A guest post on my novel, The Anarchy, and the story of Gwenllian, the 12th-century Welsh woman who led an army against the Normans at Kidwelly Castle is posted today on

Tony Riches’ The Writing Desk.

Gwenllian was the daughter of the king of the northern kingdom of Wales, Gwynedd. She married the disinherited king of Deheubarth (southwest Wales), Gruffudd ap Rhys, who was the brother of my heroine, Nest ferch Rhys, in The Anarchy. Gwenllian’s name was the cry of the Gruffudd ap Rhys and the Welsh warriors at the battle of Crug Mawr, near Cardigan, in 1136, where the Welsh routed the Normans. She is the only documented medieval Welsh woman to have fought in battle.