Taming Of The Dragon: Edward I & The Conquest Of Wales

The story of Edward I's conquest of Wales is one full of drama, intrigue and passion, and one full of contradictions. It was not a war between two different cultures - though the English and Welsh cultures are different - because so many Welshmen fought on the side of the English. Neither was it merely a trial of wills between strong-minded individuals, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, prince of Gwynedd, and Edward I, King of England, there were other key players. And the great legacy of the Welsh wars - the series of castles Edward built - were crucial for his victory but,conversely, almost bankrupted the treasury. "The Taming of the Dragon" recreates the dangerous world of power politics in medieval England and Wales, drawing on a variety of contemporary sources to bring to life the people and the events of the 13th century and exploring their legacy of castles and myths.

The castles which were constructed in Wales on the orders of King Edward I are some of the best-known examples of medieval military architecture in Europe.Yet the wars which preceded, and indeed caused, their construciton are far less well-known. In the first book to focus exclusively on this topic for many years, Wayne Bartlett draws on a rich variety of contemporary sources to explore Edward I's conquest of Wales - a story full of drama, intrigue, passion and contradictions.

WB Bartlett
Hardcover 228pp 2003