1st January The Battle of Llwchwr and the Revolt of 1136 The Battle of Llwchwr (Battle of Gower), which occured on New Years Day 1136, between Loughor and Swansea, resulted in victory for the Welsh over a Norman army. In 1135-1136,a succession crisis hit England following the death of Henry I. Stephen de Blois displaced his cousin and Henrys daughter Matilda and there resulted a breakdown in law and order, refered to as, The Anarchy. Many Welsh lords saw this as an opportunity to rebel and recover lands, previously lost to the Normans. One such lord, Hywel ap Maredudd of Brycheiniog raised an army from Brycheiniog and North Gower and marched on South Gower . The Normans sallied out expecting to meet a small collection of Welsh raiding bands, however the scale of the Welsh army took them by surprise and when the two armies met in a violent melee on the common of Carn Coch, the Welsh army routed the Norman force, which lost 500 men. This victory inspired more rebellions and Gruffydd ap Rhys lord of Deheubarth journeyed to meet with Gruffydd ap Cynan of Gwynedd to enlist his aid in the revolt. In his absence, his wife Gwenllian raised an army and attacked the Norman castle of Kidwelly (Cydweli). However she was defeated, captured and beheaded and two of her sons, Morgan and Maelgwyn, also died (one slain in battle, one captured and executed). In response, Gwenllian’s brothers, Owain and Cadwaladr, invaded Deheubarth, taking Llanfihangel, Aberystwyth, and Llanbadarn. and the two Gruffydds engaged a massive Norman army drawn from all the lordships of South Wales at the Battle of Crug Mawr, two miles outside Cardigan in October 1136. After some hard fighting, the Norman forces were put to flight and pursued as far as the River Teifi. Many of the fugitives tried to cross the bridge, which broke under the weight, with hundreds said to have drowned, clogging the river with the bodies of men and horses. Others fled to the town of Cardigan, which was taken and burned by the Welsh though Robert fitz Martin successfully managed to defend and hold the castle and it remained the only one to remain in Norman hands until the end of the rebellion.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:10:00 +0000
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