FOUNDATION GLYNDWR INTERNATIONAL
An Introduction:
Owain Glyndwr is of such great historical stature that he his not only just our national hero to be commemorated and celebrated in Wales but also throughout the world. Indeed over the latters years we have been approached by people from all over the world, not only Welsh People but others, seeking information on Owain Glyndwr regards a general interest but also to help them with their studies. This in mind, and following on our successful initiative of Cvoron Glyndwr on 21 Mehefin 2007 (see http://cenedl.blogspt.com/ ) we are embarking on an eciting new programme of Gwaith Glyndwr which is so ambitious the support for such requires that we go outside Wales to seek support, thus this in mind and huge interest abroad in Owain Glyndwr leads us towards establishing first this Blog ‘BYD GLYNDWR’ and uder it’s umbrella and on it’s platform seek to establish, advance and develop an International Foundation Glyndwr, here we are using the model of the existing Richard III Foundation as a good example as a guide to our requirements in fullfillment of some very major initiatives that will with out doubt require support from all over the world of ‘Byd Glyndwr’.
A brief intro to Initiatives aforementioned:
Founding Fathers Initiative – International Support for 16 Medi ‘Dydd Glyndwr’, in association with this we are in particular launching a Cenedl Glyndwr Tourism Service in time with copperation of a Trefi - Tiroedd Glyndwr Associaion to promote international interest in visting Tiroedd Glyndwr and associated historic sites.
The 21 June ‘Dydd y Senedd’ Initiative – An International linterest, association and contribution with an annual great Glyndwr Festival planned for Machynlleth. Not least in this area we hope in particular to see established a bi – annual International Glyndwr Foundation Convention, this however, may be many years away and thus at a much smaller level we hope to organise an annual event associated with our support for Cyfeillion Cefn Caer, home of Coron Glyndwr. This will take form of a Glyndwr weekend in which there shall be organised in Pennal area a number of events and activities, in time possibly the basis of an International Fringe Festival of the main Machynlleth festival. These Pennal events will be based around Cefn Caer where there shall be an exhibition and talks on Owain Glyndwr also a Banquet Glyndwr with Welsh entertainments including a little Son et Lumaire in the Orchard of Cefn Caer plus a guided tour of Glyndwr sites in the area.
Further information on above will become available in this ‘Byd Glyndwr’ blog in time, in particular note matters concerning Cyfeillion Cefn Caer, for which we hope in time a FGI ‘Byd Glyndwr’ wil give huge support.
An Introduction to FOUNDATION GLYNDWR INTERNATIONAL primarily concerns itself with an interest in the life and times of Prince Owain ap Gruffydd Fychan, more popularly known as Owain Glyndwr Tywysog Cymru – Prince of Wales. This concern then of course also includes an interest in the great War of Welsh Independence 1400-1416-1422, this being the last of the great Medieval Military struggles fought by the Welsh against Anglo – Norman Conquest and Subjection of their land. The period in which our interest lays may be taken to cover the 1350`s, the decade into which Prince Owain Glyndwr was born on up to the period of the 1450`s – as the decade in which most of Prince Owain`s contemporaries were to pass away and a decade in which there would soon arise whispers again of the return of a Mab Darogan.
· FOUNDATION GLYNDWR considers this period of the 1350`s to the 1450`s to be a most interesting and instructive period in the History of Wales, it is also perhaps the period that is the most formative of the Welsh Nation itself, indeed it is seen by many as the 100 years in which the Welsh Nation is born. The 1350`s is a decade which is still much troubled by the aftermath of the conquest of Wales in the latter years of the 13th century, following on the Conquest of Wales in 1282 up to 1345 there are a number of Welsh revolts not least as of major concern to the English was Madog`s War in 1294 and then in 1315-16 the Revolt of the Southern Welsh led by Llywelyn Bren. In the 1320`s there is again much discontent in Wales but it is not until 1345 that this discontent becomes serious with on the 14th February – a ‘Welsh St Valentines Day Massacre’ at Harlech of a group of English tax Collectors, this minor Northern Revolt is soon put down but not so easy to avoid is the visitation upon the land of the Plague – The Black Death that for much of the remaining years of the 14th Century pacifies Wales with a profound sickness.
