Perfeddwlad
Encyclopedia
Perfeddwlad, (Y Berfeddwlad being the usual form), was a name adopted during the twelfth century for the territories in north-east Wales
lying between the rivers Conwy
and Dee
, and comprised the cantrefi of Rhos, Rhufoniog
, Dyffryn Clwyd
and Tegeingl. This region is also known as Gwynedd Is Conwy (Gwynedd below the [River] Conwy), or Lower Gwynedd; in contrast with Gwynedd Uwch Conwy (Gwynedd above the Conwy), or Upper Gwynedd.
It was known as the 'middle country' because it was situated between the two principalities (or kingdoms) of Gwynedd
and Powys and was therefore sometimes the subject of dispute between them. It was also situated between Gwynedd and the English to the east, and therefore contested by those two realms, particularly as the Norman
kings of England
and their English
successors sought to expand their control over Wales.
Following the death of Llywelyn Fawr the Perfeddwlad was briefly conquered by Henry III of England
in the 1240s but retaken for Gwynedd by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in the 1250s. It was retaken once more by Edward I
in 1277 who kept the two northern cantrefs of Rhos and Tegeingl for the crown but ceded Rhufoniog and Dyffryn Clwyd to Dafydd, Llywelyn's brother who had sided with Edward.
Following Edward's final victory in the years 1282-1283 and the consequent Statute of Rhuddlan
in 1284, Rhos and Rhufoniog were combined to form the new lordship of Denbigh
and conferred upon Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln; Dyffryn Clwyd became the lordship of Ruthin
and was granted to Reginald de Grey
; and Tegeingl became the lordship of Englefield
and the main body of the proto-county of Flint
under the aegis of the palatinate of Chester.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
lying between the rivers Conwy
River Conwy
The River Conwy is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is a little over long. "Conwy" is sometimes Anglicized as "Conway."...
and Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
, and comprised the cantrefi of Rhos, Rhufoniog
Rhufoniog
Rhufoniog was a small sub-kingdom of the Dark Ages Gwynedd, and later a cantref in medieval Wales. According to tradition, it was ruled by its eponymous founder Rhufon, the third son of the first King of Gwynedd, Cunedda, and his direct descendants from the year 445 until the year 540 when it was...
, Dyffryn Clwyd
Dyffryn Clwyd
Dyffryn Clwyd was a cantref of Medieval Wales and from 1282 a marcher lordship. In 1536, it became part of the new county of Denbighshire. The name means Vale of Clwyd in English and is still the name for that region of north Wales in modern Welsh...
and Tegeingl. This region is also known as Gwynedd Is Conwy (Gwynedd below the [River] Conwy), or Lower Gwynedd; in contrast with Gwynedd Uwch Conwy (Gwynedd above the Conwy), or Upper Gwynedd.
It was known as the 'middle country' because it was situated between the two principalities (or kingdoms) of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
and Powys and was therefore sometimes the subject of dispute between them. It was also situated between Gwynedd and the English to the east, and therefore contested by those two realms, particularly as the Norman
Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty is the usual designation for the family that were the Dukes of Normandy and the English monarchs which immediately followed the Norman conquest and lasted until the Plantagenet dynasty came to power in 1154. It included Rollo and his descendants, and from William the Conqueror and...
kings of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and their English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
successors sought to expand their control over Wales.
Following the death of Llywelyn Fawr the Perfeddwlad was briefly conquered by Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in the 1240s but retaken for Gwynedd by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in the 1250s. It was retaken once more by Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1277 who kept the two northern cantrefs of Rhos and Tegeingl for the crown but ceded Rhufoniog and Dyffryn Clwyd to Dafydd, Llywelyn's brother who had sided with Edward.
Following Edward's final victory in the years 1282-1283 and the consequent Statute of Rhuddlan
Statute of Rhuddlan
The Statute of Rhuddlan , also known as the Statutes of Wales or as the Statute of Wales provided the constitutional basis for the government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1536...
in 1284, Rhos and Rhufoniog were combined to form the new lordship of Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
and conferred upon Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln; Dyffryn Clwyd became the lordship of Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
and was granted to Reginald de Grey
Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton
Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton was an English nobleman for whom one of the four Inns of Court is named. He was son of Sir John de Grey and grandson of Henry de Grey...
; and Tegeingl became the lordship of Englefield
Englefield
-Geography:In England:* Englefield, a village in the county of Berkshire, England.* Englefield Green, a village in the county of Surrey, England.In Wales:* Englefield, an alternative name for the Cantref of Tegeingl in north Wales.-People:...
and the main body of the proto-county of Flint
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
under the aegis of the palatinate of Chester.