Posted on Sep 16, 2020
Owen Glendower (Owain Glyndwr), last Welsh Prince of Wales
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On September 16, 1400, Owain Glyndŵr was declared Prince of Wales by his followers. From the article:
"Owen Glendower (Owain Glyndwr)
by Ben Johnson
The followers of Owen Glendower, the medieval Welsh nationalist leader who disappeared in about 1415, firmly believed that should Wales be in any danger from the English, he would return and free them from oppression.
His name is still remembered and revered today.
Owen Glyn Dŵr, Owen of the Glen of Dee Water, was thought to have been born in the year 1354, although the exact date is unknown. He claimed descent from Llewelyn the Great and the ruling princes of Wales.
He was the heir to two of the four great princely houses of Wales and following his father’s death in 1370, received the best education that money could buy in London. He even enjoyed the fashionable ‘finishing school’ environment provided by the Inns of Court.
Owen Glendower knight
He went on to serve the English Crown as a soldier against the Scots, and wearing a scarlet flamingo feather as his crest he is said to have bore down on the Scotsmen before him with only the butt of his broken lance!
He married the daughter of an Anglo-Welsh judge, fathering six sons with remarkable speed, and led a very peaceful life on his pleasant estates. It was, however, in the late 1390’s that the seeds of rebellion were sown, following a series of disagreements and disputes with the English Crown and Parliament concerning the loss of lands and honour.
And so in September, 1400, when he was 50, Owen organised a rebellion against the recently usurping English king, Henry IV and claimed the title, Prince of Wales.
His popularity appears to have soared almost overnight with Welsh students, seeing in him the leader they had long been looking for, abandoning their university studies to join him. Welsh labourers threw down their hoes and joined the national uprising. More importantly for Owen, hundreds of seasoned Welsh archers and soldiers, fresh from campaigns in France and Scotland, left English service to join the rebellion.
Owen’s forces spread quickly through northeast Wales. Ruthin, Denbigh, Rhuddlan, Flint, Hawarden, Holt, Oswestry and Welshpool fell quickly. Simultaneously, the Tudor brothers from Anglesey launched a guerrilla war against the English. The Tudors were a prominent Anglesey family and cousins of Owen.
Owen’s cause continued to grow fast – in 1401, despite English expeditions into north and south Wales his stature grew as a national hero. The whole of northern and central Wales went over to Owain.
In 1402 the sighting of a great comet in the sky was taken by Owen’s followers to be a sign of victory and they captured Owen’s enemy Reginald Grey of Ruthin. Grey was later released on the payment of a ransom of £6,666.
Owen was blessed with a sound common sense, and when Edmund Mortimer, the King’s nephew was captured, he did not demand a ransom for him, but married him instead to his daughter Catherine. Now Owen was on course for not only the throne of Wales, but for that of England too!
Owen continued to fight the English but after the battle at Woodbury Hill near Worcester in 1405 he retreated back to Wales.
In Wales, Owen issued the Pennal Manifesto on the future of the Welsh Church which was supported by most of the churchmen. It appears that not all of the churchmen were loyal to the end though.
Prior to the battle of Pwll Melyn in 1406, legend has it that a friar had preached with great spirit that all who fell in the fighting would sup that night in heaven! As it became obvious that defeat for Owen’s army was in the wind, the friar tried to slip away, however some soldiers caught him and pointed out to him that he was missing the chance of a heavenly banquet; he smartly informed them that this was one of his fast days, and scurried away to safety.
Following this defeat, one by one, Owen’s castles surrendered to the English, his wife and children were captured, and by 1410 he had become a hunted outlaw.
Despite the substantial rewards being offered, Owen was never captured or betrayed and his place of hiding remains a mystery to this day. Fragments of information about him kept surfacing, until 1416 when he was believed to have died somewhere, possibly on the estate of his daughters’ husband in Herefordshire, ironically in England.
Like the legend of King Arthur, Welsh legend has it that when Wales is threatened again, he will rise in order to lead the defense of Wales. The year 2000 saw the 600th anniversary of of the rising and was commemorated throughout Wales. Owen’s personal standard (the quartered arms of Powys and Deheubarth rampant) can now to be seen all over Wales – especially at rugby matches against the English!"
"Owen Glendower (Owain Glyndwr)
by Ben Johnson
The followers of Owen Glendower, the medieval Welsh nationalist leader who disappeared in about 1415, firmly believed that should Wales be in any danger from the English, he would return and free them from oppression.
His name is still remembered and revered today.
Owen Glyn Dŵr, Owen of the Glen of Dee Water, was thought to have been born in the year 1354, although the exact date is unknown. He claimed descent from Llewelyn the Great and the ruling princes of Wales.