· Far away on the Continent of Europe a ‘Welsh Wild Geese’ – Welsh Mercenaries hiring themselves out to the highest paymaster are fighting their way across France, Flanders, Spain and Italy and as well Switzerland and further afield, led by notable Welsh Warriors as Owain Lawgoch who in the 1370`s is deemed by the Welsh to be their ‘Mab Darogan’ who will return to free them from the tyranny of the English. Following on the assination by the English of Owain Lawgoch, the Welsh Mercenaries whom are fighting for the French against the English are to be led by Ieuan Wyn whose brother is later to become one of Glyndwr`s Captains. As the 15th Century begins to dawn upon Wales there is a stirring throughout the land, Welsh serfs leave the lordships of the March, ‘Trouble Makers’ are broken out of jail and all flee in to the Mountains – the Bards have done their work well all over the land of Wales and further afield there is again the whisperings about the coming of a ‘Mab Darogan’ but this time the people believe it and want it to be true. Even in England Welsh Labourers and Students have heard the call, on the Continent the welsh pirates in league with the Bretons are now more eager in their attacks upon the English coast and in France Dafydd ab Ieuan Goch latter day crusader with twenty years service in the Mediterranean fighting for the King of Cyprus against the Muslims returns to France to raise up the ‘Welsh Wild Geese’ – Mercenary Bands with the message that it is time to return to the Homeland, many of whom will return to fight in the cause of Welsh Freedom by the side of Prince Owain Glyndwr.
· In Wales, the first new year of a new century is to Dawn quietly but it is nevertheless to be A most momentous and memorable year and it is to end violently – in a most bloody Sunset that delivers Wales into a 16 Year War and 6 years of Guerrilla resistance in Eryri. In all 22 years of armed struggle which forever leaves its mark upon the land and its people and the Nation with the fond Memory for the greatest of its Warrior Princes who is to, in the fullness of time to become the National Hero of Wales – OWAIN GLYNDWR.
· Our period of interest which concludes some thirty years after Owain`s son Maredudd ab Owain ceases his Guerrilla war in Eryri and surrenders to the English along with many other ‘Die Hards’ who are forced to assemble in fields to beg forgiveness of an English King and then swear loyalty to a foreign crown as they must do or other wise face death in a most bloody of Executions. Alternatively one could run to the woods and become an Outlaw Rebel, one of the many and growing band of Bandits – ‘Adeir y Greim’ – the birds of crime as the English were to come to call them, as Llywelyn ap Moel also known as ‘Bonfraith Owain’ – Owain`s Song Thrush. These Bandits – Rebel Outlaws also had another name ‘Gwerin Owain’, they were the former soldiers of Owain`s Army who for what ever reason did or could not surrender and instead took to continuing their war with England by other means as the soon to be legendary ‘Banditti Cambria’. Their names to enter the folklore of Wales, Dafydd ap Gruffydd of Bryn Cyffo, Dafydd ap Siencyn of Dyffryn Conwy and others as Rheinallt of Fflint. For much of the 15th Century Wales was to witness increasingly the Gwerin Owain take advantage of England’s growing Dynastic and Political chaos that would in due course lead to the wars of the Roses. Our period to some degree concludes with the the decade of the 1450`s as once more Wales is to hear the whispers once more of a ‘Mab Darogan’ who by the 1480`s will arise as Henry Tudor – Henry VII of England which will lead on in time to the 1536 and 1545 acts of Annexation – the rest as they say – is History.
· In many ways any full appreciation of our main period of interest, study and promotion is such that it requires a familiarity with the period that proceeds it and that which follows it. So it is of necessity we have a prologue Dawn starting to arise on a cold winters day at Cilmeri in 1282, even though in many ways it is for an older Wales a Sunset. Then we also have a long Epilogue that sees a final Twighlight and going down of the Sun in London in the year 1529 with the Execution of Rhys ap Gruffydd a descendant of an old an ancient line of Welsh Princes. In this final chapter of our period of interest at its most broadest Wales is to witness a final terror upon the land as Judge Rowland Lee is sent into Wales to pacify its people and make them so pliable to acceptance of the Acts of Annexation – This is our Sunset – the End. The parameters and parimeters of our interests are of necessity of some breadth and depth, width and length for a more complete and full understanding of the life and times of Prince Owain Glyndwr and of the War of 1400-16-22. In these 22 years so much was to change, it is often said that in these times modern Wales is born as a weak and trembling infant perhaps, whatever of one thing we can be very sure the very being and Existence of Wales was saved and secured. Prince Owain Glyndwr`s legacy to Wales is the survival of the Welsh people and the creation of a welsh Nation – A dream that was always to remain the reality, this is what perhaps makes this period of our History so crucial to know about, appreciate and understand.
IN CONCLUSION:
The early – Celtic and Medieval History of Wales has long been ignored and shoved to one side, not only by an English orientated education system but also by the all to numerous and petty sectarian differences of the welsh themselves for as often as not reasons of Religion, Politics and even Cultural. Still today the History of Wales prior to 1536 is largely ignored and not taught properly to those under 12 and not at all in a full sense to those over 12. We are a Nation and people who for the most part only know a Quarter of our History or for the majority it may be even less than that. It is the great ambition of Foundation Glyndwr to help to turn back the tide of cerebral Colonialism and often self induced Historical Amnesia.
Sian Ifan
