Madoc and Literature: Restore the Madoc Plaque! Sign the petition HERE!

Not many historical incidents/legends have inspired not one but two epic poems! The Madoc story is one such. Robert Southey and Samuel T. Coleridge once intended to follow in Madocs footsteps. They were planning to cross the Atlantic and live amongst the Indians in a commune or "Pantisocracy". When this plan failed to materialize Southey's fascination with Madoc was displaced into his literary creations. The epic poem he wrote on this theme may not be one of the greatest products of 19th century English literature but it is a significant product of the Romantic imagination.

Southey published "Madoc" in 1805. But he is not the only author who was inspired by the legend.

Nearly 200 years later Paul Muldoon published his "Madoc: A Mystery" which is likewise based upon the Madoc legend. Both works deal with the theme of colonialism amongst others and can be regarded as political poems ( "Madoc" impilicitly and "Madoc: A Mystery" explicitly ).

Other authors who have drawn inspiration from this tale include:-

Madeleine l'Engle 'A Swiftly Tilting Planet' 1978
Pat Winter 'Madoc' (Madoc Saga, Book 1)' 1990
James Alexander 'The Children of First Man' 1994
Sanders Anne Laubenthal 'Excalibur' 1973

Surely this event/myth is worth a plaque for its effect on the literary imagination alone!


ROBERT SOUTHEY 'MADOC' 1805 ( text reproduced on iPaper )

Read this doc on Scribd: Madoc

Sign the petition HERE

Jefferson and Madoc: Restore the Madoc Plaque!

Few people who read this blog will be unaware that Thomas Jefferson was of Welsh descent but some may be unaware that he was born on this day in 1743. If you want to follow some Jefferson links you could do worse than to head on over to our Calendar page which can be found here.

The particular point of this post is not to discuss Jefferson in general, however, but to draw attention to his attitude to the Madoc legend. In the following excerpt from a letter written by Jefferson on January 22nd, 1804 he makes it clear that Meriwether Lewis ( also of Welsh descent ) will receive further instructions from a 'Mr Rees' regarding the lost Welsh speaking Indian tribes. The letter suggests that Jefferson regarded finding them as a supplementary objective of the expedition:-

In that of the 13th instant I enclosed you a map of a Mr. Evans, a Welshman, employed by the Spanish government for that purpose, but whose original object I believe had been to go in search of the Welsh Indians, said to be up the Missouri. On this subject a Mr. Rees, of the same nation, established in the western part of Pennsylvania, will write to you.

All in all today is a good day to sign the Alabama Welsh Association's petition to restore the Prince Madoc Plaque in Mobile Bay if you havent already done so.

Sign the petition HERE!

Welsh Tories Stand Up To Be Counted! Restore The Madoc Plaque!

Well OK so they were probably sitting down at the time but the important thing is that they signed up. Several Welsh Conservative AM's have added their support to the online petition and campaign to restore the Madoc Plaque in Mobile Bay and more importantly Nick Bourne ( Conservative AM leader ) has made it pretty clear that the party is officially behind this request. For this he is to be heartily thanked and congratulated by all those concerned to preserve the Welsh heritage internationally.

But this raises a few interesting questions. Why could the other parties in the Senedd not officially lend their weight to this campaign? Where is Plaid Cymru? Individual AM's from all of the major parties in Wales have signed but only the Tories have gone so far as to give official support.

Another closely related and equally interesting question is this. Why have the D.A.R. ( Daughters of The American Revolution ) not officially supported the restoration of their own plaque? Has America outsourced preservation of its heritage to the Welsh Parliament?

Sign The Petition HERE

An Open Letter To The Press In Alabama

Sign the Petition HERE

RE: The Plaque Story Which The Rest Of The Worlds Press Is Covering But Not You

Dear Sir

As a resident of Portland , Oregon it concerns me to discover that I know more about the local news in your area than you do. Allow me to fill you in. The Alabama Welsh are campaigning for the restoration of the historical plaque dedicated to Prince Madoc in Mobile Bay. Unfortunately the Alabama Welsh have not raped, murdered or killed anyone but might I suggest the following headline if you feel that the story lacks dramatic impact:-

"Alabama State Parks Department Rapes History! Murders Myth and Defiles Legend!!"
( I left some room for additional exclamation marks should they be needed )

Now I am not suggesting that a major international incident will occur as a result of this campaign. It is unlikely that we will see Welsh gunboats ( or even coracles ) anchored in Mobile Bay any time soon. I do feel, however, that you should contact the Alabama Welsh Association and ask them for the inside story. The BBC thought it worthwhile and so did Radio Wales.

Best Regards

Ceri Shaw

There's History and There's Lies: Once More on the Madoc Plaque

( Sign the petition HERE )

Studying the roll of honor on the Alabama Welsh Associations petition site one notices the names of concerned individuals and representatives of Welsh Communities and ex-pat Societies from all around the world. One also notes a distinct lack of support from the Welsh academic community and in particular Welsh historians.

Yes I know that Gwyn Williams debunked the theory that Gutyn Owen referenced the Madoc saga before John Dee. I share the general view that the whole tale is so fantastical as to be at the very least highly improbable. But then I dont believe in Pryderi's pigs either!

The very same Gwyn Williams who may have given the Madoc legend the kiss of death was fond of referring to the 'Mabinoggion' as a 'foundation text'. In that sense he likened it to the Old Testament. I dont think any sane person would deny the historical significance of either work.

The 'Mabinoggion' is a book of fairy tales but none the less significant for that. If the Madoc legend is also a fairy tale, as it very well maybe, why is it singled out for special treatment? Why is it not considered significant? It has motivated writers, explorers and statesmen. Its role as a subsidiary factor in the motivations of many of those who explored the American West is a matter of established fact! It inspired Robert Southey and many other authors.

The history of Wales is littered with fantastical episodes and fanciful figures. Arthur, Merlin and Iolo Morgannwg spring readily to mind. Is it the business of historians to despise them or study them?

Please humour those of us who are not professional academic historians. It would be greatly appreciated.

Previous post (HERE)