Later History of Gwent

950 AD - 1837 AD

Morgannwg
In 950 AD Cadwgan ap Owain died in battle. His brother was Morgan ap Owain called Morgan Hen. He united Gwent, Gower and Glywysing and created the single kingdom of Morgannwg, later called Glamorgan. The area somewhat fractured again after his death but kept some ties against external enemies including the Danes and Normans. His grandson Meurig ap Hywel was the last king of the bloodline before Gruffydd ap Llywelyn seized the region in 1055-1063 AD. Gruffydd's son Caradog was king until 1081 when he died in battle. His descendents became the Lords of Caerleon under the Normans.

Norman Control of Gwent
The Norman Invasion of Britain had begun in 1066; by the death of King Caradog ap Gruffydd in 1081 they had control of the area and thereafter divided it into the Marcher Lordships of Abergavenny, Caerleon, Monmouth, Striguil (Chepstow) and Usk. Permanant stone castles sprung up throughout this period. The name "Gwent" remained in widespread use by the Welsh themselves.



Welsh Revolt of 1400-1412
The well-educated and charismatic Owain Glyndŵr was the leader of the Welsh in a long but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against England and King Henry IV of England. The war was heavily fought in Gwent and Glamorgan, with many towns including Newport seized or burned during the conflict. After the revolt was ended by King Henry V, the people of the area lost more rights than they'd had before it had began.

Monmouthshire
In 1535 Henry VII began to pass the Acts of Union which anexed all of Wales into England. The County of Monmouthshire combined the Lordships east of the Usk with Newport and Caerleon to the west of it. English rulership of Wales remained in effect until the Resurgence and the Bygone War.

The Bygone War in Gwent & Glamorgan
As the most heavily populated areas of Cymru, Gwent and Glamorgan saw more violence and culling during the Bygone War. However, the emergence of Owain Glyndŵr as the general of Beli Mawr's forces caused many native Welshmen to surrender. The area was considered already well-dominated by the Bygones before 1837.

The Early Resurgence
Monmouthshire was eagerly claimed by 1500 year old Prince Indrus ap Glywys, the biological son of that godblooded King. The Bleidd-dyn of Wentwood Forest refused to give up their protectorate there despite the provisions of the Treaty of Ivy. Two fae princes, one of each court likewise moved into the area, seizing castles they fancied and resisting the Indrus' sovereignity. The House of Gwydion moved into the area to help keep peace between the supernatural factions and protect the rights of Gwent's human population as they were articulated in the Treaty of Souls.

go to the Early History of Gwent or to the Cymru Main Page