Cymru-Wales- Le Pays de Galles

Who are the Welsh? ► The word ‘welsh’ was given to the Celtic- speaking Britons by the first ‘Anglo-Saxons’ who settled in Britain in the 4-5 th centuries. It was often used to mean Romanised Celt. (as in France).

The word ‘Welsh’ ► In Old English (Anglo-Saxon) the word used for the Britons was ‘wealas’ which can be translated as ‘stranger’, ‘foreigner’, Briton, even slave. In time the word wealas became Wales.

The Britons to ‘Welsh’ ► The Britons called themselves by several names including ‘Brython’ (Britons), and especially ‘Cymry’ (fellow- countrymen/women.

Who are the Welsh? ► Eventually the ‘Welsh’ (Celtic Britons), were only in a majority in western Britain, especially today’s Wales, Cornwall and Cumbria (NE England). ► Eventually the word was only used for the descendants of the Britons (Celtic Britons) in Wales itself.

The ‘Welsh’ before Wales. ► The Britons had inhabited the island of Britain for at least one thousand years before. ► They were the Celts of Britain, and by the 3 rd century BC shared the La Tene Celtic culture of the continent.

Found in Tal-y-Llyn. C150-50BC

Boudica

of the Iceni The revolt in 60AD

Magnus Maximus 383AD Declared Emperor in Britain. ‘left the nation as one’.

Circa AD ‘Welsh’ ‘Cymry’ ‘Britons’

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► With the end of the Roman presence in Britain (c430AD), and the beginnings of the early medieval period (or as it used to called the ‘dark ages’), we see the emergence of Wales as a series of political entities, all contributing to a sense of independence.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► The colonisation of the east of Britain by Germanic peoples (‘Anglo-Saxons’) meant that Celtic culture and language was increasingly restricted to northern and western Britain. ► This is many ways ‘created’ Wales.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► And in mainland Britain it was in Wales, that Celtic culture was mostly preserved and promoted after the 6 th century AD. ► Nowhere were the ties to the past stronger. ► A past which the Welsh remembered as a Golden Age of British (ie=Celtic) heroes, saints and above all political autonomy.

Christianity in Early Wales AD

The Celtic Church in Wales ► Although Christianity was introduced into Britain under Roman rule, it was mainly concentrated in the south-east of Britain in urban locations. ► After the end of Roman rule (c410AD), Christianity in the Celtic west between the fifth and the eighth centuries was diffused by groups of monks, often led by charismatic leaders.

The Celtic Church in Wales ► Such leaders known as ‘saints’ spearheaded the growth of Christianity in the Celtic west of Britain as the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the east. ► The British Celts (Welsh, Cornish, Cumbrians), the Bretons and the Galicians developed a cultural and spiritual consciousness which was clearly identifiable as ‘Atlantic’.

The Celtic Church in Wales ► Shipping routes played an important role in bringing new ideas from one region to another. ► As far as Wales was concerned, the sea acted as a major Christianizing superhighway. ► Links between Wales, Cornwall (also devon and Somerset), Ireland and Brittany.

The Celtic Saints of Wales ► The ‘Lives’ of the saints (biographies). ► One of the most influential was St Dyfrig (d c 550). ► He was undoubtedly one of the first of these saints. ► He was a teacher, bishop and organizer.

The Celtic Saints of Wales ► One of his students was St Illtud who converted his own monastery into a proto- University. ► One of his students was St Samson who brought this version of Christianity to Brittany. (The bishopric of Dol).

The Celtic Saints of Wales ► The most prominent of all Welsh saints was St David (d.c.589AD). ► He was the acknowledge abbot-bishop in St David’s in south-west Wales. ► He lived in an area where was Irish influence. ► St David became a potent symbol of the distinctive identity of the Welsh Church.

The Celtic Saints of Wales ► The hallmark of the monastic settlements was austerity, simplicity and purity. ► The most widely used word for church or Christian foundation was llan, a word often followed by a saint’s name: ► Llanddewi (the church of St David), Llanbadarn, Llanilltud. ► Their churches were made of timber, and were very small indeed.

The early Christian treasures of Wales The Gospels of St Chad 730AD

Survival of Latin in The early Welsh church Survival of Romano-British culture

Cadwgan’s Stone

The Stone of Paulinus Peulin)

The Bell Of Gwynhoedl

Cross of Houelt

Cross of Conbelin (Cynfelin)

Cross of Nevern (Nanhyfer) Pembrokeshire

St Melangell

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► In inhabitants of Wales were soon cut off from the Britons (ie=Celts) of Cornwall and Cumbria (northern Britain) by the expansion of the Germanic kingdoms of Wessex, and Northumbria. ► The Vikings too, who assumed power on the Isle of Man were able to attack the Welsh coastal areas.

Cornwall Wales Elmet Cumbria Britain c.600AD

The Kings of Early Wales ► Cunedda Wledig (Cunedag) ► He and his eight sons left the territory of the Uotadini (Gododdin- today’s Scotland) for Gwynedd (NW Wales) ► They expelled Irish settlers and founded a new dynasty. The Royal House of Gwynedd. ► Rhufoniog; Edeirnion, Ceredigion, Meirionydd.

