I have been working on changes to Eire and in doing so crafted an updated and more complex event for the
inheritance/succession in Wales. This led me to define better what was happening in Wales and this led backwards to its
Aberrated history. The principle point of departure takes place in 1372. England is on the verge of collapse, its wars on the
mainland against France having bankrupted the crown. Here is an exerpt from the REAL history ...
"Following the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in 1282, Gwynedd along with the remainder of Wales came under the rule of the
king of England. Owain had a claim to the throne of Gwynedd, since he was a great-nephew of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, grandson of
Llywelyn's brother Rhodri. Owain was a soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland. He led a Free Company
fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Years' War. While in French service he had good relations with
Bertrand du Guesclin and others and gained the support of Charles V of France.
In May 1372 in Paris, Owain announced that he intended to claim the throne of Wales. He set sail from Harfleur with money
borrowed from Charles V, but the expedition had to be abandoned when Charles decided that he needed Owain's services as a
soldier elsewhere. In 1377 there were reports that Owain was planning another expedition, this time with help from Castile.
The alarmed English government sent a spy, the Scot Jon Lamb, to assassinate Owain, which he did in July 1378 at the siege of
Mortagne sur Mer in Poitou."
Instead of turning back from his journey, Charles makes do (poorly) without his services and Owain lands at Aberystwyth and
makes his way north, gathering with him 350 longbowmen and twelve mounted knights. Owain attacked and took Harlech Castle,
which was pooly manned and unprepared for Owain's swift assault. The capture of Harlech, both a potent fortress and symbol of
English rule, prompted many Welsh lords to join his cause. Through the summers of 1373 - 1376 Owain was victorious in both
battle and siege and by the end of 1376 had consolidate all of northern Wales under his rule. The English made peace and
recognised Owain as the prince of Wales, both sides needing a period of calm to prepare for the next inevitable wave of
hostilities. For the English, a war against Wales to retake the north would never come. The civil war of 1388 - 98 focused
the resources of the doomed king of England far from Wales. Owain, aware of the impending rebellion by the Percy's and their
Scottish backers took the gamble of precipitating the conflict with a campaign in the late winter of 1388, heading into Powys
and the old Marcher lands. Owain was only partly successful. The disintegration of England during the reign of Henry IV was
underway, and the battle of Keel's Bridge was a victory, but Owain himself was killed.
Geraint ap Owain (Owain's son by marriage to the daughter of the king of Munster) claimed the throne, but was forced to
return to Gwynedd to suppress a counter claim by Dafydd ap Ieuan, another of Llywelyn's descendents. Geraint was a less
capable commander than his father, but a superior diplomat. Owain gained the support of both the Eirean High king and the
newly crowned King of Brittany, both recognising him as Prince. Nonetheless, under Geraint Powys was conquered and Chester
captured. It would fall to Geraint's son Andras to conquer the south of Wales. Andras, outnumbered by Scottish and Yorkist
troops descending upon Chester, used swift-running longbowmen to slow their approach and to enable Andras' troops to
establish a strong defensive position behind the River Weaver. In the ensuing battle the outnumbered Welsh defeated the Scots and Yorkish army, enabling Andras to continue his march south to Cardydd. Andras faced the Scots and Yorkmen again two years later, this time near Oswestry. Andras' longbowmen made the difference, slaughtering horses and causing a confusion wherein the allied Eire cavalry cut a swathe through their opponents. Andras pressed on, defeating the Yorkmen again near birmingham and later capturing the city.
Under pressure from Henry's army to the south, the Scots made peace, recognising Andras as Prince of Wales and ceding to them the country west of there.
And so we find ourselves in 1419. Andras is old, but still capable, soon to die and leave the throne to his son Owain ap Andras. Owain will die childless, precipitating the succession crisis that may draw in Scotland and then Eire.
Note that I have also suggested in the Elite Units thread that the Welsh get Elite Longbowmen.
