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Home » Articles » Castles of the Welsh Princes, c. 1083-1283Castles of the Welsh Princes, c. 1083-1283
This theme contains photographs of the castles of the Welsh Princes, c. 1063-1283, and some artefacts which have been discovered on the sites of these castles.
This theme contains photographs of the castles of the Welsh Princes, c. 1063-1283, and some artefacts which have been discovered on the sites of these castles.
Medieval Wales was a land of fragmented kingdoms and dynasties, but by the middle of the 11th century the four major territories of Gwynedd, Powys, Deheubarth and Morgannwg had emerged to dominate the political landscape. The rulers of these various kingdoms were not only involved in clashes with the English Crown, but also against each other as they competed for land and power. Morgannwg would soon fall by the wayside and, by the 13th century, only Gwynedd would remain a dominant force. Its two early rulers, Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1075-1137) and Owain Gwynedd (1137-70), created a stable and prosperous kingdom which provided the foundations for the later successes of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (1194-1240) and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (1220-82). In south-west Wales, Rhys ap Tewdwr (c. 1081-93) and his grandson Rhys ap Gruffudd (Lord Rhys) (1155-97) established the powerful kingdom of Deheubarth but, following the death of Lord Rhys, their lands became subject either to the English Crown or the rulers of Gwynedd. The extension of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth's territory allowed him more power than previous Welsh rulers and it was under his rule that the first stone castles in Wales of a comparable quality to those of the English Marcher lords began to be built. Castle building was a major financial undertaking and construction would not have begun without clear objectives. The castles were located in strategic positions, fulfilling both a symbolic and a political role. This theme contains images and artefacts relating to the castles of the Welsh Princes, c. 1063-1283. The remains of many of these castles (e.g. Dolwyddelan, Dolbadarn and Ewloe) reveal an idiosyncratic Welsh style.
Sources:
www.castlewales.com/llewelyn.html
www.castlewales.com/gwyned.html
Roger Turvey, 'The Welsh Princes, 1063-1283: The Native Rulers of Wales' (London, 2002).
