The Celts (8)
Do you know Offa’s Dyke? It’s pretty much a border between England and
Wales. The Saxon king of Mercia, Offa, built it. That was in the eighth
century.
Offa’s Dyke didn’t stop the enmity between the English and the Welsh,
however. The united English kingdom grew powerful. The English king
Henry III recognised the Welsh leader – Llywelyn ap Gruffydd – as
Prince of Wales in 1267.
But Llywelyn made a mistake. Henry died and his son, Edward I, came to
the throne. Llywelyn didn’t go to London for the coronation of the new
king. And he also refused to accept Edward as his overlord.
In 1277 the English made a strong attack on Wales. Edward built many
big castles. And he forced the Welsh to accept the laws of England.
But the Welsh were not entirely subdued. In the year 1400, there was a
big revolt. Owain Glynd
ŵr was at its head.
Glynd
ŵr had plans to establish Wales as an independent principality. People
throughout Wales gave him support. He called a parliament in
Machynlleth.
Glynd
ŵr had friends among the English elites. And he had an alliance with
France. The French sent a force to Worcester in England but they were
not successful. After that, matters started to go against the Welsh. In
1408 the English had control of southern and central Wales. But the
revolt continued in the north for a while.
Glynd
ŵr disappeared. It’s not known what happened to him.
In acts of parliament in the middle of the sixteenth century, Wales was
united with England under the same government and law. However, although
the language has declined, it is still strong in comparison with the other
Celtic languages. Two years ago I was in a cafe in Llanrwst, a small town
in the north. About forty people were present, and they were all speaking
Welsh.
Na Ceiltich (8)
A bheil sibh eòlach air Offa’s Dyke? Tha e gu ìre na chrìoch eadar
Sasainn agus a’ Chuimrigh. Thog rìgh Sagsannach Mhercia, fear Offa, e. Bha
sin anns an ochdamh linn.
Cha do chuir Offa’s Dyke stad air an nàimhdeas eadar na Sasannaich
ʼs na Cuimrich, ge-tà. Dh’fhàs rìoghachd aonaichte Shasainn cumhachdach.
Dh’aithnich an rìgh Sasannach Eanraig III ceannard Cuimreach – Llywelyn ap
Gruffydd – mar Phrionnsa na Cuimrigh ann an dà cheud deug, seasgad ʼs a
seachd (1267).
Ach rinn Llywelyn mearachd. Chaochail Eanraig agus thàinig a mhac, Eideard
I, don rìgh-chathair. Cha deach Llywelyn a Lunnainn airson crùnadh an rìgh
ùir. Agus dhiùlt e cuideachd gabhail ri Eideard mar uachdaran.
Ann an dà cheud deug, seachdad ʼs a seachd (1277) thug na Sasannaich
ionnsaigh mhòr air a’ Chuimrigh. Thog Eideard tòrr chaistealan mòra. Agus
thug e air na Cuimrich gabhail ri laghan Shasainn.
Ach cha robh na Cuimrich air an ceannsachadh buileach. Anns a’ bhliadha
ceithir cheud deug (1400), bha ar-a-mach mòr ann. Bha Owain Glyndŵr aig a
cheann. Bha planaichean aig Glyndŵr a’ Chuimrigh a stèidheachadh mar
phrionnsalachd neo-eisimeileach. Thug daoine air feadh na Cuimrigh taic
dha. Ghairm e pàrlamaid ann am Machynlleth.
Bha caraidean aig Glyndŵr am measg uaislean Shasainn. Agus bha co-chòrdadh
aige leis an Fhraing. Chuir na Frangaich feachd gu ruige Worcester ann an
Sasainn ach cha robh iad soirbheachail. An dèidh sin, thòisich cùisean air
a dhol an aghaidh nan Cuimreach. Ann an ceithir cheud deug ʼs a h-ochd
(1408) bha smachd aig na Sasannaich air ceann a deas agus meadhan na
Cuimrigh. Ach lean an t-ar-a-mach anns a’ cheann a tuath airson greis.
Chaidh Glyndŵr à fianais. Chan eil fios dè thachair dha.
Ann an achdan pàrlamaid ann am meadhan an t-siathamh linn deug, chaidh a’
Chuimrigh aonachadh le Sasainn fon aon riaghaltas agus an aon lagh. Ge-tà,
ged a tha an cànan air crìonadh, tha i fhathast làidir an coimeas ris na
cànanan Ceilteach eile. O chionn dà bhliadhna, bha mi ann an cafaidh ann an
Llanrwst, baile beag anns a’ cheann a tuath. Bha mu dhà fhichead duine ann,
agus bha iad uile a’ bruidhinn Cuimris.
