The Battle of Mynydd Hyddgen was a battle between the Welsh and English in June 1401. It was part of the

Welsh revolt The Welsh Revolt (also called the Glyndŵr Rising or Last War of Independence) ( cy, Rhyfel Glyndŵr) or ( cy, Gwrthryfel Glyndŵr) was a Welsh rebellion in Wales led by Owain Glyndŵr against the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ag ...

led by Owain Glyndŵr against

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

rule that lasted from 1400 to 1415. Its location was on the western slopes of Pumlumon, near the

Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...

Powys Powys (; ) is a county and preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain. Geog ...

boundary.

The two armies

The settlers were reinforced by a large force of English soldiers and Flemish mercenaries. This was Owain's early base as his rebellion started and spread. It is estimated that his force at this stage amounted to five hundred men, just a third of the attacking force and some records, such as the 'Annals of Owen Glyn Dwr' written by Gruffydd Hiraethog many years later in 1550 and based on earlier accounts that have not survived, put his force at just 120 men. It is thought that Owain's force would have been made up mostly of archers mounted on hill ponies that would have been well suited for travelling across boggy or mountainous regions. The English-Flemish army meanwhile would have generally consisted of infantry with some light cavalrymen supporting them. Despite having decent equipment, many of the English-Flemish soldiers were lacking in military experience, and there was a general lack of discipline within their army.

The battle

The precise location of the battle is not known, and little is known of the course of the battle itself. ''Mynydd'' means "mountain" in

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

. However, it is known that Glyndŵr's army was able to fight back these attackers (despite being outnumbered and on the low ground), killing 200, chasing the main force away and making prisoners of the rest. It can be assumed that Owain's success lay in the maneuverability of his light troops. The English army (being more heavily laden) would have had more trouble traversing the marshy ground of the valley.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Mynydd Hyddgen Mynydd Hyddgen History of Ceredigion Conflicts in 1401 1401 in Wales Glyndŵr Rising