The Battle of Orewin Bridge was fought on the 11th of December, 1282, and the last native Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, was killed.
Born around 1223, Llywelyn was the grandson of Llywelyn the Great (Llywelyn ab Iorwerth), the ruler who had united much of Wales during the early thirteenth century. His father, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, was the eldest legitimate son of Llywelyn the Great, but Gruffudd’s death in 1244 left Llywelyn and his brothers to contend for power in a kingdom already under threat from internal division and external English influence. Llywelyn’s early years were shaped by the political instability of Gwynedd and the ambitions of his uncles and siblings.
Following the death of his uncle, Dafydd ap Llywelyn, in 1246, a power vacuum emerged in Gwynedd. Llywelyn, together with his brother Owain Goch, seized the opportunity to assert their claim. The Treaty of Woodstock (1247) forced the brothers to accept a division of Gwynedd, confining them primarily to the area west of the River Conwy. This arrangement favoured English interests and reflected the vulnerability of native Welsh leadership at the time. Yet Llywelyn quickly proved to be a resourceful and determined leader, unwilling to accept permanent subjugation.
By 1255, Llywelyn had consolidated his position by defeating his brother Owain at the Battle of Bryn Derwin, thereby becoming the sole ruler of Gwynedd. His victory marked the beginning of a period of renewal for native Welsh power. Demonstrating both martial skill and political acumen, Llywelyn embarked upon a campaign to extend his influence over the other principalities of Wales. This expansion was not purely military; Llywelyn also sought to strengthen his legitimacy through diplomacy, notably aligning himself with the Papacy and later seeking recognition from the English Crown.
The political landscape of Britain in the mid-thirteenth century was dominated by the troubled reign of Henry III of England. English barons, increasingly frustrated with royal mismanagement, engaged in the Second Barons’ War (1264–1267) under the leadership of Simon de Montfort. Llywelyn exploited this turmoil to great advantage. In 1267, the Treaty of Montgomery formally recognised him as Prince of Wales, a title that no native ruler had previously held with English assent. This treaty represented the zenith of Llywelyn’s power, granting him authority over nearly all of Wales beyond the English-controlled Marches.
Yet Llywelyn’s success was fragile. His refusal to pay homage promptly to Edward I, who became King of England in 1272, eroded relations with the English monarchy. Llywelyn’s strategic marriage to Eleanor de Montfort, daughter of Simon de Montfort, further antagonised Edward, as it hinted at an anti-English alliance. The tension culminated in the invasion of 1277, in which Edward’s superior military resources overwhelmed Llywelyn’s forces. The resulting Treaty of Aberconwy drastically reduced his territory and influence, confining his rule to Gwynedd west of the River Conwy once more.
Llywelyn’s final years were defined by resistance against English encroachment. In 1282, a national Welsh uprising against English dominance erupted. Llywelyn sought to reclaim his former authority and rallied support across the principalities. However, the campaign was short-lived. On the 11th of December, 1282, Llywelyn was lured into a skirmish near Builth Wells and killed, possibly betrayed by false intelligence. His death marked the effective end of native Welsh independence. Edward I completed his conquest by 1283, incorporating Wales into the expanding English realm and building the ring of formidable castles that still dominate the Welsh landscape.