| Battle of Llwchwr | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Norman invasion of Wales | |||||||
 Commemoration stone of the Battle of Gower | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Welsh forces from Brycheiniog and Northern Gŵyr | Norman forces from Southern Gŵyr | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Hywel ap Maredudd | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | 500 killed | ||||||
The Battle of Llwchwr (or Battle of Gower) was a battle fought between Welsh and Norman forces between Loughor and Swansea on New Year's Day 1136.
In 1135–1136 an opportunity arose for the Welsh to recover lands lost to the Marcher lords after Stephen de Blois had displaced his cousin Matilda of England from succeeding her father to the English throne the previous year, sparking the Anarchy in England.
A Welsh army was raised by the lord of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire), Hywel ap Maredudd, containing men from Brycheiniog as well as men from Northern Gŵyr that despised the Norman rule in Southern Gŵyr. The Normans sallied out expecting to meet a small collection of Welsh raiding bands, however the scale of the Welsh army took them by surprise. The two armies met on the common of Carn Coch. In a violent melee, the Welsh army emerged victorious, the Normans having lost around 500 men.
The victory of the Welsh army inspired more rebellions around Wales including a battle near Kidwelly Castle fought by an army led by Gwenllian, Princess of Deheubarth and the Battle of Crug Mawr.
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Wales in the Middle Ages covers the history of the country that is now called Wales, from the departure of the Romans in the early fifth century, the development of regional Welsh kingdoms and Celtic conflict with the Anglo-Saxons, reducing Celtic territories. Conflict also occurred between the Welsh and the Anglo-Normans from the 11th century until the annexation of Wales into the Kingdom of England in the early sixteenth century.
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The Battle of the Conwy took place in 881 between King Anarawd and his brothers of the northern Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd and a Mercian army almost certainly led by Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians. The Welsh were victorious, and the battle ended the traditional hegemony of Mercia over north Wales and contributed to Æthelred's decision to accept the lordship of King Alfred the Great of Wessex. This united the Anglo-Saxons who were not living under Viking rule under Alfred, and was a step towards the creation of the Kingdom of England. Anarawd allied himself with the Vikings shortly after the battle, but he then abandoned this alliance to follow Æthelred in accepting Alfred's lordship.
The military history of Wales refers to military activity that has occurred in Wales or activity of a historic Welsh military or armed forces in Wales.