Caerphilly Castle. Caerphilly Castle (Welsh Castell Caerffili) is a Norman Castle that dominates the centre of the town of Caerphilly in south Wales The construction of this castle between 1268 and 1271 by Gilbert de Clare led to a dispute between Llywelyn the Last and the English crown, one of the issues which led to the wars of 1277 and 1282 and the end of Welsh independence

The country of Wales, or Cymru in Welsh, has been inhabited by modern humans for at least 29,000 years, though continuous human habitation dates from the period after the last Ice age. Gilbert de Clare may refer to Gilbert de Clare 1st Earl of Pembroke (1100-1148 Gilbert de Clare 2nd Earl of Hertford Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was the second of the four sons of Gruffydd, the eldest son of Llywelyn the Great, and Senena ferch Rhodri Prehistoric Wales in terms of human settlements covers the period from about 230000 years ago the date attributed to the earliest human remains found in what is now Wales Up to and during the Roman occupation of Britain, the native inhabitants of Roman Britain spoke Brythonic languages (a sub-family of the Celtic languages The history of Wales in the early Middle Ages is sketchy as there is very little Written history from the period The Norman invasion of Wales began shortly after the Norman invasion of England. Wales in the Late Middle Ages covers the period from the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in late 1282 to the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts Brycheiniog was a small independent kingdom of South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. Geography List of places in CeredigionCeredigion is a coastal county bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west Gwynedd to the north Powys to the east   The Kingdom of Dyfed was a sub-Roman and early medieval kingdom in south-west Wales. Ergyng (or Erging) was a Welsh kingdom of the sub-Roman and early medieval period between the 5th and 7th centuries. Gwent was one of the kingdoms or principalities of Mediæval Wales, in the Welsh Marches. Gwynedd (pr) is one of several Welsh Successor states that emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain. Glywysing was a post-Roman and early medieval kingdom in South Wales.   Seisyllwg was a kingdom of medieval South Wales, covering the areas now known as Ceredigion, part of Carmarthenshire, and the Gower peninsula Welsh settlement in the Americas was the result of several individual initiatives to found distinctively Welsh settlements in the New World. The term Welsh literature may be used to refer to any Literature originating from Wales or by Welsh writers. Wales has a distinctive Culture including its own language, customs Holidays and Music. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Wales has many remains from the Neolithic period (mainly dolmens or cromlechs), as well as from the Bronze Age and Iron Age. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos A dolmen (also known as cromlech, anta, Hünengrab, Hunebed, Goindol, quoit, and portal dolmen) is a type of Cromlech is a Brythonic word ( Breton / Welsh) used to describe Prehistoric Megalithic structures where crom means "bent" The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for In Britain and Ireland the Iron Age lasted from about the 7th century BC until the Roman conquest and until the 5th century in non- Romanised The written history of Wales begins with the arrival of the Romans, who launched their first campaign against the Deceangli in what is now North-East Wales in A. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Deceangli or Deceangi were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. D. 48. Two of the larger tribes, the Silures and the Ordovices, resisted Roman rule for some years, with the Ordovices only being finally subdued in A. The Silures were a powerful and warlike Tribe of ancient Britain, occupying approximately the counties of Monmouthshire, Breconshire and The Ordovices were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands before the Roman invasion of Britain. D. 79. The Welsh of the time occupied what is now known as England, Wales and Southern Scotland and was known as the Roman province of Britannia, and remained under Roman rule until the legions were withdrawn in about A. D. 400. During the next few centuries kingdoms such as Gwynedd and Powys were formed and the area we now call Wales became Christian. History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England This article is about the county of Wales For the ancient kingdom see Kingdom of Powys. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

During the early medieval period Wales was divided into a number of kingdoms, but the ruler of Gwynedd was usually acknowledged as King of the Britons. Gwynedd (pr) is one of several Welsh Successor states that emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain. The Britons or Brythons were the indigenous Celtic speaking people of what is now England, Wales and southern Scotland, whose Some such rulers were able to combine several kingdoms to extend their rule to much of Wales and Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in the mid 11th century controlled all of Wales and some areas in England for a period. See also Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (c 1007 &ndash August 5, 1063) was the ruler of all Wales These centuries were marked by struggles against English kingdoms such as Mercia, then against the united English kingdom and finally against the Normans, who arrived on the borders of Wales around 1067. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. Warfare continued for over two centuries until the death of Llywelyn the Last in 1282 led to the annexation of Wales to the kingdom of England. Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was the second of the four sons of Gruffydd, the eldest son of Llywelyn the Great, and Senena ferch Rhodri Owain Glyndŵr led a rebellion in the early 15th century and kept control of Wales for a few years before the English crown reimposed its authority. Owain Glyndŵr (pronounced 'owain glin'dwr or Owain Glyn Dŵr, Anglicised by Shakespeare into Owen Glendower (c In the 16th century legislation was passed aimed at fully incorporating Wales into England. Yet, the Welsh retained their language and culture in spite of heavy English dominance.

The eighteenth century saw the beginnings of two changes which would greatly affect Wales, the Industrial Revolution and the Methodist Revival. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations During the 19th century south-east Wales in particular experienced rapid industrialization and a dramatic rise in population. These areas were Welsh-speaking initially but became increasingly anglicized in speech later in the century. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Anglicisation or anglicization (see -ise vs -ize) is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English The 19th century also saw Wales become predominantly Nonconformist in religion. Nonconformism is the refusal to conform to common standards conventions rules customs traditions norms or laws In the 20th century the period after the Second World War saw the beginnings of a long decline in the coal and iron industries and in politics saw the Labour party replace the Liberal party as the dominant force. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 In the second half of the century Plaid Cymru's Gwynfor Evans won Plaid's first seat at Westminster in 1966 and devolution became an item on the political agenda. Plaid Cymru (plaɪd ˈkəmri The Party of Wales often referred to simply as Plaid) is a Political party in Wales. Dr Richard Gwynfor Evans ( 1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician lawyer and author Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level A referendum on devolution in 1979 resulted in a "no" vote, but the issue reappeared towards the end of the century. A second referendum in 1997 resulted in a "yes" vote by a narrow margin and led to the Welsh Assembly being established in Cardiff. The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales.

Prehistoric Wales

The earliest known human remain discovered in modern-day Wales is a human tooth, found in a cave in the valley of the River Elwy in North Wales, whose owner lived about 250,000 years ago in the Lower Palaeolithic period. The River Elwy ( Afon Elwy in Welsh) is a River in North Wales and is a Tributary of the River Clwyd. North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. ^[1] The Red Lady of Paviland, a human skeleton dyed in red ochre, was discovered in 1826 in one of the Paviland limestone caves of the Gower peninsula in south Wales. The Red Lady of Paviland is a fairly complete Upper Paleolithic -era human male skeleton dyed in Red ochre, discovered in 1823 by Rev Red ochre and yellow ochre (pronounced /'əʊkə/ from the Greek ὄχρος yellow are Pigments made from naturally tinted Clay. For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Despite the name, the skeleton is that of a young man who lived about 26,000 years ago at the end of the Upper Paleolithic Period (old stone age). The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric time period during which Humans widely used stone for toolmaking ^[2] He is considered to be the oldest known ceremonial burial in Western Europe. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The skeleton was found along with jewellery made from ivory and seashells, and a mammoth's skull. Ivory is formed from Dentine and constitutes the bulk of the Teeth and Tusks of animals such as the Elephant, Hippopotamus, A mammoth is any Species of the Extinct Genus Mammuthus. These Proboscideans are members of the elephant family and

