Sir William Conwy

I was born the third son of John de Conway a Cambro-Norman knight from Rumney, in the marcher lordship of Gwynllg. Being the third son meant that I had to find my own fortune, so I joined my father as part of Lord Thomas le Despenser's retinue and left to join the second King Richard on campaign to Ireland.

After the campaign, that only lasted a year, I decided to stay in Ireland to seek my fortune by selling myself as a mercenary to a local Irish lord in Croom.  It was there that I met and fell in love with Lynnette, the youngest daughter of the lord.

However, peace soon came to the region, which meant that I had to seek my fortune elsewhere. Lynnette and I travelled to North Wales to serve the Lord Reginald deGrey, 2nd Baron of Ruthyn, with whom I had campaigned in Ireland.  I helped deGrey enforce royal demands in the Northern March.

Outraged at the ever increasing tyrannical actions of deGrey, my chivalric conscience forced me to reassess my allegiance to him. When he seized land from a local a Welshman called Owain Glyndwr in 1400, I offered my services to the Welshman and fought many battles by his side. My part in the Welsh Revolt came to an end when I narrowly escaped with my life in the siege of Harlech Castle by the English.

After that defeat I fled with my family to the Welsh marches, where I found employment and protection under the Lord of Glamorgan. After 4 years of loyal service I was rewarded, and became the Constable of the Wentloog hundred, thus providing an income for my family.

However, it is not my fate to live a long peaceful life, and I yearned for the battlefield, even though I was not getting any younger. The opportunity came when King Henry V wanted to reclaim his French inheritance; the French throne. So I travelled with Henry’s forces to France and notoriety.