Figure 1.--Carnarvon Castle is deeply embedded in Welsh and English history. The town of Carnarvon itself is located along the Menai Straits, near the Roman station of Segontium. It was on Watling Street connecting Chester and London. The Battle of Waatling decided the fate of Britain was fought near Carnarvon. A fortress appears t have been built here during the struggle between the Britons and Anglo-Saxons. Edward I conquered Wales and ordered a fortress built at Carnarvon (1283). It was one of a series of castles the Ebnglish built in Wales to seal their domination of the principality. Edward II was born at Carnarvon Castle (1284). He was the first Prince of Wales. The Castle changed hands several times durng the Civil War. General Mytton finally tool the Castle for Parliament (1646).

The earliest population of Wales as the rest of Britain appaer to have been of non-Caucasic ancesty. They were absorbed or displaced by the Celts,for centuries the dominant civilization in Europe north of Greece and Rome. The Gaelic Celts were probably the first to populate Britain. Wales and other areas of Britain were was also occupied by the Cymric and Brythonic Celts. By the time the Romans first appeared (55 BC), the Welsh tribes were a mixture of the primitive native Iberians and invading Celts and referred to themselves as Cymry. The Romans after a protracted struggle finally subjected the Welsh during the rule of Emperor Vespasian. During three centuries, the Romans largely Romanized the Celtic period of Britain. Here the historical evidence is limited and there were likely considerable regional differences. After the withdrawl of the Romans, Britain was invaded by Anglo-Saxon tribes. Romanized Celts moved west fleeing the Anglo-Saxons. Some moved into Cornwall and even Britanity accross the Channel. Others moved north into Scotland. Still others sought refuge in the rugged Welsh mointains and gradually merged with resident Celts there. The rugged territory helped the Celts maintain their independence in several Welsh principalities, including Gwynedd, Gwent, Dyved, and Powys. It is at this time that the legends of King Arthur begin to appear and involve the resistance of the Romized Celts to the Germanic Anglo-Saxons. The question arizes as who were the true Britains. As the Saxons gradualy prevailed except in the extrenes western areas like Cornwall and Wales, they came to see themselves as the trur Britons and the Welsh as foreigners. The term Welsh is actually a name given the Welsh meaning essentially foreigners. Wales was conquuered by the English in the 12th and 13th centuries and Welsh political independence largely extinguished. The imposing Norman castles encircling Wales are a momument to the totality of the English onslaught. The conquest of Ireland and Scotland was much more recent and never as thorough as the subgegation of Wales. Interestingly, the Welsh appear to have held on to their language more successfully than the Irish and Scottish, suggesting a cultural resistance to English rule. Of course the fact that Wales was closer to England than Scotland and Ireland made the Welsh more vulnerable.

The Celts

The earliest population of Wales as the rest of Britain appaer to have been of non-Caucasic ancesty. They were absorbed or displaced by the Celts,for centuries the dominant civilization in Europe north of Greece and Rome. The Gaelic Celts were probably the first to populate Britain. Wales and other areas of Britain were was also occupied by the Cymric and Brythonic Celts. By the time the Romans first appeared (55 BC), the Welsh tribes were a mixture of the primitive native Iberians and invading Celts and referred to themselves as Cymry.

Romans and Anglo-Saxons

The Romans after a protracted struggle finally subjected the Welsh during the rule of Emperor Vespasian. During three centuries, the Romans largely Romanized the Celtic period of Britain. Here the historical evidence is limited and there were likely considerable regional differences.

Anglo-Saxons

After the withdrawl of the Romans, Britain was invaded by Anglo-Saxon tribes. Romanized Celts moved west fleeing the Anglo-Saxons. Some moved into Cornwall and even Britanity accross the Channel. Others moved north into Scotland. Still others sought refuge in the rugged Welsh mointains and gradually merged with resident Celts there. The rugged territory helped the Celts maintain their independence in several Welsh principalities, including Gwynedd, Gwent, Dyved, and Powys. It is at this time that the legends of King Arthur begin to appear and involve the resistance of the Romized Celts to the Germanic Anglo-Saxons. The question arizes as who were the true Britains. As the Saxons gradualy prevailed except in the extrenes western areas like Cornwall and Wales, they came to see themselves as the trur Britons and the Welsh as foreigners. The term Welsh is actually a name given the Welsh meaning essentially foreigners.

