DOCSLIB.ORG

Wclsh Custonr Un(L ('1Ln(Lr L,:Rrv, I 150 L.L(Xl for Reform

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wclsh Custonr Un(L ('1Ln(Lr L,:Rrv, I 150 L.L(Xl for Reform 1-r- ,l,,rlll ' r, lrl,. tttrtr.tl Wclsh Custonr un(l ('1ln(lr l,:rrv, I 150 l.l(Xl ,I rrr rllrllli | "rllr(lol I t, I rl ril,lr, , r,,ltrr \\(.t(.1,() by I Irrrv [)rycc , I rlr 1l',,ltlr,ll.lrott11l','1,,a ,,,1 r r,tlr,,ttlttt ( rllllll('ll'll()lll'lllrrotttilt l' I I \\lt't' tttlltt'('lrlolirrgiltn For reform-minded churchmen in thc lrvcllilr rrrrrl l, "'1"r rll' ltil'ittsltltvettotllccn thirteenth centuries, Welsh custom and canon law wcrc lvorltlr; I ,1,,t rr | "rrrl'rt'l' lrlrl lll( ll apart. Writing to the pope in the 1150s, Archbishop 'l hcobirltl ol ,, Lr L, l,,rrl llr t"llt' ttttt' 'llrrllltllrlllllll;lllclli)rttobcttcr cttslomary Canterbury alleged that the inhabitants of Gwynedd in nortlr , I r r * ltlr I r" "L rll r rrr\ l\'ll'lll(l\'()lllil)tlitytll'tlte post-Caolingian Wales were'ignorant of the divine and still more of canon law', l,rr ,,1 l, I rrrt' rrl.rr\ l)rllrll( 'lll()ll;ltttllltrlol'itlthe engaging in a slave trade with Ireland, bartering concubines, 'and ignoring the guilt of incest'. Moreover, this lamentable behaviour was as rife amongst the clergy as the laity.l Some twenty years later, at the provincial Council of Westminster in 1175, it was proposed that 'the Welsh should not sell churches nor give them in dower nor cling to their kinsfolk nor change wives'. Significantly, this proposition was not enacted in the council's legislation, perhaps because it was deemed unworkable.2 Likewise, at the end of the twelfth century Gerald of Wales noted the prevalence amongst the Welsh of incest, trial marriage, concubinage (reflected in the equal rights of inheritance granted to both illegitimate and legitimate children), the inheritance of ecclesiastical benefices and portionary churches.3 Such criticisms continued in the thirteenth century. True, Pope Honorius III gave his enthusiastic approval in 1222 to an ordinance issued by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (d. 1240), prince of Gwynedd, abolishing 'a certain detestable custom or rather corruption ... contrary to divine and human law' whereby the son of the handmaiden was \ ' The Leuers of John of Salisbury, ed. W.J. Millor, H.E. Butler, and l C.N.L. Brooke (London 1955-79) l.135-36. 2 Councils & Synods with Other Documents relating to the English repr la franque' Ve-Xe sidcles" Church, ed. D. Whitelock, M. Brett, and C.N.L. Brooke (Oxford 1981)2.967- ' Sr rr v tvrrt tr'cr r r tttlil illcs (litlls lc tlroit de monarchie \ 1 980) I 83' 68,980 (c.21). tt l.tt lttt tthtlitttt rlrr tlrtttl t'rtnoritltrc nteclieval (Aldershot 3 Giraldi Cambrensis Operu,RS 6.213-14,225. .Y HUW PRYCE WELSH CUST0M AND CANON LAw 783 allowed to inherit equally with the son of a free woman, and on both lay and clerical marriage.T Deviance from those norms illegitimate sons were permitted equal inleritance rights with the thus not only throws valuable light on Welsh marriage customs legitimate.a However, this did not mark a decisive victory for but also raises important questions about the vigour with which canonical norms over native custom, since over half a century the ecclesiastical and secular authorities sought to uphold canon later, on the eve of Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282-83, law in Wales. Archbishop Pecham of Canterbury complained vociferously Archbishop Theobald's letter to the pope vividly about the lax attitude of Welsh law and custom to 'legitimate illustrates how difficult it could be to make a Welsh ruler marriages', which were undermined by the inheritance rights conform to canonical rules on marriage within the prohibited accorded to illegitimate sons and by the repudiation of wives.s degrees of consanguinity. Both the archbishop and Maurice, Such condemnations belonged to a tradition ofrhetoric that bishop of Bangor, had sought in vain to convince Owain, prince stigmatized the Welsh as barbarians in dire need of the civilizing of Gwynedd, of the sinfulness of his marriage to his first cousin. remedies provided by ecclesiastical reform and, more often than Owain had, it was alleged, not only 'induced no small portion of not, Aaglo-Norrnan or English conquest.6 Yet, the contrast they the clergy to defend his crimes' but also despoiled the bishop of highlighted between Welsh custom and the intemational