The Kings of Early Wales ► Other kingdoms were formed in the south of Wales in Dyfed, Brycheiniog and Morgannwg. ► In north central Wales, the kingdom was called Powys- which may possibly have existed from Roman times. ► (Paganses)

Irish influence in early Wales ► During the late Roman period, parts of Wales became Irish colonies especially in the NW and SW. ► Inscriptions in ogam are found in both parts of the country. ► Irish missionaries passed through Wales on their way to the Continent. ► Some words were borrowed from Irish into Welsh (eg cerbyd=chariot).

The Kings of Early Wales ► Although Wales was largely a patchwork of small kingdoms until the 800s, by 855, Rhodri Mawr (‘the Great;’) started to unify Wales.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► One of the most prominent Welsh kings of that time was Rhodri Mawr (Rhodri the Great), who became ruler of Gwynedd in 844. He became an internationally famous warrior king by defeating the Danes in 856 AD. He extended his kingdom to all of North and mid Wales.

Offa’s Dyke-Clawdd Offa

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► The opinion today is that Offa’s Dyke was a boundary, a means of economic and political control between Offa and the Welsh kings. ► The bank itself was 7 meters high, with a ditch 2 meters deep, and up to 20 meters wide. This would have made it difficult for troops or livestrock to cross this cultural, political and linguistic border.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► With the dangers posed by the heathen Vikings, the Welsh made alliances with English kingdoms to withstand their attacks. ► Around 893 the Welsh princes stood with their Wessex allies against the Viking invasion of c893AD.

Hywel Dda The Lawgiver

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► Although Wales was still a collection of kingdoms (5 in all), we see the beginnings of a desire for some form of unity. ► Under Hywel Dda (Hywel the ‘Good’ who was Rhodri’s grandson), Wales codified its law system (no small matter for a nation that wants to find a sense of unity). He had a vast territory which had brought most of Wales under his rule.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► Typically, this disintergrated after his death. ► Wales had its own version of a civil war during the hundred years between The two side represented the northern kingdom (Gwynedd) and the southern kingdom (Deheubarth).

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► The beginning of the eleventh century saw the appearance of several new dynasties. ► A certain Llywelyn ap Seisyll became king of Gwynedd around He extended his control to include Deheubarth by warfare. ► His young son, Gruffudd (ap Llywelyn) took over where his father left off and extended the lands of this Gwynedd dynasty even further.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► Between 1056 and his death in 1064, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn ruled the whole of Wales, the only Welsh king ever to do this. ► He also played an important part in English politics; he made alliances many of the English earls. This soured, and led finally to the assassination of Gruffydd.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► Gwynedd lost its independence and Deheubarth regained theirs. ► England had emerged as a unified kingdom under Alfred, but in Wales were plagued by an adherence to petty kingdoms and local power.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► This early Welsh society had eveolved a kind of ‘tribal’ society in which blood relationships were all-important. ► This society was found in scattered settlements called maenors, groups of which formed cantrevs, the basic unit of royal administration.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► By the latter part of the twelfth century, three Welsh kingdoms stood out: Gwynedd (capital: Aberffraw), Powys (capital: Mathrafal) and Deheubarth (capital: Dinefwr). ► This was called in medieval Latin Wallia or Pura Wallia and was seen as being quite different to the parts of Wales that came increasingly under Norman control the Marchia Wallie.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► In that era the dynasties ruling Gwynedd became the most important political force in Wales. ► The most impressive was Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (or Llywelyn the Great). He spent much time fighting against his own relatives, until he was the undisputed ruler of Gwynedd, and recognised as such by the English king John. (Llywelyn married his daughter).

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► In 1216 he summoned the Welsh princes from the south to a kind of parliament at Aberdyfi. ► He repeated this in 1238 to a kind of privy council at Strata Florida in west Wales. ► He never called himself ‘prince of Wales’ but he clearly was deserving of the title. He died in 1240.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► His grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. After an internecine war between the sons of LLywelyn ap Iorwerth and also another by his own brothers, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd created a kingdom which came close to covering the whole of Wales, and he declared himself ‘Prince of Wales’ (Tywysog Cymru).

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► He created a a Principality of Wales composed of Gwynedd, Powys and Deheubarth. ► Eventually hostility developed between Llywelyn and the powerful English king Edward I. Certain impositions made the Welsh indignant and eventually a revolt ensued.

Wales- Cymru- Pays de Galles ► Llywelyn was killed shortly before the battle of Irfon Bridge in mid Wales on 11 December ► Llywelyn, the last native Prince of Wales, was beheaded. ► His brother Dafydd fought on for another year. ► Welsh independence was at an end. Wales became an integral, if troublesome, part of the realm of England.

The tomb of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth

The Castles of Wales

► Most of the castles in Wales today date from the period of the defeat of the Welsh after 1282 ► Dolwyddelan is however a native Welsh Castle:

Conwy Castle

The Castles of Wales

Caernarfon Castle

► The great castle of Caernarfon stands at the junction of the Menai Straits and the river Seiont. ► In design the the castle is a long oval enclosure running east-west. ► All the castle towers are polygonal, copying possibly designs known elsewhere, especially the walls of Constantinople.

Caernarfon Castle

Rhuddlan Castle

Beaumaris Castle Anglesey