He was the heir to two of the four great princely houses of Wales and following his father’s death in 1370, received the best education that money could buy in London. He even enjoyed the fashionable ‘finishing school’ environment provided by the Inns of Court.
Owen Glendower knight
He went on to serve the English Crown as a soldier against the Scots, and wearing a scarlet flamingo feather as his crest he is said to have bore down on the Scotsmen before him with only the butt of his broken lance!
He married the daughter of an Anglo-Welsh judge, fathering six sons with remarkable speed, and led a very peaceful life on his pleasant estates. It was, however, in the late 1390’s that the seeds of rebellion were sown, following a series of disagreements and disputes with the English Crown and Parliament concerning the loss of lands and honour.
And so in September, 1400, when he was 50, Owen organised a rebellion against the recently usurping English king, Henry IV and claimed the title, Prince of Wales.
His popularity appears to have soared almost overnight with Welsh students, seeing in him the leader they had long been looking for, abandoning their university studies to join him. Welsh labourers threw down their hoes and joined the national uprising. More importantly for Owen, hundreds of seasoned Welsh archers and soldiers, fresh from campaigns in France and Scotland, left English service to join the rebellion.
Owen’s forces spread quickly through northeast Wales. Ruthin, Denbigh, Rhuddlan, Flint, Hawarden, Holt, Oswestry and Welshpool fell quickly. Simultaneously, the Tudor brothers from Anglesey launched a guerrilla war against the English. The Tudors were a prominent Anglesey family and cousins of Owen.
Owen’s cause continued to grow fast – in 1401, despite English expeditions into north and south Wales his stature grew as a national hero. The whole of northern and central Wales went over to Owain.
In 1402 the sighting of a great comet in the sky was taken by Owen’s followers to be a sign of victory and they captured Owen’s enemy Reginald Grey of Ruthin. Grey was later released on the payment of a ransom of £6,666.
Owen was blessed with a sound common sense, and when Edmund Mortimer, the King’s nephew was captured, he did not demand a ransom for him, but married him instead to his daughter Catherine. Now Owen was on course for not only the throne of Wales, but for that of England too!
Owen continued to fight the English but after the battle at Woodbury Hill near Worcester in 1405 he retreated back to Wales.
In Wales, Owen issued the Pennal Manifesto on the future of the Welsh Church which was supported by most of the churchmen. It appears that not all of the churchmen were loyal to the end though.
Prior to the battle of Pwll Melyn in 1406, legend has it that a friar had preached with great spirit that all who fell in the fighting would sup that night in heaven! As it became obvious that defeat for Owen’s army was in the wind, the friar tried to slip away, however some soldiers caught him and pointed out to him that he was missing the chance of a heavenly banquet; he smartly informed them that this was one of his fast days, and scurried away to safety.
Following this defeat, one by one, Owen’s castles surrendered to the English, his wife and children were captured, and by 1410 he had become a hunted outlaw.
Despite the substantial rewards being offered, Owen was never captured or betrayed and his place of hiding remains a mystery to this day. Fragments of information about him kept surfacing, until 1416 when he was believed to have died somewhere, possibly on the estate of his daughters’ husband in Herefordshire, ironically in England.
Like the legend of King Arthur, Welsh legend has it that when Wales is threatened again, he will rise in order to lead the defense of Wales. The year 2000 saw the 600th anniversary of of the rising and was commemorated throughout Wales. Owen’s personal standard (the quartered arms of Powys and Deheubarth rampant) can now to be seen all over Wales – especially at rugby matches against the English!"
Owen Glendower (Owain Glyndwr), last Welsh Prince of Wales
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In a dramatised documentary, Huw Edwards tells the story of the revolt in Wales 600 years ago led by Owain Glyndwr that shook the foundations of the British ...
Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that on September 16, 1400 medieval Welsh nationalist leader Owain Glyndŵr was declared Prince of Wales by his followers.
Owain Glyndwr (BBC 2007)
In a dramatised documentary, Huw Edwards tells the story of the revolt in Wales 600 years ago led by Owain Glyndwr that shook the foundations of the British state.