law of the his possessions and then expelled him from his see, whence he church was nonetheless real for all that. As we have seen, this was fled to Canterbury.s The prince similarly defied calls in the particularly true of maniage, and this is therefore the subject on 1160s from Archbishop Thomas Becket and Pope Alexander III which I shall focus in the following discussion. to separate from his wife, and he was eventually excommunicated. My aim is straightforward: to assess the impact on Welsh Nevertheless, the clergy of Bangor buried him in their cathedral custom of canonical notions of lawful marriage. This I shall do at his death in I 170, prompting Archbishop Baldwin to order the by examining, first, the marriages of some native Welsh rulers exhumation of the body when he visited Bangor during his and, second, the compilations of Welsh customary law whose joumey round Wales to preach the Third Crusade in I 188.e earliest surviving versions were written in the late twelfth and Two points merit emphasis with regard to Owain thirteenth centuries. Underlying the discussion is the assumption Gwynedd's marriage. First, it highlights the gulf separating that, notwithstanding Archbishop Theobald's comments, canon Welsh and canonical notions of incest. It is notable that Owain's law was known in at least some quarters in Wales at this period. wife, Cristin, was his matemal uncle's daughter, and the other Indeed, there is good evidence for attempts to impose its norms examples of first cousins who married Welsh rulers in the twelfth century were likewise related to their husbands through their o Vatican, Reg. Vat. 11, fol.202r-v, cited in J.B. Smith,'Dynastic succession in medieval Wales', Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 13 (1986) 218. s Registrum Epistolarum Fratris Johannis Peckham Archiepiscopi ' H. Pryce, Native Law and the Church in Medieval lhales (Oxford Canhmriens is, RS 2.474. r993) 7s-77, 83-88. u R. Bartlett, Gerald of lltales t t46-1223 (Oxford 1982) 33-36,38- ' Letters ofJohn ofsalisbury 1135-36. e 42, 169-71; R.R. Davies,'Buchedd a moes y Cymry', I{elsh History Review Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canter- l2 (1984-85) 155-79. 6riry,, RS 5.236-39:' Giraldi Cambrensis Opera 133. Y 784 Huw PRycE WELSH CUSToM AND CANoN LAw 785 mothers.lo This may suggest that only a woman related to the Owain Gwynedd's rejection of canon law stands in husband through his father counted as a kinswoman, with whom contrast to the attitude adopted by his grandson, Llywelyn ap marriage was considered incestuous - a suggestion consistent Iorwerth, prince of Gwynedd, who died in 1240. Instead of with the cardinal importance attached by Welsh custom to ignoring canon law, Llylvelyn manipulated it to his own agnatic or patrilineal kinship in determining inheritance of land. advantage. At the end of the twelfth century he sought By contrast, a woman related through the husband's mother was dispensation from Innocent III to marry the daughter of Reginald conceived of as belonging to a different kindred and thus Godredsson, king of Man (1187-1226, d. 1229), despite her marriage to her carried no stigma of incest.tl Second, Owain's having been previously betrothed to Llywelyn's uncle, Rhodri. defiance of canon law appears to have been supported by a Subsequently, however, Llywelyn alleged that Rhodri had known significant number of clergy in Gwynedd. It was two the girl carnally in order to call the marriage off. The reason for archbishops of Canterbury, albeit in Theobald's time supported this change of mind was simple: by 1204 Llywelyn had the by the bishop of Bangor, who took the lead in opposing the opportunity of marrying a more prestigious bride, none other than marriage. Likewise, it was a Canterbury provincial council that, King John's illegitimate daughter, Joan, whom he probably in 1175, discussed the proposal that the Welsh 'should not cling manied the following year.la Later, in 1222, the prince of to their kinsfolk or change wives', while Archbishop Baldwin Gwynedd obtained the approval of Pope Honorius III for an seized the opportunity presented by his preaching tour of Wales ordinance designed to ensure the succession of Dafydd, his son to try to get two other Welsh princes, namely Rhodri ab Owain with Joan, at the expense of his elder son, Gruffudd, bom as the Gwynedd and Gruffudd ap Madog of northern Powys, to abandon result of an extra-marital