Tales From Welsh History.

The Search for the Welsh Indians

The search for the Welsh Indians. The remarkable tale of the Welshman whose quest turned into a major exploration of the American interior.

The Life and Death of Owen Tudor

How did the Tudor Dynasty come into being? It's a remarkable tale of a Welshman's secret wedding to an ex-Queen. That man was Owen Tudor, whose grandson was to become the first Tudor King.

Owain Lawgôch: a Welsh Hero?

Owain Lawgôch was a mercenary soldier of Welsh heritage who was determined to become the Prince of Wales. Declared a traitor by the English, he plotted to reclaim his ancestral lands. A plan was hatched to have him murdered.

The Welsh Pirate Who Stayed At Home.

There are several Welsh Pirates whose names are famous today. They include Bartholomew Roberts and Captain Henry Morgan. But a century earlier there was a Welsh pirate who was greatly feared. He sailed not the Caribbean Sea, but the coastline on the British Isles.

The Bishop Who 'Hanged 5,000 Welshmen.'

In the 1500s there was a man who inflicted a reign of terror in Wales. He was a 'man of God, - an English Bishop who became a virtual ruler. He determined to tackle lawlessness and bring Wales to heel. His flippant claim was that he had 'hanged 5,000 Welshmen.' This is the story of Rowland Lee.

The Despenser War in South Wales.

in the early 1300s, Hugh Le Despenser the Younger was a man hated by almost everyone - except King Edward ll, who made him a favourite. When Hugh came into possession of much land in south Wales, it set off a train of events that were to have historic consequences. The Despenser War, also known as the Glamorgan War, inflicted much suffering on many people in Wales.

The Rise of the Tudors: the people who created a dynasty.

The Tudors were kings and queens whose stories have filled many books and long entertained cinema and television audiences. But how did a family from a rural Welsh background end up on the throne of England? In this podcast I take a look at the key people who made it happen. This is, of course, just a personal view.

The Murder of Llywelyn Bren

The early 1300s was a time of great suffering in Wales. Life for most was very hard -- then came the disaster of famine and starvation. But there was no let up in the demand for taxes to fill the coffers of the English King. Wales was ripe for rebellion and a man emerged to lead it. It was to lead to a chain of tragic and brutal events.