The English force approached
more or less from the direction of the photograph, the valley to the left
being marshy ground. A part of the Welsh army were visible on the hillside
of Bryn Glas. Another part were waitng hidden from view behind the slope on
the right-hand side of the hill. The Welsh archers were more effective firing
down onto the English with devastating results.
The English, in trouble with
the Welsh archers, advanced up the hill. At this the Welsh retreated back
up the hill and Glyndwr gave the order for the trap to be sprung. The hidden
part of his army advanced from their position down the side of the hill ready
to ambush the English rear.
The main Welsh force sprung
it's ambush on the rear right flank of the English. At about the same time
many conscripts of the English army changed sides. These men were from Radnorshire
and west Herefordshire and at the height of the battle decided their alliegencies
lay more with Glyndwr than with Mortimer, their English overlord. Thus the
position for Mortimer was hopeless and a massacre ensued. It is not known
as to how many men lost their lives here but various historical sources suggest
a figure anywhere from hundreds to thousands. Mortimer himself was captured
and surprisingly ended up narrying Glyndwrs daughter and becoming his ally
against the English King Henry IV. By the way, Henry had been keeping Mortimers
nephew, the Earl of March under strict confinement as the lad, who was directly
descended from Edward III had a strong claim to the English throne, so things
between Mortimer and the King, whose side he was fighting for, were not that
great
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THE BATTLE OF PILLETH
June 22nd 1402
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This imagemap works at 800 x 600 resolution.
If it dosn't look right click HERE
for a 1024 x 768 version
Mouse over the panels to view the progress of the battle
Shakespeare : Henry IV pt 1:
Earl Of Westmoreland "...but yesteryear there came
A post from Wales loaden with heavy news;
Whose worst was that the noble Mortimer,
Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight
Against the irregular and wild Glendower
Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken,
A thousand of his people butchered,"