https://youtu.be/O5o_qa4ZE8s
Images:
1. Owain Glyndŵr as knight
2. Owain Glyndwr (Wales) Red Dragon banner
3. Great Britain 5 and one half pence stamp Owain Glyndŵr 1354-1416 (Prince of Wales; aka Owain Glyn Dŵr, Owain ap Gruffydd, Owen Glendower;)
4. Statue of Owain Glyndwr famous medieval Welsh warrior prince and symbol of independence in Corwen
Background from {[http://www.shakespeareandhistory.com/owen-glendower.php]}
Owen Glendower
Born: c. 1359
Died: c. 1416 (Age c. 57)
Glendower in History
Owen Glendower, to this day, is considered to be one of the most mysterious figures in British history, to the point where is almost as legendary as the great King Arthur. It is safe to say that a majority of the information known about Glendower is based upon the events of his rebellion against Henry IV of England rather on facts of his actual life. Certain historians will claim that he was descended by prestigious Welsh families on both sides of his parentage. In his early life, it is believed that he engaged in military activity within Scotland and France and was well-educated, particularly in law. But, events of Glendower's activities do not truly begin to unfold until he became the leader of the most serious Welsh rebellion since the region had been conquered by King Edward I in 1283, which officially began in 1400. It by no means clear as to what exactly caused the rebellion, but several historical sources claim it was started by a mere property dispute between Glendower and an English nobleman named Reginald Grey. The argument between the two men resulted in the Welsh attacking, on several occasions, Grey's hometown of Ruthin. Soon after, the attacks became more widespread, and the Welsh protested English rule in general, especially under a usurper such as Henry IV (Henry had deposed his cousin, Richard II, the year prior). Glendower and his family may very well have had some sort of connection to Richard II that caused them to show such animosity towards the man who deposed him and, most likely, had him murdered, but to this day, one can only speculate.
Henry IV sent troops in an attempt to put down the rebellion, but it could not prevent it from continuing to gather momentum. By 1402, Glendower (who by this point had been declared Prince of Wales and even had his own currency made) was achieving significant victories and taking a number of important castles and towns. In addition, he was able to capture his old nemesis, Reginald Grey, and ransom him for the large sum of 10,000 marks, providing more funding for the rebellion. An even bigger victory was won when Glendower was able to capture Edmund Mortimer, uncle of the young Earl of March, the boy who Richard II had, apparently, named as his heir, and who was therefore a hefty bargaining tool. Mortimer made peace with the Welsh rebels and even went so far as to marry Glendower's daughter.
In 1403, the Percies, under the command of Henry "Hotspur" Percy, rebelled against Henry IV, causing more trouble than the king needed at this point. It is widely believed that Hotspur had been secretly meeting with Glendower for quite some time and that the two were planning on jointly attacking the king's forces. Unfortunately for the rebels, Henry IV acted swiftly and intercepted Hotspur's army at Shrewsbury, where a battle broke out that saw the death of Hotspur and a victory for the royal army. The loss of such a powerful ally did not deter Glendower in the least, and he continued to wreak havoc in Wales and the marches. 1405 saw another rebellion against the king take place led by Hotspur's father, the Earl of Northumberland (and also included Archbishop Richard Scrope and earl marshal Thomas Mowbray). It is at this point when the supposed Tripartite Indenture was sealed, which would divide the kingdom (after the king's defeat) between Glendower (who would rule over an extended Wales); Northumberland (who would rule England's north); and Mortimer (who would rule over the rest of the country). As luck would have it though, Archbishop Scrope and Mowbray were duped into dismissing their armies, arrested and executed before the rebellion could even officially begin, and Northumberland was forced to go into hiding in Scotland. The Welsh rebellion, however, continued to rage on, and Glendower continued to gain territory. By 1406, however, the rebellion was starting to, by very small steps, slow down as Prince Hal, Henry IV's eldest son and heir, showed off his brilliant military skills. The rebellion took another hit in 1408 when Northumberland was killed in battle and suffered a further setback when the English retook Harlech from the rebels the following year. At the latter event, a number of Glendower's relatives, including his wife, two of his daughters and several of his grandchildren, were captured; it is believed his son-in-law Mortimer perished during the siege.
For the next five years or so, the Welsh continued to threaten, launching occasional guerrilla attacks on English forces, but the rebellion was, for all intents and purposes, over. No one knows exactly what happened to Glendower himself. In 1417, Henry V, who had taken up a policy of reconciliation with his father's enemies, offered him a pardon. Glendower's son accepted but nothing was heard from Glendower himself. It is widely believed that he was dead by this point. No one knows exactly when, or how, or where the Welsh rebel and self-proclaimed Prince of Wales died, but he unquestionably left a reputation that remains an enigma to this very day, nearly six hundred years later.
