Age of the Princes (1063-1283)
Traditionally the rulers in Wales had been known as kings. In the 12th & 13th centuries, successful Welsh rulers chose the title -prince. It was not a lower title, but a sign that they were different to the squabbling petty kings of the past. A prince had to have royal blood, so genealogy was important. All sons were heirs in Wales, so brothers were often rivals. No prince could dominate till he had dealt with his brothers. A successful prince had to fulfil the heroic ideal of the warrior. Honour and reputation on the battlefield were vital qualities. Poets sang the praises of such princes, and ignored the more peaceful.
Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr wrote the poem "In Praise of Owain Gwynedd" in the late 12th century. Owain Gwynedd was a successful prince of Gwynedd. This excerpt was typical for its time.
"I praise a patron high-hearted in strife,
Wolf of warfare, challenging, charging,
In arms against Angles in Tegeingl's lands,
Blood spilling in streams, blood pouring forth,
Dragons encountered, rulers of Rome,
A prince's heir, red their precious wine.
In strife with the Dragon of the east,
Fair Western Dragon, the best was his."
During the early years of the abbey's history, its monks must often have felt isolated and nervous, for this was a tempestuous period. Territory on both banks of the Teifi was constantly changing hands, as first one side and then the other gained the upper hand. In 1136, for instance, Robert fitz Martin and his fellow Normans were spectacularly defeated at the battle of Crug Mawr near Cardigan. They were forced to retreat southwards, leaving most of the area once again in the hands of the Welsh princes. Two years later the abbey site itself was attacked, not for the first time, by Scandinavian pirates. And in 1165, as if to remind the monks of St Dogmaels of their isolation, the Lord Rhys (d.1197) of Deheubarth expelled the Anglo-Norman monks from the neighbouring priory of Cardigan.
For more useful information on the "Age of the Princes" for the KS2 curriculum see:
