Episode Details
Episode Details
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

Owain Glyndwr's Revolt

Owain Glyndwr

wain Glyndwr was a wealthy land owner in north Wales. A dispute over land between Glendower and his rival Lord Grey escalated and involved Henry IV, the King of England, who took the side of Grey. Glendower and his followers rose up in revolt against the English.


Henry IV, King of England

Henry IV, King of England got involved with the dispute over land between Glendower and Lord Grey. The dispute escalated and Henry sent an army into north Wales to deal with Glendower. The English army was unable to put down the revolt. The King gave his young son, Prince Henry, the task of dealing with the rebels.

Prince Henry

Prince Henry was the future King of England Henry V. His father, Henry IV, gave the young prince the job of putting down the rebellion. Initially Prince Henry was supported by Henry 'Hotspur' Percy. Prince Henry took control of the English armies in North Wales and lead the fight against the Welsh and Glendower.

Edmund Mortimer

Edmund Mortimer originally was on the side of the English king, but was defeated and captured by Glendower at the Battle of Pilleth. Glendower held Mortimer for ransom but Henry IV refused to pay anything for his release. Mortimer's loyalties changed and he supported Glendower's rebellion and even married Glendower's daughter. Mortimer was killed when the rebellion failed.

Henry (Hotspur) Percy

Henry (Hotspur) Percy was the son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. The Percy family had helped Henry IV take the English throne. Hotspur was given the job of assisting Prince Henry defeat Owen Glendower. A dispute arose between Hotspur and Henry IV when Henry refused to pay the wages of Hotspur's army so Hotspur left Wales and returned to Northumbria. Later Hotspur came to an agreement with Glendower and together they attempted to remove Henry IV from power. Hotspur was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403.

Episode Events

1400

What started as a land dispute between Owain Glyndwr, a wealthy land owner in Wales and his rival Lord Grey of Rutin quickly escalated into a revolt when the English King Henry IV sided with Rutin and awarded him the land. [1]
Owain Glyndwr's revolt spread and he proclaimed himself the Prince of Wales. He was joined by the Tudor brothers from Anglesey and began guerrilla warfare against the English in the North of Wales and the Marcher Lords in the centre. [1]
King Henry IV moved into North Wales to try and stop the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr, but he was not able to deal with the Welsh rebels, who were more skilled at fighting in the terrain. [1]

1401

King Henry IV gave his son Prince Henry, the future Henry V, the task of defeating Owain Glyndwr in North Wales. As the boy was only 13 years old, Hotspur a knight and jouster of importance was given the role of guardian over the Prince. Hotspur was the son of Henry Percy the Earl of Northumberland. [1]
After accusing the king of not paying his army, Hotspur resigned his guardianship of the king's son in North Wales and he left to resume fighting the Scots. [1]

1402

The king assembled an army at Shrewsbury Castle in preparation to fight Owain Glyndwr. [2]
Edmund Mortimer's army met Owain Glyndwr at Pilleth near Whitton in central Wales. Mortimer's army was badly defeated and Mortimer was captured. Glyndwr offered to release Mortimer for a large ransom, but Henry IV refused to pay.
The armies of the Percies and the Scots met at Homildon Hill near Wooler in Northumberland. The Scots were defeated and the Scots' leader the Earl of Douglas was captured. Henry IV wanted Douglas handed over but Hotspur refused. Hotspur was angry with the English king who had refused to pay a ransom for Edmund Mortimer who had been captured by Owain Glyndwr and who was a friend of Hotspur's.

