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Battle of Ewloe 1157

Battle of Ewloe: Edward Frank Gillett - Henry's army trapped in a Welsh defile
Image: Edward Frank Gillett, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Recorded location from Wikidata; battle sites are often approximate.

Key facts

Year1157Wikidata P585 (point in time)
EraMedieval (500–1499)derived from year
LocationWalesNatural Earth (modern borders)
ContinentEuropeNatural Earth
War / conflictKing Henry II's campaigns against Wales, Norman Invasion of WalesWikidata P361
ParticipantsKingdom of England, Kingdom of GwyneddWikidata P710
Coordinates53.1990, -3.0680Wikidata P625

About the battle

The Battle of Ewloe (also known as the Battle of Coleshill, or Counsylth, or Coleshille, or Cennadlog) was fought in July 1157 between the Anglo-Norman forces of King Henry II of England and an army led by the Welsh Tywysog Owain Gwynedd, near Ewloe in what is now Flintshire, north-east Wales, although the precise location of the battle is still a matter of scholarly debate. The battle was part of Henry's campaign to reassert control over Welsh territories and the Welsh Marches following his accession to the throne in 1154.

In an attempt to outflank Owain's defensive position, Henry led a detachment through the woods of Hawarden, where he was ambushed by an awaiting Welsh force, commanded by Owain's sons Dafydd and Cynan. The English suffered significant losses, including the death of the prominent noble Eustace fitz John. Both English and Welsh contemporary sources report a severe setback for Henry's forces, which included the royal standard being dropped and a near escape by the king himself. Although Owain ultimately withdrew and agreed to a peace settlement, the battle was regarded by many contemporary chroniclers as a tactical failure for Henry.

The battle has been commemorated locally with a plaque, unveiled in 2008.

Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Battle of Ewloe (revision 1370440398), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; formatting and citations removed. No text added.

Location

53.1990, -3.0680 · Wales

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Nearby battles

Other battles of the Norman Invasion of Wales

All 5 battles of the Norman Invasion of Wales →

Browse more: battles in Wales · Europe · Medieval battles

Further reading