Normans

It is the Normans that are generally credited with conquering Wales. In fact the English conquest began with King Harold, son of Godwin. Harold's army overran Wales, defeating Llewellyn ap Griffith, king of Gwynedd (1062-64). Harold of course was defeated and killed at Hastings by William the Conquerer (1066). After securing his authority over the Saxons, William looked west at Wales. There was no single Welsh nation, but a number of Welsh principalities. The Welsh were largely the descebndents of the Romanized Celtic people that have been driven west by the Anglo Saxon invaders following the Roman withdrawl from Britain. William then forced the Welsh princes to recognize his sovereignity. This was, however, a far cry from obtaining control over Wales. Welsh raiding parties throughout the 11th century raided English border communities. The Norman English kings in response created feudal lordships in the border area--referred to as the lords of the marchers. The marchers were difficult for the English kings to control, but did hold the Welsh in check. Conflict continued, however, between the English monarchy and its Welsh subjects. The Welsh defeated Henry I in 1136, but his son Henry II resestablish homage to the English crown. Prince Llewellyn of North Wales aupported Simon de Montfort in his effoirt to seize the English crown from Henry III, but when this failed had to submit to Henry. Prince Llewellyn refused after Henry's death to pay homage to the English crown and the new king Edward I invaded Wales. He forced Prince Llewellynn at Rhuddian to submit to humiliating terms, including the surrender of eastern lands and an annual acknowledgment of fealty.

English Conquest

Wales was finally conquered by the English in 1282 following a rebellion by Prince Llywelyn who was defeated and killed. Hus brother David continued the fight, but was captured and beheaded in 1283. King Edward I then conferred on his son Edwardn (who was bnorn in Caernarvon) the title of Prince of Wales. It was not until Edward III when in 1343 he invested his son, the Black Prince, Prince of Wales that the title has been assigned to the ekdest son of the reigning monarch.) It took the English until the beginning of the 15th century to completely subdue the country. (A Welsh reader adds, "Whereas Ireland was taken over quite quickly, and Scotland was bribed into joining the union, the Welsh fought for over a century against it.") The impressive Norman castles which surround Wales were put in place to keep the Welsh in check, and to force the Welsh to be involuntary subjects to a foreign crown. The imposing Norman castles encircling Wales seem a momument to the totality of the English onslaught, although the Welsh view them differently. A Welsh reader writes, " In your introduction you state that the Welsh were conquered during the thirteenth century. It was however after a long struggle which lasted over quarter of a millennium. The Normans, however, conquered England within 6 years. Edward I build a chain of massive castles around the North of Wales and bankrupted himself in the process. Far from being "a monument of the totality of the English Conquest" these huge fortresses are seen by many Welsh people as symbols of Welsh resistance." [Richards] The English onslaught was not total. Vast swathes of Wales were under the actual control of Welsh Princes. A national spirit was kept alive by the bards and their songs the English found highly objectionable. were The Principality (north and west Wales, remained largely independent until the Acts of Union. Although it was oppressed by the English Border town, it had its own laws and some historians maintain that 95 of the population spoke only Welsh. Owain Glyndwr organized a revolt after Henry IV seized the English crown. Glyndwr's revolt by 1402 has reached serious proportions and managed to re-captured most of what is today referred to as Wales. The revolt was not suppressed until Glyndwr died about 1415. The Welsh than submitted to Henry IV, many regarding hom as a countryman. Glyndwr's rebellion was the last Welsh natiinal rising. Wales was subjected to the Act of Union of 1536 and 1543. Umder the Act of Union, the people of Wales were accorded all the rights and privliges as English subjects. The Welsh after the English conquest in the 13th century play a limited role in British history as a idenifiable people. It should be rembered, however, that supressing the welsh was an extremely expensive operation--both amassing armies and building casteles. When one considers that the development of democracy in England was largely the result of a monarchy needing money having to make concessions to parliament, in effect ceeding any pretense of absolute authority. One of the reasons the English monarchy needed money was the resistance of the Welsh people.

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Created: 11:49 PM 2/1/2008
Last updated: 11:49 PM 2/1/2008