Bryn Celli Ddu, a late Neolithic chambered tomb on Anglesey

Following the last Ice age, Wales became roughly the shape it is today by about 8000 BC and was inhabited by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting The earliest farming communities are now believed to date from about 4000 BC, marking the beginning of the Neolithic period. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos This period saw the construction of many chambered tombs, the most notable including Bryn Celli Ddu and Barclodiad y Gawres on Anglesey. Bryn Celli Ddu is a Prehistoric site on the Welsh island of Anglesey located near Llanddaniel Fab. Barclodiad y Gawres ( Welsh for apronful of the giantess) is a Neolithic burial chamber two Miles north-west of Aberffraw on the island ^[3]

Metal tools first appeared in Wales about 2500 BC, initially copper followed by bronze. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Bronze is any of a broad range of Copper alloys, usually with Tin as the main additive but sometimes with other elements such as Phosphorus The climate during the Early Bronze Age (c. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for 2500-1400 BC) is thought to have been warmer than at present, as there are many remains from this period in what are now bleak uplands. The Late Bronze Age (c. 1400-750 BC) saw the development of more advanced bronze implements. Much of the copper for the production of bronze probably came from the copper mine on the Great Orme, where prehistoric mining on a very large scale dates largely from the middle Bronze Age. The Great Orme ( Welsh: Y Gogarth or Pen y Gogarth) is a prominent Limestone headland on the north coast of ^[4]

The earliest iron implement found in Wales is a sword from Llyn Fawr at the head of the Rhondda Valley, which is thought to date to about 600 BC. Llyn Fawr is a Lake in South Wales, best known as the site of an important Hoard of weapons and tools from the late Bronze Age and early The River Rhondda (Afon Rhondda is a River in the Rhondda Valley South Wales which has two major Tributaries; the Rhondda Fawr (Large Rhondda ^[5] The Iron Age saw the building of hillforts which are particularly numerous in Wales, examples being Pen Dinas near Aberystwyth and Tre'r Ceiri on the Lleyn peninsula. In Britain and Ireland the Iron Age lasted from about the 7th century BC until the Roman conquest and until the 5th century in non- Romanised A hill fort is a fortified refuge or defended settlement Pen Dinas is the name of a hill south of Aberystwyth on the coast of Ceredigion, Wales, upon which an extensive Iron Age Hill fort Aberystwyth (Mouth of the River Ystwyth ˌæbəˈrɪstwɪθ Dialect: abɛrˈəstɔʏθ is a historic Market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Tre'r Ceiri is a Hill fort dating back to Roman times being built around 100 B A particularly significant find from this period was made in 1943 at Llyn Cerrig Bach on Anglesey, when the ground was being prepared for the construction of a Royal Air Force base. Llyn Cerrig Bach is a small lake in the north-west of the island of Anglesey, Wales. The cache included weapons, shields, chariots along with their fittings and harnesses, and slave chains and tools. The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of Carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples Many had been deliberately broken and seem to have been votive offerings. A votive deposit or votive offering is an object left in a Sacred place for Ritual purposes ^[6]

Traditionally, historians have believed that successive waves of immigrants brought different cultures into the area, largely replacing the previous inhabitants, with the last wave of immigrants being the Celts. It is theorized that pre-historical migration of human populations began with the movement of Homo erectus out of Africa across Eurasia Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts However, some studies of population genetics now suggest that this may not be true. Population genetics is the study of the Allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four evolutionary forces Natural selection, Genetic In two recent books, Bryan Sykes and Stephen Oppenheimer argue that the majority of the modern Welsh population (and the British population as a whole) descends from migrants from the Iberian Peninsula during the Mesolithic and, to a lesser extent, the Neolithic eras. Bryan Sykes is Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Wolfson College. Stephen Oppenheimer (born 1947 a British physician a member of Green College Oxford and an honorary fellow of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, performs and The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[7][8] The introduction of Celtic language in the Bronze Age may have been a result of immigration on a smaller scale. The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family.

Wales under the Romans: 48–410

Tribes within the boundaries of present day Wales at the time of the Roman invasion. Exact boundaries are conjectural. ]]

Up to and during the Roman occupation of Britain, Wales was not a separate country; all the native inhabitants of Roman Britain spoke Brythonic languages (a sub-family of the Celtic languages) and were regarded as Britons (or Brythons). Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. The area was divided among a number of tribes, of which the Silures in modern south-east Wales and the Ordovices in central and northwest Wales were the largest and most powerful. The Silures were a powerful and warlike Tribe of ancient Britain, occupying approximately the counties of Monmouthshire, Breconshire and The Ordovices were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands before the Roman invasion of Britain. ^[9] These two tribes were the ones who put up the strongest resistance to the Roman invasion.

The first attack on the Celtic tribes of what is now Wales was made under the legate Publius Ostorius Scapula about 48 AD. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Publius Ostorius Scapula (died 52 was a Roman statesman and general who governed Britain from 47 until his death and was responsible for the defeat and capture of Ostorius first attacked the Deceangli in the north-east, who appear to have surrendered with little resistance. The Deceangli or Deceangi were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. ^[10] He then spent several years campaigning against the Silures and the Ordovices. The Silures were a powerful and warlike Tribe of ancient Britain, occupying approximately the counties of Monmouthshire, Breconshire and The Ordovices were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands before the Roman invasion of Britain. Their resistance was led by Caratacus, who had fled what is now southeast England when it was conquered by the Romans. Caratacus ( Brythonic *Caratācos, Greek Καράτακος; variants Latin Caractacus, Greek Καρτάκης He first led the Silures, then moved to the territory of the Ordovices, where he was defeated by Ostorius in 51 AD. ^[11] Caratacus fled to the Brigantes, whose queen handed him over to the Romans. The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of Northern England and a significant part of the Midlands

The Silures were not subdued, however, and waged effective guerilla warfare against the Roman forces. The Silures were a powerful and warlike Tribe of ancient Britain, occupying approximately the counties of Monmouthshire, Breconshire and Ostorius died with this tribe still unconquered; after his death they won a victory over the Roman Second Augusta Legion. Legio II Augusta, or Second Augustan Legion, was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative There were no further attempts to extend Roman control in Wales until the governorship of Caius Suetonius Paulinus, who attacked further north and captured the island of Anglesey in 60 or 61 AD. Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, also spelled Paullinus, (flourished 1st century) was a Roman general History There are numerous Megalithic monuments and Menhirs present on Anglesey testifying to the presence of mankind in prehistory ^[12] However he was forced to abandon the offensive to meet the threat from the rebellion of Boadicea. Boudica (also spelled Boudicca, formerly known as Boadicea, and known in Welsh culture and legends as "Buddug" (d The Silures were eventually subdued by Sextus Julius Frontinus in a series of campaigns ending about 78 AD. Sextus Julius Frontinus (ca 40-103 AD was one of the most distinguished Roman aristocrats of the late first century AD but is best known to the post-Classical world as an ^[13] His successor Gnaeus Julius Agricola subdued the Ordovices and recaptured Anglesey by the beginning of 79 AD. Gnaeus Julius Agricola ( June 13, 40 &ndash August 23, 93) was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of ^[14]

The Romans occupied the whole of the area now known as Wales, where they built Roman roads and Roman forts, mined gold and conducted commerce, but their interest in the area was limited because of the difficult geography and shortage of flat agricultural land. The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Most of the Roman remains in Wales are military in nature. The area was controlled by legionary bases at Deva (Chester) and Isca (Caerleon), with roads linking these bases to auxiliary forts such as Segontium (Caernarfon) and Moridunum (Carmarthen). Deva Victrix, or simply Deva, was a legionary fortress and town in the Roman province of Britannia. Chester is the County town of Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77040 Isca Augusta (or Isca Silurum) was a Roman Legionary fortress and settlement, the remains of which lie beneath parts of the present-day Caerleon (Caerllion is a suburban village and community, situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Segontium is a Roman fort for a Roman auxiliary force located on the outskirts of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales. Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms "Caernarvon" or "Carnarvon" is a Moridunum (or almost certainly Moridunum Demetarum) was a Roman fort and Town in the Roman province of Britannia. Carmarthen ( Welsh Caerfyrddin - caer fort + Myrddin Moridunum is the County town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. Romans are only known to have founded one town in Wales, Venta Silurum (Caerwent), although the fort at Moridunum (Carmarthen) was later superseded by a civilian settlement. Venta Silurum was a Town in the Roman province of Britannia (later Britannia Prima) Caerwent (Caer-went is a Village and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, located about 5 miles west of Chepstow and 11 miles east ^[15] The modern day country of Wales is thought to have been part of the Roman province of Britannia Superior and later of the province of Britannia Prima, which also included the West Country of England. Britannia Superior was one of the provinces of Roman Britain created around 197 AD by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus immediately after winning a Civil War against Britannia Prima was one of the provinces of Roman Britain in existence by c The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[16]

