a short history of wales-第6部分

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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　the　sons　was　to　be　supreme。　　Iorwerth；　the　poet　Howel；　David；　Maelgwn；　Rhodri；　tried　to　get　Gwynedd；　or　portions　of　it。　　Eventually；　David　I。　became　king；　but　soon　a　strong　opposition　placed　Llywelyn；　the　able　son　of　Iorwerth；　on　the　throne。　　Uncles　and　cousins　showed　some　jealousy；　but　the　growing　power　of　Llywelyn　soon　made　them　obey　him　with　gradually　diminishing　envy。

His　next　task　was　to　attach　the　other　princes　of　Wales　to　him；　now　that　the　Lord　Rees　and　Owen　Cyveiliog　were　dead。　　To　begin　with；　he　had　to　deal　with　the　astute　Gwenwynwyn；　the　son　of　Owen　Cyveiliog；　and　he　had　to　be　forced　to　submit。　　He　then　turned　to　the　many　sons　and　grandsons　of　the　Lord　ReesMaelgwn　and　Rees　the　Hoarse　especially。　　They　called　John；　King　of　England；　into　Wales；　but　they　soon　found　that　Llywelyn　was　a　better　master　than　John　and　his　barons。　　Gradually　Llywelyn　established　a　council　of　chiefspartly　a　board　of　conciliation；　and　partly　an　executive　body。　　It　was　nothing　new；　but　it　was　a　striking　picture　of　the　way　in　which　Llywelyn　meant　to　join　the　princes　into　one　organised　political　body。

His　third　task　was　to　begin　to　unite　Norman　barons　and　Welsh　chiefs　under　his　own　rule。　　He　had　to　begin　in　the　old　way；　by　using　force；　and　Ranulph　of　Chester　and　the　Clares　trembled　for　the　safety　of　their　castles。　　He　then　offered　political　alliance；　and　some　of　the　Norman　families　of　the　greatest　importance　in　the　reign　of　Johnthe　Earl　of　Chester；　the　family　of　Braose；　and　the　Marshalls　of　Pembroke…　…became　his　allies。　　His　other　step　was　to　unite　Welsh　and　Norman　families　by　marriage。　　He　himself　married　a　daughter　of　King　John；　and　he　gave　his　own　daughters　in　marriage　to　a　Braose　and　a　Mortimer。　It　is　through　the　dark…haired　Gladys；　who　married　Ralph　Mortimer；　that　the　kings　of　England　can　trace　their　descent　from　the　House　of　Cunedda。

Llywelyn's　last　great　task　was　to　make　relations　between　England　and　Wales　relations　of　peace　and　amity。　　During　his　long　reign；　he　saw　three　kings　on　the　throne　of　Englandthe　crusader　Richard；　the　able　John；　and　the　worthless　and　mean　Henry　III。　　It　was　with　John　that　he　had　most　to　do；　the　king　whose　originality　and　vices　have　puzzled　and　shocked　so　many　historians。　　John　helped　him　to　crush　Gwenwynwyn；　then　helped　the　jealous　Welsh　princes　to　check　the　growth　of　his　power。　　Llywelyn　saw　that　it　was　his　policy；　as　long　as　John　was　alive；　to　join　the　English　barons。　　They　were　then　trying　to　force　Magna　Carta　upon　the　King；　that　great　document　which　prevented　John　from　interfering　with　the　privileges　of　his　barons。　　In　that　document　John　promises；　in　three　clauses；　that　he　will　observe　the　rights　of　Welshmen　and　the　law　of　Wales。

When　John　died　in　1216；　and　his　young　son　Henry　succeeded　him；　the　policy　of　England　was　guided　by　William　Marshall　Earl　of　Pembroke。　William　Marshall　was　one　of　the　ministers　of　Henry　II。；　and　by　his　marriage　with　the　daughter　of　Strongbow；　the　conqueror　of　Ireland；　he　had　become　Earl　of　Pembroke。　　It　was　with　him　that　Llywelyn　had　now　to　deal。　　He　was　too　strong　in　Pembroke　to　be　attacked；　but　his　very　presence　made　it　easier　for　Llywelyn　to　retain　the　allegiance　of　the　chiefs　who　would　have　been　in　danger　from　the　Norman　barons　if　Llywelyn's　protection　were　taken　away。　　In　1219　the　great　William　Marshall　died；　and　changes　in　English　politics　forced　his　sons　into　an　alliance　with　Llywelyn。

