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YSBRYD COFIWN NEW YEAR 2015 MEDIA STAJAEMENT We Note with Some Concern That Next Year 2015 England Is to Commemorate the Anniver

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YSBRYD COFIWN NEW YEAR 2015 MEDIA STAJAEMENT We Note with Some Concern That Next Year 2015 England Is to Commemorate the Anniver YSBRYD COFIWN NEW YEAR 2015 MEDIA STAJAEMENT We note with some concern that next year 2015 England is to commemorate the anniversaries of Magna Carta 1215, Azincourt 1415 and Waterloo 1815. They are largelly of English Historical Concern but not with out Association and influences uPon Wales. Whilst in Wales during 2015 much is being me~de of the 150th anniversary of establishment of the Welsh Patagonia Colony in 1865. Hopefully this commemoration will cause us to also reflect on the native peoples of Patagonia and their long resistance to they being conquored by the Argentinian 'Coquistadores' and later Colonisers, These natjve peoples 'Mapuche' still have to wage a resistance to now 'Corporate Capitalists' who plunder their lands jn both Argentina and Chile. 2015 also marks the 300th Aniversary of the founding of the Society of Ancient Britons iin1715 at a London Dinner attended by the English Princess of Wales. An event with much toasting of Loyalty to the English Crown much due to fact that the 'Welsh Establishment' of the day sought to show their loyalty to England while the Scots were engaged in the first Stuart rebellion. These 'Ancient Britons' took the English Princes 'Three Feathers' as their badge of loyalty and were thus responsible for in time i1:i poPularity amongst Welsh People as thejr contemporav svmbol of loyaltv to English Crown and their 'English Princes for Wales'. Sadly, not doubt the 600th Anniversary of Owain Glyndwr's 'Disappearence' on St Mathews Day 21 September in 1415 will be ignored as who would want to commemorate this and the beginning of the end of this armed struggle of National Liberation from English Rule. Not however untill 1421 as guerrila resistance led by Maredudd Owain and the 'Gwerin Owain' Rebel Outlaws would continue. However, in 'Ysbryd Cofiwn' we shall fully support the Embassy Glyndwr Glyndwr 660 Commemorative Programme (see their blog} to further promote and reinyjaorate celebration of all the great and signifigant acheivements of our natjonal hero Owaln IV the true last Prince of Wales - 'Tywysog Cymru'. This leads me to conclude by drawing attention to other much needed Welsh Commemorations for 2016, hopefully Welsh Assembly Government, CADW and also Educational and other bodies Creative and cultural also not least associated communities will during 2015 busy themselves preparing signifigant national programmes for such 2016 National Commemorations as the 2016 50th Aberfan Disaster 1966 and the sooth Anniversary of the most Wales Historically signifigant Council of ~erdvfj 1216. Finally, worth reminding that 2016 Marks the lOOt Anniversaries of the Battles of Mametz and Festubert both Battles having strong Welsh Associations and thus should not be forgotten. 2016 .will also mark the 200th Anniversary of the Merthyr Revolt of 1816. Last but not least some Welsh Nationalists will be mindful that 2011'marks 20th Anniyersarv of Death 1995 of Julian Cayo Evans Commandant fWA. Gethin ap Gruffydd. 'Welsh Remembrancer'. The Principality of Wales (~: Tywysogaeth Cymru) existed between 1216 and 1536, encompassing two-thirds of modern ~during its height between 1267-1277. For most of its history it was "annexed and united" to the English Crown. However, for a few generations, specifically the period from its foundation in 1216 to Edwarc! I's completion of the conquest of Wales in 1284, it was de facto independent under a Welsh prince of Wales, albeit one who swore fmllW to the King of England. The Principality was formally founded in 1216 at the Council of Aberdvfi and later recognised by the 1218 Treatv of ¥!Rmffter between Llywelyn the Great of Wales and Henry III of England. The treaty gave substance to the political reahty of 13th century Wales and England, and the relationship of the former with the Angeyjn Empire. The principality retained a great degree of autonomy, characterized by a separate legal jurisprudence based on the well established laws of Cv(ralth Hvwel. and by the increasingly sophisticated m.w::t of the House of Aberffraw. Although it owed fml.llv to the Angevln king of England, the principality was de (acto Independent, with a similar status in the empire to the Kingdom of Scotland.w Its existence has been seen as proof that all the elements necessary for the growth of Welsh statehood were in place.W The period of de facto independence ended with Edward I's conquest of the prjncipalitv between 1277 and 1283. Under the Statute of Rhuddlan the Principality lost its independence and became effectively an annexed territory of the English crown. From 1301, the crown's lands In north and west Wales formed part of the appanage of England's heir apparent, with the title "Prjnce of Wales". On accession of the Prince to the English throne, the lands and title became merged with the Crown again. On two occasions Welsh claimants to the title rose up in rebellion during this period, although neither ultimately succeeded. Since the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542, Which formally Incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England, there has been no geographical or constitutional basis for describing any of the territory of Wales as a principality, although the term has occasionally been used In an Informal sense to describe the country, and in relation to the honorary title of Prince of Wales. Foundations[mi.U;] The 13th century Principality of Wales was based on the historic lands ruled by the Aberffraw fAmily, lands In north Wales traditionally including Ynys M&n. Gwynedd-Uwch-Conwy (Gwynedd above the Conwy, or Upper Gwynedd), and the Perfeddwlad (the Middle Country) also known as Gwynedd-Is-Conwy (Gwynedd below the Conwy, or Lower Gwynedd). Additional lands were acquired through vassalage or conquest, and by regaining lands lost to Marcher lords, particularly that of the Perfeddwlad, powys Fadog, powys Wenwynwyn, and Ceredjgjon. Previous Welsh rulers had styled themselves In a variety of ways, usually in relation to a certain patrimony like "Lord of Ceredigion" or "King of Builth". The most powerful were often referred to (by others at least) as "King of the Britons". As Wales was a defined geographical area with agreed borders, yet outside the bounds of England, anyone bestowed with the title Prince of Wales would have suzeraintv over any local Welsh ruler but without the territorial ambitions on England of a King of the Britons - which implied "liberating" the .1ki.mnJ who still resided in places long considered a part of England such as Devon, Cornwall, Cumberland and other places, albeit in fewer and fewer numbers. The Aberffraw family had long claimed primacy over all other Welsh lords, including over those rulers of .Pgwn and of Deheubarth.ww In The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan, written in the late 12th century, the family asserted Its rights as the senior line of descendants from Rhodri the Great, who had ruled most of Wales between 820-870, and whose sons came to rule in Gwynedd, Deheubarth, and Powys.W!Zl Gruffudd ap Cynan's biography was first written in J.i1tin and intended .for a wider audience outside Wales.m The significance of this claim was that the Aberffraw family owed nothing to the English king for its position In Wales, and that they held authority in Wales "by absolute right through descent," wrote historian John Davies.m .
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