Political Aspects of the Veneration of Local Saints in Medieval Wales

Abstract

This article focuses on the medieval cults of Welsh saints in their connection with political processes that affected both Wales and the entire island of Britain. The images of saints, the texts associated with them, and religious communities were used by both secular and ecclesiastical authorities to solve problems related to the legitimization of material wealth, legal status, or social position. The Welsh kingdoms could emphasize their connection with the saint, thereby supporting his veneration at the local level if this helped to confirm the right to power or preserve their lives and the potential for further action in a situation of temporary defeat. The clergy used the political potential of cults in a broader perspective: they tried to defend their autonomy from an external force, the power of the archbishops of Canterbury; to protect their material well-being from the raids of the Norman lords of the Anglo-Welsh borderland, as well as in disputes with each other; to obtain recognition of their legal immunities from representatives of the Welsh nobility. The article analyzes the historical context of such cases, the goals, methods, and the overall effectiveness of using a locally revered cult as a political tool.