The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords, and Princes

by Kari L. 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 rules in Wales that had endured throughout recorded history. In the early middle ages Wales was composed of a variety of independent kingdoms with varying degrees of power, influence and stability, each ruled by proud and obdurate lineages. In this period a 'Kingdom of Wales' never existed, but the more powerful leaders, like Rhodri Mawr ('the Great'), Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, sought to extend their rule over the entire country.

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 tna 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."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History, British Literature, Historical

264 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Dr Kari Maund lectures and writes on the medieval history of the Celtic countries. As Kari Sperring, she also writes fiction.

Reviews

[Morgan Dhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Welsh Kings


In The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes, historian Kari Maund offers a rich and detailed summary of the complex political and military history of mediaeval Wales from the end of Roman rule to the defeat of Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales. Maund's book is narrowly focused, with no attention paid to the cultural, social, economic or religious history of Wales; it is rather, as one reviewer notes, "a journey through the endless dynastic infighting of mediaeval Wales." [1]

As such, this is not, I suspect, a book for the casual reader with little or no previous knowledge of Welsh history. Politically speaking, mediaeval Wales was divided into many small kingdoms; only on rare occasions would one man be able to bring a majority of these under one united rule, and none of these remarkable rulers were ever able to found a lasting dynasty. Wales had only a weak cultural tradition of single-successor inheritance (whether based on primogeniture or some other basis, such as the tanistry system found in Ireland or Scotland); more often than not, lands and lordship were divided between sons, leaving little opportunity for the creation of a dynasty by amassing power and wealth over time and concentrating this wealth and power in the hands of a single heir. Thus the few men who were truly Princes of Wales - Hywel Dda, Maredudd ab Owain, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd - gained and held their crowns through a combination of dynastically-conscious marriages, conquest, political diplomacy, personal charisma and occasionally alliances with external powers.

Maund follows the multiple lines of kingship in the various kingdoms of mediaeval Wales - Gwynedd, Deheubarth, Powys and Gwent being the largest and most powerful - paying particular attention to the great princes who did achieve sone measure of influence over most of Wales.

A storehouse of information about the many royal houses of Wales this would make an excellent reference work for anyone with an interest in the subject, but is probably not a book for the casual reader.

[1] http://www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/...

[Liam Guilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential for anyone interested in this period of Welsh history. Helpful in sorting out your
Llewelyn Ap Iorwerth from your Gruffudd Ap Llewelyn.

Perhaps not a book you'd read cover to cover for entertainment, but a thorough reference for the subject.

[Caomhghain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wales has a problem as a modern nation state. Borders still a little unclear, not united in language, not united in geography where north and south still have little infrastructural linkage. Historically it has been a case of holding on while never quite having been there in the first place. Like Ireland it had a varying multitude of kings and little, if any, unity, so it was overrun piecemeal first by the Normans and then the English kings. This history confines itself strictly to the 'Welsh'. I'm not sure what criterion was used for this. Many of the Marcher lords were as Welsh as the Welsh. Perhaps the criteria is that these people regarded themselves as Welsh rather than anything else. It is a thorough presentation and, thanks to the fissiparous nature of Wales, something more of an encyclopedia than a history. Non-Welsh actors appear suddenly and then can vanish, we have to move back in time from one section of the country to another since they share little history together. So you need to have some knowledge of Welsh and English history to start. That said it is an excellent and thoroughgoing presentation of the state of our knowledge of the political lives of these Welsh kings.

[Ivan Monckton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering the number of Welsh Kings and Princes, their relationships, battles, wars, treachery and the fact that many had similar names, Kari Maund has done a remarkable job in laying down their history in an understandable and readable manner. No politicking here (so many books around the subject are written from a modern Welsh nationalist viewpoint), little promoting of the main characters as ‘heroes’, just an endless stream of power crazy Welsh aristocrats trying to outdo their neighbours, family members and the Normans, and getting killed in the process. One interesting fact came right at the end of the book: Gruffudd ap Gwenwynwyn took the pragmatic view of protecting what he inherited rather than trying to add to it, and as a result his reputation has suffered. However, “alone of the major native leaders of the late thirteenth century, when he died in 1286 it was in his bed, not in war or by execution..”

[Owen McArdle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled a bit to follow this – this is probably more about me than the book but there were parts of the book where the various names of the kings were washing over me and not much going on. I feel as if the book could do with more family trees and most definitely a map to accompany the descriptions – particularly later on in the book when locations are given by cantref! It illuminated some of the nation's history for me, but probably not something I'd recommend to someone without a certain level of prior knowledge.

[Tom Fordham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and very informative history of the Kings of Wales. Having been to Wales countless times throughout my life and living close to the boarder, I wanted to know more about the history of this country. This book certainly provided, I was particularly excited by the reigns of Rhodri Mawr, Hwyel Dda and Owain Gwynedd. I reccomend this to anyone looking to gain knowledge of the Welsh kings and the dynasty of Merfyn Fach. Maund's book is a great starting point and I'm inspired to read more about the kingdoms of Gwynedd, Dehubarth and especially Ceredigion where I spent a lot of my time.

[Farah Mendlesohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need a map, and I need names. This supplied both. But goodness it was confusing. Kudos to Maund for keeping track of so many different families.

[When I was filling in my utter lack of knowledge about Rome a few years ago, I really came to appreciate primogeniture as a means of stabilising states. The same goes for Wales.]

[Aneurin Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Wales you don't get taught Welsh history. Yet it is incredibly action packed and a real thrill-fest. Stories of betrayal, family disputes and foreign invasion. This book is a really helpful overview of the Kings and Princes of Wales from 825-1282/3.
This book outlines the tragedy of the rich tapestry of Welsh History.
A really excellent read.

[Brycen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maund has put together an exceptional work here; they have gone through the labour of reconciling contradicting primary sources to tell the story of Welsh royal history. That said, the book is a slow read, and other than to a very niche audience, the book may appear as little other than a wall of names and dates.

[Ryan Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

well. it’s hard to get through a book of ~200 welshmen who share 5 or 6 impossible to pronounce names and rule over lands and cities and castles with equally unpronounceable and largely indistinguishable names. but i did and i’m glad, people really existed back then.

[Mabon Finch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book enjoyable enough, however there are many other books that provide a better account of the Welsh princes than this.

[Evy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but it is not for the faint of heart. It is a comprehensive look at the "kings" of Wales. It discusses when they ruled, who they fought, when they died and then who took over, for many similarly named Welshmen. You get a good understanding of why wales has so many castles (over 400) and why the Welsh and English did not get along. Great read for a historian but would not recommend for the average history buff.

[Karen Floyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a bit dry. And I had hoped for more on the earliest Welsh kings, though to be fair, there isn't much documentary evidence concerning them. All the same, it was a valuable look at the history of Wales.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than a lot of history books but it still had gaps, possibilities & probabilities.
Thought I'd re-read this especially as there are a lot of people who dispute there ever were any Welsh kings

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely one for the historians - not a casual read. It'll be useful if I ever need it for reference, but not something I'd recommend for pleasure.