Glendower in Shakespeare
Appears in: Henry IV, Part 1
Owen Glendower may have been portrayed in Richard II (and he was indeed mentioned by name in the play), but we will never know for sure if Shakespeare intended the character labeled simply as a "Welsh Captain" to be Glendower. Whatever the case may be, the captain within the play, believing King Richard to be deceased, informs the Earl of Salisbury that he will be dropping his support for the imperiled monarch, though he seems to do so reluctantly. The character of Owen Glendower within 1 Henry IV, however, is an interesting one to say the very least. Although he appears in only one scene, one gains the knowledge that he is a magician of sorts, who supposedly brought grave portents to earth with him upon his birth. (Note: The Welsh captain seen in Richard II also mention of supernatural events that told of the death of the king, providing some evidence that we were indeed meant to believe that the captain was Glendower himself). Yet, he also claims to have been brought up in the English court, giving him a sense of sophistication. Within the one scene he appears in, Glendower meets with Hotspur, Worcester and his son-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, to discuss how the kingdom will be divided up after Henry IV's defeat (Hotspur continuously mocks the Welshman throughout, making the scene a semi-comical one). In reality, this Tripartite Indenture did not take place until two years after Hotspur's death at Shrewsbury. It was Hotspur's father, Northumberland, who was a participant. In 2 Henry IV, it is announced that Glendower has died. This blatantly false fact was undoubtedly taken by Shakespeare from Holinshed, who provided the main source for the histories and wrote that Glendower died, destitute and alone, in a cave. Glendower undoubtedly passed away during Henry V's reign, as later historians would discover. The misinformation clearly shows how little was known about the Welshman when Shakespeare was writing these plays. Despite the passage of over four centuries, relatively little has changed on that aspect, and Glendower remains a very enigmatic figure.
References
Smith, Llinos. ‘Glyn Dŵr , Owain (c.1359–c.1416)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/10816, accessed 19 April 2010]
FYI PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Stephen Rogerson MSG Felipe De Leon Brown CSM (Join to see)PFC (Join to see)SP5 Dennis LobergerSGT Michael HearnSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.DSSG Jeffrey LeakeGySgt Thomas Vick SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Woody BullardMSgt Robert "Rock" AldiSPC Chris Bayner-CwikTSgt David L.PO1 Robert GeorgeMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.CPL Cadrew StricklandPO3 Lynn Spalding
-
Owain Glyndwr (BBC 2007)
In a dramatised documentary, Huw Edwards tells the story of the revolt in Wales 600 years ago led by Owain Glyndwr that shook the foundations of the British state.
https://youtu.be/O5o_qa4ZE8s
Images:
1. Owain Glyndŵr as knight
2. Owain Glyndwr (Wales) Red Dragon banner
3. Great Britain 5 and one half pence stamp Owain Glyndŵr 1354-1416 (Prince of Wales; aka Owain Glyn Dŵr, Owain ap Gruffydd, Owen Glendower;)
4. Statue of Owain Glyndwr famous medieval Welsh warrior prince and symbol of independence in Corwen
Background from {[http://www.shakespeareandhistory.com/owen-glendower.php]}
Owen Glendower
Born: c. 1359
Died: c. 1416 (Age c. 57)
Glendower in History
Owen Glendower, to this day, is considered to be one of the most mysterious figures in British history, to the point where is almost as legendary as the great King Arthur. It is safe to say that a majority of the information known about Glendower is based upon the events of his rebellion against Henry IV of England rather on facts of his actual life. Certain historians will claim that he was descended by prestigious Welsh families on both sides of his parentage. In his early life, it is believed that he engaged in military activity within Scotland and France and was well-educated, particularly in law. But, events of Glendower's activities do not truly begin to unfold until he became the leader of the most serious Welsh rebellion since the region had been conquered by King Edward I in 1283, which officially began in 1400. It by no means clear as to what exactly caused the rebellion, but several historical sources claim it was started by a mere property dispute between Glendower and an English nobleman named Reginald Grey. The argument between the two men resulted in the Welsh attacking, on several occasions, Grey's hometown of Ruthin. Soon after, the attacks became more widespread, and the Welsh protested English rule in general, especially under a usurper such as Henry IV (Henry had deposed his cousin, Richard II, the year prior). Glendower and his family may very well have had some sort of connection to Richard II that caused them to show such animosity towards the man who deposed him and, most likely, had him murdered, but to this day, one can only speculate.
Henry IV sent troops in an attempt to put down the rebellion, but it could not prevent it from continuing to gather momentum. By 1402, Glendower (who by this point had been declared Prince of Wales and even had his own currency made) was achieving significant victories and taking a number of important castles and towns. In addition, he was able to capture his old nemesis, Reginald Grey, and ransom him for the large sum of 10,000 marks, providing more funding for the rebellion. An even bigger victory was won when Glendower was able to capture Edmund Mortimer, uncle of the young Earl of March, the boy who Richard II had, apparently, named as his heir, and who was therefore a hefty bargaining tool. Mortimer made peace with the Welsh rebels and even went so far as to marry Glendower's daughter.
