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| 100 BC; The Iron Age The Iron Age had arrived in what is now Wales, its people living in large hill forts for protection, farmed and worked copper mines. Many of these hill forts remain in Wales, and were still occupied during the Roman invasions in the first century AD. 500-100 BC; The Celts Arrive This was around the time that the Celtic languages arrived in Britain, The Greeks called them Keltoi, and they were known as the Celtai by the Romans. Despite their fierceness in battle, their lack of political togetherness led to their defeat by the Romans in Europe. But in Britain the Celts kept their language and customs which today is known as Welsh. Languages related to Welsh are Cornish and Breton (Brythonic), Irish, Scots, Gaelic, and Manx (Goidelic). This is also around the time new religions came to Britain, such as the Druids, although their religion persued the art of war, horsemanship and feasting, they were also the leaders in learning and tradition, and oversaw the festivals and rituals that worshipped local deities, and as a consequence were the first target for the Romans, who considered them a real threat to their own teachings. And as such were persued mercilessly. The Roman historian Tacitus described them as being "ranged in order, with their hands uplifted, invoking gods and pouring forth horrible imprecations". 43-383 AD; Roman Britain The invasion of the British Isles by the Romans took place in 55 BC, by Julius Caesar, and maybe with the Celts in mind wrote "All the Britons paint themselves wih woad, which gives their skin a bluish color and makes look very dreadful in battle". The resistance of the tribes in Wales meant that two out of the three Roman legions stationed in Britain were on the Welsh borders. Although invaded, Britain (Britannia) was not permanently settled until Emperor Claudius took over the reins a hundred years later. It was not long before a number of large prosperous villas were established all over Britain, Mountinous Wales and Scotland were not so easily subjucated, and remained a no go area for Roman settlements unless within fortified areas and military garrisons, which were set up to protect the many copper, tin and gold mines that abound in Wales. Although never truly taken over by the Romans, Visitors to Wales can see evidence of their occupation not just by the remains of their forts etc, but by the many place names that remain, eglwys (church), pysgod (fish), perygl (danger), pont (bridge), ffenest (window), which all have Latin origins. 400-600; The Saxon Invasions Britain was unoccupied by the Romans when the city of Rome fell to the Goths, Westward expansion by the Saxons was possibly halted by the Battle of Mount Badon, which took place in 516. Three hundred years of fighting between the Celts and the Germanic people ended with Britain having three distinct areas, the Britonic west, the Teutonic east and the Gaelic north, (Wales, England and Scotland). Ireland remained Gaelic. 400-600; The Saints The Celtic church was still strong in Wales, and led to many saints, David, the patron saint of Wales, was not adopted until the 18th century, when his birthdate, March 1st was chosen as a national holiday. Other saints are Padarn, Dyfrig, Illtud, Teilo and many more. If you have ever visited Wales and wondered why so many places start with Llan then its because Llan signifies a church settlement. 615-768; The split of the Brythonic Kingdoms,The death of Cadwaladr The English gained control over much of Southern Britain. And the defeat of the Welsh at Dyrham in 577 seperated them from their fellow countrymen in the Southwest, and the Battle of Chester in 615 did the same for their contacts in the North. Although now on their own, it meant they would now develop as a seperate cultural and linguistic group from the rest of Britain. Welsh was a word used by the Saxons meaning the native population they considered "foreign" or who had been "Romanised", Todays Welsh call the English "Sais"(Saxons). Cadwaladr was the son of Cadwallon of Gwynedd, and his death was the end of any hopes of the Britons regaining their ancient kingdoms on the mainland. Wales would have to wait for the Tudors to re-establish any claim to the throne of Britain. The Red Dragon of Cadwaladr was carried by Henry Tudor in his defeat of Richard III in 1485. 784; The King of Mercia The building of Offa`s Dyke may have been the single most important event in the survival of the Welsh nation. And became a permanent boundry between the Welsh and English people. But today Welsh people live east of the 240 kilometre long embankment at towns such as Oswestry, and the English on the western side such as Flint. 844-877; Rhodri the Great Rhodri ap Merfyn bacame King Gwynedd in 844, and at the time of his death in 877, had united most of Wales. Rhodri restricted Danish occupation of Wales by killing the Viking leader Horme, although a few trading posts and ports remained, Norse names include Llandudno(the Great Orme), and Swansea(Sweyn`sEy). 1039-1063;The reign of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn The only Welsh ruler to unite the ancient kingdoms of Wales was Gruffudd ap Llewelyn, He defeated an army of Mercians and secured his borders by creating an alliance with English rulers, bringing peace to Wales for a quarter of a century. 1066-77; The Normans After the defeat of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings William of Normandy established the Marcher Lordships on the borders of Wales, to avoid getting involved west of Offa`s Dyke, The Lords are responsible for many of the magnificent castles that dot the Welsh landscape. 1284-1409AD; The Statute of Wales Edward made his son Lord Edward "Prince of Wales and Count of Chester" in 1300, and ever since these titles have been given to the first born son of the English Monarch. 1294-1400;Owain Glyndwr After the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, other Welsh leaders rebelled. Including Madog ap Llywelyn(who called himself Prince of Wales), Llywelyn Bren, Lord of Senghenydd and Owain Lawgoch. Restoring his peoples rule over Britain was considered Owain Glyndwr`s destiny. Owain had himself declared Prince of Wales at Machynlleth, where he summoned a parliment and was promised aid from France, Scotland and Castile, to help the Welsh independence movement. 1404-1409; The Charter of Brecon Victory left the Welsh armies when young Prince Henry (later Henry V) retook most of the lands captured by Glyndwr, and brought in new laws which stated "The liberties of Brecon shall be restricted to those whom we deem to be Englishmen and to such their heirs as are English on both their mothers and their fathers side." 1450-1571 AD; Following the failure of Owain Glyndwr, the mid 15th century was a sad time for Wales. There was a return to phopetic poetry, calling for an overthrow of the hated Saxon overlords. 1485;The War of the Roses The war of the Roses was fought in August 1485 at Market Bosworth in England, Henry Tudor was of Welsh descent. Owain Tudor of Anglesey had secretly married Catherine, widow of Henry V. One son was Edmund Tudor, who fathered Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII of England. Henry ascended to the English throne, fullfilling the old Welsh prophesies that one day a Welsh monarch would rule the whole of Britain. |
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