Greetings Kingmakers,
Welcome back to another Dev Blog, where we'll be going over Kingmakers' lore and the real life historical events that inspired our time travelling medieval sandbox. Let's dive right in!
Real Life History of the Welsh Rebellion
Image: The Modern Universal British Traveller. c.1779
After a failed rebellion in 1283, King Edward I of England conquered Wales, ending native independence and turning the country into an English vassal. To further establish control, the English King gave his son the title “Prince of Wales” and from then on, the title was designated for heirs to the English throne.
Fast forward to 1399, English King Richard II was usurped and killed by his cousin Henry IV. For Welsh nobles, especially Richard’s ally, Owain Glyndŵr, this was a devastating event. Henry IV supported his own English lords but ignored Welsh petitions, allowing his lords to abuse their power over the Welsh gentry. This injustice and resentment, combined with harsh new laws, ignited the start of Owain Glyndŵr’s revolt against English rule.
Owain Glyndŵr. Image: Copyright Meinir Mathias
In 1400, the Welsh people proclaimed Owain Glyndŵr to be the Prince of Wales, launching a rebellion against the English that would last 15 years. Starting with just a few hundred men, he raided English settlements across north-east Wales. Initially, he was dismissed as a minor nuisance. However, despite being outnumbered, Glyndŵr defeated a much larger English army and renewed Welsh hopes and prophecies of independence.
Owain Glyndŵr’s superior knowledge of the Welsh landscape and growing local support made guerrilla warfare very effective, and by 1402 he achieved great victories. He even gained powerful allies, including the French, who sent troops and supplies. The rebellion spread across Wales, reaching its peak in 1404, when his people officially crowned Glyndŵr as Prince of Wales in a grand ceremony.
But the tide eventually turned. The English King Henry IV adapted his strategy and deployed superior resources. The constant battles drained Welsh resources, and some nobles even switched allegiance back to the English. Gradually, the loss of major strongholds and allies forced Owain Glyndŵr into hiding, and English control of Wales was restored.
Glyndŵr never accepted pardon and chose exile and defiance over submission. He vanished from history, where some say he died in 1415, others whisper he continued to live in hiding.
Owain Glyndŵr from his great seal
Owain Glyndŵr never fulfilled the prophecy, but his rebellion carved his name into legend. Wales remained under English rule, and history was written.
But what if ...?
In Kingmaker’s Lore
In Kingmakers’ original timeline, Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion was victorious. He and his allies managed to conquer all of England, which set the world on a path toward technological superiority.
However, a malevolent, otherworldly force changed this original timeline, causing Wales to fail in its conquest of England. This is the history you and I are familiar with today. Unfortunately this altered timeline has led us to the present day, where petty squabbles between nations has stunted our development ... leaving us ripe for otherworldly conquest.
Now, to save the future, someone must return to the source where everything went wrong. And that someone is you.
As an American mercenary, you are sent back to the 15th century to aid Glyndŵr’s rebellion and restore the original timeline. Armed with modern weapons and vehicles, you will take the lead to rebuild and command his troops, in hopes of turning the inevitable loss into victories.
Every fight and every siege is a chance to reshape history and secure a future worth living in, and give last true Prince of Wales the victory he never had.
- The Kingmakers Team