Llywelyn's　title　of　Great　is　given　him　by　his　Norman　and　English　contemporaries。　　He　was　great　as　a　general；　his　detection　of　trouble　before　the　storm　broke；　his　instant　determination　and　rapidity　of　movements；　his　ever…ready　munitions　for　battle　and　siege；　made　his　later　campaigns　always　successful。　　He　felt　that　he　was　carrying　on　war　in　his　own　country；　so　his　wars　were　not　wars　of　devastation；　but　the　crushing　of　armies　and　the　razing　of　castles。

He　took　an　interest　in　the　three　great　agents　in　the　civilisation　of　the　timethe　bard；　the　monk；　and　the　friar。　　The　bard　was　as　welcome　as　ever　at　his　court；　the　monk；　welcomed　by　Owen　Gwynedd　before；　was　given　another　home　at　Aber　Conway。　　Llywelyn　extended　his　welcome　to　the　friar；　and　he　was　given　a　home　at　Llan　Vaes　in　Anglesey；　on　the　shores　of　the　Menai。　　The　friar　brought　a　higher　ideal　than　that　of　the　monk；　his　aim　was　salvation；　not　by　prayer　in　the　solitude　of　a　mountain　glen；　but　by　service　where　men　were　thickest　togethereven　in　streets　made　foul　by　vice；　and　haunted　by　leprosy。　　Of　the　Mendicant　Orders；　the　Franciscans　were　the　best　known　in　Wales；　and；　of　all　Orders　of　that　day；　it　was　they　who　sympathised　most　deeply　with　the　sorrows　of　men。　　And　it　was　this　which；　a　little　later　on；　brought　them　so　much　into　politics。

Great　and　successful　in　war　and　policy；　in　touch　with　the　noblest　influences　in　the　life　of　the　time；　Llywelyn　applied　himself　to　one　last　task。　　His　companions　and　allies　had　nearly　all　died　before　him；　but　he　wished　that　the　peace　and　unity；　which　they　had　established；　should　live　after　them。　　He　had　two　sonsGriffith；　who　was　the　champion　of　independence；　and　David；　who　wished　for　peace　with　England。　　Llywelyn　laid　more　stress　on　strong　government　at　home　than　on　the　repudiation　of　feudal　allegiance　to　the　King　of　England。　　So　he　persuaded　the　council　of　princes　at　Strata　Florida　to　accept　David　as　his　successor。



CHAPTER　XITHE　LAST　LLYWELYN



David　II。；　a　mild　and　well…meaning　prince；　was　too　weak　to　carry　his　father's　policy　out。　　He　tried　to　maintain　peace；　and　did　homage　to　his　uncle；　the　King　of　England。　　But；　as　the　head　of　the　patriotic　party；　his　more　energetic　brother；　Griffith；　opposed　him。　　By　guile　he　caught　Griffith；　and　shut　him　in　a　castle　on　the　rock　of　Criccieth。　　The　other　princes　shook　off　the　yoke　of　Gwynedd；　and　Henry　III。　tried　to　play　the　brothers　against　each　other。　　David　sent　Griffith　to　Henry；　who　put　him　in　the　Tower　of　London。　　In　trying　to　escape；　his　rope　broke；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground　dead。　　Soon　afterwards；　in　1246；　in　the　middle　of　a　war　with　Henry；　David　died　of　a　broken　heart。

The　sons　of　GriffithOwen；　Llywelyn；　and　Davidat　once　took　their　uncle's　place；　and　by　1255　Llywelyn　ap　Griffith　was　sole　ruler。　　By　that　year　Henry　III。　had　given　his　young　son　Edward　the　earldom　of　Chester；　which　had　fallen　to　the　crown；　and　the　lands　between　the　Dee　and　the　Conway；　which　he　claimed　by　a　treaty　with　the　dead　Griffith。　Thus　Edward　and　Llywelyn　began　their　long　struggle。

