12th–15th centuriesOften tested

Wars without end: Wales, Scotland and Ireland

Story 1 of 5

In the widest sense, the Middle Ages, or the medieval period, stretch across about a thousand years: from AD 476, when the Roman Empire came to an end, until 1485. The story here picks up after the Norman Conquest. England's medieval kings were hardly ever at peace. They fought the lords of Wales, Scotland and Ireland for land, and each of these stories had a different ending.

Wales: a land held down by castles

In 1284 King Edward I issued the Statute of Rhuddlan (a statute is a written law). It put Wales under the rule of the English Crown. To hold on to his new land, Edward built a chain of enormous castles across north Wales, such as Conwy and Caernarvon (spelled Caernarfon today). The last Welsh revolts were put down by the mid-1400s, and after that English law and the English language were brought into Wales.

Photo of Conwy Castle: eight round towers standing beside a river — Conwy Castle, built by Edward I. Work on it began in 1283. The whole town is ringed by walls about 1.3 km long, with 21 towers, and you can still walk along the top of them. They even include a row of 12 medieval toilets, which is very rare. Photo: Nilfanion / Wikimedia UK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Scotland: one blow at Bannockburn

England wanted Scotland as well, but it never managed to take it. In 1314 the Scottish king Robert the Bruce beat the army of the English king Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn. The English never conquered Scotland.

The battle opened with a duel. On the first day, an English knight called Henry de Bohun recognised Robert the Bruce and charged straight at him with a long spear. Robert stepped his horse aside and swung his axe down on the knight's helmet, splitting it in two. The Scottish soldiers were thrilled, and the next day they won.

Ireland: they came to help, and stayed

In the early Middle Ages, Ireland was its own independent country. English troops first arrived there because an Irish king had asked them for help. Then they decided to stay. By 1200 the English were ruling a piece of land around Dublin called the Pale, and in other parts of Ireland some powerful lords agreed that the English king was in charge.

Key facts

In the widest sense, the Middle Ages (the medieval period) cover about a thousand years, from AD 476, when the Roman Empire ended, until 1485. The focus here is on the time after the Norman Conquest, when there was war almost all the time.
In 1284 Edward I issued the Statute of Rhuddlan, which put Wales under the English Crown. He built castles such as Conwy and Caernarvon.
The last Welsh revolts were crushed by the mid-15th century, and English laws and the English language were brought in.
In 1314 Robert the Bruce beat the English at Bannockburn, and Scotland stayed unconquered.
Ireland was an independent country early in the Middle Ages. English soldiers went there to help an Irish king, then stayed and built settlements of their own. By 1200 the English ruled the Pale, the area around Dublin, and some important lords elsewhere in Ireland accepted the English king's authority.

Quiz

In the broad sense, which period of time do the Middle Ages (the medieval period) cover?

Quiz

Which battle in 1314 meant that the English never conquered Scotland?

Quiz

Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? The Statute of Rhuddlan, introduced by Edward I in 1284, brought Wales under the English Crown.

Era contents: 1200 – 1400