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The Southern troubles 1314 – 1318: Introduction to the 1315 Llywelyn Bren Rebellion. See also my other post on a Welsh St Valentines Day Massacre 1345 regarding troubles in northern Wales 1344 – 1345 that nearly brought about a second 14th century rebellion 55 years prior to the Glyndŵr rebellion.
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28 Ionawr marks day when in 1316, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (not the Llywelyn III of same name) aka Llywelyn Bren and sons with their followers made a surprised attack upon a court being held beneath the walls of Caerffili Castle. In this attack they reputedly kicked over the tax collectors table, slew a number of soldiers and captured William de Berkerolloes, lord of St Athan (described as sheriff of Glamorgan and keeper of Caeffili castle) along with other officers present. This bold but desperate act began the last major Welsh rebellion before that of Owain Glyndŵr in 1400, it is perhaps surprising that this last revolt was of the Welsh of Blaenau Morgannwg. The rebellion was to end with defeat and a noble surrender at Ystrad Fellte on the 18 March 1316 in the same year, the revolt had lasted but a few weeks but not before the entire Blaenau Morgannwg had risen up in arms against the oppression of their Anglo – Norman Overlords. Under the leadership of Llywelyn Bren the rebellion became known by his name but a fact which is often ignored is that this was no mere localised revolt but a major rebellion of the ‘Southern Welsh’. However, the Rebellion was to remain a regional one; even so it was widely spread through out Southern Wales with the many lords and chieftains of Blaenau Morgannwg to the fore.
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Photos below are of a summer outing to Castell Morgraig, best time for families to visit with children for a Picnic in a buetiful woodland setting. Fotos show entrance to Tafarn Car Park, Car park facilities and entrance to the wood in which the remains of Castell Morgraig are now within. Final view is looking south towards Caerdydd and Vale of Glamorgan, which the Welsh would later raid with such ferocity. However, during first days of the revolt following on the ''Kick off'' at gates of Caerfilli Castle, the Welsh were to dig in at Castell Morgraig where they were in a commanding position on crest of an hill to beat of an English attack. However, the English although retreating under a fierce hail of missiles did not give up but were soon outflanking the Welsh position at Castell Morgraig. Thus the Welsh were forced to withdraw to carry out an eventual retreat deeper into the Blaenau Morgannwg towards eventual surrender at Ystrad Felte. If wishing to hold a major Patriotic gathering to remember the start of the Llywelyn Bren Revolt on or about 28 Ionawr, why not gather at Caerffili Castle and then make way to visit Castell Morgraig for a Rali Gwladgarol followed by a commemorative meal and pint in the Tafarn close by. I hope all those ''Hwntws'' who manage to make it to Cilmeri annually to remember a ''Gog'' prince could make perhaps make a little effort to remember an ''Hwntw'' Lord and descendant of the Princes of Morgannwg/Glywysing. Certainly, the location with Tafarn close by as shelter from bad weather makes this ''Welsh Alamo'' a good location for a post Rali Cilmeri Southern Gathering before a year of commemorations, maybe or better some hard work in footsteps of I'r Gad Welsh Battlefield Campaign, in this case memorialising the Llywelyn Bren Revolt in any and all of aforementioned associated locations.
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A later Royal inquiry’ records over 200 leading rebels, in particular as noted being: Llywelyn Bren and his wife Lleucu, their five sons, Gruffydd, John, Dafydd, Muerig and Roger. Also named as listed chief rebels were Madog Fychan and his brother Llywelyn ap Madog of Senghenydd (Grandson of Gruffydd ab Ifor ap Meurig), Gronw ab Iuean and his son Hywel, Hywel ab Ifor and Ieuan ab Ifor of Meisgyn, Gronw ap Rhys and Rhys Meisgyn of Nedd, and a Madog Fychan. Madog Fychan of Tir Iarll (ardal Llangynwyd) a famously noted warrior. The list of rebels goes on also naming; Rhun ap Gronw of Cibwr and Gwilym Gethin of Glyn Rhondda. Last but not least, Rhys ap Gronw of Aberpergwm, of a family of sound patriots whose descendants as other aforementioned rebels of 1315 were also ‘Welsh Patriot Rebels ''out with Glyndŵr'' during the last war of Welsh Independence. Of course it goes with out saying that there were Welsh traitors who collaborated with the Anglo – Norman oppressors and it is perhaps pertinent that we know their names too, most chiefly being Cynfrig ap Hywel and his son Llywelyn ap Cynfrig but there were others too.
