I am not needs be going to argue the case of Owain Glyndwr and the cause of a native Welsh Aristocracy, nor provide reasons as to the why I consider this war, an Anti - Colonial War of National Liberation. I will leave all that to Embassy Glyndwr, see link below:
Owain Glyndwr Communicates.
- 11 visits - 15 SepMy purpose here is quite simply to argue the case that Welsh Socialists do not stick their heads where the Sun does not shine and ignore a Wales before 1831, not least Merthyr Tudful's present day comrades being mindful as I am that Merthyr was perhaps the first place in Wales to have an Owain Glyndwr pub no longer in existence mores the shame but there is one in Cardiff and another in Corwen. Pubs aside other than noting that some of Glyndwr's chief supporters were not in main the 'posh bards' but 'Y Clerwyr', the minstrels those today we might regard as 'Buskers' not your typical folk musician on a grant that abound in our times. This is why I have time for 'Buskers' and give them money, mindful as I am that it was the likes of these that were as 'Clerwyr Glyndwr' in and out of the Tafarns singing of old prophecies and of better days to come with the coming of a 'Son of Prophecy'.
Elizabeth I would find 'Y Clerwyr' so bothersome and promoters of trouble she would call the 'Posh' Bards to hold two Eisteddfods at Caerwys, in 'Cymraeg' by the way, so no suppression there. That was because they did the English Crowns bidding to get the 'Bardic Proffession' sussed, sorted and self censored with reward of a Tudor Licence to continue in their largelly grovelling to the gentry trade. Oh yes! they also had to sort out 'Y Clerwyr' and no doubt they did but perhaps only driving them more underground and back into the high mountains, wild woodlands and caves of their secret Wales. This was the Country of the Welsh Outlaw; Adar y Greim and later Gwerin Owain down to the 'Banditti Cambria' of 16th Century Wales whom would also exercise the mind of the Tudor Regime and give 'Hanging Judge Rowland Lee much work hunting down thieves and cut throats as well as 'Welsh Outlaws', possibly an Outlaw Welsh Resistence aka 'Social Bandits', see link:
Social bandits - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whatever, the romance aside lets take a closer look at 'Glyndwr and all that', what therein could possibly interest Welsh Socialists. Well, if you have the time of day for the history of English Democracy and Parliamentary History, then you should have time for Senedd Glyndwr 1404 as something unique went on here and is as worthy of interest and attentive study as Simon de Montforts Parliament of 1265. Not least Welsh Socialists who might have time of day for the English Peasants Revolt 1381 might consider the social aspects of the 'Glyndwr War'. Note in particular that at this time the population of Wales as about 550.000 and the population of England in area of 3 Million, plus they had a mighty European Military Machine of Castles and Fuedal Levies. Not least the capabilities of massive arms production plus military organisation and all this before the Industrial Revolution was as amazing as it would be when Britain started to carve out a pre Industrial 'World Empire' from Canada to India.
However, as we witness in Afghanistan and have in Vietnam etc, the Welsh 'War of the Flea' tactics would serve them well in the beginning at in the final years would prolong the war as a 'Guerrilla War' of continuing resistence in the wilds of Eryri up to 1421, if not beyond in the 'Gwerin Owain' and other outlaw troubles that lasted into the age of the 'Red Bandits', Plant Matt and Twm Sion Catti. Such would have not been possible with out the input of a large number of the ''Lower Orders'', that is the Serfs, Bond Men and Anglo - Norman Tennants 'Liberated' by Owain Glyndwr to swell the ranks of his growing army. Without doubt for the most part a Peasant Army, this is often over looked by many historians, writters and not least by Welsh Patriots and also Welsh Socialists too.
The 'Glyndwr War' is often seen in the light of the damage it caused and depending where you stand, the blame is placed on either Glyndwr's side or by the English. No doubt about it, the English Invaders had always been good at laying waste to Wales, so too no doubt Glyndwr's forces came down heavy on Colonial Castle Towns and economic targets as mills etc. However, I suspect that much of the damage was also caused by the 'lower orders' as is the case in most wars but the 'liberated Welsh Peasants' would have known in latter years of the war there was no 'going home' for them and thus pillaged and plundered and run off with much to their 'Secret Wales'.
