Battle near Conway, 22 January 1295
Battle during the rebellion of Madoc ap Llewellyn. Edward I was cut off in Conway castle, while William, earl of Warwick led a relief force towards him. The Welsh had formed up with their backs to a wood through which they intended to escape if the battle went badly, but Warwick marched through the night, and catching the Welsh unawares at dawn was able to surround them. The Welsh took a defensive posture, driving their spears into the ground to form a barrier to the English horses, but Warwick used his missile troops to do great damage to the static Welsh, and then his cavalry were able to destroy the remnants, inflicting one of the bloodiest defeats of the Welsh wars. The battle is mainly notable for the combination of infantry and cavalry on the English side, something that was to lead to great success in the next century.
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J. (2 October 2000), Battle near Conway, 22 January 1295, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_conway.html