Foreword

The Dark Ages have been painted as a black hole in the landscape of time, a precursor to the medieval pageantry that would follow.

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, many records were lost or destroyed by the rampages of unlettered warrior races. Sometimes, a chronicle survived. Societies assumed to be impoverished, ungoverned and chaotic were often enlightened, literate and highly educated.

Wales, after the departure of the legions in the 5th Century, retained many vestiges of Roman culture. Stories abound of powerful men who rose to fill the political void; some were Roman citizens who declined to return home. King Arthur is often described as a 5th Century warlord of Roman descent.

Evangelized by the early Christian church, 9th Century Wales became a society of mingled heritages, some literate and others decidedly not, some wonderfully cultured and others with the veneer of refinement thinly applied.

Wales minted currency, held law courts, had kings, queens and princes but waged a perpetual war for autonomy and power, in a land rich with natural resources and majestic in beauty.

Common to stories of heroism and intrigue was a unique model of men who banded together as war-brothers, swearing loyalty oaths to the death as they defended the land that gave them birth. They called each other "Cymrawd" literally -- "Comrade" -- in the country now known as Wales.

The Comrades used a simpler name: Home.