A Short History of Wales

by Sir Owen Morgan Edwards

1. The Iberians—a general name for the short dark people who still form the greater part of the nations. They had stone weapons, and lived in tribes; they became subject to later invaders, but gradually became free. Their language is lost.

2. The Celts—a tall fair-haired race, speaking an Aryan tongue. It was their migration that was stopped by the rise of Rome. Four groups of mountains, four nations (Celtic and Iberian), four mediæval kingdoms, and four modern dioceses can be remembered thus:

i.	Snowdonia	Decangi	Gwynedd	Bangor
ii.	Berwyn	Ordovices	Powys	St Asaph
iii.	Plinlimmon	Demetae	Dyved	St David’s
iv.	Black Mountains	Silures	Morgannwg	Llandaff

3. The Romans. They made roads, built cities, worked mines.

50–78.	The Conquest. The Silures were defeated in 50, the Decangi in 58, the Ordovices in 78.
80–200.	The Settlement. Wales part of a Roman province including Chester and York.
200–450.	The struggle against the new wandering nations. The introduction of Christianity.
450–	The House of Cunedda represents Roman rule.

4. The English.

577.	Battle of Deorham. Wales separated from Cornwall.
613.	Battle of Chester. Wales separated from Cumbria.

I. THE WALES OF THE PRINCES

Isolated after the battles of Deorham and Chester, mediæval Wales begins to make its own history. The House of Cunedda represents unity, the other princes represent independence. English, Danish, Norman attacks from without.

1.	613–1063.	The struggle between the Welsh princes and the Englishprovincial kings. From the battle of Chester to thefall of Griffith ap Llywelyn.
	(a) Between Wales andNorthumbria, 613–700; for the sovereignty of thenorth. Cadwallon, Cadwaladr v. Edwin, Oswald, Oswiu.
	(b) Between Wales and Mercia,700–815; for the valley of the Severn. RhodriMolwynog and his sons v. Ethelbald and Offa.
	(c) Between Wales and the Danes,815–1000. Rhodri the Great and Howel the Good.
	(d) Between Wales and Wessex,1000–1063; for political influence. Griffith apLlywelyn v. Harold.
2.	1063–1284.	The struggle between the Welsh princes and the centralEnglish kings.
(a)	1066–1137.	The Norman Conquest. Norman barons v.Griffith ap Conan and Griffith ap Rees.
	1063.	Bleddyn of Powys tries to unite Wales.
	1070.	William the Conqueror at Chester. Advance of Normanbarons from Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Gloucester.
	1075.	Death of Bleddyn; succeeded by Trahaiarn.
	1077.	Battle of Mynydd Carn. Restoration of House ofCunedda—Griffith ap Conan in the north; Rees, followed byhis son Griffith, in the south.
	1094.	Norman castles dominate Powys, Gwent, Morgannwg, andDyved. Gwynedd and Deheubarth threatened.
	1137.	Death of Griffith ap Conan and Griffith ap Rees, aftersetting bounds to the Norman Conquest.
(b)	1137–1197.	The struggle against Henry II. and his sons.
	1137.	The accession of Owen Gwynedd and of the Lord Rees of theDeheubarth.
	1157.	Henry II. interferes in the quarrel of Owen andCadwaladr.
	1564.	The Cistercians at Strata Florida.
	1164.	Meeting of Owen Gwynedd, the Lord Rees, and Owen Cyveiliogat Corwen, to oppose Henry II.
	1170.	Death of Owen Gwynedd.
	1188.	Preaching of the Crusades in Wales.
	1189.	Death of Henry II.
	1197.	Death of the Lord Rees.
(c)	1194–1240.	The reign of Llywelyn the Great.
	1194–1201.	Securing the crown of Gwynedd.
	1201–1208.	Alliance with King John.
	1208–1212.	War with John.
	1212–1218.	Alliance with barons of Magna Carta.
	1218–1226.	Struggle with the Marshalls of Pembroke.
	1226–1240.	Unity of Wales: alliance with Marshalls.
(d)	1240–1284.	The Wars of Independence.
	1241.	David II. does homage to Henry III.
	1244.	Death of Griffith, in trying to escape from the Tower ofLondon.
	1245.	Fierce fighting on the Conway.
	1254.	Edward (afterwards Edward I.) Earl of Chester.
	1255.	Llywelyn ap Griffith supreme in Gwynedd.
	1263.	Alliance with the English barons.
	1267.	Treaty of Montgomery; Llywelyn Prince of Wales.
	1274.	Llywelyn refuses to do homage to Edward I.
	1277.	Treaty of Rhuddlan; Llywelyn keeps Gwynedd only.
	1278.	Llywelyn marries Eleanor de Montfort.
	1282.	Last war. Battle of Moel y Don. Llywelyn’s death.
	1284.	Statute of Wales.
3.	1284–1535.	The rule of sheriff and march lord.
	1287.	Revolt of Ceredigion.
	1294.	Revolts In Gwynedd, Dyved, Morgannwg.
	1315.	Revolt of Llywelyn Bren.
	1349.	The Black Death in Wales.
	1400.	Rise of Owen Glendower.
	1402.	Battles of the Vyrnwy and Bryn Glas.
	1404.	Anti-Welsh legislation.
	1455.	The Wars of the Roses.
	1461.	Battle of Mortimer’s Cross.
	1468.	Siege of Harlech.
	1469.	Battle of Edgecote.
	1478.	Court of Wales at Ludlow.
	1485.	Battle of Bosworth and accession of Henry VII.
	1535.	Act of Union. All Wales governed by king throughsheriffs.