#1 – Here Be Dragons
Wales and England, late twelfth to early thirteenth century. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth struggles to unite Gwynedd and establish himself as the leading native ruler in Wales. King John’s illegitimate daughter Joanna is married to him as part of an uneasy political settlement and gradually becomes central…
#2 – Falls the Shadow
England and Wales, 1231–1265. Simon de Montfort, a French-born nobleman, secures the earldom of Leicester and marries Eleanor, sister of Henry III. His early loyalty to the king deteriorates as disputes over money, patronage and royal government move him towards the reforming barons. The struggle produces…
#3 – The Reckoning
Wales and England, 1271–1283. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd seeks to preserve the principality recognised under the Treaty of Montgomery while Edward I insists on expanding English royal authority. Llywelyn’s marriage to Ellen de Montfort connects his cause to the defeated baronial family and deepens Edward’s suspicion. Successive…