relationship to a woman called incestuous unions, although only the latter acceded to his wishes.12 Tangwystl. This was followed tp in 1226 by securing papal The tolerance of native customs by Welsh clergy - who themselves legitimation of Joan herself.ls came under fire from ecclesiastical reformers on account of their Llywelyn's readiness to adhere to the norms prescribed by disregard for canonical prohibitions on clerical marriage - helps canon law marks a significant departure from the attitude of his to explain why those customs remained so resilient.13 grandfather and of most other twelfth-century Welsh rulers. It would be wrong, however, to conclude that the prince had been compelled against his will to abandon native custom in favour of 'o Thomas Becket,RS 6.15,142; see J.E.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Caernarfonshire Eagles: Development of a Traditional Emblem and County Flag
    The Association of British Counties The Caernarfonshire Eagles: Development of a Traditional Emblem and County Flag by Philip S. Tibbetts & Jason Saber - 2 - Contents Essay.......................................................................................................................................................3 Appendix: Timeline..............................................................................................................................16 Bibliography Books.......................................................................................................................................17 Internet....................................................................................................................................18 List of Illustrations Maredudd ap Ieuan ap Robert Memorial..............................................................................................4 Wynn of Gwydir Monument.................................................................................................................4 Blayney Room Carving...........................................................................................................................5 Scott-Giles Illustration of Caernarfonshire Device.................................................................................8 Cigarette Card Illustration of Caernarvon Device..................................................................................8 Caernarfonshire Police Constabulary Helmet Plate...............................................................................9
    [Show full text]
  • Princes of Gwynedd Guidebook
    Princes of Gwynedd Guidebook Discover the legends of the mighty princes of Gwynedd in the awe-inspiring landscape of North Wales PRINCES OF GWYNEDD GUIDEBOOK Front Cover: Criccieth Castle2 © Princes of Gwynedd 2013 of © Princes © Cadw, Welsh Government (Crown Copyright) This page: Dolwyddelan Castle © Conwy County Borough Council PRINCES OF GWYNEDD GUIDEBOOK 3 Dolwyddelan Castle Inside this book Step into the dramatic, historic landscapes of Wales and discover the story of the princes of Gwynedd, Wales’ most successful medieval dynasty. These remarkable leaders were formidable warriors, shrewd politicians and generous patrons of literature and architecture. Their lives and times, spanning over 900 years, have shaped the country that we know today and left an enduring mark on the modern landscape. This guidebook will show you where to find striking castles, lost palaces and peaceful churches from the age of the princes. www.snowdoniaheritage.info/princes 4 THE PRINCES OF GWYNEDD TOUR © Sarah McCarthy © Sarah Castell y Bere The princes of Gwynedd, at a glance Here are some of our top recommendations: PRINCES OF GWYNEDD GUIDEBOOK 5 Why not start your journey at the ruins of Deganwy Castle? It is poised on the twin rocky hilltops overlooking the mouth of the River Conwy, where the powerful 6th-century ruler of Gwynedd, Maelgwn ‘the Tall’, once held court. For more information, see page 15 © Princes of Gwynedd of © Princes If it’s a photo opportunity you’re after, then Criccieth Castle, a much contested fortress located high on a headland above Tremadog Bay, is a must. For more information, see page 15 © Princes of Gwynedd of © Princes If you prefer a remote, more contemplative landscape, make your way to Cymer Abbey, the Cistercian monastery where monks bred fine horses for Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, known as Llywelyn ‘the Great’.
