The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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1136 Battle of Crug Mawr aka Cardigan is in 1130-1154 Anarchy.
On 10th October 1136 [the date is uncertain] the Battle of Crug Mawr aka Cardigan between Welsh and Normans for control of Ceredigion, West Wales. The Welsh, led by Owain "Great" King Gwynedd [aged 36], Cadwaladr ap Gruffudd Aberffraw [aged 36] and Gruffudd ap Rhys King Deheubarth [aged 55] defeated Normans led by Robert Fitzmartin,; a significant setback to Norman expansion in Wales.
Einion Aberffraw was killed.
The exact location of the battle is unknown. Possibly near Crug Mawr [Map]. However, Annales Cambriae has "A battle was fought before the castle" followed by "others drowned in the river Teifi" suggesting the castle referred to may have been Cilgerran Castle [Map] which is on the River Teifi.
Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. Another bloody battle was afterwards fought at Cardigan, in the second week of the month of October [10th October 1136], in this same year, in which the slaughter was so great that, without reckoning the men who were carried off into captivity, there remained ten thousand women, whose husbands, with numberless children, were either drowned, or burnt, or put to the sword. When the bridge over the river Tivy was broken down it was a wretched spectacle to see crowds passing to and fro across a bridge formed by the horrible mass of human corpses and horses drowned in the river.
Annales Cambriae. [10th October 1136] Later, Owain [aged 36] and Cadwaladr [aged 36] again came into Ceredigion, and to their aid came Gruffydd [aged 55] son of Rhys, Rhys son of Hywel, Madog son of Idnerth, and the sons of Hywel, who mustered in strength at Aberteifi (Cardigan). Against them stood Stephen the Constable, the sons of Gerald, and all the Normans from the Severn Sea as far as St Davids, together with the Flemings of Rhos. A battle was fought before the castle [Map]: the Normans and Flemings were put to flight; some were captured, some killed, some burned, some trampled under horses' hooves, others drowned in the river Teifi, and very many were led away into wretched captivity. The Welsh, having accomplished their aims, returned to their own lands, the castle remaining in the hands of the Normans. [Einion son of Owain was slain there.]
Owinus et Catwaladrus iterum ad Keredigean venerunt, quibus in adjutorium Grifinus filius Eesi, et Resus filius Hoeli, et Madocus filius Idnerth, et filii Hoeli ad Abertewy potenter venerunt; quibus ex alia parte resisterunt Steplianus constabularius et filii Geraldi et omnes Franci ab hoste Sabrinse usque ad Meneviam, et Flandrenses de Ros: et prœlio coram castellum inito, Franci et Flandrenses in fugam versi capti sunt, occisi sunt, combusti et equorum pedibus conculcati et in fluvio Tewy submersi sunt, plurimi in captivitatem miserrime ducti Walenses vero his ad votum peractis, in sua redierunt, castello Francis remanente. [Eynaun filius Owein ibi occiditur.]
The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales: Book 2 Chapter 14. We proceeded on our journey from Cilgarran towards Pont-Stephen1, leaving Cruc Mawr, i. e. the great hill, near Aberteivi2, on our left hand. On this spot Grruffydh [aged 55], son of Rhys ap Theodor [Tudor], soon after the death of king Henry I, by a furious onset gained a signal victory [1136 Battle of Crug Mawr aka Cardigan] against the English army, which, by the murder of the illustrious Richard de Clare, near Abergevenny (before related), had lost its leader and chief3. A tumulus is to be seen on the summit of the aforesaid hill, and the inhabitants affirm that it will adapt itself to persons of all stature ; and that if any armour is left there entire in the evening, it will be found, according to vulgar tradi- tion, broken to pieces in the morning.
Note 1. Our author having made a long digression, in order to introduce the history of the beaver, now continues his Itinerary, Prom Cardigan, the archbishop proceeded towards Pont Stephen, leaving a hill, called
Note 2. The signal victory of the Welsh, here alluded to by Griraldus, happened in 1135, soon after the death of Henry I, and the cruel murder of Richard de Clare and his son Gilbert, near Abergavenny, by Morgan ap Owen, of Caerleon.
Note 3. Though Emelyn is mentioned in the title of the preceding chapter, no notice is taken of it in the text. This village, on the direct road from Cardigan to Llanbedr, now bears the name of Newcastle Emlyn.
The Itinerary of Archbishop Baldwin through Wales: Book 2 Chapter 3. We proceeded on our journey from Cilgerran towards Pont-Stephen [Map],127 leaving Cruc Mawr [Map], i.e. the great hill, near Aberteivi, on our left hand. On this spot Gruffydd, son of Rhys ap Tewdwr, soon after the death of king Henry I., by a furious onset gained a signal victory [1136 Battle of Crug Mawr aka Cardigan] against the English army, which, by the murder of the illustrious Richard de Clare, near Abergevenny (before related), had lost its leader and chief.128 A tumulus is to be seen on the summit of the aforesaid hill, and the inhabitants affirm that it will adapt itself to persons of all stature and that if any armour is left there entire in the evening, it will be found, according to vulgar tradition, broken to pieces in the morning.
Note 127. Our author having made a long digression, in order to introduce the history of the beaver, now continues his Itinerary. From Cardigan, the archbishop proceeded towards Pont-Stephen [Map], leaving a hill, called Cruc Mawr, on the left hand, which still retains its ancient name, and agrees exactly with the position given to it by Giraldus. On its summit is a tumulus, and some appearance of an intrenchment.
Note 128. In 1135.