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Photos below, show a ''Millenium Stone'' at edge of car park in Ystrad Felte, if holding a Patriotic Rally this may be best place to gather prior to walk to site of the Castle of Ystrad Felte. If many cars best they are parked here as lane is narrow near to castle and do note you cannot go on the land on which remains of Castle are situated. The ''Milenium Stone'' is also perhaps best place to leave ivy and floral tributes in memory of those Welsh who died in the 1316 Rebellion. Be great if only, one day a statue of Llywelyn Bren was placed upon this ''Milenium Stone''. I guess we can but wish, I did contact the community council about a Llywelyn Bren memorial but recieved no reply, guess they were not much interested? Always better, if some one local moves such suggestions forward within the community rather than ''outsiders'' appearing to poke their noses into what the community may deem a local matter?
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1316 Southern Rebellion: The rebellion was almost over as quickly as it had began. But as short as the rebellion had been, it had been devastating with far reaching consequences throughout Glamorgan. Not least for much of the Anglo – Norman dominated Marcher lands in the then much larger vale of Glamorgan. Initially the insurgents had besieged Caerffili castle but Edward I had reacted quickly ordering a number of his Barons to quell the Rebellion, mindful of the fact regards how quick a localised revolt in 1294 had become a major National rebellion. Edward I was not going to risk the same possibility again. (interestingly records account an outburst of rebel activity in area of Dinefwr at the same time) However, it was not until the second of March than a major Anglo – Norman army began to converge on Senghenydd, cockpit of the rebellion. Too late to have stopped a localised revolt in Senghenydd spreading across the highlands of Blaenau Morgannwg leading to the long oppressed Welsh rising quickly to occasion of opportunity to make rapid raiding attacks on the entrenched Anglo – Norman lowlands of the vale. Record of these ravaging raids show clearly they were devastating throughout much of Glamorgan, there is every likely hood that “Welsh serfs” enslaved to the Marcher lords in the vale also made good use of occasion and opportunity to join the growing rebellion or engage in some free enterprise and thus give this ‘Southern Welsh Rebellion’ much the nature of a ''popular'' if not exact ''peasant revolt’’ . (noting that the 14th century becomes the century of ''popular revolt'' throughout Europe, one already having taken place in Wales in the 1294 Rebellion prompted by unpopular English rule, taxation and conscription). By 6 March the Anglo – Norman Army was at Caerdydd, news of this led Llywelyn Bren to withdraw the main body of his army northward toward the highland interior of Blaenau Morgannwg. Leaving behind a small force at the old ruined castle of Morgraig on the ridge between Cefn Carnau and Cefn Onn to employ them selves in delaying the advancing enemy. (another ''Welsh Thermopylae'' see battle of Crogan 1165).The enemy however, about March 12 were to gain advance upon the Welsh and after heavy losses by both sides the Welsh withdrew and the English advanced and relieved Caerffili Castle and preceded to ''mop up'' Welsh resistance in Senghenydd, Meisgyn and in Glyn Rhondda, following on the trail of retreating rebels towards the Brecon Beacons.
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18 March 1316, Llywelyn Bren surrenders bringing the Southern rebellion to an end. One major enemy army had began a direct move on Llywelyn Bren in his stronghold of Senghenydd, another great enemy army had mobilised from Anglo – Norman lordship of Brecon under command of Humphrey, Earl of Hereford and had based itself at his castle of Ystrad Fellte. The purpose being to both cut off any Welsh reinforcements for the rebels form the west and at the same time cut off the rebels escaping west. Further, of course from this base they could send out ‘Search and Destroy’ missions to hunt down rebels in west and mid Blaenau Morgannwg. Llywelyn Bren must have realised the hopeless of their position and after some initial parleying Llywelyn Bren surrendered with two of his sons at the Castle of Ystrad Fellte on the 18 March 1316. a chronicler of the times noted for posterity that upon giving reason for surrender Llywelyn Bren stated ''It is better for one man to die than for a whole population to be killed by the sword'' * , Llywelyn Bren with many other leaders of the insurrection were imprisoned at the tower of London, many would be quickly released and returned home as Edward ever the good strategist did not wish to further antagonise the Welsh, especially has he had need of they to fight the Scots.
