Artamerica



"Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon"-"A nation without a language is a nation without a heart" Welsh Proverb

My Photos for Sale here!



Saturday, June 20, 2015

21st June: Owain Gyndwr












































  1. 21st June
    On this day 1404, Owain Glyndwr held a Parliament at Machynlleth at which he was Crowned Prince of Wales.
    After a successful campaign of less than fo...ur years, Owain Glyndŵr had brought an end to over 300 years of Anglo - Norman wars of conquest and colonisation and had all but undone the 100 years of English rule foisted upon Wales by Edward I in the years between 1282 - 83. Following on an inauspicies beginning during the month of September 1400, the Welsh spent the winter organising in the mountains of Gwynedd and by the new year of 1401, they were ready to launch a major military offensive. This offensive resulted in a victory at the Battle of Hyddgen allowing for them to sweep the enemy before them into the South West.
    During 1402, the victorious Welsh Armies of National Liberation were attacking the English in Central Wales where, on 22 June 1402, they won another great victory at the 'Battle of Bryn Glas' and by 1403, all of Wales was in open revolt with offensives taking place on a broad front which, again, in July 1403, resulted in another great victory at the'Battle of Bryn Owen - Stalling Down'. By this period, the Welsh had, to all extent and purposes, isolated and negated English Castle rule in Wales and during the Winter and Spring of 1404, they had launched a North to South border campaign that, finaly, put their English enemy on the defensive and, in the process, Owain Glyndwr had liberated most of Wales.
    On or about 21 June 1404, Owain Glyndŵr and his advisors considered it safe enough to call for a 'free' Welsh Parliament sitting as the first 'Senedd Cenedl Cymru Rydd', at which Owain Glyndŵr "by grace of God" was crowned 'Tywysog Cymru'. This day is, without doubt, the most memorable patriotic and political day in Welsh History and is commemorated in Machynlleth and celebrated throughout Wales and the world by Welsh exiles annually at Midsummer as either, 'Dydd Senedd Glyndŵr' or 'Dydd Coroni Owain Glyndŵr' - depending on where patriots prefer to place emphasis - whether it be on the first Welsh Parliament or, on the crowning ceremony and the reclaiming of a Sovereignty given away by Hywel Dda in recognition of the overlordship of English Kings which, eventually, became asserted with the murder of Llywelyn ap Grufydd.