Sub-Roman Wales and the Age of the Saints: 411–700

When the Roman garrison of Britain was withdrawn in 410, the various Brythonic states within Wales were left self-governing, as was the rest of Roman Britain. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Events By place Western Roman Empire Alaric I deposes Priscus Attalus as Emperor. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Evidence for a continuing Roman influence after the departure of the Roman legions is provided by an inscribed stone from Gwynedd dated between the late 5th century and mid 6th century commemorating a certain Cantiorix who was described as a citizen (cives) of Gwynedd and a cousin of Maglos the magistrate (magistratus). For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. A magistrate is a judicial officer In Common law systems a magistrate usually has limited authority to administer and enforce the Law. ^[17] There was considerable Irish colonization in Dyfed in south-west Wales, where there are many stones with Ogham inscriptions. The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate Ogham (ogam ˈɔɣam Modern Irish or, English) is an Early Medieval Alphabet used primarily to represent the Old Irish language (and ^[18] Wales had become Christian, and the "age of the saints" (approximately 500–700) was marked by the establishment of monastic settlements throughout the country, by religious leaders such as Saint David, Illtud and Teilo. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Events By Place Europe Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon Events By Place North America The Mount Edziza volcanic complex erupts in northern British Columbia, Canada. Saint David ( c. 500–589 ('Dewi Sant' was a church official later regarded as a Saint and as the Patron saint of Wales. Illtud (also spelled Illtyd and in corrupt English, Eltut, and in Latin, Hildutus) (died mid-6th century was a Welsh Saint Teilo (also Eliud) was a leader of the Celtic Christian church in Wales during the 6th century ^[19]

One of the reasons for the Roman withdrawal was the pressure put upon the empire's military resources by the incursion of barbarian tribes from the east. These tribes, including the Angles and Saxons, who later became the English, were unable to make inroads into Wales except possibly along the Severn Valley as far as Llanidloes ^[20]. The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestral region of Angeln, a modern district located in The Saxons or Saxon people were a Confederation of Old Germanic tribes. Llanidloes is a Town in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn However they gradually conquered eastern and southern Britain (which then became England). At the Battle of Chester in 616, the forces of Powys and other Brythonic kingdoms were defeated by the Northumbrians under Æthelfrith, with king Selyf ap Cynan among the dead. The Battle of Chester (in Old Welsh, Guaith Caer Legion and in modern Welsh, Brwydr Caer) is generally agreed to have taken place in 616 as Events By Place Europe Eadbald succeeds Ethelbert as king of Kent. The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being Æthelfrith (died c 616 was King of Bernicia from c 593 until c Selyf ap Cynan or Selyf Sarffgadau (died 616 appears in Old Welsh genealogies as an early 7th century King of Powys, the son of Cynan Garwyn It has been suggested^[21] that this battle finally severed the land connection between Wales and the northern Brythonic kingdoms including Rheged, Strathclyde, Elmet and Gododdin where Old Welsh was also spoken. Rheged IPA r̥ɛgɛd was a Brythonic kingdom of Sub-Roman Britain, whose inhabitants spoke Cumbric, a dialect of Brythonic closely related Strathclyde ( Gaelic: Srath Chluaidh) (lit "Valley of the Clyde" originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the kingdoms During the Early Middle Ages, between approximately the 5th century and early 7th century AD Elmet was an independent Celtic kingdom covering a broad area of The Gododdin (goˈdoðin were a Brythonic people of north-eastern Britain (modern north-east England and south-east Scotland) in the sub-Roman Old Welsh (Hen Gymraeg is the label attached to the Welsh language from the time it developed from the Brythonic language generally thought to be in the period From the 8th century on, Wales was by far the largest of the three remnant Brythonic areas in Britain, the other two being Cornwall and Strathclyde. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Strathclyde ( Gaelic: Srath Chluaidh) (lit "Valley of the Clyde" originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the kingdoms

Gravestone of King Cadfan ap Iago of Gwynedd (died c. Cadfan ap Iago (c 580&ndash625 reigned from c 615 (Catamanus Gideon was a King of Gwynedd. 625) in Llangadwaladr church

Wales was divided into a number of separate kingdoms, the largest of these being Gwynedd in northwest Wales and Powys in east Wales. Gwynedd (pr) is one of several Welsh Successor states that emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain.   Gwynedd was the most powerful of these kingdoms in the 6th century and 7th century, under rulers such as Maelgwn Gwynedd (died 547)^[22] and Cadwallon ap Cadfan (died 634/5)^[23] who in alliance with Penda of Mercia was able to lead his armies as far as Northumbria and control it for a period. The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Maelgwn Gwynedd, more formally Maelgwn ap Cadwallon (c 480 &ndash c Cadwallon ap Cadfan (died 634 was the King of Gwynedd from around 625 until his death in battle Penda (died November 15 655 was a 7th-century King of Mercia, a kingdom in what is today the English Midlands. Following Cadwallon's death in battle the following year, his successor Cadafael ap Cynfeddw also allied himself with Penda against Northumbria but thereafter Gwynedd, like the other Welsh kingdoms, was mainly engaged in defensive warfare against the growing power of Mercia. Cadafael ap Cynfeddw (reigned 634&ndash c 655 also known as Cadafael Cadomedd ('Battle-Shirker' was a king of Gwynedd. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy.

Early Medieval Wales: 700–1066

Main article: Wales in the Early Middle Ages

Mediaeval kingdoms of Wales shown within the boundaries of the present day country of Wales and not inclusive of all. The history of Wales in the early Middle Ages is sketchy as there is very little Written history from the period

Powys as the easternmost of the major kingdoms of Wales came under the most pressure from the English in Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire.   Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Shropshire (ˈʃrɒpʃɪə/ /-ʃə alternatively known as Salop or abbreviated in print only Shrops, is a county in the Constitution Herefordshire was reconstituted both as a new Non-metropolitan district (effective 19th July 1996 and as a new County comprising the area of the This kingdom originally extended east into areas now in England, and its ancient capital, Pengwern, has been variously identified as modern Shrewsbury or a site north of Baschurch. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Pengwern was a Brythonic settlement of Sub-Roman Britain situated in what is now the English county of Shropshire, adjoining the modern Welsh Shrewsbury ( /ˈʃruːzbri/ or /ˈʃroʊzbri/ is the County town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England Baschurch is a large village and Civil parish in Shropshire, England. ^[24] These areas were lost to the kingdom of Mercia. Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. The construction of the earthwork known as Offa's Dyke (usually attributed to Offa, King of Mercia in the 8th century) may have marked an agreed border. Offa's Dyke (Clawdd Offa is a massive linear earthwork, roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796 Mercia (ˈmɝsiə was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. ^[25]

For a single man to rule the whole country during this period was rare. This is often ascribed to the inheritance system practised in Wales. All sons received an equal share of their father's property (including illegitimate sons), resulting in the division of territories. However, the Welsh laws prescribe this system of division for land in general, not for kingdoms, where there is provision for an edling (or heir) to the kingdom to be chosen, usually by the king. Welsh law, the Law of Wales, was traditionally first codified by Hywel Dda ("Hywel the Good" during the period between 942 and 950 when Any son, legitimate or illegitimate, could be chosen as edling and there were frequently disappointed candidates prepared to challenge the chosen heir. ^[26]

