The Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted on 3 March 1284
after the military conquest of Wales by the English
king Edward I.
Iron Ring of Fortresses
The Statute of Rhuddlan was issued from Rhuddlan Castle in North Wales, which was
built as one of the 'iron ring' of fortresses by Edward I, in his late-13th century
campaigns against the Welsh.
New Counties
After the defeat and death of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd in 1282, Wales was incorporated into England and King Edward set about pacifying the
new territory. The Statute divided parts of Wales into the counties of
Anglesey, Merioneth, Caernarvon, Denbighshire, and Flintshire, which were created out of the remnants of Llewelyn's Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd.
New Regime
It introduced the English common law system, and allowed the King to appoint Royal
officials such as sheriffs, coroners, and bailiffs to collect taxes and administer justice. In addition, the offices of Justice and Chamberlain were
created to assist the sheriffs.
Marcher Lords in Dominion Under the English King
Some Welsh customs were allowed to remain, such as the specifics of inheritance, and the Marcher Lords retained most of their
independence, as they had prior to the conquest.
Long Lasting Statute
The Statute remained in effect until Henry VIII's Laws in Wales Act in 1536, spending some 250 years on the
Statute books.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
