a short history of wales-第5部分

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　day；　and　again　became　a　sea…rover。　　He　sailed　to　Dyved；　and　there　he　met　Rees；　the　King　of　Deheubarth；　who　also　was　of　the　line　of　Cunedda；　and　had　been　driven　from　his　land　by　the　Normans。　　The　two　chiefs　joined；　and　they　crushed　Trahaiarn　at　Mynydd　Carn。　　Then　they　turned　against　the　Normans。

Rees　soon　fell　in　battle；　and　left　two　children；　Nest　and　Griffith。　The　beauty　of　Nest　and　the　genius　of　Rees　ap　Griffith　fill　an　important　page　in　the　history　of　their　country。　　Nest　became　the　mother　of　the　conquerors　of　Ireland；　Rees　became　the　greatest　of　all　the　kings　of　South　Wales。

The　Normans　found　that　the　Welsh　had　taken　heart。　　Of　their　opponents；　they　feared　three：　　Griffith　ap　Conan；　Owen　of　Powys；　and　Griffith　ap　Rees。　　The　kings　of　England；　the　two　sons　of　the　Conquerorred；　brutal　William　and　cool；　treacherous　Henryhad　to　come　to　help　their　barons。

Griffith　ap　Conan　had　a　long　life　of　strife　and　success。　　In　his　struggle　with　Hugh　the　Wolf；　he　was　once　in　The　Wolf's　prison；　and　more　than　once　he　had　to　flee　to　the　sea。　　But；　backed　up　by　the　liberty…loving　sons　of　Snowdon　and　by　his　sea…roving　kinsmen；　he　made　Gwynedd　strong　and　prosperous。　　He　drove　the　Normans　from　Anglesey；　he　attacked　and　killed　Robert　of　Rhuddlan；　he　saw　the　red　King　of　England　himself　forced　by　storm　and　rain　to　beat　a　retreat　from　Snowdon。　　He　was　loved　by　his　people　during　his　youth　of　adventure　and　battle；　and　during　his　old　age　of　safe　counsel　and　love　of　peace。　His　wife　Angharad　and　his　son　Owen　live　with　him　in　the　memory　of　his　country。　　When　he　died；　in　1137；　it　was　said　that　he　had　saved　his　people；　had　ruled　them　justly；　and　had　given　them　peace。

In　the　Severn　country　the　princes　of　Powys　were　fighting　against　the　Normans　also；　especially　against　the　family　of　Montgomery。　　The　sons　of　BleddynCadogan；　Iorwerth；　and　Meredithwere　driving　the　invaders　from　the　valley　of　the　Severn；　and　from　Dyved；　defeating　their　armies　in　battle；　and　storming　their　castles。　　Sometimes　they　would　make　alliances　with　them；　and　defy　the　King　of　England。　　But　it　is　difficult　to　follow　each　of　them。　　The　history　of　one　of　them；　Owen　ap　Cadogan；　is　like　a　romance。　　He　was　brave　and　handsome；　in　love　with　Nest；　and　a　very　firebrand　in　politics。　　The　army　of　Henry　I。　was　too　strong　for　him；　and　he　had　to　submit。　　He　then　became　the　friend　of　the　King　of　England。　　It　was　the　aim　of　the　princes　of　Powys　to　be　free；　not　only　from　the　Norman；　but　also　from　Griffith　of　Gwynedd　and　Griffith　of　Deheubarth。　　They　were　an　able　and　versatile　family；　noble　and　base　deeds；　revolting　crimes　and　sweet　poems；　come　in　the　stirring　story　of　their　lives。

What　Griffith　did　in　the　north；　and　the　sons　of　Bleddyn　in　the　east；　Griffith　ap　Rees　did　in　the　south；　he　showed　that　the　Norman　army　could　be　beaten　in　battle；　and　that　a　Norman　castle　could　be　taken　by　assault。　　After　his　father's　death　he　spent　much　of　his　youth　in　exile　or　in　hiding：　　sometimes　we　find　him　in　Ireland；　sometimes　in　the　court　of　Griffith　ap　Conan；　sometimes　with　his　sister　Nestnow　the　wife　of　Gerald；　the　custodian　of　Pembroke　Castle。　　But　he　had　one　aim　ever　before　himto　recover　his　father's　kingdom　and　to　make　his　people　free。　　Castle　after　castle　roseat　Swansea；　Carmarthen；　Llandovery；　Cenarth；　Aberystwythto　warn　him　that　the　hold　of　the　Norman　on　the　land　was　tightening。　　He　came　to　the　forests　of　the　Towy；　his　people　rallied　round　him；　and　his　power　extended　from　the　Towy　to　the　Teivy；　and　from　the　Teivy　to　the　Dovey。　　His　wife；　the　heroic　Gwenllianwho　died　leading　her　husband's　army　against　the　Normanswas　Griffith　ap　Conan's　daughter。　　The　great　final　battle　between　Griffith　and　the　Normans　was　fought　at　Cardigan　in　1136；　in　which　the　great　prince　won　a　memorable　victory　over　the　strongest　army　the　Normans　could　put　in　the　field。　　In　1137　he　died；　and　they　said　of　him　that　he　had　shown　his　people　what　they　ought　to　do；　and　that　he　had　given　them　strength　to　do　it。

