The welsh historic time line
Prehistoric Times: In prehistoric times, Wales, like the rest of these islands, was populated by a succession of immigrants and invaders from the mainland of Europe.
450BC Celtic Iron age: Immigrants of the Celtic Iron Age established the first culture that is thought of as being distinctly “Welsh”. The Celtic tribes dominated large parts of the language, literature, legends and metalware found in Wales, Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany.
1-1100AD Romans, Saxons, Vikings & Normans: From the first to the eleventh century AD, Wales felt the impact of invasions to these islands from the Romans, Saxons, Vikings and Normans. Wales was under Roman control by 78 AD and the remnants of their roads and culture are still to be seen at Caerleon and Caernarfon. By the sixth century Christianity was established. The Celtic speakers of Wales were cut off from their fellow Celtic speakers by the Battle of Deorham in 577 and the Battle of Chester in 615. The following two centuries were largely filled with struggles against the “English”.
c.784AD Offa’s Dyke: King Offa of Mercia constructed Offa’s Dyke c. 784, marking the border between the territories of the Mercians and those of the Welsh; it gave Wales, for the first time in its history, a clear, defined eastern boundary. In the 11th century, the Normans established earldoms on the Welsh border. All this time, Wales was ruled by areas under the control of various Princes, often in conflict with each other. There was a measure of unity only when a strong Prince took control or when they joined forces to defend themselves against the English.
1282 Edward I & the Princes of Wales: In 1282, Edward I of England defeated and killed Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last of the native Welsh princes. Today Cilmeri, where he was killed, is a place of pilgrimage for those who respect the independence of the Welsh. The King placed Wales under the same laws as England for the most part and his son, Edward II, who was born in North Wales, was made Prince of Wales in Caernarfon in 1301, since when, the elder son of the sovereign has usually been given this title. Prince Charles was made Prince of Wales in 1969.
1400-1408 Owain Glyndwr: At the beginning of the 15th century Owain Glyndwr, virtual ruler of Wales between 1400 and 1408, attempted to unify the people, arrange a parliament at Machynlleth and engage Welsh officials and bishops; he wished to establish two universities – one in the north and another in the south. But his rule and power gradually diminished though his name has remained a source of inspiration to the Welsh. By the end of the century, the English throne passed to the Tudors, descended from Cadwaladr, the 7th century Welsh Prince, paving the way to the union of England and Wales.
1485 Henry Tudor: Henry Tudor was crowned King of England in 1485 and his son Henry VIII initiated the Act of Union in 1536 bringing Wales into line administratively, politically and legally with England, with representatives in the English parliament and English becoming the official language of the court. Union or not, the differences between the Welsh and the English remained. The established Church of England was not accepted, and nonconformity took a firm hold in Wales which later became a stronghold of Methodism.
1850-1900 The Industrial Revolution: During the Industrial Revolution, Welsh coal, iron and steel became of major importance to the British economy and a large labour force arrived from England and Ireland. After the First World War (1914-1918), the major sources of employment – agriculture, coal, steel, tinplate and slate, all began to decline and many Welshmen left Wales for England and overseas. There was an enormous drop in the population of Wales in the 1920′s and 1930′s.
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