Sean Davies (1)

The important point about the title of this book is that "Prince of Wales" was a demotion. Bleddyn's half-brother and predecessor Gryffydd ap Llwellyn was arguably the last true King of Wales, recognized, however reluctantly, as overlord by most of the other native Welsh rulers. He was referred by by many sources outside Wales as the king. Bleddyn himself managed to rebuild more of Gryffyd's power than most later Welsh rulers, but only one local source called him 'king." Davies argues Bleddyn's status was really closer to the later rulers who took the title of "Prince of Wales" though the first was Owain Gwynned. Otherwise, Davies tends to be as favorable to Bleddyn as the limited sources allow, repeatedly quoting the on significant eulogy written after his death, and noting he was on of only two Welsh rulers to make additions to the famous "Laws of Hywyll the Good" (though his additions seem to have been later rejected.) However, Bleddyn had to submit to Earl Harold Godwinson (later briefly King Harold) on humiliating terms, and though he tried to rebuild Gryffyd's alliance with the earldom of Mercia, the death of Earl Alfgar left it in the hands of his teenage sons Edwin and Morcar, who were reduced to hostages by the Norman Conquest, and then died after a failed rebellion. Bleddyn apparently managed to make terms with some of the Normans, but they were already pushing into what became the Welsh Marches. Finally he was killed by internal rebels, and his cousin and successor Traehearn was defeated and slain in battle by the exile Gryffyd ap Cynon (backed by Irish/Norse adventurers), who re-established his own dynasty and painted Bledyn and his kindred as usurpers, a term Davies rejects. Non-Welsh specualists may like learning about the impact of the Norman Conquest on Wale, but the book contains a dizzying quantity of minor Welsh rulers and their kin.… (altro)