BattlefieldsRufus Welsh Campaign 1095
Medieval

Rufus Welsh Campaign 1095

1095
Wales
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Welsh forces under Gruffudd ap Cynan employing guerrilla tactics
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
William II with feudal army
Outcome
Campaign inconclusive; no major battle fought; Welsh princes avoided engagement; Rufus withdrew
The Battle

History & Significance

William Rufus mounted a campaign into Wales in 1095 that achieved little militarily but demonstrated the difficulty of fighting the Welsh in their own terrain. Welsh forces avoided pitched battle, melted into the mountains, and harassed the Norman supply lines with guerrilla tactics. Rufus returned without a decisive victory, illustrating why permanent conquest of Wales required sustained castle-building rather than periodic expeditions.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near this battlefield