When Pride Comes Before a Fall: Henry I’s Failed Attempt to Conquer the Welsh
History keeps a bit quiet on Henry 1’s 1114 campaign against the Welsh in which we are told he intended to exterminate even their name. Henry was an astute and accomplished battle commander whose reign was filled with successful military victories particularly in Normandy yet in this campaign, where he brought three separate armies against the Welsh. he was outmanoeuvred. Why did he fail so dismally?
Henry 1 was a Norman king of England and the fourth son of William the Conqueror. Expanding his domains was in his DNA. Wales in 1114 was a patchwork of fiercely independent kingdoms and their rulers were prone to internecine conflicts. Henry had done his best to benefit from these conflicts, stirring up trouble where he could without engaging in outright battle. By securing Welsh lands he could reward his avaricious Norman lords who were grinding him down with increasing demands. In 1114, however, the Welsh nobles had been posing a threat not only to those Normans who had settled in Welsh lands but also to those nearby who had settled in the border between England and Wales. Henry saw red and set out to slaughter and, with the help of Alexander of Scotland, marched three huge armies into Wales.
Even though the Welsh had a history of fighting amongst each other, they had a deep-rooted love of their land and culture, were known for their martial prowess, and posed a formidable threat to any army. They watched as Henry’s knights, archers, and foot soldiers with all the trappings that supported warfare marched into Wales to impose Anglo-Norman authority on Welsh kingdoms. They were unfazed!
Wales is a land of rugged terrain with dense forests and deep valleys. This challenging landscape was perfect for guerrilla warfare and defensive tactics employed by the Welsh and it was nigh on impossible for the Normans to gain a decisive advantage. Maintaining an army in hostile territory was a logistical nightmare. Supply lines were stretched thin and the Anglo-Normans struggled to keep their forces well-fed and equipped. Henry had thought that the campaign would be quickly over but as time stretched on, he had pressing issues in Normandy which he had not accounted for and these diverted his attention. Meanwhile, many of the soldiers in his ranks needed to return to their own homes to bring in the harvest and interest waned with no outcome in sight.
Henry had counted on division among the Welsh nobles but nothing united the Welsh more than a common interest in resisting an Anglo-Norman conquest. The Welsh commanders rallied together, taking their people into the high mountains to protect them and causing havoc against the foe. Although it is little recounted, this was a significant testament to the enduring Welsh spirit in action.
If you are interested in historical fiction and would like to read more about Henry 1 and his efforts to claim Wales then you may be interested in reading ‘The Welsh Traitor’s Daughter’ and the sequel ‘The Welsh Warrior’s Inheritance’.