Wales and its History

 Throughout medieval times Gwynedd seemed to be the most powerful of Welsh kingdoms, there were times when Deheubarth took the crown , for example hywel dda and Rhys ap Gruffydd but for the vast majority of times it was Gwynedd. Why though? Was the population of Gwynedd higher than the other kingdoms, so they had bigger armies?  Rhodri Mawr gwynedd Hywel Dda Maredudd ab Owain Llywelyn ap Seisyll Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth Bleddyn ap Cynfyn Gwynedd 1063–1075 Powys 1063–1075 Gruffydd ap Llywelyn Gwynedd 1039–1063 Powys 1039–1063 Deheubarth 1055–1063

Wales was mostly united under Hywel Dda, but when he died it was split again, Maredudd ap Owain, the same , Gruffudd ap Llywelyn who united all of Wales and others but because of Welsh laws, when they died the kingdoms would be split again . Meanwhile in England and Scotland, much bigger countries with less in common with each other united and stayed that way . In Wales, they shared the language, culture, traditions and laws, the Welsh had more to unite them than Scotland and England, Welsh law said Cymry  – the modern Welsh for all of the Welsh people – apparently only applied to the free classes and not to serfs or slaves. However, none of them counted as a "foreigner" and, even if they moved from one Welsh "kingdom" ( gwlad ) to another, they did not suffer that status but were considered fully native. Those from outside Wales were considered between serfs and slaves, forbidden to offer testimony, and obliged to pledge themselves to a native Welshman (even a serf...

Wales has more castles per square mile than anywhere else, More medieval religious buildings, more early medieval stones/crosses/inscriptions, more Iron Age Hillforts, it has some of the oldest literature in Europe and a literary tradition that is the oldest in Europe that's still being used today, It is the Welsh who are the keepers of the ancient British traditions and language. Wales or its history isn't better or worse than any other, but it is ignored more than any other, there are no big tv shows, no movies so people outside of Wales are completely ignorant of Welsh history, what they do know is often wrong. There has never been a film about anything of medieval Wales, but there are hundreds about England and Scotland. The BBC also ignores Welsh history but makes countless shows about everywhere else. To be proud of your history isn't nationalism, to state facts isn't nationalism. Wales has history, lots and lots of it. WARS TIMELINE HERE

1136 was an eventful year for the Welsh, they won the Battle of Llwchwr near Swansea, they ambushed and killed a powerful Norman Lord in Gwent, they did however lose the brave Gwenllian when she led an army against the Normans while her husband was on his way to her dads, (Gruffudd ap Cynan of Gwynedd) to ask for support against the invaders, they also had the battle of Crug Mawr The battle of Craig Mawr was a major victory for the Welsh against the Normans, The Norman army led by Robert fitz Martin consisted of around 1,000 professional Flemish infantry and another 7,000 infantry . In addition, it had around 2,000 cavalry, most of which was heavy cavalry. The Welsh army under Owain Gwynedd was slightly smaller at around 6,000 infantry and 2,000 longbowmen. Cavalry was around 1,000 horse. The Normans marched northeast of Cardigan and fortified their position on Crug Mawr hill to meet the Welsh army coming from the north. Flemish troops were placed at the front and the Norman levies...