Between　1255　and　1267　Llywelyn　tries　to　recover　his　grandfather's　position　in　Wales。　　In　1255　his　power　extended　over　Gwynedd　only。　　He　found　it　easy　to　extend　it　over　most　of　Wales；　because　the　rule　of　the　English　officials　made　the　Welsh　chiefs　long　for　the　protection　of　Gwynedd。　　The　Barons'　War　paralysed　the　power　of　the　King；　and　Llywelyn　made　an　alliance　with　Simon　de　Montfort　and　the　barons。　Even　after　Montfort's　fall　in　1265　the　barons　were　so　powerful　that　the　King　was　still　at　their　mercy。　　In　1267　Llywelyn's　position　as　Prince　of　Wales　was　recognised　in　the　Treaty　of　Montgomery。　　His　sway　extended　from　Snowdon　to　the　Dee　on　the　east；　and　to　the　Teivy　and　the　Beacons　on　the　southpractically　the　whole　of　modern　Wales；　except　the　southern　seaboard。　　Within　these　wide　bounds　all　the　Welsh　barons　were　to　swear　fealty　to　Llywelyn；　the　only　exception　being　Meredith　ap　Rees　of　Deheubarth。

The　second　struggle　of　Llywelyn's　reign　took　place　between　1267　and　1277。　　He　tried　to　weld　his　land　into　a　closer　union；　and　many　of　the　chiefs　of　the　south　and　east　became　willing　to　call　in　the　English　King。　　Two　of　them；　his　own　brother　David　and　Griffith　of　Powys；　fled　to　England；　and　were　received　by　Edward；　who　had　been　king　since　1272。　　Llywelyn　and　Edward　distrusted　each　other。　　Edward　wished　to　unite　Britain　in　a　feudal　unity；　and　to　crush　all　opponents。　Llywelyn　thought　of　helping　the　barons；　he　might　become　their　leader。　Eleanor；　the　daughter　of　Simon　de　Montfort；　the　old　leader　of　the　barons；　was　betrothed　to　him。　　War　broke　out。　　The　baronsClares　and　Mortimers；　and　alljoined　the　King。　　Llywelyn's　dominions　were　invaded　at　all　points；　his　barons　had　to　yield；　one　after　the　other；　and　finally；　in　1277；　Llywelyn　had　to　accept　the　Treaty　of　Rhuddlan。　His　dominions　shrunk　to　the　old　limits　of　Snowdon；　his　sway　over　the　rest　of　Wales　was　taken　from　him；　and　the　title　of　Prince　of　Wales　was　to　cease　with　his　life。

The　third　struggle　was　between　1277　and　1282。　　The　rule　of　the　new　officials　drove　the　Welsh　to　revolt；　and　the　chiefs　who　had　opposed　Llywelyn；　especially　his　brother　David；　begged　for　Llywelyn's　protection。　　Eleanor；　Llywelyn's　wife　and　Edward's　cousin；　tried　to　keep　the　peace；　but　she　died　while　they　were　arming　for　the　last　bitter　war　of　1282。

It　was　comparatively　easy　for　Edward　to　overrun　Powys　or　Deheubarth；　if　he　had　an　army　strong　enough。　　But　at　that　time　Gwynedd　was　almost　impregnable。　　From　Conway　to　Harlech　lies　the　vast　mass　of　Snowdon；　a　great　natural　rampart　running　from　sea　to　sea。　　Its　steep　side　is　towards　the　east；　and　the　invader　found　before　him　heights　which　he　could　not　climb；　and　round　which　he　could　not　pass。　　If　you　stand　in　the　Vale　of　Conway；　look　at　the　hills　on　the　Arvon　sidethe　great　natural　wall　of　inmost　Gwynedd；　with　its　last　tower；　the　Penmaen　Mawr；　rising　right　from　the　sea。　　The　gentle　slopes　are　to　the　west；　and　there　the　corn　and　flocks　were　safe。

Edward　had　to　put　a　large　army　into　the　field；　and　it　cost　him　much。　In　the　war　with　Llywelyn　he　had　to　change　the　English　army　entirely；　and；　in　order　to　get　money；　he　had　to　allow　the　Parliament　to　get　life　and　power。　　To　carry　supplies；　and　to　land　men　in　Anglesey　to　turn　the　flank　of　the　Welsh；　he　wanted　a　fleet。　　But　there　was　no　royal　navy　then；　and　the　fishermen　of　the　east　coast　and　the　south　coastwho　had　no　quarrel　with　the　Welsh；　but　were　very　anxious　to　fight　each　otherwere　not　willing　to　lose　their　fish　harvest　in　order　to　fight　so　far　away。

In　1282；　Edward's　great　army　closed　round　Snowdon。　　The　chiefs　still　faithful　to　Llywelyn　had　to　yield　or　flee。　　But　winter　was　coming　on；　and　could　Edward　keep