The Description of Wales

by Cambrensis Giraldus

"The Description of Wales" by Giraldus Cambrensis is a geographical and ethnographic treatise written in 1193 or 1194. This two-part work examines the Welsh people through contrasting lenses: their virtues and their faults. Gerald, a churchman of mixed Norman-Welsh ancestry, chronicles Wales's geography, military tactics, cultural practices, and social customs. He offers strategic advice for conquering Wales while simultaneously counseling the Welsh on resistance. The treatise captures a medieval perspective on Welsh identity, blending observation, historical analysis, and pointed cultural commentary about a nation's character and future.