A “commote” or “commot” was a secular division of land in Medieval Wales. The word ultimately derives from the same root as Welsh word for Wales: “Cymru” -- comrade, country-man, compatriot, and neighbor. The basic unit of administration was the “tref” (a small village or settlement). In theory 100 trefi made up a “cantref” (a measurement of a hundred - literally, "one hundred settlements"). Half or a third of a cantref was a commote (although the actual numbers varied greatly). Defence and justice were organised through these larger units (commotes and cantrefs). In the Doomsday book commotes are defined as those districts under Norman control but outside the jurisdiction of the English “Hundred” and subject to Welsh law and custom. The commotes, in general, represented recent Anglo-Norma advances into Welsh territory. Although assessed for military service and taxation, their obligations were rated in carucate (derived from Latin for cattle or oxen), not as in hides on the English side of the border. Their customs are described in the Domesday accounts of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire. The principal commotes described in Doomsday book were Archenfield, Ewias, and Gwent to the south; Cynllaith, Edeyrnion, and Ial in Shropshire; and Englefield, Rhos and Rufoniog in Cheshire. Commotes became more important than the cantref in the mid-13th Century. Owain Glyndwr (b. c1354 – d c. 1416) called representatives from the commotes for his two parliaments during the rising of 1400-1409. The “Red Book of Hergest” (1375-1425) provides a detailed list of Commote’s in the late 14th and early 15th century: Gwynedd Cantref Teigyl: • Commot Insel • Commot Prestan • Commot Rhuddlan. Cantref Dyffryn Clwyt: • Commot Colyan • Commot Llannerch • Commot Ystrad Cantref Rywynyawc • Commot Rhuthyn • Commot Uch Alech • Commot Is Alech Cantref Rhos • Commot Uch Dulas • Commot Is Dulas • Commot Ykreudyn Cantrefoed Mon (Anglesey) • Commot Llan Uaes • Commot Cemeis • Commot Talebolyon • Commot Aberffraw • Commot Penn Rhos • Commot Rosvyrr Cantref Arllechwed • Commot Treffryw • Commot Aber Cantref Arfon • Commot Uch Conwy • Commot Is Conwy Cantref Dinodyn • Commot Rifnot • Commot Ardudwy Cantref Llyyn • Commot inmael Commot is • Clogyon Commot Cwmdinam. Cantref Meiryonyd • Commot Eftumaneyr • Commot Talybont Cantrefoed Eryri • Commot Cyueilawc • Commot Madeu • Commot Uch Meloch • Commot Is Meloch • Commot Llan Gonwy • Commot Dinmael • Commot Glyndyudwy Powys

Cantrefoed Powys Madawc: • Commot Iaal • Commot Ystrad Alun • Commot Yr Hop • Commot Berford • Commot Wnknan • Commot Trefwenn • Commot Croesosswallt • Commot y Creudyn • Commot Nant Odyn • Commot Ceuenbleid • Commot Uch Raeadyr Cantrefoed Powys Gwennwynwyn: • Commot Is Raeadyr • Commot Deu Dyswr • Commot Llannerchwdwl • Commot Ystrad Marchell • Commot Mecheyn • Commot Caer Einon • Commot Uch Affes • Commot Is Affes • Commot Uch Coet • Commot Is Coet Maelenyd:

Cantrefoed Maelenyd: • Commot Ceri • Commot Gwerthrynnyon • Commot Swyd Uudugre • Commot Swyd Yethon • Commot Llwythyfnwc Buellt:

Cantref Buellt: • Commot Penn Buellt • Commot Swydman • Commot Treflys • Commot Is Iruon. Eluael

Cantref Eluael: • Commot Uch Mynyd • Commot Is Mynyd Brecheinawc

Cantref Selyf: • Commot Brwynllys • Commot Talgarth Cantref Tewdos: • Commot Dyffryn Hodni • Commot Llywel • Commot Tir Rawlf Cantref Ida: • Commot Ystrad Yw • Commot Cruc Howel • Commot Efyas Ystrat Tywi

Cantref Bychan: • Commot Hirvryn • Commot Perued • Commot Iskennen Cantref Eginawc • Commot Kedweli • Commot Carnywyllawn • Commot Gwhyr Cantref Mawr • Commot Mallaen • Commot Caeaw • Commot Maenawr Deilaw • Commot Cetheinawc • Commot Mab Eluyw • Commot Mab Utryt • Commot Widigada Ceredigyawn

Cantref Gwarthaf • Commot Geneurglyn • Commot perued • Commot Creudyn Cantref Mabwynyon • Commot Meuenyd • Commot Anhunyawc • Commot Pennard Cantref Caer Wedros • Commot Wenyionid • Commot Is Coed Emlyn

Cantref Emlyn • Commot Uch Cuch • Commot Is Cuch Cemeis • Cantref Cemeis • Commot Uch Neuer • Commot Is Neuer Wartha

Cantref Wartha • Commot Eluyd • Commot Derllys • Commot Pennryn • Commot Estyrlwyf • Commot Talacharn • Commot Amgoet • Commot Peluneawc • Commot y Uelfre Deugledyf

Cantref Deugledyf • Commot Llan y Hadein • Commot Castel Hu Pennbrwc

Cantref Pennbrwc • Commot Penncaer • Commot Menew Pebidawc

Cantref Pebideawc • Commot Hawlfford • Commot Castell Gwalchmei Morgannwg

Cantref Gorvynyd • Commot Rwng Net A Thawy • Commot Tir Yr Hwndryt • Commot Rwng Neth ac Avyn • Commot Tir Yr Iarll • Commot Y Coety • Commot Maenawr Glyn Ogwr Cantref Penn Ychen • Commot Meisgyn • Commot Glyn Rodne • Commot Maenawr Tal y Vann • Commot Maenawr Ruthyn Cantref Breinyawl • Commot Is Caech • Commot Uch Caech • Commot Kibwr Cantref Gwynllwc • Commot Yr Heid • Commot Ydref Berued • Commot Edelygyon • Commot Eithyaf • Commot Y Mynyd Cantref Gwent • Commot Is Coed • Commot Llemynyd • Commot Tref y Gruc • Commot Uch Coed