1403

The Percies, led by the Earl of Northumberland and Hotspur announced their intent to revolt against Henry IV. They even promised to free the Scots they had captured at the battle of Homildon if the Scots assisted in the revolt. The plan was to join forces with Owain Glyndwr and support the claim of the young Edmund Mortimer 5th Earl of March to the English throne.
The castle at Abergavenny was attacked and burnt by Owain Glyndwr. [3]
The Norman Llansteffan Castle was attacked by Owain Glyndwr. Glyndwr may have held the castle for a short time until it was retaken by Sir John Penress (Pennes).
Owain Glyndwr's forces attacked Kidwelly Castle managing to set fire to the unfinished gatehouse but did not capture the castle. [4]
Owain Glyndwr attacked and badly damaged Weobley Castle. [5]
Prince Henry, now sixteen, took control of this army in Wales. He took his troops looking for Owain Owain Glyndwr but could not find him and so burnt villages and killed any prisoners that were taken. Henry's main problem, like Hotspur's before him was that the King was not providing enough money to pay the English troops.
Henry IV managed to reach Shrewsbury just before Hotspur arrived and the rebel army had to camp outside the town to the north. The battle lasted all day but it ended when Hotspur was killed.
Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (Hotspur's father) had not managed to reach Shrewsbury in time to save his son. The Earl surrendered to the King, who accepted and showed the Earl mercy.

1404

The Welsh captured Harlech Castle and the fortress became the base for Owain Glyndwr's revolt.
Owain Glyndwr attacked and captured the town of Cardiff and its castle. [6]
Owain Glyndwr captured the town of Aberystwyth and its castle after a lengthy blockade. [4]
Bangor Cathedral was captured by Owain Glyndwr after a siege and destroyed by fire.  [7]
Owain Glyndwr called a Parliament where he declared himself to be the true 'Prince of Wales'. Embassies from France and Scotland attended the meeting and gave promises to support Glyndwr's plans to overthrow Henry IV.
Owain Glyndwr makes an alliance with France. [8]

1405

The French king, Charles VI, sent a fleet of ships to assist Owain Glyndwr in his revolt against King Henry IV. They landed at Milford Haven and captured Carmathen Castle. Attempts to capured Pembroke Castle failed and they abandoned the invasion.
Owain Glyndwr, Edmund Mortimer and the Earl of Northumberland combine forces and share the same goal of removing Henry IV. They agreed to divide England and Wales in three, Owain taking Wales and the west of England, the Earl to take the north of England and the north Midlands. Mortimer could have the rest.
English forces fought and defeated Welsh forces in two battles at Grosmont and Usk. Sir John Talbot defeated Owain Glyndwr at Grosmont and Prince Henry forced the Welsh to flee at Usk. Glyndwr's eldest son was captured at Usk and sent to the Tower of London where he died.

1407

Prince Henry laid siege to the castle at Aberystwyth in an attempt to remove the Welsh who had captured it in 1404.
The English besiege the Welsh in Harlech Castle.

1408

The Welsh surrender the castle at Aberyswyth. They had held out for a year. Prince Henry had tried destroying the castle with canons but had no success.

1409

The Welsh in Harlech Castle surrender to the English and the revolt of Welsh comes to an end. Edmund Mortimer was killed.
See Also

Event Participants and Locations

Selection of references used:

  • 1: Peter Earle, The Life and Times of Henry V
  • 2: John Timbs & Alexander Gunn, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England & Wales (North), 1872, Frederick Warne & Co. (1872), Mine
  • 3: Timbs & Gunn, Abbeys, Castles & Ancient Halls of England & Wales, Warne, Own Copy
  • 4: Mike Salter, Castles of South-West Wales
  • 5: John Kinross, Discovering Castles in England and Wales, Shire Publications Ltd
  • 6: Mike Salter, Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower, ISBN:1-871731-61-5
  • 7: T. Francis Bumpus, The Cathedrals of England and Wales, 1934
  • 8: R. L. Storey, The Medieval World 800 - 1490, ISBN:0-09-178264-3

    Related Information

    King Henry II of England

    Reign From
    December 19, 1154
    Reign To
    July 6, 1189
    Succeeded
    King Stephen
    Preceded
    King Richard I
    Royal House
    Plantagenet
    3D/VR

    Virtual Buildings

    Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.

    Medieval Episodes

    Early Middle Ages

    High Middle Ages

    Last Middle Ages

    Early Modern Period

    Event Participants and Locations