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Execution 1318, By the vengefulness of Hugh Despenser who had Llywelyn Bren brought to Caerdydd and there sometime after July 1318 he was brutally executed by means of being hung, drawn and quartered. His body was laid to rest at the now demolished Gray Friars, Caerdydd. Causes of the Llywelyn Bren ‘great Southern rebellion’ are many and much argued over; in particular many emphasise fact that the 14th century was to be a period of intolerably bad weather causing famine and rampant inflation all of which prompted a number of ‘peasant and Popular Rebellions’ throughout Europe ( see The Popular Revolts of the Late Middle ages by M. Moffat and P Wolff, George Allen & Unwin ltd.). These conditions were made worse later in the Century by plaques but unlike in England where the ills of the 14th century had caused the great 1381 peasant rebellion, Wales witnessed discontent mostly in the growth of crime (see Adar y Greim) and emigration to the continent to join mercenary bands as that of Owain Llawgoch rather than rebellion. But by the 1390’s rebellion had began to ferment in Wales which would of course lead to 16 September 1400 and all that followed. The 14th Century had began with a long freezing winter (see Dorothy Tuchmans book ‘A Distant Mirror’, the classic book on the 14th century and a must read.) and by 1314 discontent took the form of a small localised revolts in the lordships of Nedd and Tir Iarll and by 1315 the men of Senghenydd were in an agitated state of growing discontent. Add to all this further reasons for discontent leading to disputes between alien lords amongst themselves with Edward I and with the Welsh plus Welsh v Welsh then yes there are much in way of Socio – economic conditions prompting a Kick off for trouble. However, the rebellion that eventually took place in the early months of 1316 had possibly been on the boil for over 300 years, from time the Normans had began their conquest of the South, the ancient provinces of Morgannwg and Gwent or once jointly known as the kingdom of Glywysing’.
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A Patriotic View: there is the straight patriotic view that Llywelyn Bren was continuing in a tradition of resistance to Anglo – Norman conquest and colonisation. Of course there is much truth in this, many think that with the onslaught of Norman conquest of the South during latter part of the 11th century to early part of the 12 century that southerners had given up resistance but this is not true. Southern Welsh resistance continued as under the leadership of noted southern Welsh patriots as Iorwerth ab Owain (grandson of Caradog ap Gruffydd, the last king of Gwent) with his brother Morgan led the Welsh of Gwent in the liberation Liberation war of 1136 later the torch was carried by Morgan ap Hywel of Machen and Gwynllwg. During the 12th century Morgannwg had fine patriot freedom fighters as Ifor ap Meurig and later Rhys ap Gruffydd last native lord of Senghenydd, followed by his sons Gruffydd and Morgan ap Rhys, Maredudd and Morgan Gam ap Caradog ab Iestyn, Lords of Afan, his cousin Llywelyn ab Owain. Also Cadwallon and later his son, Morgan ap Cadwallon of Glyn Rhondda also Llywelyn ap Maredudd of Meisgyn. Not least mention should be made of Madog ap Llywelyn of Tir Iarll supporter of Llywelyn III and not least Hywel ap Maredudd patriot stalwart of the ''no surrender'' school, began his life fighting the Anglo – Normans as a valuable ally of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth and was still fighting them as a dispossessed exile in the entourage of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and as an old warrior possibly died with Llywelyn III in his last days still fighting for his homelands freedom. In the great revolt of 1294 it is a Morgan ap Maredudd ap Maredudd ap Gruffydd of Machen who leads the men of the South. This patriotic view of the Llywelyn Bren rebellion clearly shows that the South had not entirely surrendered to Anglo – Norman conquest as from their involvement in major uprising in the national revolt of 1094 and would still be fighting along side Owain Glyndŵr in the last great war of Welsh Independence of 1400 – 16 – 22.
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Photo above: I place a flower in remembrance of Llywelyn Bren at the Greyfriars Plaque in the Old Pearl Insurence Building in Caerdydd, why don't others do the same on and around 18 March or later, closer to time of his execution at Cardiff Castle during the Summer of 1318. Tributes could also be placed at gates of the Castle, as it was possibly outside the gates of the Castle that Llywelyn Bren was hung, drawn and quartered, he was then bueried at Greyfriars where his body remained certainly up to the 16th century.
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Castell Morgraig
For a further examination of the mystery of Morgraig castle, please visit the Castell Morgraig: Year 7 Project web site at: ...www.castlewales.com/morgraig.html - 13k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
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G.ap Gruffydd.