In 1403, the Percies, under the command of Henry "Hotspur" Percy, rebelled against Henry IV, causing more trouble than the king needed at this point. It is widely believed that Hotspur had been secretly meeting with Glendower for quite some time and that the two were planning on jointly attacking the king's forces. Unfortunately for the rebels, Henry IV acted swiftly and intercepted Hotspur's army at Shrewsbury, where a battle broke out that saw the death of Hotspur and a victory for the royal army. The loss of such a powerful ally did not deter Glendower in the least, and he continued to wreak havoc in Wales and the marches. 1405 saw another rebellion against the king take place led by Hotspur's father, the Earl of Northumberland (and also included Archbishop Richard Scrope and earl marshal Thomas Mowbray). It is at this point when the supposed Tripartite Indenture was sealed, which would divide the kingdom (after the king's defeat) between Glendower (who would rule over an extended Wales); Northumberland (who would rule England's north); and Mortimer (who would rule over the rest of the country). As luck would have it though, Archbishop Scrope and Mowbray were duped into dismissing their armies, arrested and executed before the rebellion could even officially begin, and Northumberland was forced to go into hiding in Scotland. The Welsh rebellion, however, continued to rage on, and Glendower continued to gain territory. By 1406, however, the rebellion was starting to, by very small steps, slow down as Prince Hal, Henry IV's eldest son and heir, showed off his brilliant military skills. The rebellion took another hit in 1408 when Northumberland was killed in battle and suffered a further setback when the English retook Harlech from the rebels the following year. At the latter event, a number of Glendower's relatives, including his wife, two of his daughters and several of his grandchildren, were captured; it is believed his son-in-law Mortimer perished during the siege.
For the next five years or so, the Welsh continued to threaten, launching occasional guerrilla attacks on English forces, but the rebellion was, for all intents and purposes, over. No one knows exactly what happened to Glendower himself. In 1417, Henry V, who had taken up a policy of reconciliation with his father's enemies, offered him a pardon. Glendower's son accepted but nothing was heard from Glendower himself. It is widely believed that he was dead by this point. No one knows exactly when, or how, or where the Welsh rebel and self-proclaimed Prince of Wales died, but he unquestionably left a reputation that remains an enigma to this very day, nearly six hundred years later.
Glendower in Shakespeare
Appears in: Henry IV, Part 1
Owen Glendower may have been portrayed in Richard II (and he was indeed mentioned by name in the play), but we will never know for sure if Shakespeare intended the character labeled simply as a "Welsh Captain" to be Glendower. Whatever the case may be, the captain within the play, believing King Richard to be deceased, informs the Earl of Salisbury that he will be dropping his support for the imperiled monarch, though he seems to do so reluctantly. The character of Owen Glendower within 1 Henry IV, however, is an interesting one to say the very least. Although he appears in only one scene, one gains the knowledge that he is a magician of sorts, who supposedly brought grave portents to earth with him upon his birth. (Note: The Welsh captain seen in Richard II also mention of supernatural events that told of the death of the king, providing some evidence that we were indeed meant to believe that the captain was Glendower himself). Yet, he also claims to have been brought up in the English court, giving him a sense of sophistication. Within the one scene he appears in, Glendower meets with Hotspur, Worcester and his son-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, to discuss how the kingdom will be divided up after Henry IV's defeat (Hotspur continuously mocks the Welshman throughout, making the scene a semi-comical one). In reality, this Tripartite Indenture did not take place until two years after Hotspur's death at Shrewsbury. It was Hotspur's father, Northumberland, who was a participant. In 2 Henry IV, it is announced that Glendower has died. This blatantly false fact was undoubtedly taken by Shakespeare from Holinshed, who provided the main source for the histories and wrote that Glendower died, destitute and alone, in a cave. Glendower undoubtedly passed away during Henry V's reign, as later historians would discover. The misinformation clearly shows how little was known about the Welshman when Shakespeare was writing these plays. Despite the passage of over four centuries, relatively little has changed on that aspect, and Glendower remains a very enigmatic figure.
References
Smith, Llinos. ‘Glyn Dŵr , Owain (c.1359–c.1416)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/10816, accessed 19 April 2010]
FYI PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Stephen Rogerson MSG Felipe De Leon Brown CSM (Join to see)PFC (Join to see)SP5 Dennis LobergerSGT Michael HearnSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.DSSG Jeffrey LeakeGySgt Thomas Vick SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Woody BullardMSgt Robert "Rock" AldiSPC Chris Bayner-CwikTSgt David L.PO1 Robert GeorgeMAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.CPL Cadrew StricklandPO3 Lynn Spalding
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In Our Time: S21/20 Owain Glyndwr (Jan 31 2019)
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life of the Welsh nobleman, also known as Owen Glendower, who began a revolt against Henry IV in 1400 which was at first ...