The first to rule a considerable part of Wales was Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri The Great), originally king of Gwynedd during the 9th century, who was able to extend his rule to Powys and Ceredigion. Rhodri the Great (in Welsh, Rhodri Mawr; occasionally in English, Roderick the Great) (c History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. This article is about the county of Wales For the ancient kingdom see Kingdom of Powys. Geography List of places in CeredigionCeredigion is a coastal county bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west Gwynedd to the north Powys to the east ^[27] On his death his realms were divided between his sons. Rhodri's grandson, Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good), formed the kingdom of Deheubarth by joining smaller kingdoms in the southwest and had extended his rule to most of Wales by 942. Hywel Dda (c 880?&ndash950 (English Hywel the Good, sometimes anglicized to Howell the Good) was a well-thought-of king of Deheubarth in south-west   Events By Place Asia Kaminarimon the eight-pillared gate to Japan 's Kinryuzan Sensouji Temple, is erected ^[28] He is traditionally associated with the codification of Welsh law at a council which he called at Whitland, the laws from then on usually being called the "Laws of Hywel". Welsh law, the Law of Wales, was traditionally first codified by Hywel Dda ("Hywel the Good" during the period between 942 and 950 when Whitland ( Hendy-gwyn; literal translation 'Old White House' or sometimes Hendy-gwyn ar Daf; 'Old white house on the river Taf' is a small Town in Hywel followed a policy of peace with the English. On his death in 949 his sons were able to keep control of Deheubarth but lost Gwynedd to the traditional dynasty of this kingdom. Events By Topic Science 1 February — Belgian Astronomer Jean Meeus (b   History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England ^[29]

Wales was now coming under increasing attack by Viking raiders, particularly Danish raids in the period between 950 and 1000. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Events By Place Europe Duke Boleslav I of Bohemia makes peace with Otto I. Godfrey Haroldson is said to have carried off two thousand captives from Anglesey in 987, and the king of Gwynedd, Maredudd ab Owain is reported to have redeemed many of his subjects from slavery by paying the Danes a large ransom. History There are numerous Megalithic monuments and Menhirs present on Anglesey testifying to the presence of mankind in prehistory Events By Place Europe Hugh Capet, Count of Paris, is crowned King of France. Maredudd ab Owain (ap Hywel Dda (died 999 was a King of Deheubarth, and through conquest also of Gwynedd and Powys, places in medieval Wales ^[30]

Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was the next ruler to be able to unite most of the Welsh kingdoms under his rule. See also Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Fawr Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (c 1007 &ndash August 5, 1063) was the ruler of all Wales Originally king of Gwynedd, by 1055 he was ruler of almost all of Wales and had annexed parts of England around the border. However, he was defeated by Harold Godwinson in 1063 and killed by his own men. Harold Godwinson, (c 1022 &ndash 14 October 1066 also known as Harold II, is widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the His territories were again divided into the traditional kingdoms. ^[31]

Wales and the Normans: 1067–1283

At the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the dominant ruler in Wales was Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, who was king of Gwynedd and Powys. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (died 1075 was a Prince of the Welsh Kingdoms of Gwynedd and of Powys. History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England This article is about the county of Wales For the ancient kingdom see Kingdom of Powys. The initial Norman successes were in the south, where William Fitz Osbern overran Gwent before 1070. William fitzOsbern (c 1020 &ndash February 22, 1071) Lord of Breteuil, in Normandy, was a relative and close counsellor of William the Gwent was one of the kingdoms or principalities of Mediæval Wales, in the Welsh Marches. By 1074 the forces of the Earl of Shrewsbury were ravaging Deheubarth. Earl of Shrewsbury (pronounced "shrows-bree" not "shrews-bree" is a title that has been created twice   ^[32]

The killing of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in 1075 led to civil war and gave the Normans an opportunity to seize lands in North Wales. Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (died 1075 was a Prince of the Welsh Kingdoms of Gwynedd and of Powys. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. In 1081 Gruffydd ap Cynan, who had just won the throne of Gwynedd from Trahaearn ap Caradog at the Battle of Mynydd Carn was enticed to a meeting with the Earl of Chester and Earl of Shrewsbury and promptly seized and imprisoned, leading to the seizure of much of Gwynedd by the Normans. Gruffydd ap Cynan (also spelled Gryffydd ap Cynan (c 1055 &ndash 1137 was a King of Gwynedd. Trahaearn ap Caradog (died 1081 was a King of Gwynedd. Accession On the death of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn in 1075 it appears that none of his sons The Battle of Mynydd Carn took place in 1081, as part of a dynastic struggle for control of the Welsh kingdoms of Gwynedd and Deheubarth. The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in Medieval England. Earl of Shrewsbury (pronounced "shrows-bree" not "shrews-bree" is a title that has been created twice ^[33] In the south William the Conqueror advanced into Dyfed founding castles and mints at St David's and Cardiff^[34]. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Dyfed ('dɪ ved is a preserved county of Wales. Dyfed was created by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974. St David's ( Welsh: Tyddewi) is the smallest city in the United Kingdom, with a population of under 2000 people Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Rhys ap Tewdwr of Deheubarth was killed in 1093 in Brycheiniog, and his kingdom was seized and divided between various Norman lordships. Rhys ap Tewdwr (before 1065 &ndash 1093 was a Prince of Deheubarth in West Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty a branch descended from Rhodri Brycheiniog was a small independent kingdom of South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. ^[35] The Norman conquest of Wales appeared virtually complete.

Effigy wrongfully alleged to be of Rhys ap Gruffydd in St David's Cathedral

In 1094 however there was a general Welsh revolt against Norman rule, and gradually territories were won back. St David's Cathedral ( Welsh: Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi) is situated in St David's in the county of Pembrokeshire, on the most westerly point Gruffydd ap Cynan was eventually able to build a strong kingdom in Gwynedd. Gruffydd ap Cynan (also spelled Gryffydd ap Cynan (c 1055 &ndash 1137 was a King of Gwynedd. History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England His son, Owain Gwynedd, allied with Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth won a crushing victory over the Normans at the Battle of Crug Mawr in 1136 and annexed Ceredigion. Owain Gwynedd (in English " Owen " (c 1100&ndash November 28, 1170) alternatively known by the Patronymic " Owain ap Gruffydd Gruffydd ap Rhys (died 1137 ruled a portion of Deheubarth, Wales. The Battle of Crug Mawr took place in September or October 1136, as part of a struggle for control of Ceredigion which had been captured by the Normans Geography List of places in CeredigionCeredigion is a coastal county bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west Gwynedd to the north Powys to the east Owain followed his father on the throne of Gwynedd the following year and ruled until his death in 1170. ^[36] He was able to profit from disunity in England, where Stephen of Blois and the Empress Matilda were engaged in a struggle for the throne, to extend the borders of Gwynedd further east than ever before. Stephen often referred to in history as Stephen of Blois (c 1096 &ndash 25 October, 1154) was the last Norman King of England Matilda of England (sometimes Maud or Maude; 7 February 1102 &ndash 10 September 1167 was the daughter and dispossessed Heir of Henry I of England

