Battle of Mynydd Hyddgen
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mynydd Hyddgen was part of the Welsh revolt
led by Owain Glyndwr
against English
rule that lasted from 1400 to 1415 and the battle occurred in June 1401. Its location was on the western slopes of Pumlumon, near to the present-day Ceredigion
/Powys
boundary.
(1359–c. 1416), leader of the Welsh revolt and it could be said that it set the tone for the spread of the rebellion in its early stages and at a key time if the rebellion was to gather meaningful momentum.
The battle began when English settlers of Pembrokeshire
and settlers of Flemish
descent (who had also settled in Pembrokeshire, encouraged by the earlier English King
Henry I of England
), attacked the small army of Glyndŵr, which was encamped at the bottom of the Hyddgen Valley.
. However, it is known that Glyndŵr's army was able to fight back these attackers (despite being outnumbered and on the low ground), killing 200, chasing the main force away and making prisoners of the rest. It can be assumed that Owain's success lay in the maneuverability of his light troops. The English army (being more heavily laden) would have had more trouble traversing on the marshy ground of the valley.
The slain were buried at Bryn y Beddau, the 'Hill of Graves' nearby.
Glyndwr Rising
The Glyndŵr Rising, Welsh Revolt or Last War of Independence was an uprising of the Welsh, led by Owain Glyndŵr, against England. It was the last major manifestation of a Welsh independence movement before the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.- The Fall of...
led by Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
against English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rule that lasted from 1400 to 1415 and the battle occurred in June 1401. Its location was on the western slopes of Pumlumon, near to the present-day Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
/Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
boundary.
Background
The Battle of Mynydd Hyddgen is considered the first victory in the field won by Owain GlyndŵrOwain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
(1359–c. 1416), leader of the Welsh revolt and it could be said that it set the tone for the spread of the rebellion in its early stages and at a key time if the rebellion was to gather meaningful momentum.
The battle began when English settlers of Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
and settlers of Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
descent (who had also settled in Pembrokeshire, encouraged by the earlier English King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
), attacked the small army of Glyndŵr, which was encamped at the bottom of the Hyddgen Valley.
The two armies
The settlers were reinforced by a large force of English soldiers and Flemish mercenaries. This was Owain's early base as his rebellion started and spread. It is estimated that his force at this stage amounted to five hundred men, just a third of the attacking force and some records, such as the 'Annals of Owen Glyn Dwr' written by Gruffydd Hiraethog many years later in 1550 and based on earlier accounts that have not survived, put his force at just 120 men. It is thought that Owain's force would have been made up mostly of archers mounted on hill ponies that would have been well suited for travelling across boggy or mountainous regions. The English-Flemish army meanwhile would have generally consisted of infantry with some light cavalrymen supporting them. Despite having decent equipment, many of the English-Flemish soldiers were lacking in military experience, and there was a general lack of discipline within their army.The battle
The precise location of the battle is not known, and little is known of the course of the battle itself. Mynydd means "mountain" in WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. However, it is known that Glyndŵr's army was able to fight back these attackers (despite being outnumbered and on the low ground), killing 200, chasing the main force away and making prisoners of the rest. It can be assumed that Owain's success lay in the maneuverability of his light troops. The English army (being more heavily laden) would have had more trouble traversing on the marshy ground of the valley.
Aftermath
The Annals of Owen Glyn Dwr record that "Owain won great fame, and a great number of youths and fighting men from every part of Wales rose and joined him, until he had a great host at his back."The slain were buried at Bryn y Beddau, the 'Hill of Graves' nearby.