Heirs to the Princes
The Welsh Administrative Elite, from the Edwardian Conquest to the Black Death
9781837722761
Distributed for University of Wales Press
Heirs to the Princes
The Welsh Administrative Elite, from the Edwardian Conquest to the Black Death
A new history of medieval Wales, where survival meant adapting, not defeat.
The Edwardian conquest of Wales is often seen as a final blow to Welsh autonomy, but Heirs to the Princes challenges this narrative, revealing a different story—one of adaptation and resurgence. This study depicts the rise of a Welsh administrative and military elite in the generations following 1277 to 88 and traces how native leaders navigated shifting power structures to secure influence within the English Crown’s rule.
The book recontextualizes Edward I’s later reign through close documentary analysis, showing him not merely as a ruthless conqueror but as a ruler who came to rely on Welsh support, addressed grievances, and fostered a new governing class. It also details Edward II’s complex relationship with Welsh magnates, leading to the crises that shaped his rule.
Through profiling key figures of the emerging Welsh gentry, Heirs to the Princes revises our understanding of post-conquest Wales and highlights the resilience of its leaders and their pivotal role in the road to the Glyn Dŵr rising of 1400.
The Edwardian conquest of Wales is often seen as a final blow to Welsh autonomy, but Heirs to the Princes challenges this narrative, revealing a different story—one of adaptation and resurgence. This study depicts the rise of a Welsh administrative and military elite in the generations following 1277 to 88 and traces how native leaders navigated shifting power structures to secure influence within the English Crown’s rule.
The book recontextualizes Edward I’s later reign through close documentary analysis, showing him not merely as a ruthless conqueror but as a ruler who came to rely on Welsh support, addressed grievances, and fostered a new governing class. It also details Edward II’s complex relationship with Welsh magnates, leading to the crises that shaped his rule.
Through profiling key figures of the emerging Welsh gentry, Heirs to the Princes revises our understanding of post-conquest Wales and highlights the resilience of its leaders and their pivotal role in the road to the Glyn Dŵr rising of 1400.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Preface
Acknowledgements
Maps
Introduction
Chapter 1 Edward I’s developing policy in Wales: the ‘Charm Offensive’
Chapter 2 The New Elite
Chapter 3 The men of position. A biographical gazetteer arranged by region.
Chapter 4 Reflections on the survey of the New Elite and the ‘Men of Position’
Chapter 5 Things Fall Apart
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Acknowledgements
Maps
Introduction
Chapter 1 Edward I’s developing policy in Wales: the ‘Charm Offensive’
Chapter 2 The New Elite
Chapter 3 The men of position. A biographical gazetteer arranged by region.
Chapter 4 Reflections on the survey of the New Elite and the ‘Men of Position’
Chapter 5 Things Fall Apart
Notes
Bibliography
Index