Seminal Owain Glyndŵr docudrama airs tonight

Nation Cymru staff

The idea of a Parliament for Wales would not have developed without Owain Glyndŵr, according to a prominent historian who will appear in a two-part docudrama on Wales’ last native prince which will air from tonight.

Professor Gruffydd Aled Williams’s comments come in a two-part docudrama on S4C, Glyndŵr: Gobaith a Gwaed.

The programmes will air on S4C on 5 and 12 November at 21.00, with both episodes available to stream on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer from 5 November, with English subtitles.

“I don’t believe the idea that Wales deserved its own parliament would have developed were it not for Owain Glyndŵr,” said Professor Williams formerly of Aberystwyth University.

“Referring to a ‘parliament’ as Senedd is, in reality, something that belongs to our more recent Welsh.”

Owain Glyndŵr was at one time one of the most reliable soldiers in the English system, after he studied law in London, where he also learned how to fight.

But by September 1400, Owain had had enough of the English system.

He invaded a number of English-ruled towns across north-east Wales – Ruthin, Denbigh, Rhuddlan and Flint – crowning himself the Prince of Wales.

The dream for Owain Glyndŵr, according to Professor Sara Elin Roberts from Bangor University, was an independent Wales which was completely free of English rule.

“He wants Wales to govern itself with its own court and government separate from what goes on in England,” Professor Roberts said.

“But it’s not Wales as we know it, but a much larger Wales,” Professor Williams added.

“A Wales which stretched across Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, parts of Staffordshire, and so on.

“That’s an incredibly ambitious idea. And I don’t think anyone has had such a high ambition in the whole of Welsh politics through the ages.”

But despite the turning of the tide against Glyndŵr and his supporters towards the end of the rebellion, the English royalty failed to capture him.

Instead, Owain Glyndŵr disappeared.

“Even today, there’s a strong legend regarding Owain Glyndŵr that he never died,” Dr Llewelyn Hopwood, from Aberystwyth University, added.

“That is, that he is still alive. This Owain Glyndŵr is still with us. That he’s now an old man, but is hiding somewhere.

“But the point is that he never died, so the flame is still lit. There’s still hope.”

Glyndŵr: Gobaith a Gwaed (a Rondo Media production for S4C) is available across S4C’s platforms from 5 November.