757AD King of English Mercia,Offa,builds his defensive earthwork to keep out the Welsh tribes.English tribal borders begin to shape the basis of a new country of England from the Kingdoms of Mercia Northumbria and Wessex.

851AD Vikings begin raids on the island of Britain from Denmark.

856AD The Welsh King Rhodri The Great unites the tribes and defeats the raiders,killing
Gorm the Norse leader on Anglesey island.He leads the Welsh until his death fighting the English of Mercia,when Wales was again split into three separate regions each with their own leaders who fight local wars.(Although England was invaded to become a Norse Kingdom living under `Dane-Law`,Wales held its borders and remained a free land.)

878AD King Anarawed (Rhodri`s son) continues fighting against the Danes and forms an alliance with the English King Alfred The Great.
Later an army from English Mercia and Wessex,join with a mixed Welsh army including the `Men of Gwent` to eventually defeat the Danes.However,this lead to the English Kingdom of Wessex to expand and reach the borders of Wales once the Danish threat was over.

1039AD Gruffed ap LLywelyn (LLywelyn The Great*) defeats English King Leofrig of Mercia in battle at Offers Dyke earthworks.The Welsh King then proceeds to attack the other Kingdoms within Wales in an attempt to become the overall King and ruler.Eventually he unites Wales.

1063AD Harold of Wessex,determined to destroy Welsh military power,launches an invasion of Wales.Harold bribes soldiers close to Welsh King Gruffed ap LLywelyn (LLywelyn The Great*),to kill him.They accept and the Welsh Kings head is sent to Harold.

1066AD The English King (Harold of Wessex) defeat's the Danes in battle and then turns Southward to face the Norman invasion of England where he is killed at Hastings.

1067AD Norman's invade Gwent South Wales and quickly build a system of Castles for defence,under the leadership of the Knight William Fitzosbern.

1087AD William the Conqueror dies.His son William Rufus tries to subdue the Welsh with Genocide but fails.

1100AD His successor Henry I also attempts to subdue the Welsh.The brutal Marcher Lords are created on the Welsh Borders and the Norman fudal system creates increasing Castle numbers.The native Welsh tribes,who throughout their history had never created permanent towns,withdraw into their mountains,unable to defeat the Norman military.Norman's encourage immigration of English Anglo Saxons to fill the new towns and the Welsh language begins to be phased out.

1135AD Henry I dies and England area is engulfed by Civil War.The Marcher Lords side with the Empress Matilda rather than King Stephen.
The Welsh under King Gruffudd ap Cynan,along with his son Owain and son in law Prince Gruffudd ap Rhys, attack the Norman's in the North,after hearing of Hywel ap Maredudd attacks in Breconshire.Princess Gwellian,wife of Prince Gruffudd ap Rhys and daughter of Gruffudd ap Cynan,leads a small army to face the English,her army is betrayed and surrounded.The Princess and her small army fight to the death ,but she is wounded and captured along with her son Morgan, Maelgwn was killed trying to protect his mother.Princess Gwellian and her also wounded son Morgan are executed by beheading.However,with the South Welsh now also in rebellion,the Norman's retreat from most of Welsh lands.The English King, Stephen, does not have the manpower to fight in Wales,as the English Civil War escalates.

1154AD Rhys ap Gruffydd aspires to become Welsh King and increases his power in South Wales.

1165AD Welsh defeat English invasion army (with the help of a violent storm at the time of battle) after uniting under the banners of Rhys ap Gruffydd,Owain Gwynedd and Owain Cyfeiliog.The three would be Welsh Kings then vied for power and turned on each other.Wales is again divided but regain territories by 1175 after further localised battles.Tales of King Arthur and Camelot originate from around this period after the end of Norman occupation and expansion of Welsh culture.

1189AD Richard the lionheart crowned King of England.LLywelyn (I) increases power in Wales while the English King begins the third Crusade and English forces are depleted.

1199 King John succeeds to English throne.LLywelyn (I) joins the baronial revolt against the English King and wins recognition for Welsh rights in the Magna Carta.The Welsh King marries King Johns daughter.LLywelyn (I) to avoid English invasion accepts the English Kings ultimate sovereignty allowing Wales to gradually grow in power.

1240AD LLywelyn (I) dies with no successor after disowning his son for not recognising the English Kings authority and inviting invasion..LLywelyn ap Gruffydd seizes power,calling himself Prince Of Wales to avoid conflict with the English King.He joins the English Barons in their conflict with King Henry III.King Henry is forced to recognise LLywelyn (II) as Prince of Wales (But not King) in the treaty of Montgomery.LLywelyn (II) would become the only native born Prince of Wales.