Thoughts?
inheritance/succession in Wales. This led me to define better what was happening in Wales and this led backwards to its
Aberrated history. The principle point of departure takes place in 1372. England is on the verge of collapse, its wars on the
mainland against France having bankrupted the crown. Here is an exerpt from the REAL history ...
"Following the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in 1282, Gwynedd along with the remainder of Wales came under the rule of the
king of England. Owain had a claim to the throne of Gwynedd, since he was a great-nephew of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, grandson of
Llywelyn's brother Rhodri. Owain was a soldier who served in Spain, France, Alsace and Switzerland. He led a Free Company
fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Years' War. While in French service he had good relations with
Bertrand du Guesclin and others and gained the support of Charles V of France.
In May 1372 in Paris, Owain announced that he intended to claim the throne of Wales. He set sail from Harfleur with money
borrowed from Charles V, but the expedition had to be abandoned when Charles decided that he needed Owain's services as a
soldier elsewhere. In 1377 there were reports that Owain was planning another expedition, this time with help from Castile.
The alarmed English government sent a spy, the Scot Jon Lamb, to assassinate Owain, which he did in July 1378 at the siege of
Mortagne sur Mer in Poitou."
Instead of turning back from his journey, Charles makes do (poorly) without his services and Owain lands at Aberystwyth and
makes his way north, gathering with him 350 longbowmen and twelve mounted knights. Owain attacked and took Harlech Castle,
which was pooly manned and unprepared for Owain's swift assault. The capture of Harlech, both a potent fortress and symbol of
English rule, prompted many Welsh lords to join his cause. Through the summers of 1373 - 1376 Owain was victorious in both
battle and siege and by the end of 1376 had consolidate all of northern Wales under his rule. The English made peace and
recognised Owain as the prince of Wales, both sides needing a period of calm to prepare for the next inevitable wave of
hostilities. For the English, a war against Wales to retake the north would never come. The civil war of 1388 - 98 focused
the resources of the doomed king of England far from Wales. Owain, aware of the impending rebellion by the Percy's and their
Scottish backers took the gamble of precipitating the conflict with a campaign in the late winter of 1388, heading into Powys
and the old Marcher lands. Owain was only partly successful. The disintegration of England during the reign of Henry IV was
underway, and the battle of Keel's Bridge was a victory, but Owain himself was killed.
Geraint ap Owain (Owain's son by marriage to the daughter of the king of Munster) claimed the throne, but was forced to
return to Gwynedd to suppress a counter claim by Dafydd ap Ieuan, another of Llywelyn's descendents. Geraint was a less
capable commander than his father, but a superior diplomat. Owain gained the support of both the Eirean High king and the
newly crowned King of Brittany, both recognising him as Prince. Nonetheless, under Geraint Powys was conquered and Chester
captured. It would fall to Geraint's son Andras to conquer the south of Wales. Andras, outnumbered by Scottish and Yorkist
troops descending upon Chester, used swift-running longbowmen to slow their approach and to enable Andras' troops to
establish a strong defensive position behind the River Weaver. In the ensuing battle the outnumbered Welsh defeated the Scots and Yorkish army, enabling Andras to continue his march south to Cardydd. Andras faced the Scots and Yorkmen again two years later, this time near Oswestry. Andras' longbowmen made the difference, slaughtering horses and causing a confusion wherein the allied Eire cavalry cut a swathe through their opponents. Andras pressed on, defeating the Yorkmen again near birmingham and later capturing the city.
Under pressure from Henry's army to the south, the Scots made peace, recognising Andras as Prince of Wales and ceding to them the country west of there.
And so we find ourselves in 1419. Andras is old, but still capable, soon to die and leave the throne to his son Owain ap Andras. Owain will die childless, precipitating the succession crisis that may draw in Scotland and then Eire.
Note that I have also suggested in the Elite Units thread that the Welsh get Elite Longbowmen.
Thoughts?
