The incredible book The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes sends us to the early Middle Ages when fierce men led the independent kingdoms of Wales. In this period, kings like Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Rhodri Mawr, and Gruffudd ap Llewelyn attempted to bring the entire country under their control.
If you love reading about Welsh kings and want a detailed account of how they ruled the Welsh kingdoms from the Roman exodus in 383 AD to the defeat of Llewelyn the Last in 1282, The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes will give you exactly that. The author, Kari Maund, explores how the dynasties of the time grew—how Gwynedd, Deheubarth, Powys, and Gwent became the largest and most powerful kingdoms.
The work isn’t casual reading but is a deep and absorbing reference book about Welsh kings and warriors. It tells the story of lineage, strategic marriages, diplomacy, and conquest. So, if you’re a history enthusiast, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy it. Maund does an excellent job of distinguishing each of the many kings of Wales from one another.
Wales was only united as a whole nation for a short period by Gruffudd ap Llewelyn. However, Maund provides a rich tapestry of information on Gruffudd and the Welsh kings and princes who exerted a high level of influence over most of what we consider the Welsh nation at the time.
This post is about the book The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes by Kari Maund.
The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes
The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes by Kari Maund
From the publisher:
When Edward I’s troops forced the destruction of Dafydd ap Gruffudd in 1283, they brought to an end the line of truly independent native rulers in Wales that had endured throughout recorded history.
The author produces revealing pictures of the leading Welsh kings and princes of the day and explores both their contribution to Welsh history and their impact on the wider world. They were, of necessity, warriors, living in a violent political world and requiring ruthless skills to even begin to rule in Wales. Yet they showed wider vision, political acumen, and statesmanship and were patrons of the arts and the church. The history of their contact with their neighbours, allies, and rivals is examined—Anglo-Saxons, Irish, Vikings, and Anglo-Normans—thereby setting Welsh institutions within their wider historical context.
This work revives the memory of the native leaders of the country from a time before the title ‘Prince of Wales’ became an honorary trinket in the gift of a foreign ruler. These men are restored to their rightful place amongst the past rulers of the island of Britain.
Topics of the Book
Some of the topics, among many others, that author Kari Maund covers in The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes include the castles of Wales, how Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn differed from other rulers, and how primogeniture played a role in securing kingdoms. Here are a few interesting facts about Wales in the early Middle Ages.
What is primogeniture?
Primogeniture is a special right of succession within a feudal system in which the firstborn legitimate child inherits their parents’ estate. It often applies especially to the firstborn son.
In the early Middle Ages in Wales (11th century), Welsh kings or chieftains still followed a practice similar to the tanistry system used by the Irish. In tanistry, chieftains were elected by the leaders of the family. These leaders voted for who they wanted to lead the tribe. The current chief also usually had a “tanist” already selected. He was a second in command who would step up and assume the role if the chieftain died.
While this system had a democratic element that sought to select the best person for the role, it had a downside. Sometimes, many men were eligible and vied for the position. Conflicts sometimes turned violent.
Over time, the Welsh rulers changed this to the system of primogeniture. In this type of succession, the kingdom, princedom, or other land passed to the king’s firstborn legitimate child (often the son) when the ruler died. By using this method, kingdoms gained more stability while leaving less room for conflict.
What were Welsh warriors called?
In the early Middle Ages that The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes describes, Welsh warriors were called “Teulu.” Teulu is a Welsh word that means “family.” The word comes from Brythonic. While it means family, it refers not necessarily to blood-related people. They used it to mean many people who lived together and followed the same leader. These fighters comprised a group of noblemen who acted as the chieftain, prince, or king’s bodyguard. They were cavalry, being mounted warriors who wore heavy army. The group would often be small—maybe 120 to 160 men—as its primary purpose was for raiding.
If the kingdom needed a larger military force beyond the Teulu, they drafted men ages 14 and above into the larger army. The Middle Welsh word for “soldier” translates as “cadwr,” “milwr,” or “rhufon.” So, people referred to conscripted men by these terms.
What do you know about Welsh kings after reading the book?
- You’ll have a comprehensive overview of the Welsh kings who ruled from 825 to 1282 AD. The descriptions include family disagreements, betrayals to gain power, and enemy invasions.
- The author corrects contradictions and inconsistencies that have stuck around for years about the rulers of Wales. Learn what really happened based on the historical evidence and records.
- Discover the reason Wales has so many castles—427 castle ruins remain.
- Find out why the Welsh and English didn’t get along and how Wales and England got their respective shapes.
What are the Welsh Triads?
The Welsh Triads are a collection of texts found in the Four Ancient Books of Wales (The Black Book of Carmarthen, The Book of Aneirin, The Book of Taliesin, and The Red Book of Hergest) that preserve some parts of Welsh folklore and traditional history in groups of three. While they fall outside the scope of The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords, and Princes, they’re a fascinating subject and very much an essential part of medieval Wales. The texts were written in the 13th – 15th centuries. However, their content comes from earlier periods, some of it clearly going back to pre-Roman times.
Some persons who appear in the writings are from folklore, while others are semi-historical, such as the Welsh King Arthur. Caswallawn (Cassivellaunus), leader of the Catuvellauni tribe, who defeated Julius Caesar’s raid in 54 BC appears. Caradog (Caratacus) also lives in these stories, the ferocious chieftain who resisted the Romans in the first century.
In Welsh, the texts are called “Trioedd Ynys Prydein,” which means “Triads of the Island of Britain.” The triads are given as a numbered list. Some only give the names of persons and others provide more details. Here are two examples of triads.
From Peniarth, Manuscript 54
3. Three fair lords of the Island of Prydain. Run son of Maelgwyn; Owen son of Urien; Ruawn Pefyr son of Deorath Guledig.
26. Three loyal households of the Island of Prydain. The household of Catwallaun son of Cadfan, who were seven years in Ywerdon with him, and in that time demanded no pay nor compensation from him; and the household of Gafran son of Aedan, who went to sea with their lord; and the third the household of Gwendoleu son of Ceidyaw at Arderyd, who maintained the contest forty-six days after their lord was slain. The number of the households each one of their warriors one hundred men and a score.
Related Fiction Reading
Welsh Princes Trilogy by Sharon Kay Penman
The Welsh Princes Trilogy is the perfect fiction series to pick up after finishing The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords, and Princes. You’ve rolled up your sleeves and studied the history. Now it’s time for some fun with an absorbing novel set toward the end of the early Middle Ages!
Author Sharon Penman weaves a tale of power, betrayal, loyalty, and politics in England, France, and Wales. Cymru, in the 1200s, is a divided nation at the mercy of King John of England. Llewelyn the Great (also called “Llywelyn Fawr” or “Llywelyn ab Iorwerth”) marries the king’s daughter, Joanna. The English princess slowly begins to love her brave and influential husband. As King John once again tries to subdue Wales and keep Llewelyn in his place, Joanna’s loyalty is tested.
This post was about the book The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes by Kari Maund.
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