Wales

The west coast of the Isle of Britain between the Rivers Mersey and Severn. The Welsh (or Cymri, to give their own name for themselves) are the descendents of the Romano-Britons who were gradually pushed westward by the Anglo-Saxons at the close of the Classical era. Independent until the end of the 13th century, they have retained their national identity, and continue to exert a substantial influence on the British character.

Contains: Anglesey, Brycheiniog, Caer Gawch, Ceredigion, Deheubarth, Demetia, Dogfeiling, Dunoding, Dyfed, Ergyng, Glywysing, Gwent, Gwerthrynion, Gwynedd, Malienydd, Meirionydd, Morgannwg, North Powys, Pembroke, Penychen, Powys, Rheinwg, Rhos, Rhufoniog, St. Davids, Seisyllwg, the Silures, South Powys, Venedotia, and Ysfeilion.

 
ANGLESEY (Ynys Mons) An Island off the coast of northwestern Wales, called Ynys Mons or Mona by the ancient Britons. Anglesey is said to have been the last refuge of the druids from the Romans in Britain. Penmynydd, at the center of the island, was the home of Owen Tudor, founder of the house of Tudor.


BRYCHEINIOG A minor state in southern Wales, the highlands around modern Brecon.


CAER GAWCH A petty kingdom in Dyfed, vassal to Demetia.


DEHEUBARTHSouthern Wales, involving at one time or another the Pembroke Peninsula, the Cardigan coast, and the southern highlands.


DOGFEILING A district on the eastern frontier of  Gwynedd. It seems to have been the inheritence of one of Cunedda's sons; it isn't clear whether it was an actual sub-kingdom, or just a local patrimony.


DUNODING A minor client state of Gwynedd, located on the western seaboard just below the Lleyn Peninsula.


DYFED The Pembroke Peninsula in southwestern Wales.


ERGYNG A little chip of territory located in what would now be the area south of Hereford, west of the Wye River, and north of Monmouth.


GLYWYSING In southeastern Wales, just west of Gwent, and often associated with it. It includes within it the city of Cardiff, the modern capital of Wales.


GWENT In extreme southeastern Wales; the north shore of the Severn Estuary between Newport and the Wye River, together with the interior districts north of that coast.


GWERTHRYNION The south-central highlands of eastern Wales, roughly equivalent to the old County of Radnor.


GWYNEDD The northernmost of the Welsh Principalities, and certainly the most powerful and influential. The origins of this state were in the breakup of Brittannia at the end of the Classic Age. At that time, the region around Deganwy, in the center of what in pre-Roman times was the Ordovician tribal territory, emerged as a stronghold, attracting settlers and regfugees from many parts of Britain. Called at first VENEDOTIA, the name gradually shifted to Gwynedd.


MAELIENYDD A minor kingdom founded by one of the sons of Vortigern, in modern Radnorshire, south-central Wales and in the same general vicinity as the Elfael district of Gwerthrynion.


MEIRIONYDD A lesser state on the western seaboard; the name survives today as Merionethshire.


MORGANNWG Southern Wales; the north coast of the Severn Estuary from Swansea to Newport. The name evolved into "Glamorganshire". This state came into being as a result of the merger of Glywysing with Gwent.


NORTH POWYS The interior of northeastern Wales.


PENYCHEN A British sub-kingdom (vassal of Gwent) located in mid-south Wales.


POWYS East-central Wales; southern Denbigh and northern Montgomery, roughly.


RHOS A petty Kingdom located in western Gwynedd.


RHUFONIOG A district within eastern Gwynedd ruled by one of Cunedda's sons. It is likely that this was more of a local patrimony than an organized sub-kingdom.


ST. DAVIDS An important bishopric in southwestern Wales, located on the Pembroke Peninsula. During the Middle Ages the Bishops were powerful feudal magnates who held much of Pembrokeshire as a secular lordship in a manner not at all dissimilar to that of the Prince-bishoprics within the Holy Roman Empire.


SOUTH POWYS The mountainous interior of central Wales.
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