The Lordship of Glamorgan was one of the most powerful and wealthy of the Welsh Marcher Lordships. The seat was Cardiff Castle. It was established by the conquest of Glamorgan from its native Welsh ruler, by the Anglo-Norman nobleman Robert FitzHamon, feudal baron of Gloucester, and his legendary followers the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan. The Anglo-Norman Lord of Glamorgan, like all Marcher lords, ruled his lands directly by his own law: thus he could, amongst other things, declare war, raise taxes, establish courts and markets and build castles as he wished, without reference to the Crown. These privileges were only lost under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. Though possessing many castles, the main seat of the Lordship was Cardiff Castle.

Lordship of Glamorgan
Arglwyddiaeth Morgannwg
1091–1536
Arms of Gilbert de Clare of Glamorgan
Arms of Gilbert de Clare
Wales (1267–1277):
  Gwynedd, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's principality
  Territories conquered by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
  Territories of Llywelyn's vassals
  Lordships of the Marcher barons
  Lordships of the King of England
  Kingdom of England
StatusClient state of the Kingdom of England
CapitalCardiff
GovernmentLordship
Lord 
• 1093–1107
Robert Fitzhamon
• 1217–1230
Gilbert de Clare
• 1509–1536
Henry VIII of England
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Conquered by Robert Fitzhamon
1091
1536
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Glywysing
Kingdom of England
^

First Creation

edit
 

Second Creation

edit

Third Creation

edit

Fourth Creation

edit

Fifth Creation

edit

Sixth Creation

edit

Merged with English Crown

edit

Sources

edit
  • R. R. Davies, The Age of Conquest: Wales 1063–1415 (Oxford History of Wales, 2)
  • T. B. Pugh, Glamorgan County History:The Middle Ages: The Marcher Lordships of Glamorgan and Morgannwg and Gower and Kilvey from the Norman Conquest to the Act of Union of England and Wales