    [Show full text]
  • Lord Rhys Ap Gruffydd
    Henry II died in 1189, and over At the age of 25, Rhys became The year after the Earls’ rebellion, the next 7 years, Lord Rhys ruler of Deheubarth, a kingdom Lord Rhys publicly pledged attacked and took castles at which covered Ceredigion, his allegiance to Henry II on Talley Abbey was founded by Carmarthen, Llawhaden, Nevern, Ystrad Tywi and Dyfed (modern 29th June, at Gloucester, in front Lord Rhys when he was about 54. Painscastle, Swansea and Wiston, day counties of Pembrokeshire, of the Welsh rulers of south and lost control of Malienydd, Carmarthenshire, most of Wales, most of whom he was Wiston and St Clears. Swansea and some of Ceredigion). related to by marriage. Three years after founding Talley Thirteen months after submitting Henry II made Lord Rhys ‘justice Abbey, Lord Rhys met Giraldus to Henry II at Woodstock, Lord in all south Wales’ at Laugharne Cambrensis/Gerald of Wales and Rhys joined forces with the other castle. Lord Rhys was allowed to the archbishop of Canterbury, who Welsh Princes, to rise up in battle keep lands he had taken over the were recruiting people to go on against the king at Corwen. Heavy 8 years since 1164, in return for a crusade to the holy land. Lord rain during the battle forced the protecting royal and marcher Rhys’s wife, Gwenllian ferch Madog, king’s army to retreat to England. lands from attack. persuaded him not to go. Three years after Henry II Eight years after becoming ruler Rhys fought against the Normans and Lord Rhys’s relationship of Deheubarth, and after much from an early age.
    [Show full text]
  • Prof. Dafydd Jenkins Papers, (GB 0210 DAFINS)
    Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales Cymorth chwilio | Finding Aid - Prof. Dafydd Jenkins Papers, (GB 0210 DAFINS) Cynhyrchir gan Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.3.0 Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.3.0 Argraffwyd: Mai 06, 2017 Printed: May 06, 2017 Wrth lunio'r disgrifiad hwn dilynwyd canllawiau ANW a seiliwyd ar ISAD(G) Ail Argraffiad; rheolau AACR2; ac LCSH Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.;AACR2; and LCSH https://archifau.llyfrgell.cymru/index.php/prof-dafydd-jenkins-papers-2 archives.library .wales/index.php/prof-dafydd-jenkins-papers-2 Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales Allt Penglais Aberystwyth Ceredigion United Kingdom SY23 3BU 01970 632 800 01970 615 709 [email protected] www.llgc.org.uk Prof. Dafydd Jenkins Papers, Tabl cynnwys | Table of contents Gwybodaeth grynodeb | Summary information .............................................................................................. 3 Hanes gweinyddol / Braslun bywgraffyddol | Administrative history | Biographical sketch ......................... 3 Natur a chynnwys | Scope and content .......................................................................................................... 4 Trefniant | Arrangement .................................................................................................................................. 4 Nodiadau | Notes ............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Bangor University DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY Image and Reality In
    Bangor University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Image and Reality in Medieval Weaponry and Warfare: Wales c.1100 – c.1450 Colcough, Samantha Award date: 2015 Awarding institution: Bangor University Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 24. Sep. 2021 BANGOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF HISTORY, WELSH HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY Note: Some of the images in this digital version of the thesis have been removed due to Copyright restrictions Image and Reality in Medieval Weaponry and Warfare: Wales c.1100 – c.1450 Samantha Jane Colclough Note: Some of the images in this digital version of the thesis have been removed due to Copyright restrictions [i] Summary The established image of the art of war in medieval Wales is based on the analysis of historical documents, the majority of which have been written by foreign hands, most notably those associated with the English court.