Powys also had a strong ruler at this time in Madog ap Maredudd, but when his death in 1160 was quickly followed by the death of his heir, Llywelyn ap Madog, Powys was split into two parts and never subsequently reunited. This article is about the county of Wales For the ancient kingdom see Kingdom of Powys. Madog ap Maredudd (died 1160 was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry ^[37] In the south, Gruffydd ap Rhys was killed in 1137, but his four sons, who all ruled Deheubarth in turn, were eventually able to win back most of their grandfather's kingdom from the Normans. Gruffydd ap Rhys (died 1137 ruled a portion of Deheubarth, Wales. The youngest of the four, Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys) ruled from 1155 to 1197. Genealogy and early life Rhys was the second son of Gruffydd ap Rhys, ruler of part of Deheubarth and Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, daughter of Gruffydd ap In 1171 Rhys met King Henry II and came to an agreement with him whereby Rhys had to pay a tribute but was confirmed in all his conquests and was later named Justiciar of South Wales. Rhys held a festival of poetry and song at his court at Cardigan over Christmas 1176 which is generally regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod. Cardigan (Aberteifi is a Town in the County of Ceredigion in West Wales. See also An eisteddfod (aɪˈstɛðvəd Welsh ə(iˈstɛðvɔd plural eisteddfodau or eisteddfods) is a Welsh Festival Owain Gwynedd's death led to the splitting of Gwynedd between his sons, while Rhys made Deheubarth dominant in Wales for a time. ^[38]

The Llywelyn Monument at Cilmeri

Out of the power struggle in Gwynedd eventually arose one of the greatest of Welsh leaders, Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, also known as Llywelyn Fawr (the Great), who was sole ruler of Gwynedd by 1200^[39] and by his death in 1240 was effectively ruler of much of Wales. Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was born about 1173 the son of Iorwerth ap Owain and the grandson of Owain Gwynedd, who had been ruler of Gwynedd until his death ^[40] Llywelyn made his 'capital' and headquarters at Garth Celyn on the north coast, overlooking the Menai Strait. Garth Celyn at Aber Garth Celyn now known as Abergwyngregyn, Aber in Gwynedd, north Wales was the 13th century home of the Welsh princes (or Tywysog The Menai Strait ( Afon Menai, the "River Menai" is a narrow stretch of shallow tidal water about 14 miles (23 km long which separates the island of Anglesey His son Dafydd ap Llywelyn followed him as ruler of Gwynedd, but the king would not allow him to inherit his father's position elsewhere in Wales. Descent Born at Castell Hen Blas Coleshill Bagillt in Flintshire, he was the only son of Llywelyn the Great by his wife Joan (daughter ^[41] War broke out in 1245, and the issue was still in the balance when Dafydd died suddenly at the royal home Garth Celyn, Aber Garth Celyn, Gwynedd without leaving an heir in early 1246. Garth Celyn at Aber Garth Celyn now known as Abergwyngregyn, Aber in Gwynedd, north Wales was the 13th century home of the Welsh princes (or Tywysog Llywelyn the Great's other son, Gruffudd had been killed trying to escape from the Tower of London in 1244. Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (c 1200 &ndash March 1, 1244) was the illegitimate son of Llywelyn the Great ("Llywelyn Fawr" Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower) is a historic monument in central London Gruffudd had left four sons, and a period of internal conflict between three of these ended in the rise to power of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (also known as Llywelyn the Last Leader). Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was the second of the four sons of Gruffydd, the eldest son of Llywelyn the Great, and Senena ferch Rhodri The Treaty of Montgomery in 1267 confirmed Llywelyn in control, directly or indirectly, over a large part of Wales. By means of the Treaty of Montgomery (29 September 1267, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was acknowledged as Prince of Wales by the English king Henry III However, Llywelyn's claims in Wales conflicted with Edward I of England, and war followed in 1277. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost Llywelyn was obliged to seek terms, and the Treaty of Aberconwy greatly restricted his authority. The Treaty of Aberconwy was signed in 1277 by King Edward I of England and Llewelyn the Last of modern-day Wales, who had fought each other on War broke out again when Llywelyn's brother Dafydd ap Gruffudd attacked Hawarden Castle on Palm Sunday 1282. Dafydd ap Gruffydd (or Dafydd ap Gruffudd) (11 July 1238 &ndash 3 October 1283 was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 Palm Sunday is a Christian Moveable feast which always falls on the Sunday before Easter. On 11 December 1282, Llywelyn was lured into a meeting in Builth Wells castle with unknown Marchers, where he was killed and his army subsequently destroyed. Builth Wells (Llanfair ym Muallt is a Town in the modern day Welsh county of Powys, in what was the historic county of Brecknockshire A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. His brother Dafydd ap Gruffudd continued an increasingly forlorn resistance. He was captured at Bera Mountain, in the uplands above Aber Garth Celyn in June 1283 and was hanged, drawn and quartered at Shrewsbury. Garth Celyn at Aber Garth Celyn now known as Abergwyngregyn, Aber in Gwynedd, north Wales was the 13th century home of the Welsh princes (or Tywysog To be hanged drawn and quartered was the penalty once ordained in England for the crime of High treason. Shrewsbury ( /ˈʃruːzbri/ or /ˈʃroʊzbri/ is the County town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England In effect Wales became England's first colony until it was finally annexed through the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542. The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542 (Y Deddfau Uno 1535 a 1542 were a series of parliamentary measures by which the legal system of Wales was annexed to England and

Annexation: from the Statute of Rhuddlan to the Laws in Wales Acts 1283–1542

Main article: Wales in the Late Middle Ages

Harlech Castle was one of a series built by Edward I to consolidate his conquest. Wales in the Late Middle Ages covers the period from the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in late 1282 to the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Concentric castle, constructed atop a cliff close to the Irish Sea. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost

After passing the Statute of Rhuddlan which restricted Welsh laws, King Edward's ring of impressive stone castles assisted the domination of Wales, and he crowned his conquest by giving the title Prince of Wales to his son and heir in 1301. The Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted on 3 March 1284 after the military conquest in 1282-83 of the Principality of Wales — which had been established by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom ^[42] Wales became, effectively, part of England, even though its people spoke a different language and had a different culture. English kings paid lip service to their responsibilities by appointing a Council of Wales, sometimes presided over by the heir to the throne. This Council normally sat in Ludlow, now in England but at that time still part of the disputed border area in the Welsh Marches. Ludlow is a Market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. The Welsh Marches ( Welsh: Y Mers) is an area along the border of England and Wales on the island of Great Britain, in the current Welsh literature, particularly poetry, continued to flourish however, with the lesser nobility now taking over from the princes as the patrons of the poets. A poet is a person who writes Poetry. Etymology From the Ancient greek: ποιέω, poieō: "I make or compose" Dafydd ap Gwilym who flourished in the middle of the 14th century is considered by many to be the greatest of the Welsh poets. Dafydd ap Gwilym (c 1315/1320 &ndash c 1350/1370 is generally regarded as the greatest Welsh poet of all time and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages

There were a number of rebellions including ones led by Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294–1295^[43] and by Llywelyn Bren, Lord of Senghenydd, in 1316–1318. Madog ap Llywelyn, or Prince Madoc, was from a junior branch of the House of Cunedda, and a distant relation of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last recognised Llywelyn Bren (died 1318 or Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ap Rhys or Llywelyn of the Woods (English was a nobleman who led a revolt in Wales during the reign In the 1370s the last representative in the male line of the ruling house of Gwynedd, Owain Lawgoch, twice planned an invasion of Wales with French support. History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England Owain Lawgoch, (English "Owain of the Red Hand" French "Yvain de Galles" full name Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri (c The English government responded to the threat by sending an agent to assassinate Owain in Poitou in 1378. Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. ^[44]

In 1400, a Welsh nobleman, Owain Glyndŵr (or Owen Glendower), revolted against King Henry IV of England. Owain Glyndŵr (pronounced 'owain glin'dwr or Owain Glyn Dŵr, Anglicised by Shakespeare into Owen Glendower (c Henry IV (3 April 1367 &ndash 20 March 1413 was King of England and Lord of Ireland (1399&ndash1413 Owain inflicted a number of defeats on the English forces and for a few years controlled most of Wales. Some of his achievements included holding the first ever Welsh Parliament at Machynlleth and plans for two universities. Machynlleth ( pronounced; sometimes referred to Colloquially as Mach) is Eventually the king's forces were able to regain control of Wales and the rebellion died out, but Owain himself was never captured. His rebellion caused a great upsurge in Welsh identity and he was widely supported by Welsh people throughout the country. ^[45]

