For a timeline of historical events in Wales, see timeline of Welsh history.
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Part of a series on the
Culture of Wales
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Prehistory
Roman Era
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The history of what is now Wales (Welsh: Cymru) begins with evidence of a Neanderthal presence from at least 230,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens arrived by about 31,000 BC. However, continuous habitation by modern humans dates from the period after the end of the last ice age around 9000 BC, and Wales has many remains from the Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age. During the Iron Age the region, like all of Britain south of the Firth of Forth, the culture had become Celtic, with a common Brittonic language. The Romans, who began their conquest of Britain in AD 43, first campaigned in what is now northeast Wales in 48 against the Deceangli, and gained total control of the region with their defeat of the Ordovices in 79. The Romans departed from Britain in the 5th century, opening the door for the Anglo-Saxon settlement. Thereafter, the culture began to splinter into a number of kingdoms. The Welsh people formed with English encroachment that effectively separated them from the other surviving Brittonic-speaking peoples in the early middle ages.
In the post-Roman period, a number of Welsh kingdoms formed in present-day Wales, including Gwynedd, Powys, Ceredigion, Dyfed, Brycheiniog, Ergyng and Gwent. While some rulers extended their control over other Welsh territories and into western England, none were able to unite Wales for long. Internecine struggles and external pressure from the English and later, the Norman conquerors of England, led to the Welsh kingdoms coming gradually under the sway of the English crown. In 1282, the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd led to the conquest of the Principality of Wales by King Edward I of England; since then, the heir apparent to the English monarch has borne the title "Prince of Wales". The Welsh launched several revolts against English rule, the last significant one being that led by Owain Glyndŵr in the early 15th century. In the 16th century Henry VIII, himself of Welsh extraction as a great-grandson of Owen Tudor, passed the Laws in Wales Acts aiming to fully incorporate Wales into the Kingdom of England.
Wales became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 and then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. Yet, the Welsh retained their language and culture despite heavy English dominance. The publication of the extremely significant first complete Welsh translation of the Bible by William Morgan in 1588 greatly advanced the position of Welsh as a literary language. The 18th century saw the beginnings of two changes that would greatly affect Wales, the Welsh Methodist revival, which led the country to turn increasingly nonconformist in religion, and the Industrial Revolution. During the rise of the British Empire, 19th century Southeast Wales in particular experienced rapid industrialisation and a dramatic rise in population as a result of the explosion of the coal and iron industries. Wales played a full and willing role in World War One. The industries of the Empire in Wales declined in the 20th century with the end of the British Empire following the Second World War, while nationalist sentiment and interest in self-determination rose. The Labour Party replaced the Liberal Party as the dominant political force in the 1920s. Wales played a considerable role during World War Two, along with the rest of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Allies, and its cities were bombed extensively during the Blitz. The nationalist party Plaid Cymru gained momentum from the 1960s. In a 1997 referendum, Welsh voters approved the devolution of governmental responsibility to a National Assembly for Wales which first met in 1999, renamed Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament in May 2020.
The historyof what is now Wales (Welsh: Cymru) begins with evidence of a Neanderthal presence from at least 230,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens arrived...
Wales (Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəm.rɨ] ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the...
Prince ofWales (Welsh: Tywysog Cymru, pronounced [təu̯ˈəsoɡ ˈkəmrɨ]; Latin: Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the male heir...
The modern historyofWales starts in 1800 and continues until the present day. In the 19th century, South Wales became heavily industrialised with ironworks;...
The flag ofWales (Welsh: Baner Cymru or Y Ddraig Goch, meaning 'the red dragon') consists of a red dragon passant on a green and white field. As with...
The Oxford HistoryofWales is a history series on the historyofWales, written by leading historians for each period. One of the volumes in the series...
was the world's largest, and Wales' significant coalfields led to the industry transforming many parts ofWales. Wales experienced de-industrialisation...
native to Wales. Wales is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. The majority of people living in Wales are British citizens. In Wales, the Welsh...
People in History and Legend Up to about A.D. 1000. National Library ofWales. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0907158730. K. L. Maund (1991). Ireland, Wales, and England...
The culture ofWales is distinct, with its own language, customs, festivals, music, art, mythology, history, and politics. Wales is primarily represented...
historyof the Jews in Wales begins in the 13th century. However, after the English conquest ofWales (1287–1283), Edward I issued the 1290 Edict of Expulsion...
see Historyof England, HistoryofWales, Historyof Scotland, Historyof Ireland, Historyof the formation of the United Kingdom and Historyof the United...
as sporting events, but Wales has a historyof music that has been used as a primary form of communication. Historically, Wales has been associated with...
North Wales (Welsh: Gogledd Cymru) is a region ofWales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and...
devolution in 1999. NHS WalesWales, NHS. "NHS Wales | 1960's". www.wales.nhs.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2016. Website of NHS WalesHistoryof the NHS. Archived...
England and Wales in 1534 as a result of the English Reformation. In Wales, disestablishment took place in 1920 when the Church in Wales became independent...
Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 (Welsh: Y Deddfau Cyfreithiau yng Nghymru 1535 a 1542) or the Acts of Union (Welsh: Y Deddfau Uno), were Acts of the Parliament...
Religion in Wales has, over the years, become increasingly diverse. Christianity was the religion of virtually all of the Welsh population until the late...
The Church in Wales (Welsh: Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop ofWales does not have a fixed...
This is a list of rulers in Wales (Welsh: Cymru; and neighbouring regions) during the Middle Ages, between c. 400s – 1500s. The rulers were monarchs who...
two-thirds of modern Wales during its height of 1267–1277. Following the conquest ofWales by Edward I of England of 1277 to 1283, those parts ofWales retained...
ˈmoːn]) is an island off the north-west coast ofWales. It forms the bulk of the county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island (Ynys...
Demographics ofWales include the numbers in population, place of birth, age, ethnicity, religion, and number of marriages in Wales. The population ofWales doubled...
impacted the historyofWales. Rhodri rose to power during a tumultuous era, where the fate of Welsh kingdoms was often determined by the power of their leaders...
The historyof education in Wales spans from the period of Roman rule to the present day. Early forms of formal education were church or privately run...
ˈɡoːχ]) is a heraldic symbol that represents Wales and appears on the national flag ofWales. Ancient leaders of the Celtic Britons that are personified as...
advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following...
Cymru – the Party ofWales, and often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to...