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the Hammer of the ScotsHammer of the Scots and the Prince of WalesPrince of WalesOne of Edward IEdward I’s nicknames was Hammer of the ScotsHammer of the Scots because of his battles with ScotlandScotland. He was also able to conquer most of the little kingdom to the west of EnglandEngland, WalesWales, and he almost succeeded in conquering the larger kingdom to the north of England, Scotland. According to a famous legend, his answer to the WelshWelsh who complained about having to accept a ruler who spoke English was to hold up his baby son, who was born in Wales, and proclaim: My son, the Prince of WalesPrince of Wales, was born in Wales and doesn’t speak a word of English and is thus fit to be the Prince of Wales. The eldest son of each monarch has thus been called Prince of Wales ever since.

Fig. 2.10

WelshWelsh hero Owen GlyndwrGlyndwr, OwenEven after Edward IEdward I had practically annexed WalesWales, the WelshWelsh rebelled again and again, most famously under Owen GlyndwrGlyndwr, Owen, who also claimed the title Prince of WalesPrince of Wales about a hundred years after it was given to Edward II. While Owen Glyndwr didn’t [60]ultimately succeed in freeing Wales from English control, he was also never captured by the English and thus did succeed in becoming a great Welsh hero. You can see a statue of what one sculptor thought Glydwr could’ve looked like in CardiffCardiff’s City Hall. You may remember from one of our geography appetizers that Cardiff is the capital of Wales and thus a fitting location for the greatest Welsh hero.

Speaking of heroes, we need to return to the Edwards and their attempt to conquer ScotlandScotland. Movie-goers probably know a lot more about English and Scottish history now than before Mel GibsonGibson, Mel’s film BraveheartBraveheart became popular. Neither Edward IEdward I nor the II was able to do much more than win a few and lose more battles against the Scots. Under Edward IIIEdward III the Scots finally more or less asserted their independence and peace was more or less achieved, but the hatred between the English and the Scots would continue.