Raging in his fury: the trials of Madog ap Llywelyn (4)

The ‘war of Madog’, as it was remembered, began either on 29 or 30 September 1294. The Brut describes the start of the revolt thus:

Geoffrey Clement, justice of Deheubarth, was slain at 'Y Gwmfriw' in Builth. And there was a breach between Welsh and English on that feast of Michael. And Cynan ap Maredudd and Maelgwn ap Rhys were chief over Deheubarth, and Madog ap Llywelyn ap Maredudd over Gwynedd, and Morgan ap Maredudd over Morgannwg.

To judge from this, there were four main leaders, and they intended to partition Wales. As a member of the house of Aberffrau, Madog would have Gwynedd. Cynan ap Maredudd and Maelgwyn ap Rhys were both direct descendants of the Lord Rhys of Deheubarth, and would divide their patrimony between them. Morgan ap Maredudd, a descendent of the ancient kings of Morgannwg, would have that territory.

Madog is clearly identified as the most important of the four. His revolt began on Anglesey - Ynys Mon - where he attacked the township of Llanfaes and destroyed the church. His choice of Llanfaes as a target is interesting. It was one of five bond townships (maerdrefi) in Anglesey associated with the royal court of Gwynedd. It was also the commercial centre of Gwynedd under the native princes; there was a port, a ferry across the Menai strait, and a herring fishery. Under the rule of Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, about 70% of of the principality’s trade passed through the port. In 1992 a hoard of over one hundred silver medieval coins were discovered at Anglesey, demonstrating its importance as a trading centre (see link below).

When Madog attacked Llanfaes, the township was home to a community of English merchants. After the revolt, they sent the following desperate petition to Edward I:

THE BURGESSES OF LLANMAES (LLANFAES-ANGLESEY) TO THE KING:

They show that they are English in blood and in nationality, as also their ancestors of ancient times, by occasion of which fact, when the dominance of the Welsh was in its vigour, and especially at the time when Madoc was raging in his fury, they were oppressed by the Welsh and deprived of their property, and because, to tell the simple truth, they reside in Wales and among the Welsh, they are reputed Welsh by the English and in consequence are the less favoured by them so that they have neither the status of Englishmen nor even that of Welshmen, but they experience what is worst in either condition. They therefore pray that for the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the King mercifully regards all Wales in common, so it may please him, for the good of his soul and of his parents' souls, to establish them in an assured position before he departs from Wales and to confirm it by his letters so that they may not fall into an indubitable state of beggary or worse'.

A later petition of c.1318 shows that Llanfaes continued to decline as the fairs and markets were relocated to Beaumaris. The population was moved to another maerdref, Rhosyr, about twelve miles away. This was renamed New Borough, and received its charter of incorporation on 24 April 1303.

MEDIEVAL COINS AT LLANFAES, ANGLESEY