Every country needs a national hero. Scotland has William Wallace. France has Joan of Arc. England has several hundred people who won a battle somewhere and immediately had a pub named after them.
— soldier, statesman, Prince of Wales, leader of a national uprising and, quite possibly, the greatest disappearing act in Welsh history.
More than 600 years later, the English still haven't found him.
We're calling that a result.
Owain Glyndŵr was born around 1354 into a prosperous Welsh family and, before becoming the medieval equivalent of public enemy number one, had a perfectly respectable career.
He was educated, trained in law and even served the English Crown.
Basically, he was doing quite well for himself.
Then things went a bit wrong with the neighbours.
A dispute over land with an English Marcher lord escalated, the English authorities failed to resolve it to Glyndŵr's satisfaction and, in 1400, he was proclaimed
Prince of Wales at Glyndyfrdwy.
Most people having a boundary dispute put up a slightly passive-aggressive fence.
Owain Glyndŵr started a war.
What began in 1400 developed into a full-scale Welsh revolt against English rule.
And for a while, it went remarkably well.
Glyndŵr's supporters won victories, captured territory and took major English-built strongholds including
Harlech and Aberystwyth castles.
At its height, much of Wales was effectively under Glyndŵr's control.
This was becoming considerably more serious than Westminster had originally hoped.
By 1404, Owain wasn't simply leading a rebellion. He was attempting to create an independent Welsh state.
Which, considering this was six centuries before Twitter, podcasts or WhatsApp groups, was impressive organisational work.
In 1404, Glyndŵr gathered representatives from across Wales at
Machynlleth, where he established what is widely regarded as the first Welsh Parliament.
He had plans for an independent Wales with its own government, church and universities, while seeking diplomatic relationships overseas.
In other words, Glyndŵr wasn't just running around the mountains waving a sword at the English.
A remarkably detailed one.
Wales would be governed from Wales, Welsh affairs would be decided by Welsh people and the country would have institutions of its own.
Fortunately, none of those ideas are considered radical today, do you hear us Andy Burnham?
Unfortunately for Glyndŵr, running a medieval revolution wasn't cheap.
There were no standing orders, crowdfunding platforms or £5-a-month supporter memberships.
The English Crown regrouped. Glyndŵr began losing territory and, by 1409, important strongholds including Harlech had fallen.
His wife, daughters and grandchildren were captured.
Despite years of searching, the English never managed to capture him.
He simply disappeared from the historical record.
No head stuck on a spike outside a castle.
One minute he was Wales's most wanted man.
The next he'd apparently activated medieval incognito mode.
Nobody knows for certain.
There are theories that Glyndŵr spent his final years secretly living with relatives in England or the Welsh borderlands before dying sometime around 1415.
But his final resting place has never been conclusively identified.
Which means that, technically, there's still no proof he's not hiding somewhere outside Machynlleth waiting for the right moment.
It's been over 600 years, admittedly.
But Welsh politics moves slowly.
Because Glyndŵr wasn't simply fighting against something.
He had an idea of what Wales could become.
A self-governing nation with its own political institutions, education system and international relationships.
His rebellion ultimately failed, but the idea survived.
Today his flag can be seen at rugby matches, football games, independence marches, festivals and occasionally hanging from somebody's bedroom window in Tonypandy.
More than six centuries after his uprising, Glyndŵr remains one of the most recognisable symbols of Welsh national identity.
Not bad for a lawyer from near Oswestry.
If you're going to put a Welsh historical figure on a T-shirt, Glyndŵr is difficult to beat.
Disappeared without telling the English where he'd gone.
celebrates Wales's greatest rebel across T-shirts, hoodies and other designs — ideal for anyone who likes their Welsh history with slightly more attitude.
Browse the full Owain Glyndŵr collection and wear the legend
Owain Glyndŵr. Wales's greatest rebel. Still undefeated at hide and seek.
Diolch am ddarllen — thanks for reading.
And if you happen to see Owain, don't tell Westminster.