The　work　of　Griffith　ap　Conan　and　Griffith　ap　Rees　was　this：　　they　set　bounds　to　the　Norman　Conquest；　and　saved　Deheubarth　and　Gwynedd　from　the　stern　rule　of　the　alien。　　But；　though　the　Norman　was　not　allowed　to　bring　his　stone　castle　and　cruel　law；　what　good　he　brought　with　him　was　welcomed。　　The　piety　of　the　Norman；　his　intellectual　curiosity；　and　his　spirit　of　adventure；　conquered　in　Welsh　districts　where　his　coat　of　mail　and　his　castle　were　not　seen。



CHAPTER　IXOWEN　GWYNEDD　AND　THE　LORD　REES



The　men　who　opposed　the　Normans　left　able　successorsOwen　Gwynedd　followed　his　father；　Griffith　ap　Conan；　the　Lord　Rees　followed　his　father　Griffith　ap　Rees；　and　in　Powys　the　sons　of　Bleddyn　were　followed　by　the　castle　builder　Howel；　and　by　the　poet　Owen　Cyveiliog。

Owen　Gwynedd　ruled　from　1137　to　1169；　the　Lord　Rees　from　1137　to　1197。　　The　age　was；　in　many　respects；　a　great　one。

It　was；　of　course；　an　age　of　war。　　Up　to　1154；　during　the　reign　of　Stephen；　the　English　barons　were　fighting　against　each　other；　and　the　king　had　very　little　power　over　them。　　The　most　important　Norman　barons　in　Wales　were　the　Earls　of　Chester　in　the　valley　of　the　Dee；　the　Mortimers　on　the　upper　Wye；　the　Braoses　on　the　upper　Usk；　and　the　Clares　in　the　south。　　Their　castles　were　a　continual　menace　to　the　country　they　had　so　far　failed　to　conquer；　and　the　Lord　Rees　was　glad　to　get　Kidwelly；　and　Owen　Gwynedd　to　get　Mold　and　Rhuddlan。

It　was；　on　the　whole；　an　age　of　unity。　　It　was　the　chief　aim　of　Owen　Gwynedd　to　be　the　ally　of　the　Lord　Rees；　and　in　this　he　succeeded；　though　his　brother　Cadwaladr；　in　his　desire　for　Ceredigion；　had　killed　Rees'　brother；　to　Owen's　infinite　sorrow。　　The　princes　of　Powys；　Madoc　and　Owen　Cyveiliog；　were　in　the　same　alliance　also；　and　they　were　helped　in　their　struggle　with　the　Normans。　　Unity　was　never　more　necessary。　　Henry　II。　brought　great　armies　into　Wales。　　Once　he　came　along　the　north　coast　to　Rhuddlan。　　At　another　time　he　tried　to　cross　the　Berwyn；　but　was　beaten　back　by　great　storms。　　Had　he　reached　the　upper　Dee；　he　would　have　found　the　united　forces　of　the　Lord　Rees；　Owen　Cyveiliog；　and　Owen　Gwynedd　at　Corwen。　　There　are　many　stirring　episodes　in　these　wars：　　the　fight　at　Consilt；　when　Henry　II。　nearly　lost　his　life；　the　scattering　of　his　tents　on　the　Berwyn　by　a　storm　that　seemed　to　be　the　fury　of　fiends；　the　reckless　exposure　of　life　in　storming　a　wall　or　in　the　shock　of　battle。　　But　the　Norman　brought　new　cruelty　into　war：　　Henry　II。　took　out　the　eyes　of　young　children　because　their　fathers　had　revolted　against　him；　and　William　de　Braose　invited　a　great　number　of　Welsh　chiefs　to　a　feast　in　his　castle　at　Abergavenny；　and　there　murdered　them　all。

