The middle of the episode turns the castle story into a political map lesson. Wales after the 1267 Treaty of Montgomery included Gwynedd, its allied lordships, territories aligned with the English crown, and the Norman-founded marcher lordships in the south. A comparison with 1284 shows the marcher lordships expanded and Gwynedd divided. The County Palatine of Chester and a network of powerful territorial lords were further parts of the post-conquest settlement. Together the maps explain the political geography that the Ring of Iron was meant to stabilize and control.
Chapter · 13:37-16:47
The political map before and after conquest
A map comparison moves from the Treaty of Montgomery settlement to the post-conquest expansion of marcher lordships and royal-aligned territories.