    [Show full text]
  • Welsh Kings at Anglo-Saxon Royal Assemblies (928–55) Simon Keynes
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Apollo Keynes The Henry Loyn Memorial Lecture for 2008 Welsh kings at Anglo-Saxon royal assemblies (928–55) Simon Keynes A volume containing the collected papers of Henry Loyn was published in 1992, five years after his retirement in 1987.1 A memoir of his academic career, written by Nicholas Brooks, was published by the British Academy in 2003.2 When reminded in this way of a contribution to Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman studies sustained over a period of 50 years, and on learning at the same time of Henry’s outstanding service to the academic communities in Cardiff, London, and elsewhere, one can but stand back in awe. I was never taught by Henry, but encountered him at critical moments—first as the external examiner of my PhD thesis, in 1977, and then at conferences or meetings for twenty years thereafter. Henry was renowned not only for the authority and crystal clarity of his published works, but also as the kind of speaker who could always be relied upon to bring a semblance of order and direction to any proceedings—whether introducing a conference, setting out the issues in a way which made one feel that it all mattered, and that we stood together at the cutting edge of intellectual endeavour; or concluding a conference, artfully drawing together the scattered threads and making it appear as if we’d been following a plan, and might even have reached a conclusion. First place at a conference in the 1970s and 1980s was known as the ‘Henry Loyn slot’, and was normally occupied by Henry Loyn himself; but once, at the British Museum, he was for some reason not able to do it, and I was prevailed upon to do it in his place.
    [Show full text]
  • (Public Pack)Agenda Dogfen I/Ar Gyfer Y
    ------------------------Pecyn dogfennau cyhoeddus ------------------------ Agenda - Y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Llywodraeth Leol a Chymunedau Lleoliad: I gael rhagor o wybodaeth cysylltwch a: Ystafell Bwyllgora 3 - Y Senedd Catherine Hunt Dyddiad: Dydd Mercher, 21 Tachwedd Clerc y Pwyllgor 2018 0300 200 6222 Amser: 09.00 [email protected] ------ Rhag-gyfarfod (09.00 – 09.15) 1 Cyflwyniad, ymddiheuriadau, dirprwyon a datgan buddiannau 2 Ymchwiliad i amrywiaeth ym maes llywodraeth leol: sesiwn dystiolaeth 1 (09.15 - 10.15) (Tudalennau 1 - 46) Y Cynghorydd Debbie Wilcox, Arweinydd Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru ac Arweinydd Casnewydd Daniel Hurford, Pennaeth Polisi, Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru Siân Williams, Pennaeth y Gwasanaethau Democrataidd, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy Paul Egan, Dirprwy Brif Weithredwr, Un Llais Cymru Egwyl (10.15 – 10.30) 3 Ymchwiliad i amrywiaeth ym maes llywodraeth leol: sesiwn dystiolaeth 2 (10.30 - 11.30) (Tudalennau 47 - 51) Jessica Blair, Cyfarwyddwr, ERS Cymru 4 Papurau i'w nodi (Tudalen 52) 4.1 Llythyr gan Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Lywodraeth Leol a Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus mewn perthynas â Chyllideb Ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru 2019-20 (Tudalennau 53 - 58) 4.2 Ymchwiliad i amrywiaeth ym maes llywodraeth leol – dadansoddiad o’r arolwg (Tudalennau 59 - 78) 5 Cynnig o dan Reol Sefydlog 17.42 (vi) i wahardd y cyhoedd o weddill y cyfarfod 6 Ymchwiliad i amrywiaeth ym maes llywodraeth leol: trafod y dystiolaeth a gafwyd (11.30 - 11.40) 7 Craffu ar gyllideb ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru 2019-20: trafod yr adroddiadau drafft (11.40 - 12.40) Yn rhinwedd paragraff(au) vi o Reol Sefydlog 17.42 Eitem 2 Mae cyfyngiadau ar y ddogfen hon Tudalen y pecyn 1 ELGC(5) -32 -18 Paper 1 Introduction 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Dr John Dee and the Welsh Context of the Reception of G
