1066 Norman Conquest of England
William of Normandy defeated and killed Harold Godwinson, the sole ruler of England at the battle of Hastings. Cymru, however, had a number of different rulers following the death of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn in 1063, and the Normans realised that it would take them much longer to conquer the country.
William quickly set up a buffer zone along the border from Chester down to Chepstow called The March (Y Mers), and created three earldoms to control it. He installed some of his most formidable knights as earls to rule the area: Hugh d'Avranches in Chester; Roger de Montgomerie in Shrewsbury; and William FitzOsbern in Hereford.
1067 Gwent
William FitzOsbern invaded Gwent and it became the first kingdom to be taken by the Normans. FitzOsbern immediately began the construction of Castell Cas-gwent (Chepstow Castle).
1069 Battle of Mechain
Bleddyn and Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn defeated Maredudd and Ithel, the sons of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, in a battle near Llanfechain. Only Bleddyn survived, however, and he then took control of Gwynedd and Powys.
1072 Battle of Pont Rhymni
Maredudd ab Owain ab Edwin, the ruler of Deheubarth, was killed at the battle in Caerdydd by Caradog ap Gruffudd, supported by a Norman force. Maredudd was succeeded as ruler by his brother, Rhys.
1075 Battle of Camddwr
Rhys ab Owain ab Edwin defeated Caradog ap Gruffudd near Llanwrtyd. Rhys was implicated in the killing of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn around the same time.
1075 Battles of Bron-yr-erw and Gwaeterw
Two battles were fought also between Trahaearn ap Caradog and Gruffudd ap Cynan for the control of Gwynedd after Beddyn ap Cynfyn’s death.
1078 Battle of Pwllgwdig
Trahaearn ap Caradog defeated Rhys ab Owain in battle near Abergwaun (Fishguard), and later killed him to ‘avenge the blood’ of his cousin, Bleddyn ap Cynfyn.
1081 Battle of Mynydd Carn
Rhys ap Tewdwr united with Gruffudd ap Cynan of Ynys Môn, to defeat an army led by Trahaearn ap Caradog of Arwystli, Caradog ap Gruffudd of Morgannwg, and Meilyr ap Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn of Powys, on Mynydd Preseli.
Gruffudd ap Cynan was captured by the Normans shortly after the battle of Mynydd Carn and was kept prisoner until 1094; he then ruled Gwynedd until his death in 1137. Rhys ap Tewdwr had taken control of Deheubarth after Mynydd Carn and then had to defend it against attacks.
1088 Battle of Llechryd
Rhys ap Tewdwr defeated Cadwgan, Madog and Rhiryd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in a battle near the river Teifi, Madog and Rhiryd were killed but Cadwgan managed to escape.
1091 Battle of Llandudoch
Rhys ap Tewdwr defeated Gruffudd ap Maredudd near the mouth of afon Teifi at Llandudoch (St Dogmaels).
1093 Battle of Batl
Rhys ap Tewdwr was killed in battle near Aberhonddu (Brecon) by a Norman force led by Bernard de Neufmarché, who had been tasked with conquering Brycheiniog.
1093 Battle of Rhiwbeina
Iestyn ap Gwrgant of Morgannwg was killed by a force led by Robert Fitzhamon, who had been tasked with conquering Glamorgan.
The Cymry resisted the Norman advances into De Cymru through the 1090s but, by the time Henry I was crowned king of England at the start of the 12th century, the Normans had extended the March from Gwent to Sir Benfro (Pembrokeshire).
A number of significant leaders emerged in Cymru during the 12th century. These included: Gruffudd ap Cynan of Gwynedd and his sons, Owain, Cadwallon and Cadwaladr; Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr of Deheubarth and hi son, Rhys; Maredudd ap Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in Powys, and his son, Madog; Caradog ab Iestyn ap Gwrgant and the lords of Afan; and Madog ab Idnerth and his sons, Einion Clud and Cadwallon in Rhwng Gwy a Hafren.
1116 Death of Owain ap Cadwgan
Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr was defeated by a Norman force in a battle near Aberystwyth, and Owain ap Cadwgan was killed by a company of Flemings in the battle of Ystrad Rwnws near Nantgaredig, despite being in the service of Henry I of England.
1118 Battle of Maes Maen Cymro
Hywel ab Ithel of Rhos and Rhufeiniog and Maredudd ap Bleddyn defeated Goronwy ab Owain of Dyffryn Clwyd in a bloody battle at Maes Maen Cymro at Rhewl near Rhuthun. The army of Goronwy and his brothers included Norman knights from the lands of the earl of Chester.
1132 Death of Cadwallon ap Gruffudd
By 1120, Gruffudd ap Cynan’s sons were leading his forces, but Cadwallon was killed by his first cousins, Cadwgan ap Goronwy and Einion ab Owain, at Nanheudwy near Llangollen in 1132.
Three significant battles then took place in 1136 to defend Deheubarth against the Norman advance:
1136 Battle of Gŵyr
Hywel ap Maredudd of Brycheiniog defeated a Norman force on Gŵyr at the beginning of the year.
1136 Battle of Maes Gwenllian
Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd ap Cynan, wife of Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr, was killed when her army was defeated by a Norman force under Maurice de Londres at Cydweli. Her sons, Morgan and Maelgwyn, were also killed.
1136 Battle of Crug Mawr
Owain Gwynedd, his brother Cadwaladr, and Gruffudd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr defeated a large Norman force at Crug Mawr near Aberteifi (Cardigan) later in the year.
1137 Death of Gruffudd ap Cynan
Gruffudd ap Cynan died - as did his son-in-law, Gruffudd ap Rhys - and Owain Gwynedd became the leader of the Cymry.
