Owain Glyndwr

Overview

Owain Glyndwr (also spelled Owain Glyn Dwr, anglicized as Owen Glendower) is the central allied figure in Kingmakers. Based on the real Welsh nobleman and rebel leader who lived from approximately 1354 to 1415, Glyndwr is the commander whose cause the player champions after traveling back to 1400 AD. In the game's alternate history premise, Glyndwr's rebellion was originally successful, uniting Britain and setting humanity on a path toward prosperity. A malevolent otherworldly force altered this timeline, and the player must help Glyndwr win to restore the correct course of history.

Glyndwr occupies a unique place in the game's narrative because he is both a real historical figure and a fictional character reshaped by the game's time-travel premise. The developers at Redemption Road Games chose the Glyndwr Rebellion as their setting specifically because it sits at a crossroads of British history, involving England, Wales, Scotland, and France in a conflict that, with small changes, could have produced a wildly different outcome for the entire region.

Historical Background

The real Owain Glyndwr was born around 1354 into Welsh nobility. He traced his lineage back to the princes of Powys and Deheubarth, two of the four great princely houses of Wales, both of which connected to the House of Gwynedd and the original princes of Wales. This ancestry gave him a legitimate claim to Welsh royalty that few of his contemporaries could match.

Glyndwr received an excellent education in London, likely studying law at the Inns of Court. He served in the English military during the 1380s, fighting for Richard II in campaigns in Scotland and possibly France. He owned estates at Sycharth (near Oswestry) and Glyndyfrdwy (near Llangollen), and by all accounts lived comfortably as a loyal subject of the English crown for decades before his rebellion.

The Spark of Rebellion

The trigger for Glyndwr's revolt was a land dispute with his neighbor Reginald de Grey, Baron Grey of Ruthin, a powerful English lord on the Welsh Marches. When the case reached the English Parliament, Glyndwr's claim was dismissed, reportedly with the remark that the English cared nothing for "barefoot Welsh dogs." Henry IV, who had recently seized the throne from Richard II in 1399, sided with de Grey. For Glyndwr, whose family had held their lands for generations, this was the final insult.

On 16 September 1400, a group of Welsh lords gathered at Glyndyfrdwy and proclaimed Owain Glyndwr the Prince of Wales. Two days later, his forces attacked Ruthin, burning the town. The raids spread rapidly to Denbigh, Rhuddlan, Flint, Holt, Oswestry, and Welshpool, all towns seen as symbols of English control in Wales.

The Rebellion's Peak

The rebellion grew far beyond a local feud. By 1402, Glyndwr had won a string of battlefield victories, most notably the Battle of Bryn Glas on 22 June 1402. In that engagement, his force of roughly 1,500 men defeated a 2,000-strong English army under Edmund Mortimer. The victory was both a military and propaganda triumph. Mortimer himself was captured and later married Glyndwr's daughter, becoming a key ally.

By 1404, Glyndwr controlled most of Wales. He captured Harlech Castle and Aberystwyth Castle, two of the most important English fortifications in the country. That same year, he convened the first Welsh parliament at Machynlleth, attended by envoys from France and representatives from across Wales. The Machynlleth parliament laid out an ambitious vision: an independent Wales with its own church, two universities (one in the north, one in the south), and a return to the traditional Welsh law of Hywel Dda.

Alliances and the Tripartite Indenture

Glyndwr was a skilled diplomat as well as a military leader. In 1405, he negotiated the Tripartite Indenture with Edmund Mortimer and Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. This agreement proposed dividing Britain into three parts: Wales (extending to the rivers Severn and Mersey, including much of Cheshire, Shropshire, and Herefordshire) would go to Glyndwr; the north and Midlands to Percy; and the south to Mortimer. The plan required overthrowing Henry IV.

Glyndwr also secured a formal alliance with France. In 1405, King Charles VI sent a force of French soldiers who landed in Wales and marched alongside Glyndwr's men into England. The combined forces reached Woodbury Hill, near Worcester, where they faced Henry IV's army across a valley. For reasons that remain unclear, the battle never took place, and the campaign ended without a decisive engagement.

The Pennal Letter

On 31 March 1406, from St Peter ad Vincula church at Pennal, Glyndwr wrote a letter to Charles VI of France that has become one of the most important documents in Welsh history. Known as the Pennal Letter, it outlined his vision for an independent Wales under his leadership. The letter requested continued French military support, offered to recognize the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII (rather than the Roman Pope), and set out plans for a Welsh church and universities. The Pennal Letter remains a key piece of evidence for understanding Glyndwr's political ambitions.

Decline and Disappearance

After 1405, the rebellion gradually weakened. English forces recaptured Aberystwyth in 1408. Northumberland was killed at the Battle of Bramham Moor in 1408. Mortimer died during the siege of Harlech Castle in 1409, and Harlech itself fell shortly after. Glyndwr's support base shrank as the English reasserted control.

Glyndwr was last seen by his enemies in 1412 and was never captured, never surrendered, and never betrayed by his followers. The last recorded reference to him dates to 21 September 1415, noting only that he "went into hiding" and his whereabouts were unknown. The exact date and location of his death remain a mystery. Some historians believe he died around 1415, possibly at the home of one of his daughters. His refusal to be captured and his mysterious disappearance cemented his status as a symbol of Welsh resistance and national identity.

Role in Kingmakers

In Kingmakers, Glyndwr is the allied leader the player supports after arriving in 1400 AD. The game's story establishes that in the original, unaltered timeline, Glyndwr's rebellion succeeded. He and his allies conquered all of England and united Britain, setting humanity on a course toward technological advancement and prosperity. A malevolent otherworldly force interfered with this timeline, causing the rebellion to fail. The player's mission is to reverse this alteration and help Glyndwr achieve the victory that was originally his.

The game pits the player against Henry IV (Henry Bolingbroke) and his son Henry V as the primary antagonists on the English side. Supporting Glyndwr's cause means fighting English forces, capturing castles, and winning battles across Wales and England. However, the faction system also allows players to align with England or Scotland, leading to different story branches and multiple endings.

Key Historical Events Referenced

Cultural Legacy

Owain Glyndwr remains one of the most important figures in Welsh history. His revolt was the last major manifestation of Welsh independence before the annexation of Wales into England under the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542. September 16, the date of his proclamation as Prince of Wales, is celebrated as Owain Glyndwr Day in Wales. He has been called the "original guerrilla fighter" and continues to serve as a symbol of Welsh identity and resistance. The game draws on this legacy to ground its time-travel narrative in a real historical conflict that still resonates with audiences.

Tips

• Glyndwr's historical alliances with France, Scotland, and the Percy family are reflected in the game's faction system and branching storylines.

• Understanding the historical timeline helps players appreciate how the game's alternate history diverges from real events.

• The game references real locations like Harlech Castle, Machynlleth, and Sycharth that were important to the historical Glyndwr.