Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

The centuries between the reigns of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Owain Glyndŵr witnessed dramatic changes in Wales, and these happened within a rapidly developing context across the British Isles. This module will explore how Welsh power and identity developed during these centuries, but also tells the wider story of the British Isles. As Welsh kings and princes sought to consolidate and expand their power they did so in the context of their relationship with their allies and enemies in Ireland, England and Scotland. Parallel developments in Scotland and Ireland will be investigated and how they all operated under the shadow of the increasing dominance of the ‘First English Empire’. We will assess how the Welsh negotiated and renegotiated their relationship with their neighbours in the inter-connected lands around the Irish Sea. The concept of what ‘Britain’ meant will also be discussed as we consider competing perceptions and aspirations about what it was and what it should be. This was a period that shaped the relationship between the four nations for centuries to come; through its exploration we will develop a greater understanding of today’s political and relational landscape between Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland.