The Owain Glyndwr Rebellion Flashcards
When did the Owain Glyndwr rebellion begin?
September 1400
Why was the Owain Glyndwr rebellion a surprise to Henry IV?
Because there had been no evidence that a rebellion was brewing - it seemed as though Wales had accepted that they were under the control of England and no longer an independent country
When and under which King did Wales lose its independence?
Under Edward I in the year 1284
How did Edward I force the Welsh into submission when he took away their independence as a country?
He built an iron ring if castles across Wales and ruled with persecution
In what ways were the Welsh people persecuted?
They could not gather together
Taxed 600% more than under Welsh rule
Not allowed to marry into an English family
Not allowed to go to English towns or villages after dark
Not allowed to speak Welsh
Couldn’t own land without a permit
How did the Owain Glyndwr rebellion start?
When Owain Glyndwr (a Welsh nobleman) joined the cause - he had a property dispute with his neighbour Grey who had taken villages and land from him. Glyndwr went to Parliament in London, however parliament refused to give his land back because he was Welsh
What was the aim of the Owain Glyndwr rebellion?
For Wales to be free of English rule
What was the Owain Glyndwr rebellion dominated by?
Trying to take over castles
What type of fighting was used during the Owain Glyndwr rebellion?
Guerrilla warfare
What was the name of one of the most important pitched battles during the Owain Glyndwr rebellion?
Battle of Bryn Glas
What are the dates of the battle of Bryn Glas?
1402
How were the Welsh at a disadvantage during the battle of Bryn Glas?
Welsh army = far smaller than English army
What trick did the Welsh archers play on the English in the battle of Bryn Glas?
Welsh archers agreed to help the English by fighting on the side of the English in the battle of Bryn Glas, however as soon as the battle started they turned on the English
What were the fatalities of the Welsh compared to that of the English in the battle of Bryn Glas?
Approximately 200 Welsh died, whereas approximately 1000 English died
Why was Edmund Mortimer’s (not the heir but his uncle) marriage to Glyndwr’s daughter?
Gives Glyndwr links to a high up English family - gave Owain links with nobles- agreed to divide up England into three, with one of those three parts being Wales
Tactics used to take castles - human pyramid
Made a human pyramid to get up to the castle and open doors
Tactics used to take castles - trickery
Good Friday while everyone was at church, a Welsh man went to castle saying that he was a carpenter - doors opened - 40 other Welsh men came around the corner and killed the guards - castle was theirs
Tactics used to take castles - threatening
Welsh stood at bottom of castle shouting the punishments they were going to inflict on the English inhabitants of the castle until the English got scared and surrendered
Tactics to take control of castles - laying siege
This is how most important castle was taken - Harlech castle
Lay siege using trebuchets
helped by French (who said they would provide 2500 troops however only 400 turned up)
Welsh siege to castle while French blocked any supplied from reaching the castle by sea (the castle was surrounded by sea on 2 sides)
Castle fell to Owain Glyndwr and the Welsh
Disagreement over who was prince of Wales and what did this lead to?
Owain saw himself as prince of Wales and gave himself this title, however King Henry V also had title of prince of Wales and felt that he was the prince of Wales - fought each other - England eventually took all the castles apart from 1 (castle that Owain was in)
How was the final castle held by the Welsh taken?
Starved out
Where was Owain when the final castle was taken?
Unknown - he slipped out a few nights before the castle was take and was never found