In Our Time: S21/20 Owain Glyndwr (Jan 31 2019)
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life of the Welsh nobleman, also known as Owen Glendower, who began a revolt against Henry IV in 1400 which was at first very successful. Glyndwr (c1359-c1415) adopted the title Prince of Wales and established a parliament and his own foreign policy, until he was defeated by the future Henry V. Owain Glyndwr escaped and led guerilla attacks for several years but was never betrayed to the English, disappearing without trace.
With Huw Pryce, Professor of Welsh History at Bangor University; Helen Fulton, Professor of Medieval Literature at the University of Bristol; and Chris Given-Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of St Andrews. Producer: Simon Tillotson."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbirGr-mNps
Images
1 Owain Glyndwr on horseback
2. Owain Glyndw, Welsh Royalty 'Most redoubted lord and right sovereign cousin, may the Almighty Lord have you in his keeping.'
3. Owain Glyndŵr painting towards the end of his life
Background from {[https://biography.wales/article/s-OWAI-GLY-1354#?]}
OWAIN GLYNDWR (c. 1354 - 1416), ‘Prince of Wales'
Name: Owain Glyndwr
Date of birth: c. 1354
Date of death: 1416
Spouse: Margaret Hanmer
Child: Catherine ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Alice ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Gwenllian ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Maredudd ab Owain Glyndwr
Parent: Helen ferch Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Owen
Parent: Gruffydd Fychan II ap Madog ap Gruffydd Fychan I
Gender: Male
Occupation: ‘Prince of Wales'
Area of activity: Military; Politics, Government and Political Movements; Royalty and Society
Author: Thomas Jones Pierce
Son and heir of Gruffydd Fychan (II) ap Madog ap Gruffydd Fychan (I), barons of Glyndyfrdwy and Cynllaith Owain in northern Powys, once held in its entirety by Gruffydd Maelor II, father of Gruffydd Fychan I; he was thus descended from Madog ap Maredudd, last king of united Powys, and in him reposed claims of succession to that ancient province. His mother was Helen, daughter and co-heiress to Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Owen (her sister married Tudur ap Goronwy), Thomas being the representative in the senior line of the old royal family of Deheubarth. Helen transmitted this claim to her son, together with land in the Cardiganshire commotes of Gwynionydd and Iscoed Uch Hirwern. He had no close ties of blood with Gwynedd, though remoter links through marriage gave him descent from Owain Gwynedd and Gruffudd ap Cynan; and after the death of Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri in 1378, few remained with a better claim than his to the heritage of the Llywelyns. He married (perhaps in 1383) Margaret, daughter of David Hanmer of Maelor; there were six sons and several daughters. Of the sons, only Maredudd appears to have survived his father.
There is no indication in his early life presaging the events of his later years. Some time was spent in London acquiring — at the Inns of Court — some of the social graces of the courtier. After a further period of apprenticeship as a soldier, he served the crown in several campaigns: he certainly accompanied the Scottish expedition in 1385 and, in 1387, may have supported Henry Bolingborke — the future king Henry IV — at Radcot Bridge. In 1386 he appeared as witness in a notable case heard before a court of chivalry, a fact which suggests familiarity with heraldic and military lore. Otherwise his interests, as revealed by poets who frequented his homes at Carrog and Sycharth, were those of a normal Welsh gentleman or uchelwr. His reaction to the change of dynasty in 1399 is unknown; and there is no reason to suppose that a quarrel then brewing with his neighbour — Reginald Grey, lord of Ruthin — was caused by anything more than a clash of temperament and personal interests. Yet it was his decision to bring this issue to the arbitrament of force which precipitated the most serious rising against alien rule since the fall of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.
On 16 September 1400, in association with a group of kinsmen, he attacked Ruthin. Assaults on other boroughs in the neighbourhood followed, after which the records are ominously silent concerning his movements (the initiative meanwhile passed to his cousins (see under Ednyfed Fychan of Penmynydd) until he re-appears in the summer of 1401. A victory in the Plynlimmon region over royal forces gathered there encouraged a successful appeal to the men of west Wales to join ‘in liberating the Welsh race from the bondage of their English enemies.’ The year 1402, spent mainly in campaigns along the eastern march, saw the capture of Reginald Grey (later ransomed for 10,000 marks) and Edmund Mortimer, a cadet of the family whose kinship to the late king, Richard II, was a standing threat to the survival of the reigning Lancastrians. Owain's alliance with Mortimer, cemented by marriage with his daughter Catherine — and with the younger Percy (Hotspur), son of the powerful earl of Northumberland, increased his prominence; though Percy was defeated and slain at Shrewsbury (1403), the arrangement was continued by the elder Percy, being amplified in the Tripartite Indenture (1405) which visualised for Owain a dominion extending well beyond the normal boundaries of Wales, with little to fear from an England divided between his fellow-conspirators. The capture of Aberystwyth and Harlech in 1404 made him master of west Wales from sea to sea. Already enjoying the tacit support of the Scots, his triumph was complete when in the same year a treaty with France was concluded. But in spite of French aid, he failed to retrieve the tragic defeat of Pwll Melyn (May 1405) by engaging Henry at Worcester and so bringing the war to a decisive issue. The next three years witnessed the recession of foreign allies, the submission of the western lowlands, the defeat of Percy at Bramham Moor, and finally the loss of Aberystwyth and Harlech. He held out for many years longer in the mountains of central Wales : in 1410 he was still in possession of his home district and was able to muster sufficient support for a raid on the Salop border. After 1412 he is heard of no more, though he evidently lived on until 1416, spending his last days, it is believed, at Monnington, a secluded spot in Herefordshire — the home of his daughter Alice Scudamore.