As a response to Glyndŵr's rebellion, the English parliament passed the Penal Laws in 1402. These prohibited the Welsh from carrying arms, from holding office and from dwelling in fortified towns. These prohibitions also applied to Englishmen who married Welsh women. These laws remained in force after the rebellion, although in practice they were gradually relaxed. ^[46]

Henry Tudor, later King Henry VII

In the Wars of the Roses which began in 1455 both sides made considerable use of Welsh troops. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485 were a series of dynastic Civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York The main figures in Wales were the two Earls of Pembroke, the Yorkist Earl William Herbert and the Lancastrian Jasper Tudor. The Earldom of Pembroke, associated with Pembroke Castle in Wales, was created by King Stephen of England. William Herbert 1st Earl of Pembroke (c 1423 &ndash 1469 known as "Black William" was the grandson of Dafydd Gam, an adherent of King Henry V of England Jasper Tudor ( Welsh: Siasbar Tudur) c 1431 &ndash December 21/26 1495 Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King In 1485 Jasper's nephew, Henry Tudor, landed in Wales with a small force to launch his bid for the throne of England. Henry was of Welsh descent, counting princes such as Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys) among his ancestors, and his cause gained much support in Wales. Henry defeated King Richard III of England at the Battle of Bosworth with an army containing many Welsh soldiers and gained the throne as King Henry VII of England. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field ( 22 August, 1485) was Lancastrian Henry Tudor's defeat of Yorkist Richard ^[47]

Under his son, Henry VIII of England, the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 were passed, annexing Wales to England in legal terms, abolishing the Welsh legal system, and banning the Welsh language from any official role or status, but it did for the first time define the England-Wales border and allowed members representing constituencies in Wales to be elected to the English Parliament. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of The Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542 (Y Deddfau Uno 1535 a 1542 were a series of parliamentary measures by which the legal system of Wales was annexed to England and Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic ^[48] They also abolished any legal distinction between the Welsh and the English, thereby effectively ending the Penal Code although this was not formally repealed. ^[49]

From the Union to the Industrial Revolution 1543 - 1800

Following Henry VIII's break with Rome and the Pope, Wales for the most part followed England in accepting Anglicanism, although a number of Catholics were active in attempting to counteract this and produced some of the earliest books printed in Welsh. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". In 1588 William Morgan produced the first complete Welsh translation of the Welsh Bible. William Morgan (1545 &ndash September 10, 1604) was Bishop of Llandaff and of St Asaph, and the translator of the first version of the whole Parts of the Bible were translated into Welsh before the 15th century but the first complete translation was the manuscript of Celydd Sfan and while no exact date ^[50]

Wales was overwhelmingly Royalist in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the early 17th century though there were some notable exceptions such as John Jones Maesygarnedd and the Puritan writer Morgan Llwyd. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms (sometimes known as the Wars of the Three Nations) formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in Scotland, As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Colonel John Jones (c 1597 - October 17, 1660) was a Welsh military leader politician and one of the Regicides of King Charles I. A Puritan of 16th and 17th century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of Worship and Doctrine, Morgan Llwyd (1619 Maentwrog parish Gwynedd &ndash June 3, 1659, Wrexham) was a Welsh Puritan Preacher, ^[51] Wales was an important source of men for the armies of King Charles I of England,^[52] though no major battles took place in Wales. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. The Second English Civil War began when unpaid Parliamentarian troops in Pembrokeshire changed sides in early 1648. The Second English Civil War ( 1648 &ndash 1649) was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War (or Wars) which refers to the Geography Pembrokeshire is a maritime County, bordered by the sea on three sides by Ceredigion (Cardiganshire to the northeast and by ^[53] Colonel Thomas Horton defeated the Royalist rebels at the battle of St. Fagans in May and the rebel leaders surrendered to Cromwell on July 11 after the protracted two month siege of Pembroke. Thomas Horton may refer to Thomas Horton (soldier (1603&ndash1649 English soldier Thomas R The Battle of St Fagans was a Pitched battle in the Second English Civil War in 1648. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. The Siege of Pembroke took place in 1648 during the Second English Civil War.

Education in Wales was at a very low ebb in this period, with the only education available being in English while the majority of the population spoke only Welsh. In 1731 Griffith Jones (Llanddowror) started circulating schools in Carmarthenshire, held in one location for about three months before moving (or 'circulating') to another location. Year 1731 ( MDCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Griffith Jones, (early 1684 – April 8 1761) a minister of the Church of England famous for his work in organising circulating schools in Wales Geography The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, to the south by the The language of instruction in these schools was Welsh. By Griffith Jones' death, in 1761, it is estimated that up to 250,000 people had learnt to read in schools throughout Wales. ^[54]

The 18th century also saw the Welsh Methodist revival, led by Daniel Rowland, Howell Harris and William Williams Pantycelyn. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The Welsh Methodist revival of the 18th century was one of the most significant religious and social movements in the history of Wales. Daniel Rowland (1713&ndash1790 was one of the foremost leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival along with William Williams and Howell Harris. Howell Harris (1714–1773 was one of the main leaders of the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18th century along with Daniel Rowland and William Williams William Williams Pantycelyn (also known as Williams Pantycelyn and Pantycelyn) (1717 &ndash January 11, 1791 ^[55] In the early 19th century the Welsh Methodists broke away from the Anglican church and established their own denomination, now the Presbyterian Church of Wales. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Presbyterian Church of Wales (Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru also known as The Calvinistic Methodist Church (cy ''Yr Eglwys Fethodistaidd Galfinaidd'' is a denomination This also led to the strengthening of other nonconformist denominations, and by the middle of the 19th century Wales was largely Nonconformist in religion. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Nonconformism is the refusal to conform to common standards conventions rules customs traditions norms or laws This had considerable implications for the Welsh language as it was the main language of the nonconformist churches in Wales. The Sunday schools which became an important feature of Welsh life made a large part of the population literate in Welsh, which was important for the survival of the language as it was not taught in the schools. " Sunday school " is the generic name for many different types of Religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations

The end of the 18th century saw the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, and the presence of iron ore, limestone and large coal deposits in south-east Wales meant that this area soon saw the establishment of ironworks and coal mines, notably the Cyfarthfa Ironworks and the Dowlais Ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Iron ores are rocks and Minerals from which Metallic Iron can be economically extracted Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The Cyfarthfa Ironworks was a major 18th century and 19th century Ironworks located in Cyfarthfa on the north-western edge of Merthyr Tydfil, in South Wales The Dowlais Ironworks was a major Ironworks and Steelworks located at Dowlais near Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover

The 19th century

In the early 19th century parts of Wales became heavily industrialised. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Ironworks were set up in the South Wales Valleys, running south from the Brecon Beacons particularly around the new town of Merthyr Tydfil, with iron production later spreading westwards to the hinterlands of Neath and Swansea where anthracite coal was already being mined. The South Wales Valleys (Cymoedd De Cymru are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western The Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog is a Mountain range located in the south-east of Wales. A new town, planned community or planned city is a City, Town, or Community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Neath (Castell-nedd is a Town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. Anthracite ( Greek Ανθρακίτης literally "a type of coal" from Anthrax, coal is a hard compact variety of mineral Coal that has a high From the 1840s coal mining spread to the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys. Events and trends Technology First use of General anesthesia in an operation by Crawford Long. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Aberdare (Aberdâr is an industrial Town in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, situated (as the name implies at the Rhondda ('rɒnðɘ or Rhondda Valley ( Welsh: Cwm Rhondda) is a former coal-mining valley in Wales, consisting of 16 communities built around ^[56] This led to a rapid increase in the population of these areas. ^[57]

