First Advisor

John Ott

Date of Award

Spring 6-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History and University Honors

Department

History

Language

English

Subjects

Edwardian Conquest, Welsh History, English Colonialism, Medieval Wales, Gwynedd, Anglo-Welsh Relations

Abstract

This thesis, Edward’s New Welsh: The Foundations of English Colonialism, 1282-1343, examines the tumultuous period following the English conquest of the last independent Welsh kingdom, focusing on the English Crown's efforts under King Edward I to integrate Wales administratively and culturally. By reevaluating the appropriation of the Prince of Wales title, the study highlights the creation of a 'New Welsh' identity aligned with English interests. Key legal acts, such as the Statute of Rhuddlan and the establishment of English-style boroughs and castles, are analyzed to reveal the Crown's strategic embedding of English governance and suppression of native Welsh resistance.

The roles of native Welsh collaborators, including Sir Gruffydd Llwyd and Tudur Hen, are explored alongside the impact of English settlements on Welsh society. Through examining administrative changes, land policies, and cultural shifts, this thesis argues that the Edwardian conquest laid the groundwork for future British colonial practices. The integration of Welsh customary laws with English legal frameworks and the development of a new Welsh aristocracy were crucial in redefining Welsh identity and ensuring long-term English dominance.

This study contributes to the broader understanding of medieval colonialism and identity formation, emphasizing the complexities of English-Welsh relations in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. It underscores the significance of the Edwardian conquest as a foundational period in British imperial history, arguing for the inclusion of Wales into the broader historiography of English colonialism.

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