There is a tantalisingly elusive quality about Owain's career; it is impossible to do more than guess how the immediate occasions of the rising fit into the pattern of general social discontent which brought his leadership the support of a proud and conservative peasantry making its last protest against the interaction of alien institutions with the old native way of life. The extent to which Owain was sensitive to this public feeling, or whether indeed he foresaw the consequences of his initial move, is unknown. On the other hand the programme unfolded after 1400, including the assumption of the title ‘Prince of Wales’ and the royal arms of Gwynedd, the twin conception of a national parliament and an independent Welsh church, the trend of diplomatic relations and the exploitation of the struggle between crown and aristocracy in England, all suggest a premeditated plan of action based on a knowledge of political traditions derived from the days of the last Llywelyn. But the question remains as to how far such ideas were inspired by Owain himself, or alternatively how far his experience and antecedents made him an instrument in the hands of others. He nevertheless remains in popular imagination the outstanding figure of Welsh history in the ages proceding the Methodist Revival.
Author: Professor Thomas Jones Pierce, (1905 - 1964)
Sources: J. E. Lloyd, Owen Glendower / Owen Glyn Dwr (1931), in which a full bibliography will be found.
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Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life of the Welsh nobleman, also known as Owen Glendower, who began a revolt against Henry IV in 1400 which was at first very successful. Glyndwr (c1359-c1415) adopted the title Prince of Wales and established a parliament and his own foreign policy, until he was defeated by the future Henry V. Owain Glyndwr escaped and led guerilla attacks for several years but was never betrayed to the English, disappearing without trace.
With Huw Pryce, Professor of Welsh History at Bangor University; Helen Fulton, Professor of Medieval Literature at the University of Bristol; and Chris Given-Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of St Andrews. Producer: Simon Tillotson."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbirGr-mNps
Images
1 Owain Glyndwr on horseback
2. Owain Glyndw, Welsh Royalty 'Most redoubted lord and right sovereign cousin, may the Almighty Lord have you in his keeping.'
3. Owain Glyndŵr painting towards the end of his life
Background from {[https://biography.wales/article/s-OWAI-GLY-1354#?]}
OWAIN GLYNDWR (c. 1354 - 1416), ‘Prince of Wales'
Name: Owain Glyndwr
Date of birth: c. 1354
Date of death: 1416
Spouse: Margaret Hanmer
Child: Catherine ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Alice ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Gwenllian ferch Owain Glyndwr
Child: Maredudd ab Owain Glyndwr
Parent: Helen ferch Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Owen
Parent: Gruffydd Fychan II ap Madog ap Gruffydd Fychan I
Gender: Male
Occupation: ‘Prince of Wales'
Area of activity: Military; Politics, Government and Political Movements; Royalty and Society
Author: Thomas Jones Pierce
Son and heir of Gruffydd Fychan (II) ap Madog ap Gruffydd Fychan (I), barons of Glyndyfrdwy and Cynllaith Owain in northern Powys, once held in its entirety by Gruffydd Maelor II, father of Gruffydd Fychan I; he was thus descended from Madog ap Maredudd, last king of united Powys, and in him reposed claims of succession to that ancient province. His mother was Helen, daughter and co-heiress to Thomas ap Llywelyn ab Owen (her sister married Tudur ap Goronwy), Thomas being the representative in the senior line of the old royal family of Deheubarth. Helen transmitted this claim to her son, together with land in the Cardiganshire commotes of Gwynionydd and Iscoed Uch Hirwern. He had no close ties of blood with Gwynedd, though remoter links through marriage gave him descent from Owain Gwynedd and Gruffudd ap Cynan; and after the death of Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri in 1378, few remained with a better claim than his to the heritage of the Llywelyns. He married (perhaps in 1383) Margaret, daughter of David Hanmer of Maelor; there were six sons and several daughters. Of the sons, only Maredudd appears to have survived his father.