The social effects of industrialisation led to bitter social conflict between the Welsh workers and the English factory owners. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one During the 1830s there were two armed uprisings, in Merthyr Tydfil in 1831,^[58] and the Chartist uprising in Newport in 1839, led by John Frost. Events and trends Electromagnetic induction discovered by Michael Faraday. Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a For chartism in financial markets see Technical analysis, and for the British socialist journal see Chartist (magazine Chartism was Newport (Casnewydd is a city and principal area in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common John Frost ( 25 May 1784, Newport Monmouthshire — 27 July 1877, Stapleton Bristol) was a prominent leader of the ^[59] The Rebecca Riots, which took place between 1839 and 1844 in South Wales and Mid Wales were rural in origin. The Rebecca Riots took place between 1839 and 1844 in South Wales and Mid Wales. Year 1844 ( MDCCCXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales Mid Wales (Canolbarth Cymru or simply Y Canolbarth "The Midlands" is the name given to the area of Wales lying between North and South Wales Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time They were a protest not only against the high tolls which had to be paid on the local Turnpike roads but against rural deprivation. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards ^[60]

Partly as a result of these disturbances, a government enquiry was carried out into the state of education in Wales. The enquiry was carried out by three English commissioners who spoke no Welsh and relied on information from witnesses, many of them Anglican clergymen. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Their report, published in 1847 as Reports of the commissioners of enquiry into the state of education in Wales concluded that the Welsh were ignorant, lazy and immoral, and that this was caused by the Welsh language and nonconformity. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Nonconformism is the refusal to conform to common standards conventions rules customs traditions norms or laws This resulted in a furious reaction in Wales, where the affair was named the Treachery of the Blue Books. The Treachery of the Blue Books or Treason of the Blue Books (Brad y Llyfrau Gleision was the name given in Wales to the Reports of the commissioners of enquiry ^[61]

Socialism gained ground rapidly in the industrial areas of South Wales in the latter part of the century, accompanied by the increasing politicisation of religious Nonconformism. Nonconformism is the refusal to conform to common standards conventions rules customs traditions norms or laws The first Labour MP, Keir Hardie, was elected as junior member for the Welsh constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare in 1900. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the James Keir Hardie (15 August 1856 - 26 September 1915 was a Scottish Socialist and labour leader and was the first independent labour Member of Parliament Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover Aberdare (Aberdâr is an industrial Town in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales, situated (as the name implies at the Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar ^[62] In common with many European nations, the first movements for national autonomy began in the 1880s and 1890s with the formation of Cymru Fydd, led by Liberal Party politicians such as T. E. Ellis and David Lloyd George. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of Electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the " Mauve Decade" because William Henry Perkin 's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that The Cymru Fydd movement was founded in 1886 by some of the London Welsh, including J Thomas Edward Ellis ( 16 February 1859 &ndash 5 April 1899) usually known as T David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only ^[63]

Another movement which gained strength during the 1880s was the campaign for disestablishment. Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of Electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially Many felt that since Wales was now largely nonconformist in religion, it was inappropriate that the Church of England should be the established church in Wales. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The campaign continued until the end of the century and beyond, with the passing of the Welsh Church Act 1914, which did not come into operation until 1920, after the end of the First World War. The Welsh Church Act 1914 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom under which the Welsh part of the Church of England was separated Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[64]

The 19th century brought about a large increase in population as Wales, like the rest of the UK, largely attributable to high birth rates. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In 1801 just over 587,000 people lived in Wales; by 1901, this had increased to over 2,012,000. Year 1801 ( MDCCCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Tuesday Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting ^[65] The most significant rises in population occurred in industrial counties - Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire. Formation The present principal area was formed on April 1, 1996, under the Local Government (Wales Act 1994, from various parts of the county History The current administrative area of Flintshire (a Unitary authority) came into existence in 1996 when the former Administrative county of Clwyd Ancient county See also Monmouthshire (historic The ancient county of Monmouthshire was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales Glamorgan or Glamorganshire (Morgannwg is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. The century witnessed a transition from a society that was predominantly rural (around 80% lived outside urban settlements in 1800) to a largely urbanised, industrial society (in 1911, only 20% lived in non-urban areas).

The 20th century

In the early part of the century Wales still largely supported the Liberal Party, particularly when David Lloyd George became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the First World War. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All However the Labour Party was steadily gaining ground, and in the years after the Great War replaced the Liberals as the dominant party in Wales, particularly in the industrial valleys of South Wales. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales ^[66]

Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 but initially its growth was slow and it gained few votes at parliamentary elections. Plaid Cymru (plaɪd ˈkəmri The Party of Wales often referred to simply as Plaid) is a Political party in Wales. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[67] In 1936 an RAF training camp and aerodrome at Penyberth near Pwllheli was burnt by three members of Plaid Cymru – Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine, and D. J. Williams. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Penyberth was a farmhouse at Penrhos, on the Llŷn Peninsula near Pwllheli, Gwynedd, which had been the home to generations of patrons of Pwllheli is the main Market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. Plaid Cymru (plaɪd ˈkəmri The Party of Wales often referred to simply as Plaid) is a Political party in Wales. Saunders Lewis (John Saunders Lewis ( October 15, 1893 - September 1, 1985) was a Welsh Poet, Dramatist, Lewis Edward Valentine ( June 1, 1893 -March 1986 was a Welsh politician Baptist pastor author editor and Welsh language activist Genos Derwin Williams Jr (born July 20, 1982 in Sacramento California) colloquially named D This was a protest not only against the construction of the training camp, known as "the bombing school" but also against the destruction of the historic house of Penyberth to make room for it. This action and the subsequent imprisonment of the three perpetrators considerably raised the profile of Plaid Cymru, at least in the Welsh-speaking areas. ^[68]

The period following the Second World War saw a decline in several of the traditional industries, in particular the coal industry. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The numbers employed in the South Wales coalfield, which at its peak around 1913 employed over 250,000 men, fell to around 75,000 in the mid 1960s and 30,000 in 1979. The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of South Wales that is rich with Coal deposits Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) ^[69] This period also saw the Aberfan disaster in 1966, when a tip of coal slurry slid down to engulf a school with 144 dead, most of them children. Aberfan (aˈbɛrvan is a small Village five miles (8 km south of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ^[70] By the early 1990s there was only one deep pit still working in Wales. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 There was a similar decline in the steel industry, and the Welsh economy, like that of other developed societies, became increasingly based on the expanding service sector. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0

Wales was officially de-annexed from England within the United Kingdom in 1955, with the term "England" being replaced with "England and Wales", and Cardiff was proclaimed as the capital city of Wales. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) History The Roman occupation of Britain was the first period in which the area of present-day England and Wales was administered as a single unit (with the exception Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. ^[71] Nationalism only became a major issue during the second half of the twentieth century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on In 1962 Saunders Lewis gave a radio talk entitled Tynged yr iaith (The fate of the language) in which he predicted the extinction of the Welsh language unless action was taken. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. "Tynged yr Iaith" (meaning "The fate of the language" was a radio lecture delivered in Welsh by Saunders Lewis on February 13, This led to the formation of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) the same year. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society often abbreviated to Cymdeithas or Cymdeithas yr Iaith) is a Pressure group in ^[72] Nationalism grew particularly following the flooding of the Tryweryn valley in 1965, drowning the village of Capel Celyn to create a reservoir supplying water to Liverpool. Capel Celyn (Holly Chapel was a rural community to the north west of Bala in north Wales, in the Afon Tryweryn Valley that was flooded to create a Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary In 1966 Gwynfor Evans won the Carmarthen seat for Plaid Cymru at a by-election, their first Parliamentary seat. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Dr Richard Gwynfor Evans ( 1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician lawyer and author Plaid Cymru (plaɪd ˈkəmri The Party of Wales often referred to simply as Plaid) is a Political party in Wales. ^[73]

