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Visit Wales

A brief history of Wales

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The History of Wales as a country, being perceived as a single political entity, strangely enough, only really began in 1282 with the Conquest of the Principality of Wales by King Edward I of England. Before that the region was really a collection of independent Kingdoms each with it's own ruler. The most powerful of these rulers was called the King of the Britons, or in later years the Leader or Prince of Wales; and after 1282 the male heir to the throne of England has by convention been referred to as the Prince of Wales.

Suggested reading for your tour of Wales

Continuing the history of Wales

Henry VIII looked to fully incoporate Wales into England and in an effort to do this passed the Laws in Wales Acts; though it would not be until 1707 when Wales, along with England and Scotland became Great Britain with the Act of Union 1707 that true Union was really achieved.

That is not to say that the path to the union of Wales and England was easy and straight forward, or universally welcomed; it was not and at times has been bloody; with several ultimately unsuccessful revolts.

Perhaps the most well know of these insurrections was that, in the 15th century, led by Owain Glyndwr . The story Owain Glydwr is one of myth and legend, noted by no less a litary figure than Shakespeare and mentioned in by him in Henry IV, not least because after the failure of the uprising, Glydwr, not having being captured by the English, vanished from known history; not even emerging to accept later Royal Pardons. The stuff of legend indeed.