    provided by Apollo View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk CORE brought to you by RUSSELL (Paul), « “Divers evidences antient of some Welsh princes”. Dr John Dee and the Welsh context of the reception of Geoffrey of Monmouth in sixteenth-century England and Wales », L’Historia regum e e Britannie et les “Bruts” en Europe. Production, circulation et réception (XII -XVI e e siècle), Tome II, Production, circulation et réception (XII -XVI siècle), p. 395-426 DOI : 10.15122/isbn.978-2-406-07201-0.p.0395 La diffusion ou la divulgation de ce document et de son contenu via Internet ou tout autre moyen de communication ne sont pas autorisées hormis dans un cadre privé. © 2018. Classiques Garnier, Paris. Reproduction et traduction, même partielles, interdites. Tous droits réservés pour tous les pays. © Classiques Garnier e RÉSUMÉ – La réception de l’Historia regum Britannie de Geoffroy de Monmouth au XVI siècle est ici examinée à travers l’œuvre d’un érudit, Dr John Dee. D’origine galloise, Dee fut une figure influente à la cour d’Elisabeth Ie. Il collectionna de nombreux manuscrits et imprimés qu’il passa sa vie à annoter et à comparer. L’Historia et le “Brut” gallois font partie de ses acquisitions. Les notes qu’il a apposées sur leurs témoins sont autant d’indices permettant de comprendre comment il a reçu ces œuvres. ABSTRACT – The reception of Geoffrey’s works in the sixteenth century is examined through the work of one scholar, Dr John Dee; of Welsh origins he was not only an influential figure in the Elizabethan court but also a great collector of manuscripts and printed books which he compared and annotated heavily; they provide us with a useful source for understanding how and from where he acquired his library, his interactions with other scholars, and how he collated the various versions of the works he owned.
    [Show full text]
  • From Footnotes to Narrative
    1 INTRODUCTION LANGUISHING IN THE FOOTNOTES: WOMEN AND WELSH MEDIEVAL HISTORIOGRAPHY The era known as the high Middle Ages, in particular the thirteenth century, was an epochal period for Wales. While the high Middle Ages was a period of cultural transformation in all of western Europe, in Wales it was also a time of great upheaval and complete change, which was to have a greater impact on Welsh society than was experienced by most other medieval societies. In fact, for some, the effects of this upheaval and change in Wales may be described as catastrophic. The thirteenth century has been called the ‘age of the Welsh Princes’. Under the leadership of the rulers of the house of Gwynedd, the Welsh achieved some measure of independence from their English overlords during this century. For a time the native Welsh princes were able to mitigate their characteristic unrelenting internal conflict and factionalism and unite against their Anglo-Norman oppressors.1 Fundamental changes which were to have an overwhelming effect on Wales took place in England during this period. For example, the end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth centuries saw the gradual introduction of the English common law into England, much of which is still in use to this day. The ascension to the English throne in 1272 of Edward I, who unlike his two predecessors was a strong king, was another factor in this upheaval and change which took place in Wales. 1 K. Stokes, The Myth of Wales: Constructions of Ethnicity 1100-1300 (Monash: Monash Publications in History: 27, 1999), p.15.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction
    Introduction By the second quarter of the twelfth century, when Tintern, Whitland and Margam, the first Cistercian abbeys in Wales, were founded, the Anglo- Norman aristocratic élite from which their founders were drawn had succeeded in establishing firm control over lowland Gwent, Glamorgan, Gower and Pembroke, but Whitland and Margam were located on the fringes of these areas in the frontier zones between them and adjoining territory remaining under de facto Welsh rule, and Anglo-Norman governance in these zones was ‘frequently skeletal, nominal or non- existent’1 and constantly being challenged by the Welsh. They were joined in 1147 by the two Welsh Savigniac abbeys, Neath and Basingwerk, which became Cistercian when the Order of Savigny merged with the Cistercian Order. Like Whitland and Margam, Neath was located in a frontier zone, and the Anglo-Norman hold on the area of north-east Wales in which Basingwerk was located was also tenuous by the time it became Cistercian. Following the assumption of the patronage of Whitland and its first daughter-house, Strata Florida, by Rhys ap Gruffudd, the Lord Rhys (d. 1197), after he had succeeded in re-establishing Welsh hegemony in the kingdom of Deheubarth in the 1150s, the filiation of Whitland, which by 1201 numbered a further six Cistercian abbeys distributed throughout the length and breadth of pura Wallia, became clearly identifiable as native Welsh abbeys with Welsh patrons, choir monks and political sympathies, whereas the other Cistercian foundations in Wales all had French or English mother houses and choir monks, maintained close connections with their Anglo-Norman patrons, and were unable to establish Welsh daughter 1 R.R.