The above proably paints a picture of 'Glyndwr's War' you might not be aware of, do remember that the preceding century was a time of great European Famine that caused Social protest and Popular Revolt. Wales in the 14th century had witnessed the birth of the Mercenary and the 'Rebel' seen very well in the Welsh Revolts of 1315 in the South and 1345 in the North. The 14th century would witness increasingly a down ward mobile former Welsh 'Freeman' to join a native peasantry not so upwardly mobile as their English Counterparts due the the Colonial Order in Wales that militated against most Welsh People; Socially, Economically and Racially. I am convinced that Wales would have witnessed a major revolt despite Owain Glyndwr and not because of him but, at end of the day revolts kick off better when there are charismatic leaders be they Sparticus or Zapata, so why not same regards Caradog and Glyndwr?
In conclusion consider this at start of the 'Glyndwr War', Lord Gray Owain's 'Bete Noir' had an 185 Serfs, at end of the war only eight, yes 8! So where had they all gone? now multiply so many lords and so many serfs and you get an idea possibly a good idea that when I say Glyndwr's forces were largelly a 'Peasant Army' that's a fact. Perhaps further backed up by this is te following little gem from records of the times, concerning surrender of 'Welsh Rebels' on Ynys Mon. The account states the names of the 'notables' but then says there were many whose names were not worth mentioning, ''of little or no use''. Men it seems of 'No Consequence', all I can say is thanks for the men of 'No Consequence!' obviously those 'Barefoot Welsh Doggis' who the English find annoying enough to make a record of. So, if your not up for celebrating Owain Glyndwr and Welsh nobles then celebrate those of 'No Consequence!' in whose footsteps others have followed down thru the ages.
The below information will be of additional use:
.
Search Results
Outlaw - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- 2 visits - 13:20Twm Siôn Cati – Welsh Outlaw from Tregaron in Tudor times, ended up mayor of Brecon · James Hind – 17th century highwayman; John Clavell – English ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaw - Cached - Similar- Later 16th century 'Banditti Cambria' also in 16th century beginnings of a Land war and note a ''Tax Revolt'' in Dolgellau 1498, 16 century 'Arson War' in ...
redremembrancer.blogspot.com/.../welsh-popular-struggles-and-strikes.html
.- 10 Feb 2007 ... Instead, in Wales, there occurred a rise in crime and outlawry as men took to the great woodlands to become “Adar y Griem”. ...
welshpatriot.blogspot.com/.../cymru-1345-st-valentines-day-massacre.html -Cached - Similar- .
Too bad nothing came of the Gwerin Owain Free Festival (really hoping there!)perhaps next year make it a medieval 'dress up' like a Welsh Outlaw gathering?C'mon lets make this cause, not so bloody boring and just about parades & pints!.CAMPAIGNS CYMRU: CAMPAIGN FOR A FREE FESTIVAL: GWYL RYDDGWERIN ...
19 Aug 2010 ... CAMPAIGN FOR A FREE FESTIVAL: GWYL RYDD GWERIN OWAIN VYRNWY AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY - THE LONGEST WEEKEND IN WELSH HISTORY? ...
ymgyrch.blogspot.com/.../campaign-for-free-festival-gwyl-rydd.html - Cached.Then there's the below:.Welsh Cowboys and Outlaws (It's Wales): Amazon.co.uk: Dafydd ...
- This text explores the history of Welsh cowboys and outlaws in the Wild West, including Jesse James, Owen Roscomyl and Isaac Davies. ...
- www.amazon.co.uk/Welsh-Cowboys-Outlaws-Its.../0862436877 - Cached
- G.Gruffydd.
PS:16 September is also Mexican Independence Day 1810 - 2010being the- 200th Anniversary,
- see info on web.
