In the British Isles, the reign of Edward I saw the reach of the English Crown expand. The last areas of native-ruled Wales were eventually brought under English control and attempts, ultimately unsuccessful, were made to repeat the process in Scotland.

This chapter will summarise the final decades of these wars before considering their consequences for the Welsh and for Edward I's military machine. The process of settlement after Edward's conquest in 1282–83 was met, in some quarters, by hostility and rebellion. The character of these rebellions was not national in the modern sense but a reaction to repressive government by the invader, and personal grievance. It is remarkable, however, that there was significant Welsh involvement in the suppression of these rebellions and both the reasons for this and its scale will be analysed. Finally, it is necessary to consider the effects of the conquest of Wales on Edward I's military capabilities. What was the scale of Welsh participation in wars beyond Wales? How did this compare to the contributions from other parts of the English realm? How did Welshmen adapt to being soldiers of a distant and powerful king rather than subjects of an ambitious native prince? There are a number of other questions addressed in this chapter that will recur later in this book. Was there a notable ‘Welsh’ effect on the way in which the king's wars were fought after 1282? How did Welshmen adapt themselves to the conditions of English service?

First, it is necessary to provide a brief outline of the conflict that brought about Edward I's victory over the Welsh. The struggle for independence or supremacy of Pura Wallia (Wales under native rule) was conducted as much between the princes themselves as between Welshmen and Anglo-Normans or Englishmen. Unlike Scotland, there was no nation or state that bound the peoples of Wales together. Such hegemony as was achieved by an individual prince such as Lord Rhys of Deheubarth (d. 1197) or Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn Fawr) (d. 1240) was transitory and personal. In the thirteenth century Llywelyn ab Iorwerth and his grandson, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, came not only to dominate Wales but also to seek to expand the bounds of their influence. Edward I's involvement with Wales began in 1254 with the grant of the earldom of Chester on the occasion of his marriage to Eleanor of Castile.