Another response to the flooding of Capel Celyn was the formation of groups such as the Free Wales Army and Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (MAC - Welsh Defence Movement). The Free Wales Army (Byddin Rhyddid Cymru was a Paramilitary Welsh nationalist organisation formed out of Lampeter, Mid Wales, by William Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (Welsh Defence Movement abbreviated as MAC, was a Paramilitary Welsh nationalist organisation modelled to some degree on the In the years leading up to the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, these groups were responsible for a number of bomb blasts destroying water pipes and tax and other offices. Prince of Wales (Tywysog Cymru is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom (and formerly the Kingdom Two members of MAC, George Taylor and Alwyn Jones, the "Abergele Martyrs", were killed by a home made bomb at Abergele the day before the investiture ceremony. Abergele is an old Roman trading Town, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and

Plaid Cymru made gains in the two General Elections held in 1974, winning three seats. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. There was increased support for devolution within the Labour party and a Devolution Bill was introduced in late 1976. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[74] However a referendum on the creation of an assembly for Wales in 1979 led to a large majority for the "no" vote. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) ^[75] The new Conservative government elected in the 1979 General Election had pledged to establish a Welsh-language television channel, but announced in September 1979 that it would not honour this pledge. This led to a campaign of non-payment of television licences by members of Plaid Cymru and an announcement by Gwynfor Evans in 1980 that he would fast unto death if a Welsh language channel was not established. Dr Richard Gwynfor Evans ( 1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician lawyer and author Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic In September 1980 the government announced that the channel would after all be set up, and S4C was launched in November 1982. S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru meaning Channel Four Wales) is a television channel in Wales ^[76] The Welsh Language Act 1993 gave the Welsh language equal status with English in Wales with regard to the public sector. The Welsh Language Act 1993 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which put the Welsh language on an equal footing with the English Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic ^[77]

In May 1997, a Labour government was elected with a promise of creating devolved institutions in Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. In late 1997 a referendum was held on the issue which resulted a "yes" vote, albeit by a narrow majority. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar ^[78] The Welsh Assembly was set up in 1999 (as a consequence of the Government of Wales Act 1998) and possesses the power to determine how the government budget for Wales is spent and administered. The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government.

Over the course of the 20th century, the population of Wales increased from just over 2,012,000 in 1901 to 2. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on 9 million in 2001, but the process was not linear - 430,000 people left Wales between 1921 and 1940 largely owing to the economic depression of the 1930s. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. ^[79] English in-migration became a major factor from the first decade of the 20th century, when there was net gain of 100,000 people from England. In this era, most incomers settled in the expanding industrial areas, contributing to a partial Anglicisation of some parts of south and east Wales. Anglicisation or anglicization (see -ise vs -ize) is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English The proportion of the Welsh population able to speak the Welsh language fell from just under 50% in 1901 to 43. 5% in 1911, and continued to fall to a low of 18. 9% in 1981. Over the century there has also been a marked increase in the proportion of the population born outside Wales; at the time of the 2001 Census 20% of Welsh residents were born in England, 2% were born in Scotland or Ireland, and 3% were born outside the UK. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world ^[80] Whereas most incomers settled in industrial districts in the early 1900s, by the 1990s the highest proportions of people born outside Wales were found in Ceredigion, Powys, Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire. Geography List of places in CeredigionCeredigion is a coastal county bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west Gwynedd to the north Powys to the east This article is about the county of Wales For the ancient kingdom see Kingdom of Powys. Conwy (formerly Conway in English is a Town in Conwy county borough on the north coast of Wales, which faces Deganwy across Formation The present principal area was formed on April 1, 1996, under the Local Government (Wales Act 1994, from various parts of the county History The current administrative area of Flintshire (a Unitary authority) came into existence in 1996 when the former Administrative county of Clwyd

The 21st century

The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay

The results of the 2001 Census showed an increase in the number of Welsh speakers to 21% of the population aged 3 and over, compared with 18. Wales Millennium Centre (Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru which also has a nickname locally as The Armadillo, is a centre for the Performing arts located in the Cardiff Bay (Bae Caerdydd is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, Wales. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population 7% in 1991 and 19. 0% in 1981. This compares with a pattern of steady decline indicated by census results during the 20th century. ^[81]

In Cardiff the Millennium Stadium, opened in 1999,^[82] was followed by the Wales Millennium Centre opened in 2004 as a centre for cultural events, notably opera. The Millennium Stadium (Stadiwm y Mileniwm is the National stadium of Wales, located in the capital Cardiff. Wales Millennium Centre (Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru which also has a nickname locally as The Armadillo, is a centre for the Performing arts located in the The new Welsh Assembly building, to be known as the Senedd, was completed in February 2006 and officially opened on St. David's Day that year. The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. Saint David's Day ( Welsh: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi) is the feast day of Saint David, the Patron saint of Wales, and falls on ^[83]

In 2006 the Government of Wales Act gained Royal Assent meaning that from May 2007 the Queen would have the new legal identity of 'Her Majesty in Right of Wales' and would for the first time appoint Welsh Ministers and sign Welsh Orders in Council. The granting of Royal Assent is the formal method by which a constitutional monarch completes the legislative process of Lawmaking by formally assenting to an It also made provision for a future referendum to ask the Welsh people if they would like the Welsh Assembly to gain the power to pass primary legislation e. g. to make true Welsh laws.

Notes

References

• Barry Cunliffe (1987) Iron Age communities in Britain' (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 2nd ed) ISBN 0-7100-8725-X

• John Davies, (1994) A History of Wales (Penguin Books) ISBN 0-14-014581-8

• R. R. Davies (1987) Conquest, coexistemce and change: Wales 1063-1415 (Clarendon Press, University of Wales Press) ISBN 0-19-821732-3

• Glanmor Williams (1987) Recovery, reorientation and reformation: Wales c. 1415-1642 (Clarendon Press, University of Wales Press) ISBN 0-19-821733-1

• Geraint H. Jenkins (1987) The foundations of modern Wales, 1642-1780 (Clarendon Press, University of Wales Press) ISBN 0-19-821734-X

• Kenneth O. Morgan (1981) Rebirth of a nation: Wales 1880-1980 (Oxford University Press, University of Wales Press) ISBN 0-19-821736-6

• John Edward Lloyd (1911) A history of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest (Longmans, Green & Co. )

• Frances Lynch (1995) Gwynedd (A guide to ancient and historic Wales series) (HMSO) ISBN 0-11-701574-1

• Frances Lynch (1970) Prehistoric Anglesey: the archaeology of the island to the Roman conquest (Anglesey Antiquarian Society)

• Kari Maund (2006) The Welsh kings: warriors, warlords and princes (Tempus) ISBN 0-7524-2973-6

• David Moore (2005) The Welsh wars of independence: c. 410-c. 1415 (Tempus) ISBN 0-7524-3321-0

• David Stephenson (1984) The governance of Gwynedd (University of Wales Press) ISBN 0-7083-0850-3

• Gwyn A. Williams (1985) When was Wales?: a history of the Welsh (Black Raven Press) ISBN 0-85159-003-9

• Remfry, P. M. (2003) A Political Chronology of Wales, 1066 to 1282 (ISBN 1-899376-75-5)

• Brut y Tywysogyon or The Chronicle of the Princes. Peniarth Ms. 20 version, ed. and trans. T. Jones [Cardiff, 1952]

• Annales Cambriae. A Translation of Harleian 3859; PRO E. 164/1; Cottonian Domitian, A 1; Exeter Cathedral Library MS. 3514 and MS Exchequer DB Neath, PRO E (ISBN 1-899376-81-X)

See also

• British military history
• History of the United Kingdom
• Welsh People

External links

• BBC History - Wales
• A Short History of Wales
• Welsh History - National Grid for Learning
• Info Britain - Wales