Some historians refer to the British Civil Wars as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. As a result it is easy to forget the Welsh experience and imply that it was unexceptional. But Dr Lloyd Bowen, Reader in Early Modern and Welsh History at Cardiff University says this ignores the important and unique Welsh dimension to the conflict. From the beginning, Wales – apart from the Parliamentary enclave of Pembroke - was united in its loyalty to the King and by the end of the first year of the war about a fifth of all Welsh men were engaged in fighting for the Monarch. Thereafter, Wales was so important to the Royal army it became known as “The Nursery of the King’s Infantry”. In the years that followed Wales remained steadfastly loyal to the Crown even when its aristocracy and gentry were besieged in their homes and castles until finally, as so often happens in Welsh history, they were subjugated by force.
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