Scotland broke out)
However, building continued at caernarvon
How was caernarvon castle involved in later history?
By 1620, only Eagle Tower and King’s gate had roofs
During English Civil War, the castle was taken by Royalists
In 1870s, government paid for some repairs
In 1911, used for the honouring/ranking of Edward 8th(As Prince of Wales)
In 1969, used for the honouring/ranking of Prince Charles (as Prince of Wales)
How did Edward stop Anglesey from being rebellious?
He built another castle at Beaumaris (best designed castle in terms of its defensive capabilities)
What happened to Madog ap Llywelyn?
He was forced to surrender after some time on the run
He spent his life as a prisoner in the Tower of London
After 20 years of war, Edward finally became sole master of Wales
What was Edward’s family life like?
He married Eleanor of Castile in 1254 when they were both young -although it was an arranged marriage they fell in love
She gave birth to Joan while he was on crusade and Edward when he was busy with caernarvon
They had 15 children although no many survived
He also had 3 children with second wife Margret
What happened when Eleanor died in 1290?
Edward was devastated.
He was beside her when she died and business came to a standstill
Her internal organs were buried in Lincoln Cathedral and he body was at her state funeral at Westminster Abbey,
At each of the stops on the way to the Abbey, he built 12 memorial crosses (best preserved is at Geddingtin and was intricately carved) although some destroyed during English civil war
How long did he wait before marrying again?
9 years
His daughter born in 1305 was named Eleanor
How was Edward a “fighting man”?
He took part in several battles and crusades
Much of his life was spent in conflict with Wales, France and Scotland
He gained the reputation as a brave and fearless fighter and a good general as he learnt from his father’s failures
His campaigns in Wales and Scotland involved a lot of attention to detail and logical planing
He learnt from the disastrous battle at Lewis, to have more disciple and not chase the enemy
How was Edward a good King at the beginning of his reign?
From 1272, he set out to restore both justice for all and his own rights
In first part of his reign, law and order improved
New laws were passed that aimed to make life fairer and corrupt officials were replaced
Trade prospered
How did Edward become a bad and distracted King?
Wars with Wales and Scotland preoccupied him and criminality increased
Disputes with parliament were frequent and was forced to reissue Magna Carta twice
Economy faltered (poor harvest and wool trade diminished) which lead to poverty and crime
His wars were expensive and he was deeply in debt by end of his reign
What are some arguments about him being the first medieval king to not face a civil war?
Good to an extents
it may be due to his success in Wales and France (and kinda Scotland)
Or because Edward gave the barons enough concessions to prevent opposition
