Remembering the last Prince of Wales, killed 738 years ago

A majority Plaid Cymru government would offer a referendum on independence for Wales in its first term, party leader Adam Davies said on Friday.

Though devolution arrived in Wales in 1999 following the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales, the subject of genuinely becoming independently ruled again has been a precarious one. Wales has not been an independent sovereign state in almost 500 years – annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542.

This followed Edward I’s conquest of Wales after the death on December 11, 1282, of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

Also known as Llywelyn the Last, he was Prince of Wales from 1258 until his death, which occurred at the Battle of Irfon Bridge, on the banks of the River Irfon at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, where Welsh autonomy effectively ended 738 years ago today.

Llywelyn had set out on a mission to drum up support for a rebellion against the English in mid and south Wales during the early part of 1282 after English forces had been defeated at the Battle of the Bridge of Boats in North Wales and the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr in the south.

It is believed Llywelyn had gone in secret to meet with local leaders at Builth Castle on December 11 when his army – aided by a local inhabitant – were attacked by Edward’s forces and severely depleted. They fled and as Llywelyn returned in haste upon hearing the news he was killed on the outskirts of the fighting, near Cilmeri.

A painting depicting the death of Llywelyn, near Cilmeri.

It is believed Llywelyn's body was not actually recognised until the next day – it is speculated he had probably gone in secret or incognito to his meeting at Builth Castle, and would therefore not have worn any coat of arms. His head was cut off and taken to London to be exhibited at the Tower of London, where the gruesome trophy remained for at least 15 years.

The Welsh rebellion had been five years in the making, since Llywelyn had fought and lost a war against Edward I in 1277. Edward had overrun North Wales as far west as the Conwy River, and captured Anglesey. Llywelyn had been forced to agree to humiliating terms and ceded large areas of Wales to England.

Over the ensuing five years, there was continued tension between Llywelyn and Edward and increasing unrest between the Welsh people and their English administrators. The revolt was actually begun in 1282 by Llywelyn's brother Dafydd, who had previously sided with Edward five years earlier, but then captured Hawarden Castle and slaughtered its garrison. This was followed by uprisings in many parts of Wales – including the Battle of the Bridge of Boats and the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr, leading to Llywelyn declaring war on Edward and providing his reason for travelling south.

Although support for a revolt had been gathering pace – especially after some big victories – Mid Wales was a territory nominally ruled by Marcher Lords, who supported but enjoyed considerable independence from Edward. Some were wavering and prepared to support Llywelyn. However, three of them, Roger l'Estrange, John Giffard and Edmund Mortimer were staunch supporters of Edward and were in the field near the River Irfon with an army consisting mainly of archers from Shropshire and some heavy cavalry, as well as troops donated to them by the Welsh lord Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, who was an old enemy of Llywelyn.

Llywelyn had only one child, infant daughter called Gwenllian, so the title Prince of Wales died with him. His wife Eleanor de Montfort had died only in June of 1282 after giving birth to Gwenllian. Leadership of the Welsh following Llywelyn’s death fell to Dafydd, who led a guerrilla resistance for some months but was soon betrayed, captured and executed as a traitor. Edward was able to formally end the existence of an organised resistance to English rule in the Welsh regions and Wales has been governed by English rule ever since – bar a brief resistance by Owain Glyndwr during the Last War of Independence, an uprising of the Welsh between 1400-15. 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.

Llywelyn was the second of the four sons of Gruffydd, the eldest son of Llywelyn the Great. The eldest was Owain Goch ap Gruffydd and Llywelyn had two younger brothers, Dafydd ap Gruffydd and Rhodri ap Gruffydd.

Following his death, most of Llywelyn's relatives ended their lives in captivity with the notable exceptions of his younger brother Rhodri, who had long since sold his claim to the crown and was exiled, endeavouring to keep a very low profile, and a distant cousin, Madog ap Llywelyn, who led a future revolt and claimed the title Prince of Wales in 1294.

Gwenllian was captured by Edward's troops in 1283. She was interned at Sempringham Priory in England for the rest of her life, becoming a nun in 1317 and dying without issue in 1337, probably knowing little of her heritage and speaking none of her language.

A monument at Cilmeri, just a mile or two out of Builth, marks the spot where Llywelyn was ambushed and killed.

In 1902 Squire Blyth raised a monument near the traditional site of Llywelyn's death. It was taken down in 1956 and replaced by a large monolith on a small hillock. The original 1902 memorial stones were incorporated into steps rising to the new monument.

On either side of the steps are inscribed stones in English and Welsh reading 'Near this spot was killed our Prince Llywelyn 1282'. The monolith stands in a small clearing surrounded by trees.

At the far side of the clearing a path leads to a set of steps down to the well where Llywelyn's head was washed.