    [Show full text]
  • A Splendid Isolation
    A Splendid Isolation A SPLENDID ISOLATION A Short History of English Nationalism Stephen Cooper Copyright Stephen Cooper, 2019, 2020 The right of Stephen Cooper to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. 1 A Splendid Isolation Messieurs, l'Angleterre est une île, et je devrais m'arrêter là. (Sirs, England is an Island, and I ought to leave it at that). André Siegfried (1875-1959). The story of the English Island-fortress and its progress towards nationhood is a stirring one. But that does not always make it good history. Malcolm Vale (in The Ancient Enemy, 2007). 2 A Splendid Isolation CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 THE ANGLO-SAXONS 2 AT THE HEART OF EUROPE 3 MERRIE ENGLAND 4 WAR & NATIONALISM 5 AGINCOURT 6 NATION STATE 7 REVOLUTION? 8 BRITISH WORTHIES 9 JOHN BULL 10 SPLENDID ISOLATION BIBLIOGRAPHY 3 A Splendid Isolation INTRODUCTION Two themes ran through conventional English historiography when I was young. The first was that England was coterminous with Britain. The second is that ‘we’ (that is the English, or British) were the best at everything (or the things that mattered) and that we had been uniquely fortunate amongst nations. This book is the story of my dawning realisation that each of these was a myth. I was born in 1948 in Manchester, and brought up in Liverpool, where it was still relevant whether you were Protestant or Catholic, and the question of why the monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII was still a matter of lively debate at school (at least among those of us who thought that there was more to life than football).
    [Show full text]
  • The Law of Hywel
    02 Elias WHR 27_7_06.qxp 09/08/2006 12:04 Page 27 LLYFR CYNOG OF CYFRAITH HYWEL AND ST CYNOG OF BRYCHEINIOG Cyfraith Hywel (the Law of Hywel) is the name given to the native Welsh law texts, written in Welsh and Latin, which are preserved in manuscripts datable to the period between c.1250 and c.1550, and originating from different parts of Wales.1 These law texts are tradition- ally attributed by their prefaces to the tenth-century king, Hywel Dda.2 Other authors or editors are also mentioned in the texts.3 Some of these were secular rulers or other laymen and some were clerics. The most well-known are Blegywryd,4 Cyfnerth and Morgenau,5 and Iorwerth ap Madog,6 to whom the main Welsh redactions, namely Llyfr Blegywryd, Llyfr Cyfnerth and Llyfr Iorwerth, are attributed. Other names, such as Rhys ap Gruffudd,7 Bleddyn ap 1 I am grateful to Morfydd E. Owen, who first suggested the possibility that the Cynog of the law tracts should be identified with St Cynog and supervised the thesis from which this article is derived. Thanks also to Huw Pryce for his biblio- graphical references, to Howard Davies for his many helpful suggestions, and Helen Davies for help with the Latin translations. For a list of the manuscripts and their sigla, see T. M. Charles-Edwards, The Welsh Laws (Cardiff, 1989), pp. 100–2. 2 J. G. Edwards, ‘Hywel Dda and the Welsh lawbooks’, in D. Jenkins (ed.), Celtic Law Papers (Brussels, 1973), pp. 135–60; H. Pryce, ‘The prologues to the Welsh lawbooks’, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies, 33 (1986), 151–87.
    [Show full text]