Battle of Mynydd Carn
| date | 1081 |
|---|---|
| place | At Templeton east of Pembroke |
| output | Victory of Rhys ap Tewdwr and Gruffydd ap Cynan |
| consequences | Rhys ap Tewdwr gained primacy in South West Wales, Gruffydd ap Cynan became King of Gwynedd |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
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| Commander | |
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Trahaern † |
Rhys ap Tewdwr
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The Battle of Mynydd Carn was the culmination of a long struggle for power in the South Welsh Principality of Deheubarth . The exact course of the battle is unknown, the site of the battle is believed to be a hill near Templeton in Pembrokeshire .
The Welsh nobleman Rhys ap Tewdwr had secured rule over Deheubarth and made himself king in 1079 in the fight against Caradog ap Gruffydd von Gwent . In 1080, however, parts of his empire had been invaded and sacked by Vikings, and in 1081, after a sudden attack by Caradog, he was allegedly sheltered in St David's Cathedral . Caradog was allied with Trahern ap Caradog , king of Gwynedd . He was supported by his relative Meilyr ap Rhiwallon, a son of Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn from Powys , as well as Norman mercenaries armed with crossbows . In view of this alliance, Rhys allied himself with Gruffydd ap Cynan , a princely son of Gwynedd, who had lived in exile in Ireland or with the Irish Vikings since 1075. In 1081 Gruffydd landed with Viking mercenaries and Irish and Welsh troops at Porthclais near St Davids and united with the force of Rhys ap Tewdwr. Allegedly, Rhys Gruffydd is said to have offered his homage as well as half of his empire in exchange for the military aid.
A battle broke out between the two parties at Mynydd Carn. Allegedly, Rhys ap Tewdwr and Gruffydd ap Cynan encountered the opposing forces after a long day's march. Rhys ap Tewdwr wanted to postpone the fight until the next day, but Gruffydd ap Cynan immediately began the attack. With Trahern ap Caradog, Caradog ap Gruffydd and Meilyr ap Rhiwallon, all three opposing leaders were killed in the battle. Rhys ap Tewdwr no longer wanted to cede the promised share of his kingdom to Gruffydd ap Cynan and withdrew with his warriors. Gruffydd ap Cynan then marched north through Rhys' realm to take control of Gwynedd, which was without a ruler due to the deaths of Trahern and Meilyr. However, he was captured shortly afterwards by the Norman Robert of Rhuddlan and remained in Norman captivity for more than ten years. Since the sons of Trahern and those of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn von Powys, who fell in 1075, were still minors, the Normans were now able to conquer large parts of North Wales. Rhys ap Tewdwr, on the other hand, had risen to become the most powerful prince in South Wales through the victory of Mynydd Carn. The English King William the Conqueror recognized this and moved to West Wales with a strong army in 1081. Rhys paid homage to him and henceforth paid him tribute. In return, the king suppressed further Norman attacks on south Wales, while Rhys ap Tewdwr accepted the Norman conquests in south-east Wales.
literature
- Kari Maud: Warriors, Warlords and Princes . The History Press, New York, 2011. ISBN 978-0-7524-7392-5
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Coflein: Mynydd Carn, site of Battle, near Templeton. Retrieved May 27, 2014 .
- ↑ Lynn H. Nelson: The Normans in South Wales, 1070-1171. University of Texas Press, Austin 1966, p. 35. Available online [1]
- ↑ Oxford DNB: Rhys ap Tewdwr. Retrieved May 27, 2014 .
- ↑ Kari Maud: Gruffudd ap Cynan. A collaborative biography. Boydell, Woodbridge 1996. ISBN 978-0-85115-389-6 , p. 162
- ^ Rees R. Davies: The Age of Conquest. Wales 1063-1415. Oxford University Press, Oxford 1991, ISBN 0-19-820198-2 , p. 105
Coordinates: 51 ° 45 ′ 51.3 " N , 4 ° 45 ′ 37" W.