The Celtic Kingdoms
Until recently few historians looked at British history except from an English poimt of view. But the stories of Wales, Ireland and Scotland are also important, because their people still feel different from the Anglo-Saxon English. The experience of the Welsh, Irish and Scots helps to explain the feeling they have today.
Britain c. AD 500
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Wales
The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is Welsh for "Land of the Cymry". The etymological origin of Cymry is from the Brithonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen". By 500 AD, the land that would become Wales had divided into number of kingdoms free from Anglo-Saxon rule. The kingdoms of Gwynedd (pronounced [ˈ ɡwɪ nɛð]), Powys, Dyfed and Seisyllg, Morgannwg and Gwent emerged as independent Welsh states. The Romano-Britons
and their descendants in the western kingdoms were to become the foundation of what we now know as Wales. By the 8th century most of the Celts had been driven into the Welsh peninsula. They were kept out of England by Offa's Dyke (Welsh: Clawdd Offa), which is a massive linear earthwork, roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. It was built in AD 779. The cymry could live only in the crowded valleys because the rest of the country was rocky and mountainous, and too poor for anything except keeping animals. The population remained small only over half a million in the 18th century. Slavery was common as it had been all through Celtic Britain. Society was based on family groupings each of which owned one or more village or farm settlement. A strong leader made himself king in each group. These men must have been tribal chiefs to begin with who later managed to become overlords over neighbouring family groups. Each of these kings tried to conquer the others. The idea of a senior king developed. The early kings travelled around in their kingdoms to remind ordinary people of their control. Life was dangerous and bloody. In 1043 the king of Glamorgan died of old age. It was unusual because between 949 and 1066 35 Welsh rulers died violently. Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (r. 1039–63) was "the only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire
territory of Wales. From about 1057 until his death in 1063, the whole of Wales recognised his kingship. For about 7 brief years, Wales was one, under one ruler. He was killed by cymry while defending Wales against the Saxons. Welsh kings after him were able to rule only after they had
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promised loyalty to Edward the Confessor, king of England. The story of an independent Wales was over almost as soon as it had begun.
Ireland
Ireland was never invaded by the Romans or the Anglo-Saxons. It had a f lourishing Celtic culture and it was a land of monasteries. As in Wales people were known by their family groupings. They had only the name of their tribe. The kings were chosen by election. The idea was that the strongest man should lead. Five kingdoms grew up in Ireland : Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connaught and Tara as the seat of the high kings of Ireland. These five kingdoms were often at war, each trying to gain advantage over the other, often with great cruelty. Christianity came to Ireland in about AD 430. This is the beginning of Ireland’s history because
for the first time there were people who could write down events. Christianity was spread in Ireland by a British slave, Patrick, who became the “patron saint” of Ireland. Christianity brought writing, which weakened the position of the Druids, who depended on memory and the spoken world. Christian monasteries grew up along the coast. This period of Ireland is also known as “golden age”. Invaders were unknown and culture flowered. This age suddenly ended with the arrivals of the Viking raiders, who stole all that the monasteries had. The Vikings brought fresh economic and political action into Irish life. Viking raids forced the Irish to unite. In 859 Ireland chose its first high king, but it was not effective because each time quarrel took place and new high king was chosen. Viking trade led to the first towns and ports, which was revolutionary for the Celts, who had always lived in small settlements. Dublin was founded by the Vikings. The high kingship lasted only twelve years (1002-1014) while Ireland was ruled by Brian Boru the greatest ruler. He tried to create one single Ireland and encouraged the growth of organization in the Church, in administration, in learning. Boru died in battle against the Vikings. One of the five Irish kings, the king of Leinster, fought on the Viking’s side. Just a century later another king
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of Leinster invited the Normans of England to help him against his high king. This gave the Normans the excuse they wanted to enlarge their kingdom. Scotland
The old name for this land was Alba, or Albainn, then 'Scotia' and the Romans called it 'Caledonia'. The Picts originally lived in what is now Scotland. They were given the name 'Pictii' by the Romans,
which meant 'painted people' - they were heavily tattooed and preferred to fight almost naked to enable them to move quicker in battle. The Scots arrived from the north-east coast of Ireland in the 4th century. The name Scots was from 'Scotii', which meant 'raiders'. For the next 200 or so years they expanded their territory north and east, alternately warring, mixing, and intermarrying with the Picts. The Britons inhabited the Lowlands and had been part of the Romano British world. They had given
up their old tribal way of life by the 6th century. The Angles were from Northumbria who had pushed northwards into the Scottish Lowlands.Unity between Picts, Scots and Britons was achieved because they shared a common Celtic culture, language and background. They depended on keeping animals. Tribes held their land and these animals. This idea of common landholding remained strong until the tribes of Scotland, called “clans”, collapsed in the 18 th century. The Angels were very different from the Celts. They had arrived in Britain in family groups but soon accepted authority from other people outside their family. They kept some animals but they spent more time growing crops. This meant that land was held by individuals working in his own field. Land was distributed for farming by the local lord. The first Christian mission had come to southwest Scotland in about AD400. Through Columba’s work (who also known as “Dove of the Church” and came from Ireland in 563) both Highland Scots and Picts were brought to Christianity. Vikings attacked the costal areas of Scotland and they settled on many of the islands (Isle of Man, Orkney and Shetland). Picts and Scots fought together against the enemy raiders and settlers. When they could not push them out of the islands and costal areas they had to deal with them politically. At first the Vikings served the king of Norway but slowly the earls of Orkney and others found it easier to accept the king of Scots. Also they discovered the English were greater danger than the Vikings. In 934 the Scots were seriously defeated by a Wessex army pushing northwards. England was obviously stronger so the Scots decided to seek the friendship of the English. The hoped if they were reasonably peaceful, the Sasseachs (as they called the Saxons and still call the English), would leave them alone. Scotland was a difficult country to rule
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because the control of the Highlands and islands was a great problem. Travel was often impossible in winter and slow in summer. It was easy for a clan chief or noble to throw off the rule of the king.
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