There is no indication in his early life presaging the events of his later years. Some time was spent in London acquiring — at the Inns of Court — some of the social graces of the courtier. After a further period of apprenticeship as a soldier, he served the crown in several campaigns: he certainly accompanied the Scottish expedition in 1385 and, in 1387, may have supported Henry Bolingborke — the future king Henry IV — at Radcot Bridge. In 1386 he appeared as witness in a notable case heard before a court of chivalry, a fact which suggests familiarity with heraldic and military lore. Otherwise his interests, as revealed by poets who frequented his homes at Carrog and Sycharth, were those of a normal Welsh gentleman or uchelwr. His reaction to the change of dynasty in 1399 is unknown; and there is no reason to suppose that a quarrel then brewing with his neighbour — Reginald Grey, lord of Ruthin — was caused by anything more than a clash of temperament and personal interests. Yet it was his decision to bring this issue to the arbitrament of force which precipitated the most serious rising against alien rule since the fall of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.
On 16 September 1400, in association with a group of kinsmen, he attacked Ruthin. Assaults on other boroughs in the neighbourhood followed, after which the records are ominously silent concerning his movements (the initiative meanwhile passed to his cousins (see under Ednyfed Fychan of Penmynydd) until he re-appears in the summer of 1401. A victory in the Plynlimmon region over royal forces gathered there encouraged a successful appeal to the men of west Wales to join ‘in liberating the Welsh race from the bondage of their English enemies.’ The year 1402, spent mainly in campaigns along the eastern march, saw the capture of Reginald Grey (later ransomed for 10,000 marks) and Edmund Mortimer, a cadet of the family whose kinship to the late king, Richard II, was a standing threat to the survival of the reigning Lancastrians. Owain's alliance with Mortimer, cemented by marriage with his daughter Catherine — and with the younger Percy (Hotspur), son of the powerful earl of Northumberland, increased his prominence; though Percy was defeated and slain at Shrewsbury (1403), the arrangement was continued by the elder Percy, being amplified in the Tripartite Indenture (1405) which visualised for Owain a dominion extending well beyond the normal boundaries of Wales, with little to fear from an England divided between his fellow-conspirators. The capture of Aberystwyth and Harlech in 1404 made him master of west Wales from sea to sea. Already enjoying the tacit support of the Scots, his triumph was complete when in the same year a treaty with France was concluded. But in spite of French aid, he failed to retrieve the tragic defeat of Pwll Melyn (May 1405) by engaging Henry at Worcester and so bringing the war to a decisive issue. The next three years witnessed the recession of foreign allies, the submission of the western lowlands, the defeat of Percy at Bramham Moor, and finally the loss of Aberystwyth and Harlech. He held out for many years longer in the mountains of central Wales : in 1410 he was still in possession of his home district and was able to muster sufficient support for a raid on the Salop border. After 1412 he is heard of no more, though he evidently lived on until 1416, spending his last days, it is believed, at Monnington, a secluded spot in Herefordshire — the home of his daughter Alice Scudamore.
There is a tantalisingly elusive quality about Owain's career; it is impossible to do more than guess how the immediate occasions of the rising fit into the pattern of general social discontent which brought his leadership the support of a proud and conservative peasantry making its last protest against the interaction of alien institutions with the old native way of life. The extent to which Owain was sensitive to this public feeling, or whether indeed he foresaw the consequences of his initial move, is unknown. On the other hand the programme unfolded after 1400, including the assumption of the title ‘Prince of Wales’ and the royal arms of Gwynedd, the twin conception of a national parliament and an independent Welsh church, the trend of diplomatic relations and the exploitation of the struggle between crown and aristocracy in England, all suggest a premeditated plan of action based on a knowledge of political traditions derived from the days of the last Llywelyn. But the question remains as to how far such ideas were inspired by Owain himself, or alternatively how far his experience and antecedents made him an instrument in the hands of others. He nevertheless remains in popular imagination the outstanding figure of Welsh history in the ages proceding the Methodist Revival.
Author: Professor Thomas Jones Pierce, (1905 - 1964)
Sources: J. E. Lloyd, Owen Glendower / Owen Glyn Dwr (1931), in which a full bibliography will be found.
FYI SGM Gerald FifeSFC (Join to see)Maj Wayne CristSGM Bill FrazerCSM (Join to see)LT Brad McInnisSPC Michael Oles SR[SSG Jeffrey LeakeCSM Bruce TregoPO3 Phyllis Maynard1SG Steven ImermanSSG Samuel KermonPO2 (Join to see)Cpl (Join to see) CPL Dave Hoover Sgt John H. SPC Nancy GreeneSSG Franklin BriantSSG Robert Mark OdomSP5 Jeannie Carle
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