1272AD Edward I succeeds to English throne and has the intention of not allowing independent states to border his own kingdom.LLywelyn (II) refuses to attend the coronation or be part of Edwards Parliament.LLywelyn (II) does not recognise the supremacy of the English king.

1277AD Edward I invades Wales and declares LLywelyn (II) a rebel.LLywelyn`s army gives a fierce resistance but has it`s supply base cut by the Edwards fleet at Anglesey.LLywelyn (II) sues for peace and a treaty was signed with LLywelyn (II) keeping the title Prince Of Wales,but with no power for administration of Wales.Edward instigates a huge Castle building program to subdue thoughts and actions of Welsh independence.

1282AD Welsh anger finally overflows and LLywelyn (II) along with his brother Dafydd attack the English and an uprising ensues.After a series of successful battles the Welsh are defeated by Edward I who launches a massive attack at both land and sea.LLywelyn (II) is killed after seeking support at Aberdaw Castle to which he was refused entry.His brother continues the rebellion,but is also betrayed and captured.Dafydd is hung drawn and quartered.Edward increases further his Castle building program.The Marcher Lords now have rule of most of the Welsh lands in the name of the English King.

1400AD After two and a half centuries of English rule Owain Glyndwr declares himself Prince Of Wales and embarks on rebellion against the occupation of Wales by England.The Welsh flock to his banner and the English King Henry IV launches an invasion,but his army is defeated by violent weather storms and fierce resistance.

1403AD Welsh control most of Wales and gain the support of the French King,who sends a fleet of ships to the Irish sea in aid of Owain Glyndawr.

1410AD The rebellion fails as Henry IV crushes his rebellious Barons and his military wear down the Welsh army in a series of Battles.Owain Glyndawr,a mystical leader to the Welsh (said to have the power of wizardry) disappears and is not seen again.

1413AD The new English King Henry V proclaims a free pardon for Owain Glyndawr but receives no reply.

1485AD Henry Tudor (Henry VII) becomes the first Welsh born and ancestored King of England.

1642AD Welsh support the Royalist cause in the English Civil War in return for continuation of freedoms first granted by Henry Tudor.After the English King Charles I execution,Oliver Cromwell the Parliamentarian leader slights (makes undefendable) many Castles in Wales so that the Welsh cannot effect a rebellion.

The interesting Welsh Commemorate £10 Note of Owain Glyn Dwr is available from the Welsh publishers at www.ylolfa.com.

For more on the History of Wales visit these other web-sites

www.owain-glyndwr-soc.org.uk

Gwenllian Princess of Wales*

The National Anthem of Wales
(The land of my fathers)

WELSH VERSION

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion,einwogion o fri
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr,gwlardgarwyr tra mad
Tros ryddid collasant en gwaed.

Gwlad,gwlad,pleidiol wyfim gwlad
Tra mor yn fur ir bur hoffbau
O bydded ir heniaith barhau.

Hen gymru fynddig,paradwys y bardd
Pob dyffryn,pob clogwyn im gowlog sydd harrd
Trwy deimlad gwladgarol,mor swynol yw si
Ei nentydd,afonydd,i mi.

Os treisiodd y gelyn fy ngwlad tan ei droed
Mae hen iaith y Cymry mor fyw ag erioed
NI luddiwyd yr awen gan erchyll law brad
Na thelyn berseiniol fy ngwlad.

ENGLISH VERSION

The land of my fathers is dear unto me
Old land where the minstrals
are honoured and free
It's warring defenders so gallant and brave
For freedom thier lifes blood they gave

Home,home true am i to home
While seas secure the land so pure
O may the old language endure.

Old land of the mountains,the eden of bards
Each george and each vally
a loveliness guards
Through love of my country,
charmed voices will be
Its streams and its rivers to me.

Though foremen have trampled
my land neath their feet
The language of Cambria
still knows no retreat
The muse is not vanquished
by traitors fell hand

Other pages

USK CASTLE PIC 1*
USK CASTLE PIC 2*
USK CASTLE PIC 3*
USK CASTLE PIC 4*

How to be an architect of the Future Not a victim of History?*

Other Events In Welsh Life.
(The events in the country of Wales after the loss of the Royal lines, mainly centre on the struggle for Social Justice.)

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1839AD
The Chartist Movement.
(Social rights riots)
The Children of Rebecca
(Anti Tollgate and Poor Law Riots.)

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