It　is　a　relief　to　turn　to　another　feature　of　the　age：　　it　was　an　age　of　great　men。　　Owen　Gwynedd　was　probably　the　greatest。　　He　disliked　war；　but　he　was　an　able　general；　he　made　Henry　II。　retire　without　great　loss　of　life　to　his　own　army。　　He　was　a　thoughtful　prince；　of　a　loving　nature　and　high　ideals；　and　his　court　was　the　home　of　piety　and　culture。　　He　is　more　like　our　own　ideal　of　a　prince　than　any　of　the　other　princes　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　The　Lord　Rees　was　not　less　wise；　and　his　life　is　less　sorrowful　and　more　brilliant。　　He　also　was　as　great　as　a　statesman　as　he　was　as　a　general；　and　he　made　his　peace　with　the　English　king　in　order　to　make　his　country　quiet　and　rich。　Owen　Cyveiliog　was　placed　in　a　more　difficult　position　than　either　of　his　allies；　he　was　nearer　to　very　ambitious　Norman　barons。　　He　was　great　as　a　warrior；　often　had　his　white　steed　been　seen　leading　the　rush　of　battle。　　He　was　greater　as　a　statesman：　　friend　and　foe　said　that　Owen　was　wise；　and　he　was　greater　still　as　a　poet。

The　age　was　an　age　of　poetry。　　A　generation　of　great　Welsh　poets　found　an　equal　welcome　in　the　courts　of　Gwynedd；　Powys；　and　Deheubarth；　and　even　the　Norman　barons　of　Morgannwg　began　to　feel　the　charm　of　Welsh　legend　and　song；　Robert　of　Gloucester　was　a　great　patron　of　learning。　　One　of　the　chief　events　of　the　period　was　Lord　Rees'　great　Eisteddvod　at　Cardigan　in　1176。

It　was　an　age　of　new　ideals。　　The　Crusades　were　preached　in　Wales；　the　grave　of　Christ　was　held　by　a　cruel　unbeliever；　and　it　was　the　duty　of　a　soldier　to　rescue　it。　　It　appealed　to　an　inborn　love　of　war；　and　many　Welshmen　were　willing　to　go。　　It　did　good　by　teaching　them　that；　in　fighting；　they　were　not　to　fight　for　themselves。　　It　was　in　Powys　that　feuds　were　most　bitter。　　A　young　warrior　told　a　preacher；　who　was　trying　to　persuade　him　to　take　the　cross：　　〃I　will　not　go　until；　with　this　lance；　I　shall　have　avenged　my　lord's　death。〃　The　lance　immediately　became　shivered　in　his　hand。　　The　lance　once　used　for　blind　feuds　was　gradually　consecrated　to　the　service　of　idealsof　patriotism　or　of　religion。

The　age　of　Owen　Gwynedd　and　the　Lord　Rees　and　Owen　Cyveiliog　brought　a　higher　ideal　still。　　If　the　Crusader　made　war　sacred；　the　monk　made　labour　noble。　　The　chief　aim　of　the　monk；　it　is　true；　was　to　save　his　soul。　　He　thought　the　world　was　very　bad；　as　indeed　it　was；　and　he　thought　he　could　best　save　his　own　soul　by　retiring　to　some　remote　spot；　to　live　a　life　of　prayer。　　But　he　also　lived　a　life　of　labour；　he　became　the　best　gardener；　the　best　farmer；　and　the　best　shepherd　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　Great　monasteries　were　built　for　him；　and　great　tracts　of　land　were　given　him；　by　those　who　were　anxious　that　he　should　pray　for　their　souls。　　The　monk　who　came　to　Wales　was　the　Cistercian。　　The　monasteries　of　Tintern；　Margam；　and　Neath　were　built　by　Norman　barons；　and　Strata　Florida；　Valle　Crucis；　and　Basingwerk　showed　that　the　Welsh　princes　also　welcomed　the　monks。

Better；　then；　than　the　brilliant　wars　were　the　poets　and　the　great　Eisteddvod。　　Better　still；　perhaps；　were　the　orchards　and　the　flocks　of　the　peaceful　monks。



CHAPTER　XLLYWELYN　THE　GREAT



On　the　death　of　the　Lord　Rees；　one　of　the　grandsons　of　Owen　Gwynedd　becomes　the　central　figure　in　Welsh　history。　　Llywelyn　the　Great　rose　into　power　in　1194；　and　reigned　until　1240a　long　reign；　and　in　many　ways　the　most　important　of　all　the　reigns　of　the　Welsh　princes。

Llywelyn's　first　task　was　to　become　sole　ruler　in　Gwynedd。　　The　sons　of　Owen　Gwynedd　had　divided　the　strong　Gwynedd　left　them　by　their　father；　and　their　nobles　and　priests　could　not　decide　which　of　t